Landing Craft, Assault. Gecko models 1/35

[bigfoot]

I’m going to throw my lot in for this GB with the relatively new Gecko models Landing Craft, Assault. I’m not really a boaty person but for some reason I love a landing craft. I was after and LCA for years and eventually managed to snag an old limited run Fonderie models kit. Typically a few weeks later and Gecko announced their new kit, ain’t that always the way! So I snapped one up for a bargain price as soon as it was launched. 
 

It looks a nice kit, well moulded, crisp details with the option to build two different variations so I should have some parts which I can tart up the old FM kit once I’m done with this one. Parts count doesn’t look too bad, especially for a Gecko kit.

 

Markings wise I’m going to do a Sword beach craft as part of my long term Sword beach project. Markings aren’t provided for one of these so I’m going to have to do a bit of cutting up of what’s provided to make a suitable one which doesn’t look like it will be hard.

 

Anyway, what’s in the box? Nice box art.

 

 

Well packed in a sturdy inner box which o really like about Gecko models kits.

 

 

Lower hull is one piece. TET bottle for scale!

 

 

Rest of the sprues. Gecko also provides ‘wooden’ trestles to sit it on, another nice touch.

 

Only two bits of PE and a couple of lengths of string.

 

 

And a nicely printed sheet of simple markings.

 

 

Itching to get stuck into this one. I’ve also got a RN figure that I might add to this build.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by bigfoot

[Trevor L]

That looks good, and nice to see something nautical added to this GB's variety.

[dnl42]

Oh nice! 

Landing craft are certainly interesting and varied subjects.

[CliffB]

Should be good, and nice that it fits in with your Sword project too 

[bigfoot]

Thanks guys, we’ll I got underway with this build over the weekend and it is flying together. Fit is pretty good although a few parts done have any positive locating points but mostly pretty good.

 

 

Drivers and gunners positions made up of flat panels. Drivers folding seat can only be positioned in the down position without a bit of surgery.

 

Front ramp, one of the parts where there were no positive fit for the roller supports, they are just butt jointed to the door and the inner ones are just sat on one of the ridges.

 

 

Drivers sub-assembly fitted into the full. This fits very nicely and just slides in on the ribs. Not glued yet as undecided whether to paint it separately or not.

 

 

Underside of the top panel with some

severe ejector marks. From test fitting they are not massively visible once in place but I went ahead and filled them.

 

 

 

Made up the supports whilst at it to sit the craft on.

 

Top panel for the front with cleats etc fitted. Again these seem to fit well onto the hull.

 

 

I went with the type ‘A’ deck with the single circular engine access hatch. Anchor winch built up but again not fitted yet along with the splash shield as these are a different colour to the deck so will be painted separately.

 

 

Another nice touch from gecko is the anchor guard on the rear hull, it is moulded so the outer edges are thinner than the centre to better represent the scale thickness.

 

Really enjoying this build, it’s going together so easily, I’m probably 75% through the build. One thing I need to determine is whether this floor inside the troop compartment is bare wood or painted. Gecko suggest it painted in an bare wood colour but I’m trying to find evidence one way or another. If anyone know, let me know!

[Trevor L]

That's coming together very nicely (and very quickly).

[dnl42]

That looks very good!  

[bigfoot]

1 hour ago, Trevor L said:

That's coming together very nicely (and very quickly).

 

11 minutes ago, dnl42 said:

That looks very good!  

 

Thanks both, I am very impressed with the kit and the ease of construction. I’m not a fast builder so this is a bit of a change. Might even get some paint on it this week!

[Ozzy]

nice start Bigfoot, I'm very tempted to get one of these in the future

[bigfoot]

23 hours ago, Ozzy said:

nice start Bigfoot, I'm very tempted to get one of these in the future

Thanks Ozzy, I would definitely recommend this kit.

 

Well building work is almost complete. I just need to add the last bits to the interior such as the roof supports and there’s numerous small bits left off for painting.

 

 

Upper deck isn’t attached yet, will stay off until interior is painted.

 

 

Troop compartment. Benches again not stuck down yet for painting, just in place to get idea of how it will look. I went ahead and glued the forward compartments in as they look like they will be easy to paint assembled.

Rear parts.

 

The kit is nicely detailed and details are mostly crisp although there is a small amount of flash in places and there are quite prominent seam lines or mould slippage on some sprues, particularly the smaller parts. None of which is insurmountable but a bit of a pain on brand new moulds.

[Trevor L]

Looking good. That's coming together really nicely.

[MRMRL]

Wow, this looks really interesting, and also looks pretty big, got anything to hand to stick next to it for scale? Got a fair stash of ships, but I haven't considered anything in this scale before, might need to rethink that after seeing this 😉

[bigfoot]

1 minute ago, MRMRL said:

Wow, this looks really interesting, and also looks pretty big, got anything to hand to stick next to it for scale? Got a fair stash of ships, but I haven't considered anything in this scale before, might need to rethink that after seeing this 😉

Like I said in my first post I’m not much of a ship builder but I like landing craft. I’ve got several others in the stash including and LCVP and an LCM3. The first post has a pic of the hull next to a bottle of Tamiya glue but I’ll get a scale photo tomorrow for you.

[bigfoot]

Got the first bit of paint on this thing, wooden decking given its base colours.

 

 

And just for @MRMRL here’s one of it next to a 1:35 scale Sherman for scale.

 

[JeroenS]

You're really moving with this one, nice work!

[MRMRL]

Thanks @bigfoot, thats a good size. Deck looks good already 😃

[bigfoot]

Now I’ve got my entry for the salty sea dog build complete I can crack on with the landing craft. Over the weekend I managed to get the G10 on the inner and upper surfaces. Tamiya mix of paints by eye to match the colour swatches produced by sovereign hobbies.

 

 

 

Looks quite dark at this time but I think when I get the white and grey camo on it will look fine.

 

Lookinh at reference photos there seems to be quite a range of variation in where the G10 stops and the white begins on the inner/upper structures so I’m going to just go with what looks interesting.

[dnl42]

This coming along very nicely. 

 

1 hour ago, bigfoot said:

Lookinh at reference photos there seems to be quite a range of variation in where the G10 stops and the white begins on the inner/upper structures so I’m going to just go with what looks interesting.

Sometimes that's the best thing to do.

[bigfoot]

Progress hasn’t been swift but I’ve got the bulk of the main painting done. Camo on, very happy with how it’s come out. I did make a little more work for myself as when I painted the black hull bottom, I didn’t mask all the way up the side and got some overspray so had to redo the white which was a bit of a pain. Having taken all the masking off I have a bit of overspray to fix on the G10 uppers and doors. Anyway, pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colours used were AK real colours insignia white and Tamiya paints mixed by eye for tge G10 and B30. Tamiya semi gloss black for the hull bottom.

 

[JeroenS]

Nicely done.

[CliffB]

That's quite a transformation.  Very nice 

[bigfoot]

Time at the bench has been non-existent for the last month unfortunately so this one is not going to make it across the finish line in this GB. It will live on though!