The Chinese Carrier: My review and Build of the 1/350 scale Trumpeter model kit #5617

JEFFHEAD.COM - PLA NAVY CARRIER ^ | March 15, 2012 | Jeff Head

[lentulusgracchus]

I already have a complete USS New Jersey (the 1980s modern refit), a [Spruance] Class Destroyer, and a Flight II LA Class attack sub.

When I visited the Des-Sub Piers in Norfolk in December, I counted eight US fast-attack, one Trident, and a British fast-attack, their big new one (considerably larger than the Los Angeles-class boats nearby). Several were having "some work done" behind tarps and scaffolding around their conning towers. Now, that would be a slightly unusual model -- SSN with scaffolding.

[Jeff Head]

My son in law is career Navy and a submariner. His bopat was the USS Ohio, the SSGN conversion. Was part of the conversion crew then stayed with her for a few years until he reached CPO, now he’s in the squardron and goes out to several boats.

I was able to get on the Ohioo twice with my son-in-law. Met the exec the first time and the CO the 2nd. Great experience and those Ohio boats are BIG boatd, displacing over 14,000 tons.

[Jeff Head]

Thank, ken, for your kind words and encouragement.

I have been greatll blessed to be alive, and to be able to do all that I can. None the less, I have been left with sigbnificant disability. I go back every few months to check on the hardware they put in me and to make sure no new cancer has returned.

So far so good., and I attribute it to the prayers and faith of so many faithful folks all over the country and to the will and wisdom and love of a merciful Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ.

My Dad was a combat officer in the Navy in WW II in the PTO. My room was adorned with naval ships and aircraft. I particularly liked the F-4U Corsair and always felt it would have given the P-51 a run for its money.

I built a 1/144 scale Cutty Sark, and now own a 1/85 scale USS Constitution. Fully rigged, it’s over 44” long and is quite the conversation pieces. It’s stillan officially commissioned US Naval vessel and is crewed there in Boston. They take her out for special occassions and she is still sea worthy. Amazing vessel and story.

Now I am back into the modern military vessels and the goals I have established for myself there.

BZ and God’s speed.

[Jeff Head]

Here's my latest update, progress as of March 18th:

Finishing the main deck and hull

There was still a lot of work to be done with the main deck. Quite a bit of instrumentation and various equipment. All of the antennae, all of the life rafts and various ship's boats, and finally all of the hand railing for the sponsons, on various levels of the hull and on the deck itself, as well as the webbing.

The boats, life rafts, instrumentation, antennae, webbing, netting, and handrails were made up of probably 300 or more pieces.

When these were complete, it took several days to attach them all and then painstakingly cut all of railings and nettings and attach them. Lots of touch up painting as I went. Some people install most of the parts and pieces and even handrailing before painting...I prefer to paint as I go, installing painted pieces and then tocuhing up any necessary areas either from paint affected by the glue, or glue spots on the paint itself.

Then it was time to attach the Island. The vessel itself still needs the rudders, props, shafs and supports, but otherwise is complete. I have yet to add the decals on the deck, and there are a lot of them which will be painstaking but very gratifying. Then, we'll build the air wing and deck vehicles and equipment, paint them, add decals, and place them. But for right now, she's looking pretty good.

---

STATUS as of March 18, 2012

This is where I have gotten to date. My plan over the next few weeks is the following, and I will update this posting as I go along:

1. By March 25th, 2012: Complete props, shafys, and rudders.Complete all decals and painting of main flight deck.
2. By April 16th, 2012: Complete all aircraft and deck equipment building, painting, decals, and aircraft and equipment placement.
3. By April 23rd, 2012: Paint and place all all 1/350 scale personnel on the carrier, complete carrier and place on stand.

At that point I will be finished with my PLAN Navy Carrier from Trumpeter. At that point I will do my priniple PLAN Escort for the carrier, Trumpeter's DDG-170, Lanshou Type 052C destroyer. This is the Chinese Arleigh Burke-like destroyer with PARS, battle management and VLS air defense missiles. After that, I will build Hobby Boss's PLAN SSN attack submarine, the PLAN SSN-405, ChangZheng5, a Type 091 Han class SSN, for escort duties. Then, rather than build the other three surface combatants (Trumpeter's DDG-168, Guangzhou; DDG-139, Ningbo; and FFG-570, Huangshan) as part of the Chinese Carrier Strike Group, I will build the initial portion of the US Navy Carrier Strike Group.

That US CSG will be centered on Tamiya's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65. I will build Trumpeter's USS Bunker Hill, CG-52 an AEGIS Cruiser, Trumpeter's DDG-82, USS Lassen an AEGIS destroyer, and the Los Angeles Class attack sumbmarine, Testor's SSN-764, USS Boise (It was actaully the San Juan, but I built and marked it as the USS Boise) which I have already completed.

Then back to finish the Chinese CSG, and then finish the US CSG with the following four vessels: Trumpeter's USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Trumpeter's USS Freedom, LCS-1, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. When a USS Gerald R. Ford comes out, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser and Burke DDG.

Outside of the new Trumpeter Type 054A FFG-570 Huangshan which comes out in May, I already have all of these vessels and the photo etch sets to go with them. I will post seperate postings/threads/pages for each build as I go through it.

Once the US and PLAN groups are built, I intend on building complete Russian (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov) and UK (centered on the HMS Queen Elizabeth if it is available then, and if not then on Airfix's HMS Invinsible) strike groups as well. Once the models are available, I'd like to build a Japanese group centered on their new 22DDH carrier and the Hyuga, an Italian Group centered on the Cavour, a French Group centered on the De Gaulle, a Spanish Group centered on the Jaun Carlos, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra. If they ever build the models, an Indian group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier the Vikrant would also be nice. You can see all of these carriers at my site:

All of these along with their escorts will be in 1/350 scale. Literally years worth of building.

WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

...and most of their surface escorts at:

AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD

Jeff Head
March 18, 2012

[humblegunner]

Lookin’ good!

[Jeff Head]

Thanks, she is coming together nicely.

Getting all of the landing positions, parking positions, landing strip, cats markings, safety markings, take-off lines and other main deck painting and decals will make a guge difference in her appearance.

Then building the small 1/350 scale aircraft (each is a miniature model itself) airwing of 8 J-15s (Chinese rebuid and modernization of the SU-33) 6-KA-27s, 4-KA-31s, 2-D-8s and 2-D-9 helos will really add.

Weathering them and the hull will also add to the realism.

Anyhow, after that I am going to either do one her principles escorts (that’s the current plan) or I am thinking of jumping right into the 1/350 Tamiya USS Enterprise for caoparison. I have assempbed a modern airwing (she came with 8-F-4s, 6-A-6s, 8-A-7s, 4-E-2Cs and 4-F-18Cs - actually some of those I bought back then to add to what she came with) of 8-F-18Ds, 4-F-18Es, 4-F-18Fs, 4-EA-6Bs, 4-E-2Cs, 2-C-2 Greyhounds, and 4-SH-60 helos.

PLenty to do...then all 3-4 escorts of each and in the US case, the amazing USS Iwo Jima LHD-7 which has 1400 pieces and includes a full hangar deck and a full well deck. I intend to develop a wiring scheme for her that includes small LED lights for both decks and the flight deck that I will run out into the stand which will include batteries and three small toggle switches for the various lighting.

May scratch build an entore flight deck for the enterprise and do the same, come to think of it.

[humblegunner]

Weathering them and the hull will also add to the realism.

True, that was one of my favorite aspects.

I used to build dioramas with my Tamiya armor.
Plaster walls and buildings with battle damage, etc. Fun stuff.

[Jeff Head]

I’ve never really done dioramas, though I have seen a lot of them. Some guys do amazing things with the sea. Others build them at, or coming into detailed dock facilities. I prefer setting them together in their CSGs or other groups on their stands.

If I had an entire room for the purpose of display, it would be nice to take about half of it and make it a huge diorama with the various CSGs, Phibrons, SAGs etc. arrayed in allied formations facing the agressor forces arrayed in a similar fashion. But the CO at out house has not approved the appropriations for the funding! LOL!

[GreenLanternCorps]

A long time ago I was looking at the updated Iowa class, not sure who made them. These days, I’d have to see what was out there.

Unfortunately I’m not going to have the time in the near future for a large project like that. I do want to get my older two boys into building models starting with snap-tite and working their way up.

I also have an Monogram F4F that has been partially painted but still on the sprues since 1999...

[Jeff Head]

Tamiya made a great 1/350 scale version of the New Jersey which is the one I built. They still market that model.

Here’s a link it...about 80 bucks:
http://www.oakridgehobbies.com/default/tamiya-u-s-battleship-bb-62-new-jersey-ship-plastic-model-kit.html

I’ll post some pictures of the one I built. Had it since 1991 and she still looks good. Went so far as to buy the etched photo railings for the vessels at that time which really improves the look.

Nowadays the etched photo kits have the ladders, stairs, railings of various types (2-3-4 rail) most of the sensors in accurate detail, a lot of the platforms, even the extrieror watertights doors if you are willing to cut out the door locations of those you want to show open.

I bought the phot etch metal kits for the Kuznetsov (Russian carrier of the same class) and used it for this model. The model itself came with a small set that had the a lot of the sensors, but the railing and other platforms that matched the Chinese build I used off of the Kuznetsov kit.

[trisham]

I love the Carriers! I was on one at the age of 9 or 10, and I had just bent over to tie my shoe when what I didn't realize was an "elevator" started moving up. What a surprise! :)

Well done. Thanks for the update!

[Jeff Head]

For those interested, here's my latest update on this Chinese 1/350 scale aircraft carrier model build:

---

Completeing the main deck markings

There are many decals for the main deck landing and takeoff positions and the safety markings and parking spots. Some of these decals are long and the builder may be advised to cut some of the longer ones in two for placement without damage.

As always, clean the surface well with water and mild soap or cleaner to ensure all oils are removed. A possible initial spray of gloss coat is possible, but I have had good experience without that and so just cleaned what I had already painted.

Then it was time to begin the landing area and take off area for the fixed wing aircraft. Please note, that the deck has these markings etched into it, but many of the dashes and lines have small potrusions for detail. These need to be sanded, ground, or cut away so the decals will lay flat on the surface and avoid portrusions and deformation of the decals. I accomplished this with an exacto knife and sand paper and then repainting those areas effected.

With the deck markings and the detail thus far, it makes for some good looking close ups, for example, here's the Optical landing system along the outside edge of the deck. The railings and ladders are now all in place.

Next is to finish the props, propellers, and rudders, and then the big job of building, painting and detailing the airwing. I intend to have ten J-15 fighters, four KA-27 ASW Helos, three KA-31 AEW Helos, two Z-9 transport helos, and two Z-8 SAR helos along with a full compliment of deck equipment on the deck and visible in the hangar or on the elevators.

---

STATUS as of March 26, 2012

So, once again, this is where I have gotten to date. My plan over the next few weeks is the following, and, as usual, I will update this posting as I go along:

1. By April 16th, 2012: Complete all aircraft and deck equipment building, painting, decals, and aircraft and equipment placement.
2. By April 23rd, 2012: Paint and place all all 1/350 scale personnel on the carrier, complete carrier and place on stand.

At that point I will be finished with my PLA Navy Carrier from Trumpeter. Then, I will build my priniple PLAN Escort for the carrier, Trumpeter's DDG-170, Lanshou Type 052C destroyer. This is the Chinese Arleigh Burke-like destroyer with PARS, battle management and VLS air defense missiles. After that, I will build Hobby Boss's PLAN SSN attack submarine, the PLAN SSN-405, ChangZheng5, a Type 091 Han class SSN, for escort duties. Then, rather than build the other three surface combatants (Trumpeter's DDG-168, Guangzhou; DDG-139, Ningbo; and FFG-570, Huangshan) as part of the Chinese Carrier Strike Group, I will build the initial portion of the US Navy Carrier Strike Group.

That US CSG will be centered on Tamiya's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65. I will build Trumpeter's USS Bunker Hill, CG-52, and the Los Angeles Class attack sumbmarine (which I have already completed), Testor's SSN-764, USS Boise (It was actaully the San Juan, but I built and marked it as the USS Boise) which I have already completed.

Then back to finish the Chinese CSG, and then finish the US CSG with the following five vessels: Trumpeter's DDG-82, USS Lassen an AEGIS destroyer, Trumpeter's USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Trumpeter's USS Freedom, LCS-1, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. I already have completed Tamiya's 1/350 scale USS New Jersey battleship to the late 1980s upgrade and modernization (with the Tomohawks, Harpoons, CIWS, and SH-60 helos). When a USS Gerald R. Ford comes out, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser and Burke DDG.

Outside of the new Trumpeter Type 054A FFG-570 Huangshan which comes out in May (and which I have pre-ordered), I already have all of these vessels and the photo etch sets to go with them. I will post seperate postings/threads/pages for each build as I go through it.

Once the US and PLAN groups are built, I intend on building complete Russian (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov) and UK (centered on the HMS Queen Elizabeth if it is available, and if not then on Airfix.s HMS Illustrious) strike groups as well. Once the models are available, I'd like to build a Japanese group centered on their new 22DDH carrier and the Hyuga, an Italian Group centered on the Cavour, a French Group centered on the De Gaulle, a Spanish Group centered on the Jaun Carlos, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra. If they ever build the models, an Indian group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier the Vikrant would also be nice. You can see all of these carriers at my site:

All of these along with their escorts will be in 1/350 scale. Literally years worth of building.

WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

...and most of their surface escorts at:

AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD

Jeff Head
March 26, 2012

[wagglebee]

That is fantastic Jeff!

[Jeff Head]

Thanks.

It is really an enjoyable hobby...but it is also, along with my:

Rising Sea Dragon in Asia Site

an effective alternative means to documenting and warning about what our adversaries are putting together.

We need to understand the depth and breadth of their buildup and understand the implications so we can respond to it before it becomes to advanced and thus much more difficult to contain.

[Jeff Head]

Completing the Airwing - April 19th, 2012

Wow, the entire airwing has taken about as long as the rest of the ship together. I had purchased some additional SU-33s to be painted and configured as J-15s and some extra helos. My airwing thus ended up being 14 J-15 fighters, 4 KA-28 ASW helos, 2 KA-31 AEW helos, 2 Z-9 ASW/SAR helos, and 3 Z-8 AEW, transport helos. That's 25 aircraft altogehter. The first part was to build them. The aircraft had 18 pieces each and so were a pretty good model themselves for each. The helos generally had 11 pieces each. So, for all of the aircraft, there were abpiut 350 pieces...many of them very small and delicate.

Then, painting the aircraft, finishing the smaller detail partsa, and adding the decals and rotors for the helos was able to be accomplished.

All of the above took almost 4 weeks to accomplish, working on it after work and on weekends when I could. We did have a five day break when I took a trip with my wife down to San Diego for one of our daughter's weddings which also gave me the opportunity to visit Naval Base Cornado and the anchorage across from there. So that added to the time.

Now, for the PLAN Carrier, will come th eplacing of the aircraft on deck and the building and painting of the deck equipment...tow bars, fork lifts, pus trucks, carts, etc. And finally the paining and placement of the 1/350 scale personnel I have purchased. I expect the painting and placement of those very small individuals will take some time too.

---

STATUS as of April 19, 2012

This is now where I have gotten to date. My plan to finish the carrier is the following, and, as usual, I will update this posting as I go along:

1. By April 23rdh, 2012: Complete all deck equipment building and painting and aircraft and equipment placement.
2. By April 30th, 2012: Paint and place all all 1/350 scale personnel on the carrier, complete carrier and place on stand.

At that point I will be finished with my PLA Navy Carrier from Trumpeter. Then, I will build my priniple PLAN Escort for the carrier, Trumpeter's DDG-170, Lanshou Type 052C destroyer. This is the Chinese Arleigh Burke-like destroyer with PARS, battle management and VLS air defense missiles. After that, I will build Hobby Boss's PLAN SSN attack submarine, the PLAN SSN-405, ChangZheng5, a Type 091 Han class SSN, for escort duties. Then, rather than build the other three surface combatants (Trumpeter's DDG-168, Guangzhou; DDG-139, Ningbo; and FFG-570, Huangshan) as part of the Chinese Carrier Strike Group, I will build the initial portion of the US Navy Carrier Strike Group.

That US CSG will be centered on Tamiya's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65. I will build Trumpeter's USS Bunker Hill, CG-52, and the Los Angeles Class attack sumbmarine (which I have already completed), Testor's SSN-764, USS Boise (It was actaully the San Juan, but I built and marked it as the USS Boise) which I have already completed.

Then back to finish the Chinese CSG, and then finish the US CSG with the following five vessels: Trumpeter's DDG-82, USS Lassen an AEGIS destroyer, Trumpeter's USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Trumpeter's USS Freedom, LCS-1, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. I already have completed Tamiya's 1/350 scale USS New Jersey battleship to the late 1980s upgrade and modernization (with the Tomohawks, Harpoons, CIWS, and SH-60 helos). When a USS Gerald R. Ford comes out, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser and Burke DDG.

Outside of the new Trumpeter Type 054A FFG-570 Huangshan which comes out in May (and which I am pre-ordering two of), I already have all of these vessels and the photo etch sets to go with them. I will post seperate postings/threads/pages for each build as I go through it.

Once the US and PLAN groups are built, I intend on building complete Russian (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov) and a UK group centered on the HMS Queen Elizabeth if it is available, and if not then on Airfix.s HMS Illustrious which I have already purchased. That group will also include two Type 45 Daring Class Airfix models which come out in May and which I am on the advnced order list for, a Trafalgar SSN (which I already have) and an Astute SSN (which I also already have purchased.) Once the models are available, I'd like to build a Japanese group centered on their new 22DDH carrier and the Hyuga, an Italian Group centered on the Cavour, a French Group centered on the De Gaulle, a Spanish Group centered on the Jaun Carlos, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra. If they ever build the models, an Indian group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier the Vikrant would also be nice. You can see all of these carriers at my site:

All of these along with their escorts will be in 1/350 scale. Literally years worth of building.

WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

...and most of their surface escorts at:

AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD

Jeff Head
April 19, 2012

---

[humblegunner]

SWEET!

[Jeff Head]

Steady progress. Hopefully the next update she will be complete and then I can move on to the next one. I may jump directly to the USS Enterprise, I am having so much fun with the carriers!

[MinuteGal]

Interesting reading, as usual. Thanks for sharing your loving, painstaking work with us.

Can you tell us where you work on your models (basement, spare room, garage???) and where you display your works of art once you complete a project?

I just like to get a glimpse into your personal creative world....in other words, do you have a studio of some kind?...display shelves???

I used to do miniature wall art in cloth, felt and other materials. The kitchen table at night was all I had for a work place in those long-ago days.

Leni

[Jeff Head]

Sure.

We have an area in our master bedroom, off to the side, that was intended for a desk and like an office area. We've turned it into my model shop.

I have a desk with a computer, and then along the rest of the length of the wall a long table with a glass top/cover where I build. Along the wall above that we have modular shelves installed where I keep the kits and things, and then along the table itself I have a bunch of organizers for parts, paints, glues, putty, tools of all types, etc.

Across the way, we have put in a bunch of shelves between there and the bedroom to display the models once they are finished...but I am running out of room there. Some to the ones my wife deems appropriate are therefore getting honored spots in other parts of the house.

I built models for a few years about 20 years ago, but when we moved and I changed jobs, it went to the side.

Now, since malignant bone cancer surgeries, recovery and rehab, the wife felt it would be a good thing for me to get back into. And she was right, it has been.

[MinuteGal]

Thanks for the description of your "studio". Perhaps some day you can post a photo of the work area and your shelves with completed models adorning them.

Maybe some day, also, you can conduct guided tours through your place like going through a Naval Museum, LOL. I'd pay a million to see your handiwork in the flesh, so to speak. Till then, your pictures will have to do.

Now get back to work!

Leni