CV-6, Wooden Decks and Iron Men

[sequoiaranger]

To NARSES2, proditor, royabulgaf, PR_19, JoeP---thanks for the cheer. What the "L" is "Shrewth"??  

Since the last post, I have super-glued the wooden deck on (save for the center section that I can remove to get at the interior for any reason) and placed the F4F's and TBD's on the flight-deck. I am about to series-build eight more SBD's to go on the deck. I contemplated putting 31 SBD's on deck, which was the deckload for the last strike of the Battle of Midway (more or less what my model is supposed to depict), but felt that a representative few would be better, and not cover up the wooden deck which is the heart of the model.

I learned something, from photos, about how the deckload is spotted. Of course the deck-spotting crew has experimented how to condense the space between aircraft to maximize launching space:

SBD's are positioned wingtip-to-wingtip off-center. That is, each "row" is two SBD's wingtip-to-wingtip, but the next row is offset to the other side:

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Whereas the greater-wingspan TBD's are staggered one, two, one, two, etc.:

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Dunno how F4F's are ranged, but I think similar to the SBD's (but it doesn't matter here, since only two F4F's are present, and one has just taken off).

So I now have the three TBD's behind the elevator well (my scratchbuilt TBD prominent out in front of the two aftermarket TBD's angled in from the flight-deck edge with wings folded).

I will have six SBD's in the above offset formation with props spinning, one SBD moving up from the elevator toward the group, and one with a still prop getting "bombed up" with my custom bomb cart and red-shirted armorers in attendance. I will have two "white goons" that had the asbestos suits on for wading though a fire to get the pilot out of a burning plane (made from globbing on white glue over two PE figures), some green-shirted plane handlers, yellow-shirted deck safety officers (one kneeling and signaling "GO" by pointing to the bow), the LSO with paddles on his platform, and a few other sailors and officers around.

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting blindingly bright!

[NARSES2]

What the "L" is "Shrewth"??  

It's an expression of amazement 

[sequoiaranger]

Whew! Maybe 700 hours of so of work, and about $700 to boot (mainly for the wood milling and custom display case cover). Here is an overall pic of the completed model, sans final display mode:



Personnel: I have placed 62 figures aboard the Enterprise. I have officers in khaki up on the bridge, and everywhere "supervision" is needed. I have pilots, in khaki, with helmets, orange life-vests, and bulges in back for their parachutes standing by the TBD's and the readying SBD. I have green-shirted "plane handlers" pushing an SBD on the flight deck, and a few on the hangar deck. I have two 1/700 figures with the 1/700 SBD's on the hangar deck, too. I have red-shirted "armorers" fiddling with the bomb trolley of the readying SBD as well as on the wing by the cockpit. I have two white "goons" in asbestos suits (bulged with white glue) and a fire extinguisher ready. I have yellow "launching" officers (one kneeling giving the "go" sign) at the F4F, and an LSO with paddles on his stand port aft. I have dungareed and chambray-ed sailors scattered by the guns, along some catwalks, and at the bow and stern on the hangar deck. I have an officer appearing in the hatchway by the island 20mm guns. And of course "my dad" in the forward director.









This project has been INTENSE at times, but I have enjoyed it immensely. I feel I now have an excellent representation of the USS Enterprise as she looked in June of 1942. The fact that part of the actual USS Enterprise is within her makes it all the better, and most likely UNIQUE in the modeling world.

Thanks to all who commented or viewed this project.

[thedarkmaster]

Outstanding just simply outstanding     

[NARSES2]

Wonderfull model and a wonderfull tribute to some brave men 

[Mossie]

Excellent tribute, glad you stuck in for the finish!

[nev]

Superb job, and an even better tribute

[proditor]

 

That is sublime.  The care and attention show through in every detail.  Kudos my friend, you have done an amazing job, and I want to thank you for sharing this very personal tribute with us.

[sequoiaranger]

proditor, nev, Mossie, NARSES2, darkmaster, and others:

It was a pleasure to create this tribute to the ship and my dad, and I appreciate the kind words.

The custom display case acrylic cover (no frames, but a continuous clear surface) was bought last January. Methinks I am going to make two brass plaques with inscriptions, which will be mounted on two thick Enterprise planks tilted slightly toward the viewer, one near the bow and stern. The plywood base will be covered with thin Enterprise planks, and the acrylic cover will set in slightly. There will be a quarter-round external trim that will be navy gray, so the display base will mimic the flightdeck and rim of the Enterprise herself. The supports seen on the interim display will transfer over. I may "decorate" the bland center column (within which is the bolt holding the model fast to the supports).

The plaques will read something similar to:
..........................

U.S.S. Enterprise CV-6

Afternoon of June 6th, 1942 near Midway

Dedicated to Commander (then Ensign)
Arthur T. Burke (my father, d. 2003), who was there aboard CV-6.
..................

The wooden flight deck of this model is made from Douglas fir planks salvaged in 1958 from the original CV-6 flight deck and authenticated by the US Naval Historical Center. Under normal wartime conditions the flight deck would be painted, but it was deliberately left unpainted for display purposes.

[Weaver]

This would be a fantastic piece of work in it's own right, so the fact that it's a tribute, and such a personal one at that, makes it all the more outstanding. You can be very proud of this, and I'm sure your dad would be chuffed to bits.

[Glenn Gilbertson]

This would be a fantastic piece of work in it's own right, so the fact that it's a tribute, and such a personal one at that, makes it all the more outstanding. You can be very proud of this, and I'm sure your dad would be chuffed to bits.

Can't put it any better - well done!

[lenny100]

have you seen this site were i am sure they would love you to post up this build
www.modelwarships.com

[sequoiaranger]

Weaver, Glenn, and lenny---thanks.

Yes, maybe I will put it up on the modelwarships.com site. Thanks for the suggestion. I perused the site, and there are two different USS Enterprise models there, but in 1/700 scale (and very well-done, I might add). Nothing in "my" scale, though. I think I need a "blue screen" of some sort for a background for photos so the model stands out.

[sequoiaranger]

While pouring through some letters home from my dad in 1942, I realize I have made an "error" that I unknowingly "corrected" while adding personnel to the Enterprise.

I learned that my dad went to Radar School in Pearl while the Enterprise was fighting the Battle of Eastern Solomons (post-Midway), and upon the Enterprise's return, my dad (newly promoted to lieutenant) and the new fire-control radar came on board. So when he went to war at Santa Cruz and Guadalcanal in the fall of '42 he was in the forward director, but....

...at Midway he was still a raw ensign and merely the O in C of the 20mm gun battery athwart (love those nautical terms!) the island instead of up in the director! Luckily, I have such an officer stepping out from the island toward the 20mm battery, so I am "covered". The pic is below a few posts, June 14th, the third pic down.  Now I just have to make sure he has red hair!!  

I am currently working on the display base, and hit a snag for the perimeter moulding. Like a picture frame, the sides have to be PERFECT 45-degree angles where they meet, and just eye-balling it doesn't cut it (I wasted a lot of moulding material trying to get the angles right). I need to buy a "mitre box" to make clean 45-degree cuts that will match up.

[Steel Penguin]

lovely looking, and i cant think of a better set of reasons for doing it.