JMSDF CVDN under construction

[Joe C-P]

Forward view:



Aft view:



Now all I need are couple good warm, dry days to paint the flight deck. Sigh.   I guess I'll decal up the airgroup and work on some other projects until then.

JoeP

[Geoff_B]

Oooh a CVN crossed with an Otsumi - Nice     .

Now you'll have to get one of those Zipang classs destroyers to go with it (the Manga moded Kongo Pitroad produced).

Bet the Airgroup sould look interesting knowing how Japanese Assault helo's are painted, coupled with a conventional CTOL airwing.

Definately looking forward to seeing the end results

(hmmn must get back to ship building once these 72 scale scratch builds are out if the way)

Geoff B B)  

[Gary]

I am sorry to expose my stupidity here, but what is it I'm looking at that is so cool? (that's a reflection of my lack of knowledge about ships, not you immeasurable efforts) Is this an assualt carrier that's the size of a big carrier?  

[Bryan H.]

Beautiful and so versatile!     What's your proposed air wing going to be?  May I be so bold as to suggest...  Modernized A-4's!  

Bryan

[Joe C-P]

I am sorry to expose my stupidity here, but what is it I'm looking at that is so cool? (that's a reflection of my lack of knowledge about ships, not you immeasurable efforts) Is this an assualt carrier that's the size of a big carrier?

That is the child of a Nimitz class CVN and an Osumi class LPD. I removed the after end of the Nimitz and added the hull of the LPD to give it a well deck, and replaced the Nimitz's island with the Osumi's, with some minor mods.
I'm going to go with a two-tone flight deck, to set it off from the US CVNs, and make a few other little mods here and there.

JoeP

[Joe C-P]

The air wing is already built; I just have to add decals and finish the SH-3 and another H-47:



I mostly went with naval versions of what Japan already operates, plus what I already had lying around.   Several very nice people gave me their leftover F-15s from the Skywave Echo set.
I figure they started out with F-4s, upgrading to F-15JNs, for fleet defense and long-range attack. They already have E-2s, and SH-3s being replaced by H-60s, and CH-47s. My only invention are the two groups of Harriers - one of Sea Harriers for quick reaction fleet defense and assault group fighter escort, and another for close air support.
The paint jobs are mainly from reality, but for the F-15s I found some proposed aggressor squadron schemes that looked cool.  B)
Now I need some Japanese armor to complete the look. Skywave makes some, I just have the find the right model.

Escorts, ah yes. Well, this is a late 1980s, so the Zipangs/Kongos/Burkes in theory weren't around yet, but this is what-if, so I'll look for one. I also need something Korean and/or something Taiwanese, since part of my alternate history is that those countries always joined of the escort group, along with a USN CG or DDG as flag, and usually a Canadian and an RN ship.

[Gary]

But that seems so sensible... How come we don't do it now?

[Aircav]

Cool carrier    B)  B)  B)
mental note to myself, must get some of mine done      

[JK]

How did you do the well deck for amphibious operations?

How many marines can it hold?

Is primairaly it a bluewater carrier or an amphibious ship?

[Jschmus]

I've been meaning to ask how this project was going.  It's nice to see that you've made such progress.  I've been asking myself all this time what the "D" stood for.  I should have realized it stood for "Dock".  Very cool.

On another note, hows the "Cobra" coming?

[elmayerle]

The JMSDF was interested in a version of the TAV-8B for EW, ??EAV-8B

More like ETAV-8B in the spirit of the ETA-7L, though I can ust see some designation-happy type labelling it as an ETAV-8BJ.    

[elmayerle]

The JMSDF was interested in a version of the TAV-8B for EW, ??EAV-8B

More like ETAV-8B in the spirit of the ETA-7L, though I can ust see some designation-happy type labelling it as an ETAV-8BJ.  

That would depend on it having some 2ary training role tho wouldn't it?

Not necessarily, it's a modification of a trainer and would still carry that letter.  It would also help keep print references clear between the EW version and the EAV-8B operated by the Spanish Navy.

[Joe C-P]

I have just about finished the model and one of her escorts. I'm building the base for the diorama; I'm having them dockside so I can add some... other elements. The air wing has expanded, and I managed to acquire a model that gave me more details I had really wanted.

It has been a lot of work, but I think it came together very well. Once I have the diorama put together I'll post photos.

JoeP

[Captain Canada]

Wowee, Joe ! That is beauty !

Love the airwing.......Harriers rule !

 

[proditor]

I just read that you have mostly completed the project, so this is probably a case of too little, too late on my part.  But, the Zipang's do have that really nifty little Osprey knock-off.  They look very nice on a flight deck, no matter the size.