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

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Yeah, don't stress over it, just jump in.  It's meant to be enjoyable (although I sometimes wonder when I'm sitting there with a piece glued to my fingertip, my 3rd pot of nuln oil has just been knocked over , and I've just dropped an irreplaceable piece onto the extra-dimensionalcarpet). Just realize that there's a learning curve and you're going to make mistakes.  Trying to correct/hide them is part of the challenge.

I got sidetracked from my Japanese Burma campaign stuff because I wanted to make my own Vikings vs. Saxons game. 

I painted up 50+ minis andwent outside to varnish them eith a matte spray.  I did a test on two figures and it was fine do I set up the table with all 50.  I don't know if the humidity changed or it was because I was spraying from a slightly farther distance, but the varnish reacted badly and frosted all the minis.

That was a pisser!  I managed to mostly salvage them with olive oil applied via q-tip, but they're a bit shiny now and cats think they're edible.

I also screwed up a bannerman.  I somehow managed to glue the banner on upside down.  Had to snip off the staff and re-glue it.  He looks a bit derpy now close up, but once he's on the table, it's fine.

We gave my rules a test drive last weekend and it was a lot of fun. 

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Couple more.

[Con]

That's some really nice work especially the shields and terrain

[JudgeDredd]

That's some really nice work especially the shields and terrain

Agreed 

[Jarhead0331]

I think I'm starting to see some of what you guys were saying about cheap models and parts needing filing or filling to get the perfect fit. I'm hoping that primer and paint will fill in some of these gaps.

Some of these parts like the searchlights, Sea Sparrows and launchers, lifeboats and davits, etc. are soooo tiny. Part of the fun is sorting through how to handle them best and then seeing how miraculously the parts come together in a half-way decent manner.

Starboard side



Port side

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Vallejo putty is great for filling in small gaps.  Get a small flat edged tool (i like flexible Teflon ones) and smear the putty into the gap.  Use a Q-tip or tissue to wipe away excess.  You can also clean up any unwanted putty with a damp brush. 

https://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-Plastic-Opaque-Consistent-Finish/dp/B0DMFBNZ9J

[Con]

Putting up some pics of my hobby space, plus it allows me to test if I can post and size my own pictures
If this works you can see that I am expanding my hobby significantly in the last couple of years with a lot of new toys- last one is a close up of my latest work in progress - this last photo is pretty washed out doesnt show the highlights.

[Jarhead0331]

Fellow Bambu Labs enthusiast, I see!

[Con]

Its the natural evolution in buying expensive toys in our hobby
Ive been using it to print minis and terrain and honestly the latest settings and PLA make the minis almost indistinguishable from resin printing.
Plus I just printed this in two color wood PLA for my latest purchase on jewelers loupes for mini painting.  These optics are game changers wish I had bought them earlier

[Jarhead0331]

Gentlemen, I am so thankful for you guys posting all your builds and getting me to jump back into model building after 35 years off. I'm having such a wonderful time with this model. The propulsion system and screws and the rudders gave me some trouble. Such tiny and delicate pieces. One of the rudders broke, as did one of the propeller shafts, but some how they come back together ok with the cement. I'm confident they will look solid enough once primed/painted. It is FAR from perfect and if I look at it long enough I can spot a lot of problems, but this is helping me to identify what to look for when placing the various pieces and I'm getting a better understanding of how they come together. The deck came on tonight and I'll probably start with the superstructure either later this evening or tomorrow morning.

I'm getting nervous now because it won't be long before its time to start painting...yikes! 

[undercovergeek]

Gentlemen, I am so thankful for you guys posting all your builds and getting me to jump back into model building after 35 years off. I'm having such a wonderful time with this model. The propulsion system and screws and the rudders gave me some trouble. Such tiny and delicate pieces. One of the rudders broke, as did one of the propeller shafts, but some how they come back together ok with the cement. I'm confident they will look solid enough once primed/painted. It is FAR from perfect and if I look at it long enough I can spot a lot of problems, but this is helping me to identify what to look for when placing the various pieces and I'm getting a better understanding of how they come together. The deck came on tonight and I'll probably start with the superstructure either later this evening or tomorrow morning.

I'm getting nervous now because it won't be long before its time to start painting...yikes! 

Paintings the best bit!!

[JudgeDredd]

Paintings the best bit!!

Don't listen to him - painting is a stress fest. But once it's painted, man, do they look good.

Looking good   

I did build a ship once - I think it was a Gerald Ford Class CV. I absolutely loved it. Like everything - up close it was pretty rough - but just sitting there on a shelf it looked great.

I've got pictures around somewhere...yep - on these very boards but the images are gone (Photobucket). It was the USS George Washington.

[undercovergeek]

I just realised - is it going to have individual aircraft out in the deck

The painting possibilities!!!

[JudgeDredd]

I just realised - is it going to have individual aircraft out in the deck

The painting possibilities!!!

It will indeed 

[bobarossa]

It'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.