USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) by Coyote_6 - FINISHED – Italeri – 1/720 - PLASTIC

[Coyote_6]

Greetings all.  In 2015 I spent two months aboard the “Big Stick” in the Persian Gulf.  Naturally I was interested in modeling her, and 1/700 or 1/720 is probably the best scale to fit in my house!  My lovely wife gifted me the Italeri Roosevelt in 1/720 scale for Christmas 2015 and I was ecstatic.  However, the Roosevelt has had many significant upgrades since 2006 (Italeri’s approximate baseline), so I determined some scratch built modifications would be required to bring her up to 2015 trim.  This build started in January of 2016 and ended in November of 2018.  It all started with joining the flight deck to the hull, assembling the kit’s Island, and ordering Trumpeter 1/700 aircraft to upgrade the air wing (F-18C, F-18E, F-18F, C-2A and E-2C aircraft).  I chose to stick with Italeri’s SH-60s.

 

Regards,

Steve

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

The most glaring issues for a 2015 build were the Island changes and the new radar tower when she was refitted/refueled.  I scratch built a new radar tower out of Evergreen sheet and strip stock.  I marked out issues with the island in blue sharpie for rework/modification.  (The radar domes are desiccant balls from shipping packages, chosen for their particular size.) 

 

 

 

I then proceeded to modify the island as necessary with Evergreen stock.

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

Finally rounded out the rework of the island, radar towers, antennas, radars and lights.  Of interest, the largest spheres housing radars and antennas were hand turned out of olive wood by a teammate from work.  I told him the approximate dimensions of the sphere and he made them for me.  The aft sphere is most visible in the attached photo, and you can see it is a little rough.  Also added some photo etched railing around the top of the island as an experiment (first time using photo etch).  With final outfitting came a coat of Tamiya TS-32 Haze Gray.  (It's looking like it's gonna be a full flight deck!)

Edited August 10, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

Next step was to proceed around the flight deck, adding structure to support various defensive weapons, radars, antennas and the LSO platform.  

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

As all of this is going on, an Air Wing starts to be developed.  After playing around with so many shades of gray (so many) it becomes apparent that Tamiya knows what they are doing, at least to my eye.  Tamiya AS-25 Dark Ghost Grey for the top of the tactical aircraft, and AS-26 Light Ghost Grey for the undersides.  E-2 and C-2 grays are Testors Model Master FS 16440 Gloss Gull Gray (Testors 1929).  36 F-18s, 2 of which I converted to EA-18s.  6 SH-60s.  5 E-2Ds. 2 C-2s.  Almost as much work as the entire ship herself.  And so many wings to cut and "fold".

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

Painting of the ship ensued.  Haze gray all around the hull (Tamiya TS-32) and Tamiya TS-4 German Grey for the flight deck.  All the flight deck lines seen in the attached image were painted using Tamiya acrylics and an airbrush.  I went light on the center line in the landing zone to emulate wear due to landings.  Weapons station at the port bow is a scratch-built RIM-116 Rolling Airframe missile launcher (not included in the Italeri kit), and astern is what I can only describe as a scratch docking cage made using stretched sprue.  (I have seen craft tied up to this in pictures - if anyone knows what more specifically this cage at the waterline astern is called please let me know).

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

After painting, I used Gold Medal Models' USN Supercarrier Decals (Starfighter Decals 700-100 USN Nimitz Class CVN Markings).  Island markings, bow numbers, elevator/flight deck power hatch/jet blast deflector outlines, replenishment markings, Ordnance jettison, efficiency awards, unrep markings and elevator locks.  Sooooo many decals...

 

 

 

 

Also filled in the island glass using #2 lead pencil and then applied Tamiya TS-80 Flat Clear Topcoat over the entire ship, protecting the decals and hopefully giving an appropriate scale sheen to the entire model...

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

Airwing progress.   "00" color birds for the various squadrons assigned - handpainted by toothpick.  Note the Jet Blast Deflectors in the up position.  I made two sets (down and up) depending on how the ship is configured (none of the aircraft are fixed to the ship).

 

 

 

Also, 4 bladed E-2s converted to 8 blades with the help of a coworker's 3-D printer.  So maybe my favorite part of the build is that one friend made my radars out of wood in the old-school style, and another friend made my 8 bladed props using the latest in fabrication tech.  Pretty cool team effort on that!

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

The rescue crane and fire trucks were 3D printed and provided by a friend (Shapeways?) as he had extras.  Remaining deck tractors and forklifts were kit supplied.  After Painting and detailing all that was left to spot 47 aircraft on the flight deck and stage the crane, tractors and forklifts.

 

 

 

 

Almost as an afterthought, I discovered what I think might be a weather station mast on the forward starboard side, scratch built with stretched sprue and a small bit of plastic card stock.

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

USS Theodore Roosevelt, arriving.

 

May I present the fully completed USS Theodore Roosevelt, CVN 71 from her 2015 deployment to the Persian Gulf.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

And with Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW 1) aboard...

 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

And some detail shots...

 

Stern view.

 

E-2D and F-18E awaiting launch.

 

 

C-2A preparing for engine starts.

 

Crowded island area.

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Coyote_6
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[Coyote_6]

And finally, with a quarter on the tabletop for size reference.  I think she is a movie star now, as I believe there was a cameo shot of her in the movie Top Gun: Maverick.

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Coyote_6

[mtaylor]

Great job on her and her air wing.  I really didn't realize how small this model is until that last picture.   Makes it even more incredible.

[Landlubber Mike]

Nicely done!

[mikegr]

great and carefully job done on deck painting and aircrafts. As a straight out of the box built, cant be done much better that this.

[USMCLtSgt]

BZ!  Excellent work!

 

Those old Italeri kits are correct in shape and proportions and can be made into nice representations of the Nimitz class.

 

I love your modernizations!