USS Enterprise CVN-65 by Bert Legaspi | |
Brand: | Revell |
Scale: | 1/720 |
Modeler: | Bert Legaspi |
AddOns: | Gold Medal Models PE set, Skywave and Fujimi Aircrafts, Skywave Weapon set |
A few years ago I was looking through fine scale modeller magazine and saw a 1/72 USS Enterprise and was awed by the workmanship. Then some two years later I saw another USS Enterprise in 1/720 scale by Revell in her 1961 configuration. I was also awed at the work and decided to try and build a carrier. Being a 1/48 scale aircraft guy and having limited experience in building ships I proceeded cautiously. I decided that with my limited space I have I would do a carrier in 1/720 scale. I wanted to do the aircraft carrier Enterprise since my cousin was stationed aboard and I have been aboard a couple times. I began with photos from various sources and then my cousin let me borrow his cruise book. 1998 Desert Fox cruise was of interest to me so I decided to build the Enterprise at that time. This was January of 2001.
The Revell kit is the only Enterprise kit
in that scale around. So I bought alot of evergreen and plastruct
styrene rods and Goldmedal model photo etch sets. Later I would get both
Skywave and Fujimi aircraft sets along with a Skywave weapons set to
detail out the ship. The biggest challenge of building the carrier was
the island. The Revell kit has her older honeycomb-box structure. The
island was rebuilt in 1982 and along with the rest of the carrier has
seen numerous changes since then. I started with some plans using
references from photos and cruisebooks and the Tamiya 1/350 and ARII
1/800 scale models. It took me three attempts before I felt that the
island was just right. I made a makeshift low detail hanger bay.. really
nothing detailed. I completely removed the catwalks from the original
kit and rebuilt them using the styrene. Some of the sponsons were
borrowed from Italeri carrier kits and also all the liferaft capsules.
Other modifications were made included a new "bustier" upper bow and a
stern dock. Additional I had to add the arresting wires. This was my
real first time scratchbuilding alot of things and also doing some
kitbashing. The "TILLY" crane has been updated. Enterprise had
participated in the opening strikes against targets in Afganistan and
conducted some 800 combat missions. Wanting to keep her up to finished
the model in as she was in her 2001
Photos and text © 2005 by Bert Legaspi May 22 2005 |