Rui S
Very nice work and photos 👍

Neuling
Yes! I´d like to see still more photos ........

CaptGPF Author
Thanks Rui, Neulinh! I'll add a couple more later today. 😀

Neuling
🙂

Michael Kohl
nice to see, that this forum motivates to go another mile. Pretty good result you achieved.

CaptGPF Author
Completely agree - seeing everyone's work definitely gave me more ideas on how to improve my skills! 😃

Mr James
Very well painted. Great display too. Well done

Guy Rump
Very impressive! 👍

CaptGPF Author
Thanks Mr Kames, Guy. I hope to make the carrier deck more realistic later with tire marks and all. Have to figure out how to adapt some 1/72 figures for the air deck!

coporado
Wow, award winning dio!

Shar Dipree
Very nice so far. 👍
The deck, the steam catapult and the deflector are still too clean.
-> [img1]
-> qph.cf2.quoracdn.net..95d57942e3fad05-pjlq
Youtube Video
If you want to do it in detail, remember that the position of the afterburner nozzle fits your scenario.

CaptGPF Author
I had a lot of challenges trying to get the deck color when I did this - I definitely airbrushed the deck too clean and definitely have to gray it up, and add tire marks.

Thanks for the video link Shar! I'll use this as a reference and go back and give it another go. I'll post another build with the improved catapult later.

The other part that really bothered me was the lack of 1/72 deck crew…. Anyone have any recommendations?

Rui
Very Nice! I can almost hear the jet noise and sense the frenetic flight deck.
I agree with Shar; everything is too clean, but I see that you may grim it up a bit 👍

Hobby Search and Plaza Japan both have the Fujimi 1/72 US Navy Flight Deck Crew for a reasonable price if you don't mind the shipping $$$
1999.co.jp/eng/10058..campaign=marketplace
plazajapan.com/4968728723464/?setCurrencyId=1
I have my eye on this myself.

Alternatively scalemate Dutch has a couple for sale in their collection - Dutch

CaptGPF Author
Thanks guys! I'll work at griming it up after I do a palate cleanser build. 😀

Rui
Finally got a chance to see that video Shar posted. I could watch that all take offs and landings all day... very cool 👍

Shar Dipree
Hello CaptGPF.
yes, I know the problem of a lack of deck crew all too well. Especially in a scale of 1:72 but also 1:48 but 1:72 is really difficult.
For pilots, you can find a lot at PJ Production, I think their figures are great.
Otherwise I only have the set from Italeri for the deck. NATO Pilots and Ground Crews (Italeri 1246, 1:72)
If you ever need some for 1:48, there are some sets from Hasegawa - you don't have to pay high prices for individual or mini sets.

Живко Джаков
Great job. The catapult hook, isn't it backwards?

CaptGPF Author
LOL! The catapult hook is indeed backwards! 😜. I'll repost the photo once I grime up the deck and put the hook the right way. 😀

Shar, the Hasegawa set for the 1/48 USAF pilot set is nice and detailed, but the USN molding isn't so good. Thanks everyone for the good feedback - will try my hand o the Italeri or Fujimi kits if I can find them!

JW
Beautiful build especially in 1/72 scale.

Michael Kohl
Maybe a bit late, but I love the Reedoak figures. They have deck personell. Quality is speckless.

CaptGPF Author
Thanks JW / Michael!

I'll check out Reedoak and see. The Fujimi look interesting, but I'd like to see if there are any with better features - yeah, 1/72 is really small, but I'd like some details on them. 😀

Shar Dipree
Hello CaptGPF.
ResKit recently released some very nice looking aircraft carrier figures in 1:72 and 1:48 too. If they are even half as good as their afterburner nozzles, landing gear, etc. then they will be top. Take a look there:
Yellow jersey (Right positio..t) (ResKit RSF72-0017, 1:72)
Yellow jersey (Left position..t) (ResKit RSF72-0016, 1:72)

CaptGPF Author
Thanks Shar! That solves my "staffing problem"😀

Michael Kohl
I saw those figures in person yetsterday and they look very fine. The printing supports shouldn't be difficult to remove either.

Bas Tonn
Just in time for the figures, I'll take a seat