Whiffers ultimate (insane) challenge: 1/144 aircraft carrier

[Spey_Phantom]

this is it people, the most largest and ambitious scratchbuild project ever attempted for a what iff model.
and NO, its not a converted 1/400 or 1/350 model of an exsisting carrier kit, its scratchbuild.
its nils's crazy 1/144 carrier attempt, as i planned it years ago, only this time, its going full scale scratchbuild  

for this daring project i will be needing:

-lots of motivation
-20 A4 sheets of styrene (1mm thick)
-1 A4 sheet of clear polyester (for windows and control tower)
-styrene support struts-3 spraycans of paint.
-and drinks, lots of drinks  

estimated lenght: 121 centimeters
estimated beam: 21 centimeters
time needed: 6 months, maybe a year
cost: arround 65 Euro's (planes, unexpected costs & equipment not included)
planned operator: unknown, possibly Leutonian or Belgian Navy.

the scan-in's below are rough estimated sketches of the planned concept, although a lot will change  
im really gonna take my time on this one, as there is a lot of work to be done on it. for starters im gonna start on the tower and main building.

anyway, here's the scanned in sketches  

[noxioux]

"Build it, and they will come. . ."

Awesome.  But where the heck are you going to put it when it's done?

[Spey_Phantom]

thats the only problem of the build, i have no idea 

[Hobbes]

 
Very ambitious, I like it.

[tinlail]

thats the only problem of the build, i have no idea 

Do you want a coffee table?

[Rafael]

First off, Nils: Bravo Zulu!!. This is a most daring enterprise. I'm pretty sure you are more than a match for the challenge

As for the size problem, I'm sure you'll manage.

Meanwhile, enjoy your build, and keep this channel open......

Rafa

[Spey_Phantom]

(minor) Change of plans:

looking at the fact that by building your own hull, the technical problems will be inmense.
it is therefor i have decided not to build my own hull
instead, i plan to buy a RoG 1/72 HCMS Snowberry, and use the hull for the carrier.
instead of 121cm, she will be about 90cm, but thats still an impressive length.
even plan to give it an underdeck hangar with planes. and i even have a name for it.

she wil be designated the "BNS Prins Boudewijn" and will be a Belgian Navy carrier.
she should be somethink like a 50's or 60's era HMS Collosus class carrier.
the fleet im planning will be a mixture of TBM3 Avengers, maybe seafire, naval P-51D's or some 50/60's jet fighter (if there are any in 1/144 scale)

[Hobbes]

In 144 scale you've got at least Lightning, Hunter, F-5, A-6, Harrier. There are garage kits of lots more.

[Patrick H]

very ambitious Nills, Good luck on the "Prins Boudewijn". he'll have a hell of a problem to visit Belgian ports though, way to undeep 

[jcf]

Hello Nils,
your original dimensions give a ship approximately the same size as the escort carrier USS Commencement Bay (also pretty close to one of the Sea Control Ship designs), the redesign becomes pretty small (the Flower class were 205' LOA, 86.78 cm in 1/72)... too small for conventional take-off and landing jets and would be limited to a very small contingent of piston engined aircraft.
The single screw and raised fore-foot of the Flower would also look a little odd on an aircraft carrier, IMHO... so I encourage you to push forward with the scratch built hull.

Remember on most aircraft carriers the bulk of the hull is a simple rectangular box with rounded bottom edges, build that big box (and the flight deck) first and then work out the bow and stern shapes. Look at a number of carrier hulls and break them down into their component volumes, you'll find a majority are rectangular boxes that taper to a triangular cross-section box forward and a rounded box aft. Don't worry about the hollowing and flaring at the bows, that can be worked out later.

Also remember that, generally speaking, the hull is narrower in beam than the fight deck, so (using the dimensional relationships of the Sea Control Ship) if your overall width is 21cm your hull width would be in the neighborhood of 16 cm.

Here is an article on building a simple bent plywood Sharpie, you can apply the basic principles to your carrier hull:
http://mackhorton.com/Sharpie%20web/BB1.htm

Cheers,
Jon

p.s. Here is a link to the wooden boat-builder I worked for at one time:
http://www.nexusmarine.com/

[Spey_Phantom]

thanks for the advice, but i think im gonna go ahead with the conversion of the revell HCMS Snowberry, ive seen some in-box pictures on the web, and noticed the hull is devided in 2 halvel, witch makes extentionwork a whole lot easier, so she might be as long as i intended her to be.

as for jets, i have a trumpeter 1/144 F-86 im building for the profiles GB, if she's finished, i might concidering buying a couple more and convert them to FJ-3 Fury

would look good in RN 2-tone grey, with belgian markings.
maybe replace them (or combine them) with a few F-4B phantoms (converted from trumpeter F-4J's)

[jcf]

Fair enough. 

Here is a Flower Class diagram that may be of assistance.

If you want a larger version let me know.

Jon

[Spey_Phantom]

thanks for the picture, i can use that as a referenceplan for the design of the carrier 

as for the deck, here's a picture of the planned deck lenght/beam, for comparison i put a 1/144 Avenger and a 1/144 spitfire on top, just to give an idea of the scale 



EDIT:

furthermore, i am going to change the design for the main building/tower to something a bit more 40'/50's.
the name will change to as "prins boudewijn" isnt to fitting for a belgian carrier. i am thinking either "BNS Zeewolf", "BNS Westenwind", "BNS Mercator" or "BNS Baron Boël"

[Spey_Phantom]

UPDATE:

on my trip today to koksijde (for a crash exercise, im not alowed to post pics yet without permission from the military  ) i suddely got a burst of insperation. ive been thinking about what to equip the carrier with, the new fleet im thinking of is:

3 x minicraft 1/144 Avenger (2 standard + 1 AEW conversion)
2 (or 3) x trumpeter F-86 (converted to FJ-2 or FJ-3 Fury)
1 or 2 x early supersonic fighter (would like F-8 crusader, but its not available in 1/144)

and i even got over the idea for a new name, it will now be knows as the "BNS Dendermonde", serial A940.
i was having doubts between "Libramont" and "Dendermonde", but i decided to go with the latter.
but both "dendermonde" and "Libramont" will be featured in the back story.
if all goes well, the carrier basis will be ordered tomorrow and im gonna start with the main building soon.

[jcf]

FE Resin does an F-8E in 1/144th.
The Aviation Megastore lists one copy in stock:
http://www.aviationmegastore.com/?shopid=LM4865333469c9f64f438d1964d7&action=prodinfo&parent_id=0&art=58583

There was also an F-8 done by Otaki and reboxed by ARII, look around you may be able to find one.

Jon