USS Enterprise CV(A)N-65 deck markings

[AlasdairGF]

So my son and I are building Revell's 1:720 USS Enterprise from the Vietnam era. I suspect this isn't the greatest intro to ship modelling ever. Still, we're having fun even if I'm guessing here & there. (My son's birthday has just been & gone too, and his auntie has bought him the Revell 1:426 USS Arizona - will this be any better?)

This is a strictly out-of-the-box build, but even building out of the box has lead to some head scratching. My current conundrum is deck markings: the instructions give no clue as to how the deck should be marked. The only clue is the box art and a few colour call-outs on the instructions.

View attachment 76884


The one thing they seem sure of is that the deck itself should be a light grey, lighter than the hull colour, and the lifts (elevators I suppose!) are a darker grey - from the box are, possibly the same grey as the landing runway. Trouble is, I suspect not even this is true, as I've found a few refs saying that the whole deck was a dark grey as it was all coated with some fairly foul-sounding stuff at great expense, and the lifts would be the same colour.

If the box art is right, I'm happy to do it this way, but I'm just a tad suspicious! As I'm not getting decals (e.g. the Starfighter set), this is going to be a masking challenge of note.

Is there anywhere I can get a firm answer on (a) the colour thing, and (b) some correct deck markings for this era? I've googled... but my google-fu seems weak this evening and nothing definite has cropped up (though there are some models I could emulate I guess).

Given the level of detail - esp on the air wing - I suppose I shouldn't get pernickity about any of this, but still...!

 

[flyjoe180]

Maybe this will help you Alasdair: http://www.carrierbuilders.net/gallery/20051020_CVN-65/20051020_CVN-65.htm

 

[Gern]

Or there's this one:

http://www.carrierbuilders.net/gallery/20070318_USS_Enterprise_1-72/20070318_USS_Enterprise_1-72.htm

Gern

 

[AlasdairGF]

Thanks - those are both well photographed (that 1:72 scale beast is something else!) and I can make out a fair bit of detail - but unsure how much the markings etc would have changed since the 60s as these are both more modern versions?

 

[flyjoe180]

Doubt they would have changed much Alisdair.

1960s Enterprise: http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/images/usa/cvan65-3.jpg

1980s Enterprise: http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/images/usa/cvn65-2.jpg

All I can see that changed was the centreline was solid and then after a refit it was white/yellow striped and at an even later date it appears to have dashed lines.

 

[Ian M]

I think if you can get hold of the Tamiya paint guide it won't be far off.

That 1/72 scale one is some display!

Ian M

 

[Ray Scheller]

I was stationed aboard the USS Constellation CV(A)-64 from 1975-79 as an ABH (a yellow shirt you see in the film clips). One thing I know for sure is the flight deck is darker than the hull. The elevator's are the same color as the flight deck. The box art is not representative of the actual colors. When you are on the deck itself the elevator's are outlined in red/yellow rectangles on both sides of the line. The landing area is the same color as the rest of the deck. By the way the fowl smelling stuff you mention is called Non-Skid and yes it was very expensive and you sure didn't want to fall on it as you'd really get road rash from a newly coated deck. Hope this helps.

Ray

 

[monica]

nice will look foreward to seeing this one Alasdair, and how nice to be doing it with your son, good on you :D