1/35 Ian McQue's Remora flying boat [scratch build]

[voozet]

@Lazy Modeller thanks! BTW cool nickname, it's a pity it's already taken 😉

 

****

I could start priming the hull by now, but it's too cold. The first time I will use a spray. I have to do it in garage and it's 0 degrees there.

So I do more parts, although I have the feeling that there are too many of them and I will not use them all.

 

I think this one can be called a wing rudder.

I started by cutting the base shape out of polystyrene. I added an edge made of Tamiya's profile and imitation of hinges made of 3mm rings. Inside the rings I put a 1 mm rod.

 

I put both elements together and added rivets. In the corner of the photo you can see the initial stage of construction of hydraulic cylinders...

 

...and this is the next stage.

You can see how I make an imitation of thin wires. Tamiya only makes quite thick rods: more than 1 mm. Plastruct makes thinner but they are terribly expensive. So I make my own by cutting very thin strips from the 0.25 mm HIPS sheet. Of course, they are not round, but square in cross-section, but with this thickness it makes no difference.

 

Completed hydraulic cylinders.

 

This is the attachment to the second part of the rudder wing.

 

The whole thing has a slightly steampunk look.

 

 

As I said, there are a lot of elements. I tested various positions and the only sensible (and good looking) solution is to extend the rudder wing beyond the hull.

(Unless I change my mind again or build another element 😉 )

 

Until next time.

W.

[oileanach]

Voozet, your attention to detail just astonishes me. You're a true craftsman. I stand in awe, I really do. 

[voozet]

6 hours ago, oileanach said:

Voozet, your attention to detail just astonishes me.

 

Thanks for kind words.

Well: IMO every model is just the sum of the details. The more attention is paid to them, the better the end result is. It is hard to make a nice scale design ignoring this rule, regardless of whether you assemble the model from the box or build it yourself.

[Uncle Monty]

Hi Voozet, your build is extraordinary, thank you for sharing it.

 

I was intrigued by your words here: "...You can see how I make an imitation of thin wires. Tamiya only makes quite thick rods: more than 1 mm. Plastruct makes thinner but they are terribly expensive. So I make my own by cutting very thin strips from the 0.25 mm HIPS sheet. Of course, they are not round, but square in cross-section, but with this thickness it makes no difference..."

 

Apologies if others have mentioned this, but have you tried melting sprue over a candle flame and pulling the ends apart to create a very thin 'wire'? I've used this very successfully in the past. Just a thought.

[voozet]

29 minutes ago, Uncle Monty said:

 have you tried melting sprue over a candle flame and pulling the ends apart to create a very thin 'wire'? I've used this very successfully in the past. Just a thought.

I used to try to make antennas this way, but without success. It was difficult for me to get a piece of uniform diameter, longer than 1-2 cm. Each was visibly thinner in the middle and thicker at the ends. Or it broke off in the middle.

I must try again

[Schwarz-Brot]

The important thing is to pull with steady force, but you probably know that. You'll get sections of quite equal diameter, but indeed longer sections are quite hit and miss. At these sizes I personally would opt for copper wire in the desired size. Cheap and readily available. Holds the given shape and is not too easily deformed when working on the model as soldering wire would be.

[voozet]

13 hours ago, Schwarz-Brot said:

At these sizes I personally would opt for copper wire in the desired size.

Sometimes I use copper wires. Unfortunately, this requires the use of cyanoacrylate glue and I personally avoid it. I have difficulties with precise application and most of the time something goes wrong. Therefore, whenever possible, I try to use only polystyrene (HIPS) and modeling glue. Thanks to this, I have less reasons to be irritated at work 😉

 

*****

I noticed that when manufacturing the greebles I almost completely missed the bow. I thought it would be a good idea to make a winch.

I decided to use the British Matilda tank parts that I bought as scrap (it comes from 1:35 Tamiya kit. I have a complete turret and a lot of armor and chassis parts in my spare parts box). The winch cover is made from HIPS.

 

 

As a frame for the cover I used a wheel from some Soviet tank in 1:35 scale, probably KV. The wheel will be almost invisible, so I cut off the middle part with a fine texture, and I will use it elsewhere.

 

Initially I wanted to use a string to imitate a steel rope, so I cut a hole in the cover...

 

... but while working, I changed my mind. Instead of a single string, I used a double copper chain. The hole was no longer needed and it looked bad without the string, that's why I sealed it.

 

This is how the winch looks at its destination.

 

Thanks for looking.

W.

 

[Hunter Rose]

That winch looks great, and that was a good change making it a double winch it makes it seem more heavy duty. 

[Schwarz-Brot]

7 hours ago, voozet said:

Sometimes I use copper wires. Unfortunately, this requires the use of cyanoacrylate glue and I personally avoid it. I have difficulties with precise application and most of the time something goes wrong. Therefore, whenever possible, I try to use only polystyrene (HIPS) and modeling glue. Thanks to this, I have less reasons to be irritated at work

 

Instead of superglue I tend to use quick setting 2k epoxy glues. Much stronger and not so brittle. Alternatively the UV-cured epoxy glues work very well and are nearly as quick as using modeling glue.

[voozet]

I am still working on the fastenings of individual parts that allow for separate painting. By the way, I create more details (details are like dakka by Warhammer orcs: 'never enuff' 🤣).

 

That's a ladder made of 1mm rod.

 

In the lower part there is a platform made of heat-sealable tape.

 

The upper part of the frame with boxes can be detached.

 

An exhaust pipe for some device below deck. I found it in the spare parts box (dark gray component), enriched it with a few little things (white) and mounted it on a piece of rocket for a modern jet fighter (light grey).

 

The gray putty looks a bit like the WWII destroyer camouflage, doesn't it? 🤣

 

I'm sorry for the shining visible in the photos but unfortunately I scratched the lens cover on my smartphone and this is the result.

 

I'm trying figuring out a name for the ship. I would like it to be a female name but not obvious and suggesting the reality "next to it".

I am considering a few names, this is one of them

 

And here's the question to native English speakers: does the pronunciation of 'Xenobia' and 'Zenobia' sound similar?

 

Thanks for looking.

W.

[Pete in Lincs]

1 hour ago, voozet said:

does the pronunciation of 'Xenobia' and 'Zenobia' sound similar?

They are to me. Lovely details you're building here.

[NIK122]

This whole build is just awesome. Really looking forward to seeing it painted 

[Hunter Rose]

Really nice seeing a shot of the whole thing with the details starting to build up, its looking amazing

[voozet]

Thanks guys.

 

On 06/01/2022 at 12:01, Hunter Rose said:

Really nice seeing a shot of the whole thing with the details starting to build up, its looking amazing

 

The whole thing takes a few boxes for now and there is no way to show it in one shot 😄

 

It includes a lot of small parts already prepared for painting. These tanks from the soviet T55 I glued to the pieces of sprues so as not to touch the paint with my fingers.

 

There are more and more of these little things because after a period of growing boredom with this project, now the enthusiasm for building has returned. This could be related to the level of stress in my job. The more stress I have, the more I want to hide in my studio. And the more time I spend in my studio, the more things I produce 😝

 

Modified shelf for canisters it is a remnant of the 1:35 Sherman.

 

It's a good example of the style in which I work. Sometimes my laziness causes me to do one thing twice or with complications. Initially, the modification was supposed to be just a curved strip of plastic. I didn't want to waste time for looking for a candle so I used a lighter. In this situation, I only had one hand to manipulate the plastic strip and I bent it badly. I had to cut a crooked piece and add the strips to make the joint stronger (the thickening on the left).

 

I also took my measurements carelessly and after cutting this element turned out to be too short. So I had to add more plastic strips.

 

But the end result is nice 🙂

 

The rope comes from some 1:35 scale tank kit. 

 

And this is a view to whole starboard.

 

I have yet to make a decision about the tires/bumpers. I collected a few in the meantime but they do have some drawbacks.

The three on the right are the rubber wheels of the computer mouse. They match size but have no tread. The two on the left have a tread but they are a bit too small. The tire in the middle is of a good size and has a tread, but it is a low-profile, wide sports tire and a bit does not fit the dieselpunk ship style.

 

 

I can use them despite the imperfections or buy a 1:35 tire set.

And what would you do?

[pockets]

  Id'e use the ones with the tread including the low profile just sand it and scuff it up so it looks well worn  ,the mouse wheels maybe not.

[NIK122]

Here's a link for tyres. There are X2 sets available from this shop. It's maybe of some interest to you

https://www.balatonmodellshop.co.uk/Used-tire-set-1/35

[NIK122]

Just spotted this browsing the web for cheap kits....... 

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/324977356535

[Pete in Lincs]

I'd go for the mouse tyres. They are different enough to belong to that universe. Whereas the others might not.

[voozet]

Thanks for the suggestions. Differences of opinion meant that the issue of tires remains unresolved yet 🙂

 

On 09/01/2022 at 14:40, NIK122 said:

Just spotted this browsing the web for cheap kits....... 

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/324977356535

This set is actually quite cheap, but unfortunately the shipping cost to Poland doubles the price. I must rather look for something locally or do as Pete recommends.

 

******

 

Let there be light...

I realized that my ship has quite a few different devices but not a single searchlight. I started by finding a piece of plastic of the right shape. And I cut a 0.25 mm thick strip of styrene for a band.

 

 

I cut a narrow piece from the 8 mm styrene pipe. Also cut off the wheel hub cover of the KV tank.

 

I put these elements together. The handle is a piece of the paperclip.

 

The glass is a piece of transparent styrene

 

I added wires and a few pieces of plastic that are only meant to look good.

 

The bulb was made especially for me by the manufacturer of this airplane fairing 🤣

 

Hull mounting element.

 

The searchlight is not glued to mounting, it can be removed. I plan to paint it first and then stick the light bulb and glass on it.

 

 

Thanks for looking. 

I  hope I'm not overdoing with the number of posts and I'm not boring you 😉

W.

 

[Pete in Lincs]

6 minutes ago, voozet said:

I  hope I'm not overdoing with the number of posts and I'm not boring you

Far from it! I need to see lots more!

Do the tyres really need a tread?

Can you find rubber tyres meant for radio controlled Aircraft? 

The mouse tyres remind me of Afrika Korp desert tyres seen on Kubelwagons. 

Regards, Pete

[voozet]

2 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Do the tyres really need a tread?

 

Tread is not necessary but it makes that the round rubber thing looks like a tire on this scale. I think I'll do the tests. I will paint and weather all these tires and see if they look good. Especially the "mouse slick" .

 

[Pete in Lincs]

I think the desert tyres had ribs. Is it possible to glue cotton strips at intervals around them I wonder.

Here's the Tamiya Kubel... So I wasn't too far wrong.

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-89ffd/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/21572/84389/35238_a__40906.1491286487.jpg?c=2?imbypass=on

[voozet]

The ship is already washed and waiting for primer, and I am waiting for a slight warming. Meanwhile I was working on figurines. This is not my strong point, but I accept it. It's hard to be good at everything 😎

As I mentioned (or not) I only have in my collection 1:35 World War II soldiers. Tank crewmen from old Tamiya kits and some Wehrmacht infantry from MasterBox and MiniArt. No civilians, not to mention the sailors. I don't want to buy models for this project, so if the ship are to be crewed, I have to convert what I have. I use green stuff and milliput extra fine. Depending on the effect I want to achieve, I either use them interchangeably or mix them.

I work in small steps, never do the whole conversion at once because it ends in failure. I roughly create an element, wait for it to harden and start making another one. I give the final shape with a knife, sandpaper and Proxxon cutters, so it is more carving than sculpting.

 

This gentleman seems to be the Tamiya's British tank commander. Old product, poor casting (for this manufacturer). I chose him because I knew that if I screw something up, it would not be a regret to throw it away.

To demilitarize him, I decided to cover the top of his suit with a storm jacket. In the first step, I added a beard and fringe (it's a sailor after all) and a back fold of the jacket. Then I started made the hood (mix of GS and milliput)

 

 

 

Here you can see the next stage of work with the hood.

 

 

And there should be more stages here

but I forgot to take pictures 😆.

Today I painted this guy with a primer to see what needs to be supplemented, corrected or redone. When I'm done making the basic shape of the jacket, I'll move on to the details: pockets, hems, etc.

 

 

 

And this is the second primed dude, you've had a chance to meet him before

 

 

And the 'family photo'.

Thanks for looking.

W.

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by voozet

[Hunter Rose]

those guys look fantastic! Really like the guy with the beard, they look like a couple of proper salty sea fishermen 

[Richard E]

5 hours ago, voozet said:

Meanwhile I was working on figurines. This is not my strong point,

 

You are definitely understating your abilities Sir !