Dragon USS Virginia CGN in 1/700th scale. Nice little kit. Builds real well with minimal confusion (hey - it's a Dragon kit after all...). No option for "as built" (with hanger), just post NTDS upgrade with Harpoon, Tomahawk and Phalynx CIWS. The option is provided for full hull.
If you don't have a spares box, you soon will. The kit comes with a whole sprue of Skywave weapons. Why? They give you their own weapons?! Oh well... At this point, the ship is completely built and photo etched except for the two main search radars and the bow antenna spreader. Then I'll give her a coat of paint.
Italeri armor now. The USMC's second to latest armored vehicle, the LAV. This is the updated turret version. There are now several versions with AA turrets and gatling guns. The kit at this point is fully constructed. At the time of the photo, the wheels were off in the distance drying.
The overall construction is done. I've glued the hatches open and I will be detailing the interior. The kit came with four modern Marines with "fritz" helmets, etc. The outside is olive drab with a chipped buff over the top for A'stan and Iraq service. The interior will be white.
I'm probably not going to keep the turret. I want to scratchbuild the new AA turret with the Stingers, gatling gun and rocket launcher. There's also the 81mm mortar turret and the 105mm anti-tank gun turret I'm considering...
Fujimi F-14A Tomcat in 1/48th scale. Not as nice as their 1/72nd scale birds, but a nice quick build anyway. The wings fold but that's sadly it. No open panels or air brakes. Just the basics. The canopy is off drying at the time of this photo...
Scheme will be 1990's Top Gun (light ghost grey and white). No nose weight was needed surprisingly enough. The kit comes with a full she-bang of weapons but hold your applause just yet...the Sidewinders are horrid. Nevertheless, the Phoenix and Sparrow birds are fine.
The wheel wells are bare. In fact, Fujimi are so pleased with the wing folding ability that they don't even put a crap main gear well in. Oh well. The tail fins and jet exhausts are off drying somewhere...
Dragon USS Independence in 1/700th scale. A clear flight deck and weapons (sadly) plus a little photo etch fret are all in the box. The planes are pretty good too. A nice, easy, quick build with only a few little quibbles.
The photo etch fret comes with radars, the mast structure and a huge worthless hanger deck floor. Unfortunately, once you build the ship, you can't see the hanger as the see-through parts are off-center with each other.
The island is nicely detailed and the fit is great. The etch fret also gives you the main plane handling crane. The weapons are a bit chunky so I've replaced them.
The color scheme is for USS Monterrey, the ship that a young Gerald Ford served onboard. The instruction sheet shows you both ships but sadly gives the same exact scheme for both.
There is also an option to do full hull or waterline. The scribing is great and minimal photo etch is needed to finish the ship. The island has four plastic supports or you can use the two photoetched island supports. Huh?! Yup...they only give you two...
Now I just have to build the air group...
Well that was it for this weekend. The USAF Delta Dart is coming along but dad won't be IPMS picky over it.
Cheers,
Don
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