USS Gerald R Ford - Model for small scale printing 3D print model

Note: This model includes two states: with and without planes. Each version is in its own zip archive, labelled accordingly. The ship itself is identical, only the planes make a difference.

This model includes a Statsheet which displays some data of the ship as well as two renderings of the model. The full scale image is located in one of the zip-archives.

The Gerald R Ford is a supercarrier of the same class, built for the US Navy in the late 2000s/ early 2010s. Being a successor of the already proven and highly capable Nimitz-class, this carrier is designed to be the standard type of aircraft carrier built for the navy in the coming decades. Having entered service in 2017, the Gerald R Ford is the newest and most advanced airfract carrier in active duty, carrying the most modern systems and aircraft.

Overall the characteristics are similar to the Nimitz class, meaning that the carrier uses nuclear propulsion with practically endless range. The tonnage and speed are also quite similar, yet the amount of aircraft carrier has decreased slightly. However, the ship requires almost 700 less personnel to operate fully, thanks to automation and heavy usage of computers. The overall dimensions have also changed not much, yet more capable radar and computing systems have been integrated into the ship, proofing it for the projected 40 year long service life. Noteworthy is, that during the construction of this class, the Navy tries to eliminate paper usage as much as possible. Future units are already being built with that concept, allowing more quicker alterations during the building process and quicker assembly times.

Since the Ford has left dock and replaced Enterprise CVN-65 in the fleet, three more named units are planned to be built. The John F Kennedy CVN- 79 is scheduled to replace the now aging Nimitz, currently being fitting out for service, as of April 2023. Enterprise CVN-80 was laid down in 2022, planning to replace Dwight D Eisenhower by 2028. The fourth unit already named is the Doris Miller which will replace the Carl Vinson in 2032. More units are planned yet unnamed for the time being. With the current crisis in the world, plans have been made to accelerate the building process by building Enterprise and Doris Miller in the same dock, as possible. Due to that reason, an earlier completion date is likely.

Note: This model is recommended to be used in the 1/3000 scale. The model itself isnt scaled, the scale table is down below.

1/5000: 6,6cm or 2.59

1/4000: 8,3cm or 3.26in

1/3000: 11,1cm or 4.37in

1/2000: 16,65cm or 6.55in

For self calculation: The Gerald R Ford is roughly 333m or 1092ft long.

The model is intended to be used with little supports as possible, yet some are recommended below the bow at a large scale. If you print the planes as well, I recommend not to try and remove the supports. The landing gears are especially fragile and can snap easily. I recommend using a resin printer for this, otherwise important details might be lost. Up and Downscaling might be possible, yet I dont know to what extend.

If you face issues with the model, have questions or want to propose some changes, please reach out to me, I am always happy to help. I am also open for suggetions for new ships which I havent done yet, as I am looking to expand my catalogue of ships.