ZULU! The Store House...Rorke's Drift...January 1879

[spanner570]

Ian, glad to have you along for what I envisage will be a toughy, and I've a feeling it'll fight me all the way!

Still, I'm committed now, so onwards and upwards....so no more negative waves from me......

[Alan 45]

Stunning work Ron it never ceases to amaze me when you start a build from bottle tops and vinegar and it's like your teaching yourself new things every time it's great watch

[monica]

looks great Ron,real do like how it turned out well done,

[Guest]

Ahhh thats the stuff Ron,that looks perfect,nice recovery!

[spanner570]

Thanks all for your excellent comments....

Guess what?...yes, alterations - again!

The original roof 'tie downs' where bugging me, so I put a 1/72 figure next to them and realised in that scale they were the bigger than my arms...That's the size of the mooring lines on the QE2!!

So I very carefully peeled (No ripped) them all off and got away with minimal damage. These I replace with beige sewing cotton. I think the roof looks streets better now.

Compare this with my first effort...Comments on a post card please!

Fancy you lot not pulling me up on it......

Cheers,

Ron

[ATTACH]88137.IPB[/ATTACH]

[spanner570]

After the roof alterations, I set to making :-

The outside wooden steps out of coffee stirrers.

The support posts out of match sticks.

The shutters and doors out of thin plastic card, scribed with vertical board lines and sandpaper for the grain.

I've tried to convey a sort of roughly built place out of whatever was lying around, with not too much attention payed to how nice and smooth the finish building would be.

Here is a walk around of the building more or less finished....I hope!

[ATTACH]88138.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88139.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88140.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88141.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88142.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88143.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88144.IPB[/ATTACH]


I hope you approve, and please keep a better eye on me in future.....I'm at that phase in my life when I need all the help I can muster!!

Cheers all,

Ron

[Lee W]

This looks amazing Ron, hope you don't forget Corporal Hook locked up?

Lee

[monica]

that looks superb Ron,the roof has turned out great lov it,

and you ever got the stepps in as well at 1.72 how did you get them right,always pull one out of the hat,o_O

and yes pore Hooks,give him a hole in the wall,

was a great movie still watch it when its on,well done so far look forward to next update ,

[Alan 45]

Stunning work Ron

[spanner570]

Thanks for your posts folks, they keep me going.....

Not wishing to be pedantic or ow't, but yer man Private Hook was in the Hospital building having (According to the film anyway) his boil treated when the Zulus attacked. He defended the hospital and the patients in it, and his actions there were to win him the Victoria Cross.

Cheers,

Ron

[Alan 45]

Thanks for your posts folks, they keep me going.....Not wishing to be pedantic or ow't, but yer man Private Hook was in the Hospital building having (According to the film anyway) his boil treated when the Zulus attacked. He defended the hospital and the patients in it, and his actions there were to win him the Victoria Cross.

Cheers,

Ron

A total of 11 were awarded at rourkes drift for that battle , it is the highest number of the Victoria cross ever given in a single engagement

[spanner570]

Last night I made a start on the base. I found an old 20"X 16" picture frame. Any smaller and the model would become too cramped. It looks big in the photos, but it's not in reality.

I read there was a small stone escarpment running along the edge of Rorke's Drift where the main Zulu attack took place, so I've encorporated this into the model.

The base is hardboard with a scrap piece of polystyrene stuck to it. I have tapered the edges down to the frame and roughed the 'ground' a bit with an old saw. The actual buildings at the battle site are on a fair old incline, so with me cutting back around the edges, has shown the stores to be just that - up a bit!

The escarpment was done by simply ripping the edge of the polystyrene with my finger nails. The whole thing was then brushed with a diluted coat of PVA.

[ATTACH]88246.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88247.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]88248.IPB[/ATTACH]


When it's dry, I'll give the base it's first coat of colour. Another coat of PVA, then sling some floor sweepings at it!

One thing I did notice and contrary to the film, modern day pictures show the vegetation is quite lush around this area and not baked to a crisp as was the inference in the film, so right or wrong, I think I'll go for a compromise of sorts - we'll see.....

Thanks for looking in,

Ron

[Guest]

How is this even possible?!?! A true masterpiece Ron. Stunning!!!!

[Gern]

A cracking start as usual Ron, but I do have a question. How in the names of all the gods are you gonna fit 4000 Zulus on there?

Gern

[spanner570]

How in the names of all the gods are you gonna fit 4000 Zulus on there?Gern

Thanks Dave......They'll be piled high - and some will be having a break during filming!