Firstly Kevin, I am astounded by the awesome "modularity" of your building - that is, how you can so completely finish one component, like the flight deck - right down to all the painting and even decals - before attaching it to the build. You make it look so easy: just build, paint, decal and "bolt it together"! Of course, we know it can't be that simple. Especially when, as in your first picture you're adding the Gold Medal Models' PE stairways after the flight deck is not only painted but completely decaled as well! Is this the way you usually do it? Especially if so, I have a tip: pre-paint the PE - by spraying it, right after you fold it into shape - and then, with very careful attachment and a little luck, you will hardly need to touchup-paint anything at all. In any case, my hat is off to you, as only an exceedingly tidy and organized modeler could pull off your style of building, above (which leaves me out - though I can get organized, I'll never keep everything clean enough, for long enough! )
Second, I really appreciate the clear look at your full hangar - not only an inspiring piece of work but also a darned good reference, just as-is! I'll be very interested to see how much visibility you get into there.
Again returning to the flight deck, I concur entirely with your leaving the sink-marks (which can be much worse on some kits than on others) in favor of preserving consistency of the deck detail. Included in my Essex Hurricane Bow corrections I am engineering a forward flight deck upgrade specifically in pursuit of the exactly same goal - with identical deck textures, and joints aligned so they can be filled without destroying any of it - and of course zero sink-mark(s) in this highly-visible area, ahead of the forward elevator. (But for this build you didn't miss anything - it's not nearly ready yet.)
Also speaking of resin accessories, in a couple of your pics I see a lot of island parts, and in your last one, I see a whole second island - though out of focus - in the background, and no clearly obvious difference between them. What's the story - is one the Starfighter replacement, and is it more than basically a copy of the Renwal kit's island, or what are you using?
And finally - an item creeping into almost every pic, like an attention-starved little kid - what is the story on the gorgeous little deck tractor "3C"? Is it as I presumed, a "start-cart" - a mobile generator and air-compressor, with electric cables and air hose (somewhere) to start a turbine engine? Or if not, then surely some kind of mobile (electric) generator? Please elaborate!
In any case, it's really beautifully done, Kevin - and seeing it next to your (near-) finished Wasp parts (the flight deck, especially), I immediately considered what sort of forced-perspective diorama you could work it into, with this build. Although originally I couldn't think of one, I've now come up with this: the view from another carrier! You could have it on a chunk of flight deck edge - in the foreground, obviously - maybe even sitting next to a smallish airplane, like a SkyHawk, and your entire Wasp for the background.
This is really getting me thinking - I need to get back to work (on several builds)!
Again, a GREAT submission, Kevin - Thank You, sir - and for sure we want to stay posted on this one, buddy!
Cheers,
-Matty
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