Kind of a broad topic, but I have made/am making several models of this sort of thing.  Mostly upgrades of existing hardware and cancelled projects.  We're talking things like the Strike Cruiser, A-12 Avenger II, Super Tomcat 21, F/A-201 Kestrel and even some heavily modified/upgraded WWII vessels.  Wasn't quite sure where to put this, hence directly under Current and Finished Projects.  Photos to follow.  The ships are pretty large because they are constructed primarily of cardboard and 3D-printed parts, at a rough scale of 1 inch = 21 feet (approximately 1:252 if my math is correct).  The aircraft are constructed to the same scale and I am in the process of replicating them in 1:48 as well.

The best looking aircraft I currently have are the A-12s, which leverage everything I have learned so far about prototype construction at this scale.

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I've always liked the look of the A-12 

Yeah it looks way cooler than the B-2 if you ask me.  Has an actual canopy, straight trailing edge, and F-22ish intakes.  Also it was supposed to have a multimode radar that could allow for both air to air and air to ground weapons.

My what-if USS Wasp (along the lines of a Midway with the enlarged flight deck, but a smaller ship overall and with a deeper hull.  Air wing currently consists of two MH-109 helicopters, six A-12A Avenger IIs, and three F/A-201 Kestrels.

  

Got more Kestrels inbound hopefully, took a new approach with them of 3D printing the fuselage and then gluing on the wings and tail.  Canopy is represented by an appropriately shaped gob of hot glue.

Yay! Paper models!

Yeah they do take time, but it's fun to look at when finished.  I have some more stuff I need to take photos of and post.

Please do. Paper models, and the history of them, absolutely fascinate me

Spino I also saw some North American Vigilantes on the those carriers

Yep, A-5s are a much earlier design, but I got to thinking about it and it seems to me that an A-5 would actually make a pretty good strike/tanker aircraft.  Give it F404 or F414 engines for better fuel economy, hang some AGM-84 Harpoons on the wings for maritime strike or bombs/JSOW/SLAM-ER for land strikes, or a lot of fuel tanks and a buddy store somewhere for tanking.

An A-5 wouldn't need a buddy store. With the central bomb tunnel filled with extra tanks, the hose reel could be right at the stern, unreeling through the bomb hatch that's already there.

That's given me an idea for a Trumpeter and FROG A-5s I have stashed in The Loft. Thanks for that. 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on April 10, 2023, 11:54:16 AMAn A-5 wouldn't need a buddy store. With the central bomb tunnel filled with extra tanks, the hose reel could be right at the stern, unreeling through the bomb hatch that's already there.

That's given me an idea for a Trumpeter and FROG A-5s I have stashed in The Loft. Thanks for that. 

Hmm... both the drogue and the receiving aircraft might get a rough ride from the jetwash there. I'd be inclined to put the hose reel about 2/3 of the way back, with two tanks ahead of it and one behind it, and feed the hose out through a long, hinged tube that can be lowered to keep it well below the jet nozzles.

Anything Navy makes me happy!  Thanks for the new subjects.