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

NARSES2 · February 23, 2025, 12:49:24 AM

Looking good to me

Quote from: seadude on February 22, 2025, 08:21:27 AMWell, I think I've gone as far as I can go on finishing painting the bulbous bow on my carrier. If I continue any further trying to fix/straighten the black waterline mark by masking, painting, masking, painting, etc., then I'm just going to screw things up even more.

I think we've all done that in our time. $:-\$

Old Wombat · February 23, 2025, 05:50:04 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on February 23, 2025, 12:49:24 AMLooking good to me

Quote from: seadude on February 22, 2025, 08:21:27 AMWell, I think I've gone as far as I can go on finishing painting the bulbous bow on my carrier. If I continue any further trying to fix/straighten the black waterline mark by masking, painting, masking, painting, etc., then I'm just going to screw things up even more.

I think we've all done that in our time. $:-\$

Frequently.

seadude · February 23, 2025, 06:47:33 AM

So next will be painting the hull gray above the black waterline stripe. This will probably take me a few days to do.
So no new pictures till maybe later this week or next weekend.
After that, then I have to start figuring out how I'm going to mask and paint the flight deck for later this Spring.
Easter will be coming up in another month or so. Should I go with some lovely pastel colors or keep the flight deck standard dark grey? (Just joking!

)

kerick · February 23, 2025, 08:23:21 AM

Quote from: seadude on February 23, 2025, 06:47:33 AMAfter that, then I have to start figuring out how I'm going to mask and paint the flight deck for later this Spring.
Easter will be coming up in another month or so. Should I go with some lovely pastel colors or keep the flight deck standard dark grey? (Just joking! )

Instead of aircraft have 30 or 40 pastel colored eggs all over the deck. Including a couple hooked to the catapult!

Captain Canada · February 23, 2025, 02:54:24 PM

So many details. This thing just keeps getting better ! And you learn something new every day.....those ords dumping chutes !

seadude · February 23, 2025, 05:00:09 PM

Quote from: kerick on February 23, 2025, 08:23:21 AM
Quote from: seadude on February 23, 2025, 06:47:33 AMAfter that, then I have to start figuring out how I'm going to mask and paint the flight deck for later this Spring.
Easter will be coming up in another month or so. Should I go with some lovely pastel colors or keep the flight deck standard dark grey? (Just joking! )

Instead of aircraft have 30 or 40 pastel colored eggs all over the deck. Including a couple hooked to the catapult!

How about Egg Plane model kits?

Actually, no. They don't make them in 1/350 scale.

Quote from: Captain Canada on February 23, 2025, 02:54:24 PMSo many details. This thing just keeps getting better ! And you learn something new every day.....those ords dumping chutes !

And there will still be more to come and learn eventually in future days and weeks.

This whole project is one big learning curve as far as building, painting, and so much more. This is the largest model kit I have built in my lifetime to date. There is some whiffery to this model. But I am also trying to keep it somewhat "technically believeable" too.

seadude · February 26, 2025, 10:30:58 AM

Ok, getting back on track...............
The whole blue antifoul color on the bottom of the hull is done. CHECK
The whole black waterline mark around the circumference of the hull is done. CHECK
The grey portion of the lower hull on the starboard side is 99.9% done. Still have a few touch ups to do.
The very last three pics in this post further below show the port side of the model that I will be painting grey next.
This is the side I need to be careful on and not screw up as the port side of the model is the main side that will face spectators and judges if I show this model at contests.
Why the port side? Haven't you ever noticed at contests or other events that the port side of aircraft carriers is almost always primarily the side that gets shown the most? I guess this is because so spectators can see the open flight deck and all the aircraft and other activity on deck.

NARSES2 · February 27, 2025, 01:56:53 AM

Coming along nicely

buzzbomb · February 27, 2025, 01:19:36 PM

Really nice work.

seadude · March 09, 2025, 01:38:32 PM

Starboard side is 99% done. Still need to do some touchups and fix a few errors.

seadude · March 09, 2025, 01:41:15 PM

Port side is 99% done. Just have to finish a few details and fix some errors.

seadude · March 09, 2025, 01:43:45 PM

A few other miscellaneous pics. All the pieces of yellow tape on the flight deck indicate possible positions for where I'll put the ordnance jettison ramps.

Old Wombat · March 10, 2025, 09:14:08 AM

Steel Penguin · March 10, 2025, 10:57:51 AM

looking wicked smart from here

seadude · March 10, 2025, 12:51:55 PM

I doubt anybody can help with this since so many here build aircraft models instead. But I'll ask anyway.
Ok, and now for my next trick...er, question that is. What advice, tips, tricks, etc. can you offer for painting the flight deck? Especially the larger white and yellow flight deck lines as shown in a pic further below?
A few things on what I will and won't be using:
1. I will not be using Tamiya paints. I stopped using them a few years ago.
2. I already have plenty of yellow TAMIYA masking tape in 6, 10, and 18 mm sizes. I also have 2 mm tape too.
3. I don't own an airbrush and can't use one for various reasons which would take too long to explain. So either spray can or hand brushing are my only options.
4. I was planning to use the Vallejo spray paint you see pictured below for the flight deck.
5. Some people may be wondering why my carrier looks different in the below picture. I wrote a few notes to explain some changes on how I converted a 1/350 TAMIYA Enterprise carrier into a new future carrier.