So. Damn. Tiny!!! You’re doing some fantastic work there, Checkmate!
Thanks, Clemens! And when I’m done with the four for the hanger deck, I’ll still have at least twelve to do for the flight deck.
Hey Rob, your Devastator is coming along nicely! Enjoy watching your progress…will have to use some of your techniques when I get around to my Devastator kit…the AM details really bring life to the kit!
Checkmate, Fantastic workmanship on your 1/700’s.
Thanks, Joe. I’m looking forward to finishing the first four–but now I have to work late the next two nights.
Well, I can tell you Checkmate, that your slow meticulous pace is paying off in spades.
Thanks again, Joe!
Work last night didn’t last as long as I thought, so I was able to finish up the SDB’s for the hanger deck on my Enterprise effort.
The props come from the original Trumpeter kit, and I think they’re a little bulky looking, since they’re made from plastic. When I make up some Dauntlesses for the flight deck, I’ll probably use some PE props for a more delicate look.
These four planes represent aircraft that did not launch on 4 June, 1942 for the attack on Kido Butai. However, according to the combat report, all of them did launch for further action between 5 and 6 June.
6-B-4 Lt. L.A. Smith CARUTHERS, H.H., AMM2c
6-B-10 Lt. H.P. Lanham GARAUDY, E.J.,ARM1c
6-B-17 Ensign A.L. Rausch JONES, H.L., AOM3c
6-S-13 Lt. PATRIARCA BADGLEY, J.R., ACRM(AA)
Sometime today I expect to get them installed on the hanger deck. Then I need to finish up Enterprise, and get some more of these little SBD’s done up for the flight deck.
Absolutely stellar Checkmate! Those Dauntlesses look fantastic. Hey, have you got any pics of the ship to share? I wouldn’t mind seeing what you’ve done there so far.
Crazy detailing on the SBDs; I can’t imagine how you got the planes’ numbers down so nicely…great job , Checkmate!!
Thanks, Joe and Dave!
Dave, after the decals came off the paper, I just slid them around with the point of a round toothpick until they went were they belong. Then I put a little MicroSet on them; waited for that to settle in and hit them with a little MicroSol. I left them alone for a couple hours, and applied more MicroSol until the carrier film pretty much disappeared.
They come from Starfighter Decals. They make a wide variety of 1/700 decals for ships and planes, plus other scales. I’ve used their 1/72 decals for some Navy aircraft previously. Very nice quality.
Joe, here’s a current photo of Enterprise. It’s still under construction, and I just attached the flight deck this afternoon. Then I weighted it down to let it dry.
I started out in the Hollywood GB with George Peppard’s Pfalz from “The Blue Max.” I was utterly defeated by the biplane wings, so I switched to Enterprise from “MIdway”–John Ford’s 1942 Oscar winner and the '70’s version with Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, Glenn Ford and the rest of the big names. The Enterprise build begins here: http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/29/t/153706.aspx?sort=ASC&pi240=29
There are a lot of photos there of the ship under construction.
Here are a few shots of the SBD’s installed on the hanger deck. Test-fitting the flight deck I can see that nothing much will be very visible after the hanger deck is covered over.
Oh Man Checkmate, that is some great stuff right there. I really like what you are doing there. Thank you for taking the time to post some pics of your Enterprise. I really have to get around to building one of my ship models. I’ve a few in my stash including the USS Hornet (CV8) and Ticonderoga. Now I have to decide whether watching your work on those little aircraft has either excited me or intimidated the hell out of me.[:|]
Thanks, Joe. I hope it’s more motivating than intimidating. From what I’ve seen of your impressive work, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble!
I’ve got a Tamiya Hornet and Yorktown, and eventually want to build them in their Midway capacity, too.
I have Ticonderoga, also, and was planning on building it as “Shangri-La.” One of the original plank owners is a friend; he’s 86 years old now and worked in the boiler room. He’s full of stories.
cmking02 - that is some great stuff on those little guys. Thanks for posting the in progress shots of the Enterprise. They really show how little room there was below deck.
regards,
Jack
Excellent work, Checkmate! I find it too hard to build 1/72 aircraft already (that’s one of the reasons why I stick to 48 and 32 birds) and I still can’t really believe that guys like you build 1/700 ones! SImply amazing stuff!
Checkmate: Building the U.S. Carriers and their air wings at Midway sounds like an epic endaevor. I do hope to see that through it’s completion.
Might I make a suggestion to you Checkmate? I suggest that you sit down and record your friends experiences of WWII aboard an aircraft carrier. Then send a copy of this interview to the National Archives so that his legacy can be preserved and passed on. I suggest this only because my father and I had planned on doing this for experiences as an Naval flight instructor during the war. Unfortunately my father passed away suddenly before we were able to carry through with this. I lament this lost opportunity to this day. So, in an attempt to make up for this , I try to encourage others to do this. We are losing are WWII vets at an alarming rate now without knowing their courageous contributions and experiences during the war. This is an excellent way preserve this for history and future generations…
Thanks, Jack. I appreciate your comments.
One issue that’s come up on some of the ship model websites is that Tamiya’s Enterprise (all their Yorktown-class carriers, for that matter) are slightly underscale.
The consensus is that the kits are closer to 1/719 or 1/720, instead of a true 1/700. That makes all the after market accessories somewhat large. And that may be why the hanger deck looks crowded.
Thanks, Clemens! I think I have more trouble with 1/72. They’re big enough to show up my mistakes! In 1/700, the mistakes are just as small as the planes!
Very good idea, Joe.
My friend Ivan just moved into an assisted living center on Saturday, so I hope I can get him to recount his story, either recorded or I’ll just have to take notes.
One amusing anecdote: Ivan always told me that, since he was underage, he kept badgering his parents to sign his enlistment papers, until his mother got so sick of hearing him, she told his dad just to sign them and let him go.
I talked to Ivan’s daughter last week; she told me the real story was that Ivan simply lied about his age and joined up.
I’ve tried to talk both Ivan (from “Shangri-La”) and another Navy vet named Chuck (he was on LCT’s and LST’s in the Pacific) to put their stories down on paper, but these guys are pretty modest. They actually think no one is interested in hearing about them!
I’m sure your father had a bunch of tales to tell! It’s regrettable when our veterans pass away and leave their stories untold and unknown.