My Tamiya 1:350 USS Enterprise

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

Hey all. Figured I’d post the progress on my Enterprise. I meant to make a thread… Oh… 8 or so months ago when I started her, but alas things came up, a move happened, and only now am I here firing up the keyboard."

It may seem that I am building things out of sync and not “finishing” things before starting something new, but there is a method behind the madness. In my move, I pretty much lose all opportunity for major paint and airbrush application until I get a new work area built. As such, I did as much substantial building and painting of major components that I could so I could focus on the smaller detail work in my new place and still get her done.

I have the GMM photo-etch, as well as the GMM Nuclear Carrier decals and West Coast air wing decal sets.

The pictures are of the build after a substantial chunk of the work is already completed, but there is still a long, long long way to go.

I should note that I am building her as she sails today which is requiring quite a bit of scratch building. Some is done(mostly on the island), most isn’t pictured yet, and there is still a ton more to go.

Flight deck painted. I should note, this and the following pics show the flight deck painted, but it is NOT attached to the hull at all (hence the VERY visible seams).

Quick mock up of the airwing in prep for paint before my move. (No wings cut for stowage at this point)

The “Almost done but not really” Flight deck. Taken a day before she was packed up to move.

More to come now that I am settled and building again!

2

Nice build. Please keep us updated.

3

Wow, nice paiting job!

4

Nice build MrMaker, I look forward to watching her progress. A.M.Jorge is doing a nice job too, now I

5

Now I have both of you to follow!

6

That is looking very smart. How many planes will be on deck when she is finished?

Errol

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I’m thinking about 30 on deck for the Underway display, and a hand full for the air ops display. I also built a hangar deck that I haven’t posted pics of yet.

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One more for good measure. I’m taking some serious pictures starting tomorrow. I’m unpacked and my small but functional work area is ready.

9

Nice neat etchwork, what do you use for bonding the brass to the styrene?

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I just use CA Glue (Superglue). I use varying thicknesses of glue depending on the situation, but most of the time its the quick cure medium viscosity type. I apply it with a pin most of the time unless its the Instant Cure low viscosity, that requires some finesse or you’ll get it everywhere.

While building the Titanic, I managed to unknowingly wick some of the low viscosity CA onto the palm of my hand, and promptly glued it to my desk. Good times getting un-stuck without losing a few layers of skin.

11

Thanks, same as me then, I’m collecting bits for my Titanic so I shall look for yours in the meantime, is it posted here as a build? if so, what is the thread title? Ta muchly, Jock.

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No thread on the Titanic. I finished her about a year or so ago before moving onto the Perry, and then the Enterprise. Here are a few pics from my old place. I’ll take some better ones when I have a few mins to pull her off of the shelf and dust her off.

13

Your Titanic looks very nice MrMaker, is that the Perry next to it? Another nice looking build!

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I don’t know if this is too late for you, but I have recently bought a disc from White Ensign Models about the Big E. It’s by a chap called Ray D. Bean, It covers the Enterprise and airwings from 1961-2011 and has over 750 pics just for the modelmaker. I think it would be around the $20 mark coz it cost me £14 and is well worth the money. I’m glad I bought this before I fully start my build.

Regards,

Jockster.

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wow! seems everybody is in the BigE mood.

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I lucked upon mine on e-bay so I got one sooner than I thought I would, I always wanted to build one as a kid but it was way too expensive for either me or my parents. Once I had it, I couldn’t keep my hands off. It has put a hold on my Slava Varyag at the mo.

17

Well I have some new pictures coming.

My Big E and my Cat got into a scrap. The cat destroyed my mast assembly, a radar dish, and wiped out a lot of PE from the island.

Not to be deterred, I grabbed another kit, ordered new PE, and have been working hard this past week to catch back up to where I left off.

Pics forthcoming shortly.

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As Promised:

I’m still straightening out some railings from the cat-attack, and there’s one antennae that I have to put back on, but I’m almost “caught up to where I left off” last time.

This image you can see some of the scratch built platforms for the radar domes since this is a “present day” build.

More to come tomorrow as I have the day off work and am building allf-freakin-day.

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Fan-freakin-tastic build, looking forward to seeing some of the airing painted and placed - how heavy and what type of weathering are you going to do?

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Not a lot of weathering actually. I’m building her as if she was fresh from refit and heading out on deployment.

I will probably do some buffing with the metallic weathers that I have to give it the ‘steel’ look, and maybe a little rust down by the waterline, but that’s probably it. Having said that, I may get it done and think “this thing needs to look used” and give the deck all sorts of hell. Time will tell.

I should add that all I’m using to bend the PE is some blades, tweezers, and a mousepad (to get the tight bends in the railings and such). No need for an expensive PE bending rig.

Mr. M.