[ UNBOXING ] - 'Magic Factory' 1/700 USS GERALD R. FORD (in plastic) 

Yeah....those catwalks are ALWAYS a pain in building A/C (Aircraft Carriers), I have to mask the catwalks with a little edge along the FD (Flight Deck), then spray the FD, paint the catwalk deck a possible different color, THEN Re-paint the vertical/inside edges of the catwalk...carefully!! And with the 'GMM' PE, yes they still sell....Loren Perry sold his material ( his PE, only...he still sells his RR stuff ) to 'Squadron'.... I left a link in the 'Description'. IF Anything...I might buy the 'NIMITZ-class carrier' sheet, even though you'll Probably use only half, IF That, of the sheet, but it is the railing that I would want to get ..... AND Those Sector Antennae ( they look like 'spiny forks' around the island....two [2] per side ) They are VERY Difficult to replicate w/o buying the sheet JUST for That set of parts.

@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P if you want railings and ladders only there are cheap generic chinese brands of PE which i use for both 1/350 and 1/700 which comes in handy when you ruin the premium PE. i’m very demotivated to get expensive PE for 1/700. for 1/350 i have no choice sometimes.

@@modelar705 Oh, I KNOW about ruining PE..... OH B O Y !!!! I'll mentioned it .... when I post my Shandong Type 002 A/C, Probably later this month!!! But as for getting "cheap"/generic brands of railings & ladders....I have that, but there MIGHT be, some very Distinct PE that I need to get for FORD. As-a-matter-o-fact, I JUST finished looking over four (4) videos on this site about FORD, when she was in Norway and Croatia....and I can see those Certain antennae that I was looking for and sure enough.......they are there on and around the island!! BUT when I saw the position of the port CIWS, it was Not on the port sponson, instead it is Right in the middle of the FD...JUST below it!! Is it in the model kit (??!!) and it is!!!

@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P i know you’ll be busy looking at videos and photos of the Ford. research steps in once you get the kit. enjoy cracking your head.

Oh, Don't Go...... You might miss what COULD happen.... I Just posted a question for my 'Subscribers'..... Currently, I have been building my 'Hobby Boss' 1/35 Leopard 2 AVLB, I would say that it is 75% complete, as I am going to get some 'Evergreen' plastic to work on An IMPORTANT part of THAT build. BUT, since I purchased and posted the [Unboxing] of GERALD R. FORD....Many people have viewed and comment on THIS kit. I just hope you can help me in a decision on what I should do.

Hey, 'evanarcadipane'..... IF you have ANY photos of the ship, not the crew (unless they are in the hanger or flight deck), I Truly would appreciate it!! You can reach me by my e-m within my Channel!! Just make sure that you mention YOUR Channel name. USN Veteran 84 - 05 From an OS1onboard FF/FFGs

Oh, Yes... "American model companies take note!" Boy, I wish that were true...the ONLY ones that " I " can think of is 'Testor' and 'Monogram'...and we know how they work. Instead, I've seen US companies doing mostly '3D-printed' stuff And photo-etch..... here is a listing of model companies, see which you have heard of .... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scale_model_kit_manufacturers But, as for GR FORD....it I S an Extraordinary kit, from China (Hong Kong{??}) and they have some VERY Unique kits, as I have the MRZR-D4 and Came REALLY close to getting that F-4U Corsair kit, But already have one from 'Tamiya'. As for the GR FORD....I like your idea of getting the ENTERPRISEs together....that 'AMT' "Interplanetary UFO" is an Interesting choice on the subject, as far as "Star Fleet" vessels!! I plan on making MY FORD as USS DORIE MILLER CVN-81....as it Was a KNOX-class frigate back in the days when I served ( USS MILLER FF-1091) and I Do have a KNOX-class frigate in my stash.

@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P Hey Moe, whaddya know! First, thanks for your service. I was in the Air Force from 78 to 82 myself at Norton AFB, CA. In 79, in the Motion Picture, at a display on the rec deck, Decker tells Ilia: "All those vessels were called Enterprise.". That planted the seed in my head. Then Diane Duane's novel The Final Frontier gave a brief overview of the history of the ship on page 152 pouring a bit of fertilizer on the seed, and I was on my way! Diane's story is much better than Trek V with the same title, with the ship on its first shakedown cruise under Robert April. Kirk's father George campaigns to name the new ship Enterprise. So now we know how it got its name. Well, from then on I was Enterprise crazy! I'm a life long sci-fi, Trekker and modeller and been gathering kits, books, magazines, videos, custom parts and watching lots of utube videos since back then. To build the ships from a 1588 galleon to the Enterprise J, and a few others in between. My Interplanetary UFO idea is that, after the disappearance of the Valiant- and the Bonaventure before that- UESPA/Starfleet did a crash program to upgrade the technology as much as possible at the time with a new class of ship as the immediate successor to the Valiant- the Lief Erickson class! Just add warp nacelles! Have other ideas like a DY-1000, Delta, Deadalus, Bonaventure, Moscow classes, and a concept version of the Enterprise H and I. Don't really like the on screen ENT G, as it looks like a 100 year old throw back from the ENT F. Much prefer the Rifleman 80 concept of the ship. (See Utube). As for model companies, where do I start!? Known them all since '65! Revell, Monogram, Aurora, AMT, MPC And now Polar Lights, Moebius, and Doll and Hobby under the Round 2 umbrella. Yeah, Testors and the rest, et al. Revell was and remains the worst for parts fitting and overall details, with old Aurora a close second. Happily they've greatly improved as Polar Lights/Moebius, but they could still use some tweaking up. (Clear parts for the windows and docking bays on the 2001 space station as one of the newest and many examples). Though the overall details are much better than the old days. AMT also left a lot to be desired back then, but have gotten better over the years. Except they should have retooled the original Enterprise kit for the 50th anniversary edition! That kit was never quite right and needs to be done to the standard of the 1/1000 and 1/350 kits. Moebius/AMT take note! I still have the first ENT kit I got for Xmas 1966 with the original box! Been reworking it as a pilot version of the ship, but have a few pictures of my original build. And I have several more kits from each reissue of it, along with every other sci-fi kit I can ever get my hands on! I think I have an impressive stash now, with more coming! Anyway, I could go on and on, but I've bored you enough for now! Thanks for answering my comment! Always nice to "chat" with a fellow modeller! Cool beans! Have a better one!

@@DonaldKing-w6f Dude..... You, Rock!!! Didn't know you were into Sci-Fi That much.... I too have bee a BIG Sci-Fi fan, but starting with Japanese animation ( Reideen ), then came 'Star Blazers' with Tom Hatten from Channel 5, in SoCal. 'Space: 1999', got me further into it...then of course, all the "STAR......" movies ( Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Battlestar, etc, etc...) But the one that REALLY got me was 'Robotech', another Japanese anime....and with A L L Those Model kits!!! Whoa!!! I too have a considerable stash at home....and I do like to build one of my kits soon...BUT, I have Major plans for the rest of the year, MayBe....just before the end of This year 2024....we'll see. I hope you post your builds...give many of us ideas, tips, suggestions, etc. That is Why " I " do these videos.....hopefully you check out some of my work!!!🙂 Lastly....... Thanks AF!! Thanks for Your Service, Sacrifice, and Time!!!

@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P Yeah Moe, me too. Got our first TV in 1960 when I was 4. Immediately cut my teeth on the Buster Crabbe series Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers and George Reeves Superman, along with Outer Limits and Twilight Zone, the Irwin Allen shows, the Gerry Anderson shows and, for Anime, the original Astro Boy. (I recently got the new complete series of Astro Boy and the movie Metropolis by the same Japanese director.). Then came Star Trek, The Invaders, UFO, STARLOST, Space: 1999 (marked down from $2001!), Battlestar Galactica and so on... In 1970 I saw 2001 and knew I wanted to work in film as I came out of the theater. It remains my favorite movie of all time. (Just got the new Space Station V kit two weeks ago) In fact, joined the AF to hitch a ride to California so Uncle Sam could feed me and give me shelter while I persuade my carrer. I was a crew chief on C-141s there but transferred to AVVS/DAVA headquarters which was conveniently right there at Norton, where I was a camera man, editor, negative cutter, and inspector. I continued there after my hitch as civil service, while trying to get into Hollywood. Didn't quite work out, and a long story, but we got downsized out and I ran out of options; ended up back here in NY. I also grew up with the space program and have a life long passion for it. (Sputnik went up just a month after my first birthday.). I was glued to the TV for every broadcast: Gagarin, Glenn, Tereshkova, Ranger, Surveyor, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and the Shuttle... Science, sci-fi and history have always walked hand in hand with me, and combined to form my OCD about the long history of the Enterprise and the context of history in which they served, both real and fictional. I was also a Carl Sagan fan before a lot of people heard of him and was blown away by Cosmos when it came on in 1980. Those were great times: Trek and Wars and all the great stuff their success made possible. And I had fun! And I miss those days. But now I finally get to start working on my hobby projects in my retirement, free from work, family, relationships and a lot of the responsibilitys that consume us in our working years, having collected this stuff all these years for just this time of my life. Enjoyed it as a kid and teenager, and now I get to have the fun of doing it all over again, and more! Anyway, that's a look at part of my story. Didn't mean to go this long but it just got away from me. Well, cool beans! (Never heard that before, but it kinda grows on ya.). Have a better one!

@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P Oh, almost forgot: I DO want to post some of my stuff, and I'm in the learning curve to that end. I might have to get some new equipment to do it, and retirement income is limited, but I DO intend to be hooked up, as soon as I can get to the point where I think I'm ready. Later dude!

Hey, Thanks, 'cocobill'..... Well....... I have to say that "....it LOOKS Good" and the detail looks Outstanding, just haven't had the time to build her.....Yet ( if you saw the video posting ). There are some Good Points and Some (ahem) Not so Good Points.... as far as the Good Points #1....it is a PLASTIC kit, the build "LOOKS" quite easy!! #2 There are some Good looking planes (a-c) ...but there are a few Not so Good Points here ( I'll mention it in a moment ). #3 IT IS Rare to get this kit.... Even at my hobby store, THEY don't even have it, yet (especially when I brought the kit with box art to the shop.... some customer mention, "...HEY, is That the Drone!!!???" #4 Decals for a-c is a NICE plus (+)...even for the drone!!! As fore the Not so Good Points, it is "small" ( I JUST saw somebody with a 350 scale....but NOT that much detail AND it is a 3D-printed one kit with MANY of those "sprues trees" making a part ) #2 not many a-c, BUT there is a source that many "experienced' modelers can purchase... it will be a BIT More $$/$ ( I mentioned and Left a link to where to purchase some SUPERIOR looking a-c ). #3 Very little PE.....I noticed that as I been looking for research pics there is railing along the FD edge (flight deck) and since we are at the FD...looking at the self-defense weaps, they're ~ok~ #4 Decals are Good, but haven't given a Through-look-over if they are individual decals or a Large sheet of decals that need trimming ( but it beats that 3D-printed ship where THEIR decals are on TWO (2) Large Sheets [can you imagine cutting those warning red/white lines!!!]. #5 Can't light the island from inside, But I WILL be lighting my hanger bay.....MY Way ( check out my other ships = JMSDF carriers ) All-in-all.....I give it a 7.75 / 10 rating as you Will ( at least " I " will ) be adding more detail...maybe not the ship itself (minus [-] lighting), but railings!! (NOTE: IT does having netting for certain, typical edges of A/C), more a-c. B U T , I have Not started building it yet, so Not sure about fit. There are, Now, quite a few Reviews on the kit and on the company ( other kits )....They are Small, but Unique looking models and ideas.... check 'em out = 'Magic Factory'.

@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P tks for all,l Will purchase the ship.

@@cocobill2222 Hey...."Cool Beans!!!" It is a "Nice" looking kit and Looks like a fun build..... I have been waiting for a Few Years, for a FORD-class!! IF I can help ( even though I will not be building her .... MayBe this year, BUT It Will be Built ), let me know. If you took a look at my Channel, I have built several ships and one (1) of my Projects is to Build EVERY A/C from the 80s to present...... It IS A H U G E Project, and a bit slow in getting it done. But with this FORD....it will culminate and end that Project ... when I get there. I have EVERY US A/C, just haven't build them all...Except the MIDWAY-class, was working on FORRESTAL-class and 90% finish with CV-59, with CV-60 being 50% built, it was Just the a-c that stopped me....BUT Now...there is that French company that can 3D-print Outstanding a-c And more importantly...they can re-size those a-c, check out This "Review" of those planes... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3kKnKX-hEoo.html If you build FORD, I sure would Love to see how you do!!!

@@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P in this time l build Montana, After Wisconsin,by very Fire label,many months ago l built USS Nimitz by trumpeter,hi from Italy

@@cocobill2222 NICE!! I have that MONTANA in 1/700 from a few years ago with the photo-etch. I haven't built that one yet neither since I not Really into building battleships.......although I work on one :) But have you posted a video of YOUR build....sure would like to see it!! BELLO!!Ho quella MONTANA in 1/700 di qualche anno fa con la fotoincisione.Non l'ho ancora costruita nemmeno quella da quando non sono molto interessato a costruire corazzate.......anche se ci sto lavorando su una :) Ma hai pubblicato un video della TUA costruzione...sicuramente mi piacerebbe vederlo!! -- Google Translate

Hey, 'ManyMiles'!!! Good to hear from ya!! I've been wondering........ if I should "STOP" my AVLB build, which is 75% complete and build The Ship.... or wait until I get caught up with my back-order??? I Could...build this ship, since the kit is SO Complete in detail.....The ONLY detail I need to do is the photo-etch of railing, ladders, and hatches/doors & I Have that As well!!