1/350 Trumpeter USS Independence LCS-2

[Alan P]

Just finished this shake and bake Trumpeter offering - inferior to the Bronco version but good value at just £20.

The LCS (Littoral Combat Ship, not "Little Crappy Ship" as some naysayers may have it!) concept is a competitive USN evaluation for a shallow water, highly manoeuvrable pirate chaser, the equivalent of the WW2 sloop or corvette. http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/littoral/ for more info.

LCS-2 USS Independence is the Austal proposal, features a trimaran hull, diesel propulsion and a large mission bay and flight deck. It is fast (40+ kt) and extremely manoeuvrable due to waterjet and thruster propulsion.

(All above pictures courtesy of IPMS Farnborough, taken by Chris Bradley)

I think it's one of the best weathering jobs I've ever done. Let me know what you think.

Cheers, Al

Edited July 25, 2015 by Brokenedge

[stevej60]

Love it,great job!

[prowler0000]

Nice finish! Like that water, too.

Any chance of LCS-1?

[Tomjw]

That is rather nice. I love the way you guys create your sea water bases. I would love to know how you do it. (Sorry, I normally just build aircraft, but my 12 year old son loves building ships.)

Cheers,

Tom.

[Stephen]

Lovely build Al.

Stephen

[Alan P]

Thank you gents! I do have LCS-1 in 1/350 (the Trumpeter kit again) but not going to build it straight away. Got a few more stalled builds to finish first.

Thanks Tom, I do sea bases using a very simple technique. Once the hull is finished and weathered, but before adding any of the masts, railings or armament, I use a sheet of polystyrene as the base. I trace the outline of the ship and use it to build up the bow waves and wake. For this I use acrylic modelling paste which takes about an hour to dry.

At this point I will cover the ship hull with cling film and attach it to the base using white glue. I then brush paint the sea colours using normal acrylic paints (from a craft shop, not expensive model acrylics) and let it dry. At this point I use a sharp knife or scalpel to carefully cut free the cling film and tuck the excess into any gaps between the hull and the base.

Then I add the foam and breaking waves using torn up toilet tissue mushed in water and white glue. I add it where required along the edges of the wave tops and along the hull.

Finally I coat the whole lot in acrylic gloss heavy gel, brushing it up the ship hull as required. This takes about 24 hours to fully dry.

This is my technique of making a sea base without risking breaking all the fiddly bits off making the base once the ship is finished.

[Mark]

Lovely job! I'm not a ship modeller but wouldn't mind getting one of those and doing it, just for fun, like this!

[paganpete]

Nice job Phatness! I personally love this ship (and the Zumwalt - can't wait for a kit of it).

When the LCS-2 can do this; http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oqKjZ_F7BMA/UfGvHoz5YyI/AAAAAAAAbSk/KgDqx7ZuuXU/s1600/littoral+combat+ship+USS+Independence+%28LCS+2%29+demonstrates+its+maneuvering+capabilities+Pacific+Ocean+coast+of+San+Diego.+UNITED+STATES+NAVY+USN+EXPORT+MISSILE+FIRED+SAM+ANTISHIP+MGM+%281%29.jpg then I feel really sorry for whichever pirate clan tries to go up against it.

Pete

[Alan P]

Thanks Pete I'll be the first in the queue for a Zumwalt. I think it's the best warship design in decades, whatever people might make of its aesthetics!

Of the two LCS designs I think this is the most practical, but the LCS-1's overgrown powerboat looks and phenomenal speed shade it for me. I'm thinking I might just have to build it next!

[Bobski]

The weathering is excellent. How did you do it? I've got one in the stash and a few photos of the real ship in San Diego, but I'm drawing a blank on how to replicate that weathering. Any tips would be much appreciated!

[ForestFan]

Looks great. I am not a ship modeller but I think I will try one in the new year based on builds like yours.

Cheers

FF

[Alan P]

Thanks again guys.

The weathering is excellent. How did you do it? I've got one in the stash and a few photos of the real ship in San Diego, but I'm drawing a blank on how to replicate that weathering. Any tips would be much appreciated!

Thanks Bob. I wasn't sure I wanted to risk it, but it looks very weathered in reality and it would have looked wrong not to attempt it. I did an oil wash as usual, then built up the colour in patches using dry oil brushing with a wide flat brush. I followed up with lighter patches using dry brush and Tamiya weathering powders. It just needs time and it luckily came out looking like the real thing!

Al

[Forlornhope]

Just noticed this. Lovely job on her mate, the ship must be bigger than I was thinking it was considering the three choppers on the flight deck.

I love the weathering, looks like shes been on deployment for while earning her keep. All the best for the silly season

cheers Callum

[Alan P]

Thanks Callum, it is pretty substantial, much beamier and just a tad shorter than a Perry class frigate. The heli deck is about four times the size of a destroyer's! And it only carries a crew of 40 (plus mission-specific crew).

The weathering is natural, the ship is actually made of unpainted aluminium.

Time will tell if it's going to make the grade as a naval ship, but it's an adventurous design!

Edited December 29, 2013 by PHaTNesS

[Christopher Carfaro]

Love the Model and water. Any chance you have a brighter photo? I can't appreciate the weathering as I would like to.

Chris

[phildagreek]

[John_W]

Interesting ship.

Front half of a frigate, back half of an aircraft carrier.

Nice build and ditto nice sea.

[Alan P]

Thanks again to all who commented.

Love the Model and water. Any chance you have a brighter photo? I can't appreciate the weathering as I would like to.

Chris

Added in the original post.

Al

[F-32]

Very nice indeed, cracking build

[Tonyqone]

nice good job

[SeanM]

Great job....perfect weathering and lovely base/water!

[Alan P]

Thanks Sean, Tony and F-32

New pics added from Farnborough club site.

Al

[Thom216]

Love it. She looks great!