The Die is Cast...CV-63 USS Kitty Hawk

Jarhead0331 · July 20, 2025, 10:22:22 AM

Quote from: bobarossa on July 20, 2025, 08:26:43 AMIt's been 50 years since I built a model but I'm thinking I would have saved placing those antenna-like things at the sides of the deck for last.

I'm just following the instructions. The deck antennas didn't really present any issue for handling.

Well, I just finished the build of the ship. Superstructure and all masts are complete and installed to the deck. I think next to the propellers and shafts, the mast and all the radar and sensor equipment was the greatest challenge. Some of the antennas and radar equipment pieces were so unbelievably thin and tiny. It was nearly impossible to get them out of the frame without snapping some of the parts. Again, I was able to get the broken pieces back together acceptably, but it was challenging and admittedly, a little frustrating.

Still have to build the aircraft and vehicles. I might prime and paint the ship first. Haven't decided.

I'll post some pics a little later. Overall, lots of small and not so small defects, but at a glance and without looking at it too critically, I think she came out great. I'm pretty proud.

Con · July 20, 2025, 10:45:02 AM

Good job
In my case best advice I got was to keep moving forward and not obsess about trying to get all the details 100% perfect
I seem to get adhd when painting going back and putting too many hours on the same aspect of the mini to make it look like the box art
The way to improve is to paint, paint and paint some more but finishing projects rather than have 5 going on at once
I try to put in at least 30 mins every day even if it is just putting on a bit of base color or adding a wash to one figure
The continuity of painting has noticeably improved my capability more in the last 6 months more than obsession to perfection
And I've completed a WH40k citadel, orc kill patrol, chaos marines, Cadian infantry squad, and moved my orc war boss and Mekkakiller to almost finished in that time
Plus I've been trying to learn how to print and speed paint minis - another useful skill
I still have trays of minis primed and ready to go but I don't feel dejected looking at it anymore now that I have a process

undercovergeek · July 20, 2025, 11:27:14 AM

Are you cutting the bits off a sprue with a knife?

Jarhead0331 · July 20, 2025, 11:36:20 AM

Quote from: undercovergeek on July 20, 2025, 11:27:14 AMAre you cutting the bits off a sprue with a knife?

A sprue cutter. Maybe that's the problem. I should use a blade for the smaller bits. Duh!

Jarhead0331 · July 20, 2025, 12:43:44 PM

Here she is...finished.

undercovergeek · July 20, 2025, 01:51:44 PM

What's in the air wing?

Con · July 20, 2025, 04:11:06 PM

Looks nice
I suspect you are going to go down the rabbit hole with the rest of us on all the paints and tools and as you rediscover the joy of minis and models.

Jarhead0331 · July 20, 2025, 04:37:15 PM

Quote from: undercovergeek on July 20, 2025, 01:51:44 PMWhat's in the air wing?

The kit came with a wide mix of aircraft, I suppose to let the builder focus on a specific timeframe. It has A-7 Corsairs, EA-6 Prowlers, F-14 Tomcats, A-6 intruders, F-4 Phantoms, RA-5 Vigilantes, F/A-18 Hornets, S-3 Vikings, E-2 Hawkeyes and SH-3 Seakings. I suppose with the Phantoms, Vigilantes and Corsairs you can have a nice 1960s era ship, while the Tomcats, Prowlers and Hornets can bring her into the 70s and 80s.

Jarhead0331 · July 20, 2025, 04:39:11 PM

Quote from: Con on July 20, 2025, 04:11:06 PMLooks nice
I suspect you are going to go down the rabbit hole with the rest of us on all the paints and tools and as you rediscover the joy of minis and models.

Dude...totally. I'm already out of control. I'm happy I've restrained myself and have not bought every model that catches my fancy. So far, just the two ships. Kitty Hawk and Iwo Jima.

undercovergeek · July 20, 2025, 05:31:27 PM

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 20, 2025, 04:37:15 PM
Quote from: undercovergeek on July 20, 2025, 01:51:44 PMWhat's in the air wing?

The kit came with a wide mix of aircraft, I suppose to let the builder focus on a specific timeframe. It has A-7 Corsairs, EA-6 Prowlers, F-14 Tomcats, A-6 intruders, F-4 Phantoms, RA-5 Vigilantes, F/A-18 Hornets, S-3 Vikings, E-2 Hawkeyes and SH-3 Seakings. I suppose with the Phantoms, Vigilantes and Corsairs you can have a nice 1960s era ship, while the Tomcats, Prowlers and Hornets can bring her into the 70s and 80s.

You decided which ones

Jarhead0331 · July 20, 2025, 06:33:29 PM

I'm obsessed with the Air War over SE Asia, so probably go with the early aircraft. I'll add the others to a bin of spare parts, which I'm sure will grow now!

undercovergeek · July 21, 2025, 12:04:31 AM

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 20, 2025, 06:33:29 PMI'm obsessed with the Air War over SE Asia, so probably go with the early aircraft. I'll add the others to a bin of spare parts, which I'm sure will grow now!

There will be many coffee jars of bits around your table

When painting and modelling bolt action stuff I went from a jar or bits to a jar of allied bits and axis bits to a jar of allied arms and legs a jar of guns and a jar of heads for both sides

Jarhead0331 · July 22, 2025, 06:23:45 PM

OK, boys. Kitty Hawk is primed and ready for paint. I think the priming went well. I'm not really sure what a primed model is supposed to look like though. The deck does look a little "spotty" in some places...sort of like snow. I'm assuming this is due to spraying maybe too far away from the surface, or maybe its just a product of priming with a rattle can, rather than an airbrush? It doesn't look textured though so hopefully this won't have an appreciable effect on the paint job.

Silent Disapproval Robot · July 22, 2025, 06:57:55 PM

You can always hit it with a 2nd coat.

Con · July 22, 2025, 07:05:33 PM

Humidity is killer on spraypainting