RN LCT-5 "2272" - Black Cat Models 1/350

[robgizlu]

Well after another brief foray into AFVs, it's back to floatey things.  Kudos to Ben at Black Cat Models for daring to release some of the more prosaic types of WW2 naval craft.  And in this instance, it's the Landing Craft Tank - 5, an original Brit design that was built in the US and operated largely by the US Navy with a sizeable handful being leased to the Royal Navy in anticipation of amphibious landings first in Italy then France and Holland etc.

 

You'll see that my site tagline is "Modelling the mundane" so this is apt.  These were true unglamorous work horses that as well as landing vehicles in amphibious assault were also used as de facto minesweepers, balloon carriers and general dogsbodies.  Virtually each and every one built is given an entry in that Fabulous resource that is Navsource.org.  It's a crying shame that no one has done a similar data base for Royal Navy vessels, in fact it's a minor disgrace (and no I just don't have the knowledge).

 

So enough of the waffle.  here's some pics and as is often the case with me - a set of photos of LCT 2188 in Holland at War's end first captured my imagination

 

 

 

 

 

There's real difficulty sourcing "Red" decals at a size consistent with 1/350 scale and the different shaped "8"s on 2188 are a problem so pragmatically I''l be building 2272 that lends itself to easier decalling though the original source photos are of a much lower quality.

 

 

 

 

Some of these pictures are copies of "Photo Collection of Sub-lieut. Leslie Tom Fowler CO HM LCT-2130" that features as a separate web link under the Navsource entry for "2130".  

 

https://www.navsource.org/archives/10/18/180130a.htm

 

I am indebted but should anyone object to their useage - let me know and I will remove immediately.

 

British vesels differed from their US counterparts in a numbe rof ways - the most prominent being

1)  Fixture of bow ramp extensions that were common throughout all RN landing craft

2)  A raised bridge by a further level

3)  Many RN vessels had added "bolt-on" armour

 

Here are some pics illustrating those differences:

 

 

 

 

And despite lacking a RN  resource to rival Navsource, at this point it seems appropriate to acknowledge the wonderful photo collections from the IWM Collections from which many of these photos are taken.  

 

And so onto the model.  Despite being one of Black Cat's earliest offerings the level of detail is admirable.  A Resin moulded hull in one piece is provided with 3D printed accessories, a small etched metal sheet, decals and a brass rod mast

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not planning to use the supplied AFVs but they are beautiful models in their own right

 

 

So here's the build/modifications list:

 

1)  Scratch forward ramp extensions

2)  Drill "drain holes" in forward ramps

3)  Include "painted" white guide line on ramp

4)  Include RN Carley floats and Flota-nets that were prominent

5)  Mount 20mm ammo boxes and close in forward facing bridge rails (?armour)

6)  Scratch upward bridge extension with attached rear access ladder

7)  Scrounge a 10ft dinghy that many of these carried 

8/ Painting will be white with B30 "blocks" 3 per side (It varied)

9)  I have considered mounting a HA/LA (US) Balloon???????????

 

The build commences with a base - I'm now having to use the harder Grey Styrofoam now that my cream supply is running out 

A cardboard waterline template is cut out and the base "excavated - the draft on these vessels was very small

 

 

By way of a "water-sculpt", I'm going to try a new method, one I picked up from that excellent modeller Alan Blythe - those of you who have see the D-day/Mulberry harbour exhibition at recent model shows will have seen his work.  It uses proprietary moulded sheets that depict a wind-rippled surface.  The trick is to cut the sheet to match the waterline aperture

 

 

 

 

 

 

And work begins on the ramp extensions that demand accuracy in cutting styrene strips  

 

 

It's good to be blogging again on naval - sadly modelling time remains elusively tiny 

Thanks for looking

Rob

[Faraway]

Nice to see you back from ‘the dark side’.

I did enjoy making my BC Landing craft, but then BC models are always a joy. Looking forward to watchIng you work your magic.

I like the look of that plastic sheet, that might be what I need for future builds of the Atlantic Models MGB/MTB’s.

How are you going to colour it ?

Jon

[Niall]

On RN landing craft - look for a book called "To Sea In A Sieve" By Peter Bull.

 

The author was an actor(The Russian ambassador in Dr Strangelove is probably his best known role). The book covers his RN service, first on a lend lease American WW1 destroyer, then on another RN destroyer before transfering to landing craft, for training and operations in the Med.

[JohnWS]

1 hour ago, robgizlu said:

Well after another brief foray into AFVs, it's back to floatey things. ...

Looking forward to following along Rob.  I enjoy watching your travels into "Modelling the mundane", building those not so well known (aka less romantic) ships.

 

John

[Richard E]

28 minutes ago, JohnWS said:

Looking forward to following along Rob.  I enjoy watching your travels into "Modelling the mundane", building those not so well known (aka less romantic) ships.

 

Agreeing with my learned friend although I will admit I was wondering if your next project would be a battleship in full "broadside" mode.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

2 hours ago, robgizlu said:

You'll see that my site tagline is "Modelling the mundane" so this is apt.  These were true unglamorous work horses that as well as landing vehicles in amphibious assault were also used as de facto minesweepers, balloon carriers and general dogsbodies.

       Gidday Rob, I think yours' is a commendable attitude. I think sometimes these little vessels and their crews sometimes get overlooked, although the tasks they performed were just as important as those of the large ships, the cruisers battleships and fleet carriers. That's why I do the occasional little ship too.

      But these are a bit too small in my preferred scale of 1/600 so I'll follow yours and those of others like you. 🙂      Regards, Jeff.

[robgizlu]

On 9/16/2023 at 1:15 PM, Niall said:

On RN landing craft - look for a book called "To Sea In A Sieve" By Peter Bull.

 

The author was an actor(The Russian ambassador in Dr Strangelove is probably his best known role). The book covers his RN service, first on a lend lease American WW1 destroyer, then on another RN destroyer before transfering to landing craft, for training and operations in the Med.

Thanks for that Niall - I set off to buy it - £56 on Amazon and £19 (c p&p) on Abe books !!  I'm holding off for the time being.  "The War of the Landing Craft" by Lund and Ludlam is setting on my desk

 

On 9/16/2023 at 2:26 PM, Richard E said:

 

Agreeing with my learned friend although I will admit I was wondering if your next project would be a battleship in full "broadside" mode.

Hi Richard - I understand that with my thread on "Ship to shore bombardment"   

Truth is HMS Abercrombie is beckoning is a seductive way and I'm gathering parts for HMS Valiant for an extended winter build.  Sadly I'm constantly being deflected and Neomega have their HDML coming allbeit in 1/144.  My favourite vessel bar none   And Ben at Black Cat has his Flower Class coming out soon - so many projects - so little time Darlings 

 

On 9/16/2023 at 2:46 PM, ArnoldAmbrose said:

       Gidday Rob, I think yours' is a commendable attitude. I think sometimes these little vessels and their crews sometimes get overlooked, although the tasks they performed were just as important as those of the large ships, the cruisers battleships and fleet carriers. That's why I do the occasional little ship too.

      But these are a bit too small in my preferred scale of 1/600 so I'll follow yours and those of others like you. 🙂      Regards, Jeff.

 

Thanks Jeff - you've said it better than me.

Rob

[robgizlu]

On 9/16/2023 at 12:48 PM, Faraway said:

Nice to see you back from ‘the dark side’.

I did enjoy making my BC Landing craft, but then BC models are always a joy. Looking forward to watchIng you work your magic.

I like the look of that plastic sheet, that might be what I need for future builds of the Atlantic Models MGB/MTB’s.

How are you going to colour it ?

Jon

Sorry Jon - I missed the last question.  Plan is to glue the embossed sheet to the styrofoam with PVA glue and then spraypaint and finish off the surface with Liquitex High Gloss varnish.

FWIW I also "paint"the sides of the Styrofoam with gloss medium to harden it up and make it more robust for handling

HTH

Rob

 

[Faraway]

8 minutes ago, robgizlu said:

Sorry Jon - I missed the last question.  Plan is to glue the embossed sheet to the styrofoam with PVA glue and then spraypaint and finish off the surface with Liquitex High Gloss varnish.

FWIW I also "paint"the sides of the Styrofoam with gloss medium to harden it up and make it more robust for handling

HTH

Rob

 

As I said I might get some for my MGB/MTB builds. Would it work to paint the styrofoam and then stick the clear sheet on top ?

Will the PVA dry sufficiently clear ?

Sorry, lots of questions about this, I’ll just have to get some and experiment.

Did you get it direct from Green Stuff World ?

Jon

[robgizlu]

Hi John - I think painting first and sticking on with PVA glue would work as it dries clear.

Yup - got it direct from Green Stuff World - together with "River water sheet"

HTH

Rob

[robgizlu]

Ben's model comes in the US version with low bridge and float atop.

The float needs removing and the raised bridge constructing

 

 

 

 

Drain holes were drilled in the ramp door

 

 

And the extended ramp bits were completed

 

 

More soon

Thanks for looking

Rob

[JohnWS]

Nice micro modelling work Rob.   I need to lie down now & rest my eyes. 

 

John

[robgizlu]

1 hour ago, JohnWS said:

Nice micro modelling work Rob.   I need to lie down now & rest my eyes. 

 

John

Get on with you John -- it's seeing your work that gives me the impudence to try this sort of thing 

But Thanks

Rob

[Micha_Pol]

Best of luck with this build; knowing your last works, I think we alre all in for an other masterpiece; why do you not want to use the tiny tanks and SPGs, they are so adorable...

[Faraway]

12 minutes ago, Micha_Pol said:

tiny tanks and SPGs, they are so adorable...

You’re right. I used them my mine, couldn’t resist.

Jon

[dnl42]

Looking forward to this! Your mods for the Britsh version are quite interesting. 

[madtatt]

An interesting and very fine project that I can't miss. 

[Arjan]

Very interesting subject Rob ! I love the navsource pics because many were taken in my home region (Sas van Gent and Terneuzen are on my doorstep). Quite a few pics were taken of the LCT's used to transport German POW's from Den Helder to Harlingen. You probably know most of these (source Oorlogsbronnen.nl), I'm not sure if all these vessels are of the LCT-5 type :

 

 

Regards,

 

Arjan

 

 

[robgizlu]

4 hours ago, Arjan said:

Very interesting subject Rob ! I love the navsource pics because many were taken in my home region (Sas van Gent and Terneuzen are on my doorstep). Quite a few pics were taken of the LCT's used to transport German POW's from Den Helder to Harlingen. You probably know most of these (source Oorlogsbronnen.nl), I'm not sure if all these vessels are of the LCT-5 type :

 

Reg

 

Regards

Arjan

 

 

 

Hi Arjan - yes they are all LCT-5s and tremendous photos.  Seeing these first interested me in the type.  After D-day the LCT-5 fleet first made it's way to Belgium and then onto the Netherlands to end the war as you point out repatriating German POWs back to Germany.

 

19 hours ago, Micha_Pol said:

Best of luck with this build; knowing your last works, I think we alre all in for an other masterpiece; why do you not want to use the tiny tanks and SPGs, they are so adorable...

 

Thanks Micha.  It's back to "modelling the mundane" - rather than the drama of beach landings, I like the idea of these craft working away later in the war, considerably tattier.  The original intention was to have this boat flying a Balloon but I've changed my mind and it will now likely be conveying a couple of trucks with some odd supplies.  The Shermans and Priests remain super models in their own right and may come for some future project.

 

 

The side rails and steps were a real fiddle 

 

 

 

The "wake" has just been sanded with an abrasive stick to "flatten" the ripples

Thanks for looking

Rob

[ArnoldAmbrose]

2 minutes ago, robgizlu said:

The "wake" has just been sanded with an abrasive stick to "flatten" the ripples

Interesting idea. I'll file it away for the future. Regards, Jeff.

[Rich75]

Hi Rob, glad to see these two projects on the go, I shall follow along quietly, just a question, you said a  while back you preferred the white styrofoam for your bases and they were no longer available, is the grey OK or more difficult to work with? 

[Courageous]

11 hours ago, robgizlu said:

repatriating German POWs back to Germany.

Good reason to flood the deck with figures then...just saying.

 

Stuart

[robgizlu]

14 hours ago, Rich75 said:

Hi Rob, glad to see these two projects on the go, I shall follow along quietly, just a question, you said a  while back you preferred the white styrofoam for your bases and they were no longer available, is the grey OK or more difficult to work with? 

 

Hi Rich - The Cream sytrofoam in 25mm depth is no longer avalable/made.  There are still examples in different thicknesses - https://modelshop.co.uk/Shop/Raw-Materials/Styrofoam?orderby=1

It is less dense than the harder "Grey" styrofoam and has slightly different properties.  The most pertinent is that the cream deforms under heat in a controlled and pleasing manner to create the "textured" surfaces that some of my sea scapes show.  The Grey does not.  That said the Grey probably "Sculpts" better with knife or sanding and is certainly more durable.  

There is a White version of the Grey (how Welsh is that!!!), which has exactly the same density of the Grey!

So different rather than more difficult, and I'd just got used to the Cream 

HTH

Rob

[Rich75]

4 minutes ago, robgizlu said:

Cream sytrofoam

Aaah I remember now! I'm a long way off attempting a seascape but I was planning to try your methods, I hope the "new" stuff works out. I'd be interested to see if you try shaping the grey at some point.....

[robgizlu]

On 9/22/2023 at 10:37 AM, Rich75 said:

Aaah I remember now! I'm a long way off attempting a seascape but I was planning to try your methods, I hope the "new" stuff works out. I'd be interested to see if you try shaping the grey at some point.....

Funny you should say that Rich..........

 

 

Part of my time-wasting mischief this week 

On th the far left bottom corner is evidence of what happens when you turn a blow torch on it.  Pants!

Otherwise the L and centre pieces have had a rotary wire brush lightly used, then a bullet shaped rotary sander....then an index finger nail rubbed along forcibly to "quieten" it all down.  The option exists to "Flodberg" it with multiple layers of Gesso.

The piece on the Right is just the result of using medium grade sand-paper that I was quite suprised by and then....finger-nailed.

I'll probably use both these techniques on future bases.

HTH

Rob