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Vikramaditya CV World Naval Ships Forums Archive

Vikramaditya CV

Posts 1 to 33

After a mere 37 year pause, I've decided to reopen my "shipyard" and attempt to accurately (given the scale) model India's "free" carrier. She will be built in the same tiny scale my other 444 models were built in. When I started in 1959, JFS used 1"=128' (1:1536) to show major units. It wasn't until several years later, with 40+ models built, that I found out what an oddball scale this was. However, I continued with the scale given the number I had built by then! I chose the Vikramaditya for 2 reasons: 1. the last model I built was the Kiev; shown in the pics. 2. I have found the shall we say, saga, of her rebuild to be fascinating. Hopefully my small model will be finished faster than the real carrier! She will be 7.26" LOA when complete. DFO ;):D
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Good luck to you mate, and power to your elbow. I'm in awe of people who build models at such a small scale and yet manage to include a lot of fine detail. Keep us informed of the build progress.;) Sandy.

Thanks Sandy; feel good enough today to start working on her again. I am, despite all the pics I have of her, having a difficult time trying to get her "nose" right......seems that I may have lost my "touch". Sigh...DFO :(
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I'm still having a problem getting her bow area correct. I've now resorted to skim bondo to try to shape the surfaces! Given the tiny scale, the shapes grafted onto her are very difficult to replicate in view of the size of my tools.........DFO :eek:
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......... rest assured DFO, where there's a will, there's a way!;) Keep up the good work. Sandy.

She's looking good Dennis. Nice work! BTW, after you finish the Vikramaditya, you could use your bondo skills in the auto body business. :D

Thanks John! I did have a reputation in my College that given enough bondo I could build anything...instead of using automotive clay. The funny thing is I never had to resort to bondo on any of my 444 previous warship models. The bow/ski-jump on this one is not easy to shape in this tiny scale.....not to mention perhaps losing my "touch"!! Maybe I need a Camaro to practice on??! DFO ;)

[I]Miniscule[/I] progress, so to speak! My eyes focus in about as well as my supposedly better second digital camera.........sigh. Building some Mig-29s for her will be a real thrill! DFO ;)
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Glad to see your shipyard reopened Dennis. I really enjoyed the pictures you sent me last year of you earlier builds. Leo

The nose job might go better for you if you had some photos to work from..say, Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope and Barbra Streisand??

Everybody wants to be a comedian: "some photos to work from..say, Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope". However, for true inspiration; oh my I forgot to cut the anchor indents in my Vikramaditya!...........DFO ;):D:D
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DFO: The accompanying picture makes me think of Pinnochio:D Brian

[QUOTE=Brian Wentzell;10095408]DFO: The accompanying picture makes me think of Pinnochio:D Brian[/QUOTE] Cyrano de Bergerac? Why do I think DFO may be tiring of nose jokes!

One has got to admit that has to be the most ungodly bow ever placed on a carrier! I'm afraid DFO will be getting these nose jokes for awhile if the ship model survives proximity to his better half -- wonder what comments the Indian Navy is getting?! :)

"One has got to admit that has to be the most ungodly bow ever placed on a carrier!" No doubt of that, altho it does give her a "memorable" shape! If it helps launch her Mig-29s with efficiency, given the lack of cats, then no doubt beauty is in the eye of the beholder......in this case, the Indian Navy. I'm still astounded by the "tacked-on" look of that nose: no fairing into the existing hull. I can't think of any other major mod of any warship that looked like such an after thought? Might get back at her today, as the coast is clear from attacks, so to speak, and after the fifth[I] obama summer of recovery[/I], I have no work to do.......DFO ;):D

Got a bit more done on her today. Decided to glue the island on, no more coats of plastic glue for the flight deck. Next is trying to fabricate reasonable looking tiny radars and some other very small parts. At least she doesn't have any AK 630s or missile launchers! Still haven't tried forming any Mig-29s; they will be .5" long..........DFO :eek:
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DFO: With a lick of paint and a few details she will look just fine. Brian

Thanks Brian. After 3 tries I finally managed to get the big, angled, rectangular radar antenna on her yesterday. Next: the antenna combo on top of that "band stand"! Funny...used to have fingers that cooperated! DFO :eek:

DFO: I know something about the agility of fingers! 1/72 scale is about as fine as I would dare go at the moment! Brian

Indeed, going back to 1:1536 is now a challenge! The first 444 were easy!!!! DFO :D

A little more progress today...pardon the pun! These teensy parts used to be easy, as can be seen on the Kiev from 1976, but now...:eek: DFO :D
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DFO: I see the first jet is on board. Is the runway long enough and sloped sufficiently for a safe launch? Brian

First and probably last Brian. Had more "fun" than I need trying to create a sort of reasonable Mig-29, all .5" of it......my fingers just don't work good enough anymore; not to mention the ol Mk I eyeballs! Might try finishing the hull of CA Salt Lake City that I stopped working on back @ 1972........ First, however, this CV must be finished: free of charge no less! Of course, if I do finish the SLC I suppose I should build the Omaha class CL that battled the IJN with her in the Aleutians. Those were not the best cruiser design the USN ever came up with, per Friedman's excellent work on US cruisers. DFO ;):D

Don: My next project is to convert a really bad plastic model of the USS Enterprise, CVN65, into the large YFS65, for use as a storage container for paper clips, etc. on a desk or work table at the house. This will involve removal of the center section of the three part flight deck (and island) and insertion of bulk heads for the separate storage of various types of paper clips/fasteners. Propellers and shafts are already removed so her new classification, YFS, means: Yard, Float, Storage! By the way, the hull is water tight, so it can be floated, if necessary. Brian

Oops! Apparently I did not have the pigments completely mixed in the new bottle of paint last night. Looks like a careful sanding and repaint is in order! DFO :o Looking better after repaint, but not quite there........DFO :eek:
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Some slight progress; sure does look big compared to IJN Hiryu..........DFO :D
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As the real Vikramaditya was handed over to India, it seemed appropriate to finish-as best I could-my mini-Vikramaditya. So my pair of Kievs: Kiev herself from 37 years ago (when model was built) and India's "new" CV! DFO :D
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DFO: Finished just in time for trials and delivery:D Brian

Must keep up with that fine Russian shipyard, Brian!! DFO :D

DFO: Meanwhile YFS 65 entered service today. Cheers, Brian

Brian: might be to complex for me! " YFS 65 entered service today." Keep thinking about trying to finish the CA USS Salt Lake City. I basically completed and sealed her hull back @ 1971.....and nothing further since on her. Of course, the 2 view drawing I did of her, to build from, is umm....err??? Building and detailing those tiny 8" gunhouses, 5" singles with shield surrounds, quad 40s etc....oh my! DFO :eek:

DFO: I think finsihing your laid up cruiser will be a much more complex project than completing the former Enterprise to a partially dismantled state as a storage facility for paper clips and modeling supplies. In addition, the aft part of the former flight deck will easily support a coffee mug or similar container to quench one's thirst! It is probably the most udeful model that I have ever built:D Brian

Started work on the old (1971) hull of Salt Lake City this afternoon....oh my eyes! Lotsa teeny, tiny parts to TRY to make!! Her tiny funnels each have 3 pcs. of cut balsa glued together that need shaping! Bare SLC hull is in foreground. DFO :eek: ;)
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