CV-6, Wooden Decks and Iron Men

[sequoiaranger]

I bought some 1/4" and ½" plywood to make a base, and quarter-round molding to cover the edges of the base plywood (and paint it gray so that the display base mimics the model—natural wood rimmed with gray) and to form a perimeter groove for the clear, acrylic cover to fit into. Thin plywood cut to the inside dimensions of the acrylic cover will go on top of the thicker plywood just a bit larger than the cover. For "pick-up" strength, the short end pieces of trim will be "pinned" to the plywood with nails countersunk in the trim. Enterprise planking will then be laid down over the thin plywood, in an alternating pattern of short/long. I will drill out a good spot (slightly to the rear of the present hole so that the ship is centered better) for the retaining bolt. I will Krylon Kleer the wood, and paint the molding Top Gray. I will put two thicker slabs of CV-6 wood at either end at slight angles tilted up towards the viewer. Each slab will have an etched brass plate. One will be the "title" and dedication; the other will be the wood-use explanation (see last post for wording).

On the away-from-display side, I will put a small "USS Enterprise" decal on the gray trim. I will "sign" the display base somewhere, with a thin Sharpie.
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I screwed up cutting the molding, not being able to make precise 45-degree cuts by eye, so made myself a miter box. I goofed in gluing the slightly-convex, thin plywood concave UP instead of convex down, so the edges are slightly raised off the base. I will fill in with glue, but...  

I finally BOUGHT a miter box for a clean, proper cut, as the wooden miter I made was too easily "corrupted" by a wandering saw. That caused me a trip to Home Depot to acquire more quarter-round stock because of wastage. Fitting, planning, and trimming, I now have the four sides to the base (and just in time, as I screwed up several more pieces and might have had to go back to Home Depot for yet another 8-foot piece!)
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UH-OH!  I have recently discovered that the six or eight 20mm gun tubs along the perimeter of the flight deck opposite the island were MOST LIKELY not there in June of '42!!  I recently obtained some information on how many 20mm guns the Enterprise had at the time of Midway, and it is eight LESS than what I have on the model!

I now realize that I did NOT have a good photograph of that side of the ship, and therefore made assumptions that may now be incorrect. The long-distance photos I have of the port side at Midway show a definite "dot-dash" pattern of the light reflecting off the half-round 20mm gun tubs fore and aft along the port side, but not in the middle. A similar long-distance shot of the Yorktown shows the same. Hmmm.  The port side is the "presentation" side, so I think I will HAVE to correct that. I think the gun tubs on the perimeter could be eliminated from the present model and a piece of the old CV-6 deck perimeter railing, without the tubs, substituted. Maybe. I won't worry about that until next year when my model will likely go into the Coronado Public Library display for the Centennial of Naval Aviation (1911-2011).

[edit:] I found an overhead pic of the Enterprise just after Midway. Indeed, there are NO 20mm gun tubs along the port middle of the flight deck rim!!    WHY had I never noticed that? In this particular picture, the 20mm tubs impinging on the rear deck round-down have been added, but the 20mm's in question have not yet been added.

I found my new Revell "Battle of Midway Carrier" model that purports to have parts for all three ships of the class have really missed the boat on some accounts. The instructions depict the Yorktown as having NO 20mm's in ANY gun tubs around the perimeter of the flight deck, when in fact it was equipped similarly to the Enterprise (32 or so 20mm). The good luck for me is that parts for this tub-less Yorktown are included, so I can EASILY substitute the "Yorktown" part on my Enterprise to make it accurate for Midway.

[sequoiaranger]

I have finished making the display base and adding the brass plaques with inscriptions (see earlier posts for text). This is a top-view, unfortunately a little indistinct, but it shows the mimicking of the display base to the carrier. I have a clear acrylic top for it all, but it would have reflected/distorted the photo view, so I left it off.



For the "final touch", I need to Krylon Kleer the entire base, to preserve it and match the flight deck. I may leave it semi-glossy, or flatten it like the flight deck. I'll see how it looks. I also need to physically delete the eight 20mm gun tubs along the midships port gallery of the model (not seen in this pic due to Photoshopping!) 

[NARSES2]

Wonderfull to see it all come together 

[GTX]

 

[proditor]

WOW!!!

Magnificent.   

[Ed S]

Beautiful.  And a very appropriate tribute.



Ed

[sequoiaranger]

Well, I didn't do any work below the waterline, so maybe just "alongside the pier", but in any case back on the workbench for some refurbishment.

As you may recall, I found out after "finishing" the model that the Enterprise did NOT have the eight port-midship 20mm gun galleries at Midway that are present on the model [first pic--the picture in the July 15 post was Photoshopped to get rid of the guns].  Get out the saw!! Even though I abhor post-finish alterations, this one HAD to be done, and oh-so carefully with a rotary saw so that it didn't "jump" and ruin the decking or something-- ARRRGGHH! Just the thought of that makes me cringe!



The replacement was not too difficult, but in the process I blew away a spinning prop from the first SBD, and since it was a TINY, CLEAR part, I will probably find it sometime in 2012. I can easily make another, though. I also found a "drunken" officer precariously leaning, so will also replace that, too. I also took the liberty to shore up the gallery .020 to offset the slightly swayback look of that part of the deck. I haven't finished off with filing, filling, and painting the gallery, and of course I will have to make a new "spinning prop", put the drunken officer in the brig, and find some suitable sober officer to replace him. More work than I anticipated, but when is THAT ever deviation from the norm??



Then I took out the un-coated base and put some Krylon Kleer on it to preserve the wood.

Thanks guys, all who responded favorably. When I look at the final product, I do bask in a glow of accomplishment. Something special, to me and my memory of my dad.

[Brian da Basher]

WOW!!!

Magnificent.   

Wot 'e said!

Work like this raises modeling to an art form.

Brian da Basher

[sequoiaranger]

The pic doesn't do the display justice, but my CV-6 model is prominently displayed in the Coronado Public Library's current exhibit celebrating the "Centennial of Naval Aviation 1911-2011". Coronado (large "island" in San Diego Bay) is THE place where, in 1911, Glen Curtiss himself started the first school to train Naval Aviators, built the first US Navy aircraft, and has been a center of Naval Aviation ever since. Most of the residents of Coronado are currently, or have been, closely associated with Naval Aviation, and thus the Library display had garnered tremendous interest and appreciation. The overall exhibit is truly marvelously well-done, and I am proud to be part of the celebration. The exhibit changes every two months, showing different eras of Naval Aviation, but my CV-6 model will overlap into two eras (30's and WW II) and remain on display (now through July) on the insistence of the library exhibit staff!



PS--the partial model seen in the lower right is the XF4U Corsair prototype by David Meeks prominently featured in a recent issue of the national IPMS Journal.

[GTX]

Congrats.

Regards,

Greg

[PR19_Kit]

Proud?

I should think so, that's a magnificent accolade for your model, well done indeed!