1/350 Scale "What if" Aircraft Carrier Projects Cont.

This post will focus on one of the most famous "what if" aircraft carrier designs: CVA-01.

CVA-01

From Wikipedia:

The CVA-01 aircraft carrier was to be a class of at least two fleet carriers that would have replaced the Royal Navy's existing aircraft carriers, most of which had been designed prior to or during World War II.

The project was cancelled, along with the proposed Type 82 destroyers that would have escorted them, in the 1966 Defence White Paper, due to inter-service rivalries, the huge cost of the proposed carriers, and the difficulties they would have presented in construction, operation, and maintenance. Had these ships been built, it is likely they would have been named HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Duke of Edinburgh^[1] or the Invincible class.^[2]

CVA-01 is one of those designs that people are passionate about.  Go to any "what if" or alternative history forum and you will see tons of speculation as to what this design would have meant to the UK.  There is also a lot of debate about the design itself, focusing primarily on the aft flight deck.  Many wonder why the Sea Dart missile would be installed at the end of the flight deck? Many think that space would be better utilized as additional flight deck space.  In my review, I provide options for both.

Degree of Difficulty: 

Hard.  I am sure you could use some of what Shep Paine called "creative gizmology" to create the hull. For example the blunt front hull could come from the Heller DeGaulle which has a similar design.  Or you could carve up a 1/350 or 1/400 Enterprise as well for other parts.  Even with this, you will need a lot of evergreen sheet to build the hull and flight deck.

Details such as hoses and parts for the island and radars could come from the Airfix HMS Illustrious kit.  These parts will help you get the British look and feel, but in the end, scratch building will be necessary.

What You'll Need:

• Evergreen sheet
• Multiple WEM HMS Illustrious PE detail sets 
• Airfix HMS Illustrious kit (Island, details, deck vehicles, misc details
• If building with Sea Dart Launcher, you will need to steal the launcher from the WEM Type 42 Destroyer or you will need to scratch build it. 

Remember those discussion boards? Well they have some interesting nuggets of information, especially about what CVA-01's air wing would look like.  In developing this article, I considered a number of different factors including size, age, and capabilities of the aircraft.  I also factored in such things like politics and economics.  Here are some possible options:

Traditional Airwing like Ark Royal IV in 1970s

Trumpeter or Tamiya F4s

1/300 S.2 Buccaneers from Heroics and Rocs

1/300 Gannet AEW and COD aircraft. Heroics and Rocs makes a regular Gannet as a start. 

Tamiya, WEM, or L'Arsenal SeaKings

WEM or L'Arsenal Wessex SAR helicopters

Traditional with Proposed British Designs

Trumpeter or Tamiya F4s

1/300 S.2 Buccaneers from Heroics and Rocs

1/300 Jaguar Attack Jets from Heroics and Rocs (optional)

Tamiya, WEM, or L'Arsenal SeaKings
If you are feeling really ambitious you could take a crack at the Hawker P. 139 AEW or COD aircraft. 

Combination of British and American Aircraft
Trumpeter or Tamiya F-4
Trumpeter or Tamiya F-14
Trumpeter or Tamiya F-18
Trumpeter or Tamiya S.3 Viking
1/300 S. 2 Buccaneers from Heroics and Rocs
Trumpeter or Tamiya E-2 Hawkeyes AEW
Trumpeter C-2 Greyhound
1/300 Jaguar Attack Jets
Tamiya, WEM, L'Arsenal SeaKings
WEM Chinook

Possible Harrier Options
Airfix Sea Harriers
Trumpeter or Airfix Harriers GR3 to 9
Tamiya, WEM, L'Arsenal SeaKings
WEM Chinook