Custom build 1/144 or 1/72 US Aircraft carrier

[BU_GRAD_07]

I'm thinking about scratch building an aircraft carrier (and build out the complete wings that would be seen on the deck) in a 1/72 or 1/144. I know the dimensions are ~9.5ft for a 1/144 and 15 ft for 1/72 carrier. If I do move forward with this project, I will likely build from the waterlineI'm thinking about doing this in a show piece fashion (a lot like a 300G fishtank). Problem I'm having initially is what materials should I be considering for the model? Weight is going to play a major issue, so I'm thinking I'll need to break it into multiple pieces.

Has anyone attempted to create a scale carrier with a carrier wing? I remember seeing photos of a project in a model magazine probably 8+ years ago, but I haven't found any reference to it since.

Thanks,

David

[niart17]

check out this site,

http://www.carrierbuilders.net/

it hasn't been updated in quite a while, but Dan's 1/144 scale carrier should be some good inspiration. i think at those scales, there are many materials that would work, and yes wieght will be an issue, but if cost is a concern, that's probably going to be the biggest issue. since it's not going to be water going, you'd be okay using something like balsa wood or similar light wood for the bracing and general construction, which may be fairly cost effective. another thing to consider is to see if you can locate a plastic supply house and get large sheets of plastic at a good price. if you try to use smaller sheets of something like Evergreen, your budget better pretty high, that would get pricey really fast.

Good luck and let us know how you proceed. i started a 1/144 scale dio of just and island area but i haven't made any progress on that, or anything else for that matter.

Bill

[BU_GRAD_07]

I don't plan on making it float. I was meaning from the water line up. Thanks for the link. I'll take a look at it.

David

[icekj]

I just happened to be looking through this thread. Went to the carrierbuilders web site and found something that just floored me.

USS Enterprise in 1/72 scale

This is just....... mindboggleing.

if you build the ship I bet you could get the aircraft from a groupbuild.

Ken

Edited September 12, 2008 by icekj

[okthree]

I was just at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. In the Naval Aviation section of the museum they had a 1/100 scale carrier that some one had built. If I recall correctly it took the builder 12 years to complete. He used plastic, wood, metal and fiberglass to construct it. The E-2 and RA-5 that he had on deck were scratch built as there aren't any kits in that scale of those two aircraft. Everyone at the museum who were looking at were impressed.

[petebuilt]

Here's an article about René Hieronymus's scratch built 1/72 CVE-26 USS Sangamon.

Just "click" on the picture when you get to the link.

http://usns.biz/index.php?option=com_conte...&Itemid=124