Weasel

As always looking cracking! I am interested to see how this turns out with the salt weathering etc.

Keep up the inspiring work.

The original is about 480mm long, this version is about 500mm (~20 inches) long. Not sure how wide it is, but alas it doesn't fit in my standard Ikea display case so it will just have to have its own display case.

Not much progress recently but keep the comments coming, they are really encouraging and keep me working!

Weasel

That is a great scheme, better than the original by miles in my opinion. I have to say I don't like this VF in general but your scheme is changing my mind in this case!

Thanks for all the comments, they are a great motivator!

It has been going slowly recently but some news to report:

The main deck now has its anti-fall netting and side walkways fitted, just a bit of work required to blend them in etc:

and

The CIWS platforms are all now fitted, two on the front, one amidships and two at the rear. I have positioned them to give maximum coverage despite the decks odd shape and also provide overlapping fire arks. Also if you are wondering what is going to protect the tower side amidships there will be a CIWS there too, just mounted differently from the others to give better protection the tower. You can see the rear platforms here:

Although the support struts will be enclosed when it is finished.

The deck has had all the plastic underside stuff fitted and some parts detailed - like the rear balcony - However, these need sculpting to merge them all with the hull, each other and the walkways before they are finished.

The tower has been started, the main layers are in and the next step is to all the window structure before cladding the whole lot in plastic sheet.

And where it will be positioned on the deck:

Finally, I have started work on the compliment of Cheyenne's required for the defence towers aft of the tower and another two for roaming the deck. I have one full torso done, I just need to figure out how I am going to cast it as it is tiny and quite intricate.

And in position:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31444326@N06/5064136227/in/set-72157624070039157/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31444326@N06/5064753622/in/set-72157624070039157/

Obviously I need to build the legs and arms/guns but I have templates printed out so it shouldn't be too bad. Sorry about the poor quality of the pictures. I will try and get some better ones with my camera instead of my GF's once the sculpting is done on the hull.

Thanks for all the comments, any suggestions or ideas are most welcome! any cool idea is a good idea!

Thanks.

Just got mine too, What a great model! Thanks.

That is looking great, always loved the Gnerl, and at that scale it could make a great centre piece in a display. Really good work, Inspiring me to keep trying!

That is a truly awesome build. Really inspiring paint job and construction. Can't wait to see the next one

Thanks for the comments, in terms of the valkls and cheyan destroids I have plans to make these in 1:700. The valkls should be a fiddly conversion of some trumpeter 1:700 F14's, and the cheyans will be made in a similar way to the CIWS (more updates on these in a few weeks). In addition, there will be some Merlin helo's and a compliment of harriers, just to remind us this is a british ship

The master CIWS is almost done, it needs some putty work to smoth of some rough surfaces and tidy up some gaps but it is almost there, The radar bits aren't included in the pics as these will be attached after casting (I think I am going to give casting a go as I have never done that before so it should be interesting.):

Some pics of the CIWS with a 5p coin for scale.

(sorry for the shoddy quality, am strugling with my GF's cameras macro settings )

The hull is also coming on quite well, again much putty work is needed to blend the panels and the basic hull together.

The two platforms will mount the forward CIWS guns and will be extended down to accommodate the full depth of the turrets.

Finally here is a general pic of the hull so far from the side. Most of the panelling is done here, but obviously there is much need for putty etc.

The next job is finishing off the panelling and putty work and attempting to cast the CIWS... fingers crossed

That is great work for 5 hours, I barely put a primer coat on in that time! Very good work.

I would kill for the standard Spacy fighter in 1:72 from Frontier, I know how you feel!

That really is a lovely looking build, great work!

Thanks for the kind words! The progress today has been a little slow unfortunately. This is mainly down to the time taken to scratch build the extensions for the lifts such that they fit with the new deck configuration:

The hull is mostly there in terms of the kit parts and is now ready for the deck to go on:

With the deck in place you can get an idea of how she will look. The front lifts will be flush with the deck in their up position (lift 1 is a bit of a bugger and needs work to meet the deck smoothly, but lift 2 has gone in like a charm). The back two lifts will be in movement with the left side being nearly fully down and the right lift being half way up. Here you can see the lifts, pre glue mated with the deck:

(Note the raged gap on lift one )

In terms of overall design, she is going to have a very slight ski jump mainly because it looks cool (I hope) but possibly in order to allow her heavier aircraft to get of the deck. See below:

the main hull will slope up to the new deck with a pretty shallow angle so as to minimise excess weight. The ship is going to be a fare bit larger than the Asuka II, I am treating this as a developed and enlarged version commissioned after the Asuka's successful launch.

The next big job is going to be building up the under side of the deck and then work can being on the superstructure which, in keeping with the deck is going to be sloped and non-rectangular.

Thanks again for any comments or feedback!

Impressive stuff, I think the darker scheme is probably my fav but really nice work on the casting of the gun!

he idea behind this build is to envision a what if where the Macross universe timeline had taken place. Inspired by the Asuka II here:

http://unsd.macrossroleplay.org/asuka2carrier.html

The basic premise was to ask what the Royal Navy's response to new alien technologies would have been in this time line. Firstly the carrier was built substantially larger than the existing fleet carriers, being more akin to the Nimitz class. This additional room was used to expand the ships compliment of variable fighters and to allow for the substantially larger engines and power plant required to power the advanced ships systems.

In addition new stealth and weapon technologies were incorporated. New laser based CIWS form the main defence in addition to mobile robotic CIWS capable 'Destroids' and AA missile systems.

The ship itself is based on the 1:700 Trumpeter Nimitz hull with all the modifications scratch built. The lifts will stay in the same places but the superstructure will be totally rebuilt with a lower more sloped profile. The hull will be shaped similar to the Asuka II above with the hull sloping up to meet the deck.

Main deck here:

The most dramatic change is the reworked flight deck with anti detection geometry So far the deck is WIP and the hull is at the beginning stages.... A long way to go but what do people think so far? Any feedback or ideas much appreciated after all no idea is perfect and modelling wise I am still learning!

A selection of other WIP shots here:

Weasel

Yay, can't wait to get started!

The model is looking ace, I am interested to know, where did you get the decals? I am thinking of building my VF2SS some time soon and was wondering.

Payment sent, can't wait to see this kit in the flesh!

Thanks for the help, but Viceland has one and I think I am going to get it of him. Thanks again.

Weasel

If they can be delivered to Europe (UK specifically) I am in for one.

p.s. and off topic, but does anyone know where or how a 1/72 VF 2ss could be found or even where the best place to look is?

Thanks, yeah I'd like to drill holes on the speed break.The red boxes would have been a great idea. I decided not to do it because of the amount of masking involved to paint them and I thought they were 'areas you could step on' which may not be the same. But if I could make/find some decals to do it, I sure would add them on. One thing I do regret, is not being able to find some tail marking decals of some of Japan's top zero aces, like Saburo Sakai and Nishizawa. I would have loved to put some yellow numbers/letters from their aircraft on the tail. But because I couldn't find them, I just resorted to the F-15J Senkyo 2002 tail art.

I'm hoping to do a VF-0A in F-14D scheme of VF-2 as the next model. At some point, I also would like to do one in a British Harrier scheme, but more like the modern RAF Harrier colours.

I think you are correct about the marked off areas and I agree they would be a bit of a faff to mask and spray! The tail markings would have been the icing if you had managed to find them but I haven't seen them anywhere on-line either and free painting is hard, possibly using a multilayered mask you could build them up but that might get hard. The RAF schemes are good, personally I think the slightly older ones are more interesting but that's just me.

Anyhow nice model and looking forward to seeing the next one.

Weasel

That looks rather good, an interesting take on the custom scheme idea. (I am thinking about a pre Falklands Fleet Air Arm scheme personally) Perhaps some red or white lined boxed areas around the flaps or other components of note might brake up the large areas of flat green, examples of these can be seen on lots of Japanese planes of this period. Another idea would be to drill out the holes in the wind break behind the cockpit as this can add a lot of depth and interest. Anyhow great idea nicely executed, keep up the work!

Weasel