1/350 scale CVN-90 USS United States Stealth Aircraft Carrier

[seadude]

I've been thinking of changing the armaments on my carrier. Mostly the CIWS and anti-ship/anti-air missile systems.
The VLS will still stay on the carrier. But since I envisage my carrier as being like a Flight II Ford class in the 2045/2050 or so timeframe, I don't think Phalanx CIWS will be that effective or needed anymore. Since I just got done building a CIWS platform on the amidships port and starboard sides, I actually have two extra LANTIRN targeting pods that I can cut down to size and make two more laser defense turrets out of them to put in those locations. This increases my original amount of laser defense turrets from 4 to 6.
I may not add any regular NULKA decoy launchers or RAM missile launchers on the carrier. I did some searching and learned Lockheed was developing what was called an Extensible Launching System to it's Mk.41 VLS.
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed-martin/rms/documents/naval-launchers-and-munitions/VLS_Host_ExLS_Launcher_Product_Card_8.5x11_042419.pdf
Apparently, just one VLS cell can hold 4 Nulka decoys or 4-6 RAM missiles. So............why bother having regular above deck RAM or Nulka launchers when instead all the rounds can be quad-packed in a VLS cell below decks to save space?
So, my carrier will have plenty of VLS at the bow port & starboard weapon sponsons and the aft port & starboard weapon sponsons for ESSM anti-air/anti-ship defense missiles, Nulka decoy rounds, and RAM anti-air/anti-ship defense missiles.

[seadude]

Starboard side CIWS platform has been built and added.

[seadude]

A few small updates.
So, when will I get started on painting this beast? Not sure yet.
Might not be for another month or two as I still have a lot of aftermarket accessories to buy and more details to scratch build and be added.

[seadude]

And another small update.
Being stuck at home yesterday and today during blizzard conditions, and most likely being stuck at home the next several days due to extremely cold temps, is allowing me to get some much needed work done on this carrier since I didn't do much, if anything, on it during the holiday period last year in November and December.

[Gondor]

Love what your doing with this. 

Gondor

[seadude]

Love what your doing with this. 

Gondor

Thanks. Appreciate it. 
Anyway, just to let everyone know, my carrier model isn't going to be an exact copy of the Gerald Ford class carrier. The TAMIYA Enterprise model hull is completely different from that of the Gerald Ford class hull. Some things I can add or change that will make my model "similar" to what is on the GF class. But there will not be exact copies of anything for various reasons which includes, but is not limited to:
1. Do not have a 3D printer.
2. Not rich. So can't afford a lot of aftermarket accessories.
So anything I add or change mostly comes from using whatever spare model parts I have or scratch building stuff. Maybe it's almost better that way. Sometimes, I do my best thinking when scratch building.  

[PR19_Kit]

Looking at that stern-on view makes me wonder why it doesn't roll over! 

[seadude]

Looking at that stern-on view makes me wonder why it doesn't roll over! 

Getting seasick yet?      Pics below.

[seadude]

And another small update.

[seadude]

Another small update.

[NARSES2]

Lovely detail 

[seadude]

I need help.
All U.S. carriers have decoy launchers on them to thwart anti-ship missiles.
These launchers would be the Mk.36 SBROC chaff/flare decoy launching system and/or the NULKA decoy launching system.
Links to both are here. Pics are below of each.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_36_SRBOC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nulka
Now I've looked all over the pics of the Gerald Ford class carrier here: https://www.seaforces.org/usnships/cvn/CVN-78-USS-Gerald-R-Ford.htm
............and I can't find either of these systems anywhere around the circumference of the ship along the catwalks or on the weapon sponsons, etc. 
I want to add these systems to my model, but I need to see the general locations of where they are on a real carrier.
Either the Ford class truly doesn't have either of these systems (Which would be totally foolish) or I am going blind and can't see them in the pics.
So if somebody has better eyesight, can you help spot them for me in the pics from that Seaforces link above? Thanks.

[kerick]

Not much to see at that scale anyway. I'm not a ship guy but sounds like something not big enough to worry about.

[Old Wombat]

Not much to see at that scale anyway. I'm not a ship guy but sounds like something not big enough to worry about.

They're big enough, in scale, that it would be unwise not to include them if you want a level of "realism" in your whif build.

On that point, however, I've done quite a bit of digging for you & the only active decoy system I can find that has been installed is Nixie.

Did find this, though, in the CRS Reports for 2013;

FY2013 DOD Appropriations Act (H.R. 5856 of 112th Congress)

House

The House Appropriations Committee, in its report (H.Rept. 112-493 of May 25, 2012) on H.R.
5856 of the 112th Congress, recommends reducing by $29.9 million the Navy's request for $608.2 million in procurement funding for CVN-79, with the reduction being for the following
components of the ship: electronics ship test and integration growth ($2.5 million); HM&E (hull,
mechanical and electrical) engineering services growth ($6.0 million); trucks/forklifts growth
($2.0 million); ship self-defense system engineering growth ($2.0 million); SEWIP (Surface
Electronic Warfare Improvement Program) block 2 growth ($2.9 million); EMALS
(electromagnetic aircraft launch system) systems engineering growth ($3.0 million); EMALS
technical engineering services growth ($8.0 million); JPALS (Joint Precision Approach and
Landing System) pricing ($1.0 million); AN/SQQ-34 tactical support center pricing ($1.0
million); Nulka decoy system pricing ($1.5 million). (Page 157)

From: https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/20130327_RS20643_c537dfd6673529769fe643badc739e06baec8977.pdf

Page 38 of the document/42 of the PDF file

[seadude]

Another small update. This time, made new bases for the laser defense turrets. I think they came out pretty good.