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

This next "what if" aircraft carrier project is a little out there, but in my view, a very cool and potentially very fun project for anyone who has the skills to do it.

Did you know the soon to be commissioned Ford Class had a competitor?  Meet the CVNX Monohull design, popularly known as the "Stealth Carrier."

CVNX Monohull Design

From Global Security.org

One of the more interesting studies he conducted was the AoA Part 1 study, titled "Study 3C." Study 3C was McWhite's attempt to develop a carrier design that could meet the most stringent signature requirements. Radar Cross Section (RCS), Infra-Red (IR) and noise signature goals were pursued in this design, centered around a 60-plane air wing. Study 3C consisted of a radical new ship design based on the premise that all of the ship's aircraft needed to be shielded from enemy radar and IR seekers. This design involves a two-level flight deck. The upper flight deck consists of an axial aircraft recovery runway that also doubles as an alternative aircraft-launching zone (equipped with two aircraft catapults). This upper flight deck is serviced by three outboard aircraft elevators to a lower flight deck that housed a large centerline aircraft hangar. The hangar allows access (port/starboard) to smaller aircraft launching zones (each equipped with one aircraft catapult). On the port and starboard edges of this lower flight deck, RCS shields are installed to shield the aircraft being housed in the hangar and those aircraft being serviced or launched along the port and starboard lower catapults. To house all the aircraft, an additional lower hangar was needed under the main lower flight deck hangar. This additional aircraft hangar (not shown) is accessed by two inboard (fwd/aft) aircraft elevators, located within the upper hangar. To further enhance the RCS capabilities of the design, the McWhite replaced the more traditional "hurricane" carrier bow with a newer "wave-piercing" bow hullform, improving the sea handling characteristics of the ship.

As you can see this is a radical design, perhaps a little too radical.  The selected Ford design is an evolution of the Nimitz design and earlier super carriers. The Monohull would have been a complete 180.  It probably would have reduced the radar size of a carrier to something around the size of a destroyer because of the design's sharp angles.  

The best part about a project like this is there are no rules other than the design.  The air wing? What ever you want it to be. Electronics? The same thing. 

JAG, now Admiralty ModelWorks, did a 1/700 resin model of the stealth carrier with JSF's, V-22 Ospreys and Sea Hawks. A review of it is on Modelwarships. 

Degree of Difficulty:

Hard/Impossible. Let's face it, you are going to have to completely build this ship on your own. There are no hulls to modify or anything.  It will be tough, but it would look really cool.  Misc., details like aircraft, electronics, etc. you can take from the parts box or from existing kits.  

What You'll Need:

• Lots of evergreen sheet
• Lots of patience

What You Could Use to Help With Details:

• For the island's radar suite you could use the Aegis Panels from a DML Bunker Hill or Mobile Bay kit. VLS launchers (2) pads could come from the same kit as well. 
• An Arleigh Burke kit could supply the mast and the various sat domes for the island
• The hull bottom from a Nimitz kit could serve as a base to build off of.  The same Nimitz kit could provide catwalks and various platforms. 
• JAG deck vehicles, the Tilly crane especially
• Goffy or Black Dog deck tractors
• Misc carts, storage, RHIBs, etc. 

I think the one area you could have a lot of fun with is the air wing. You could go with the contemporary air wing that the Ford will carry--F18 Super Hornets, F-35s and E-2 Hawkeyes.

I recommend a different approach.  Since this design never happened, you are free to incorporate other designs that didn't happen such as the YF-23 Black Widow II or the Boeing X-32 JSF design. The A-12 Avenger II attack jet is another possibility.

You could also equip the ship with aircraft in service or just about to enter service such as the V-22 Osprey, and the FireScout or the X-47 series drones. One thing that will remain constant though will  be the E-2 Hawkeye.  However, you are free to create your own AEW.  I personally think the Cat's Eye recon plane from Robotech would work really well as a "what if" AEW design.

With that in mind, here is a list of possible aircraft to consider.

• 1/285 YF-23 Black Widow available at GameCraft Miniatures 
• 1/285 X-32 JSF Fighter by Shapeway Models
• 1/285 X-47B Drone by Shapeway Models
• 1/285 X-47A Drone converted to the A-12 Avenger II. You would need the canopy from a Trumpeter F-14 or F-18E/F/G
• 1/350 Bronco V-22 Osprey
• 1/350 Trumpeter or Tamiya E-2 Hawkeye converted to an E-2D or better with new props
• 1/350 Bronco or Trumpeter FireScouts

This model would be a challenge for anyone.  But if you could pull it off, you would have one of the coolest looking ships ever made, and a show stopper.