Neil's Italeri 1/35 LCVP Landing Craft

[Neil Merryweather]

I’ve proceeded to the next step in the destructions which is the installation of the vertical ribs in the hull sides.

I primed the sides to check how well the filling of the sink marks had gone- not great, more work required.


It also occurred to me that it’s going to be tricky painting the inside of the hull behind these ribs, so I gave that a blast of the Halfords rattle can as well, and I will paint it the proper grey before I assemble it all.
This is the stage where the destructions add the cable for raising the bow door, and the kit provides a grey thread for it. I know that painting any kind of thread will raise the hairs so I was considering using something else like E-Z- line. But the thread does have the look of steel cable which I like so I reconsidered. Hmm, not only is it hairy (although not too awful), but it’s a bit crinkly which I don’t like at all. People talk about using CA to smooth it out but I am wary of that, and there’s no spare for cock-ups. I don’t know if this is already a tried and trusted technique but I tied a weight to one end and ran the thread through a bath of Pledge-AKA Klear. I used the weight to stretch the thread taught - but not hanging, as it started to unwind, which I don’t want. Of course I didn’t take a pic of the before so there’s not much point in a pic of the after...
The instructions tell you to tie the thread but I know that ‘s just wrong, it needs to be a cable eye, so that’s something else I will be trying to represent.
This is another good reason to paint as I go, because I have a feeling that I need to thread the cable as I go along.
And that’s going to be interesting because of the wear and tear I want to include, which I am an utter novice at......
So , Hairspray or Vallejo Chipping Medium??????
Cheers
Neil

[Allen Dewire]

Evening Ensign Merryweather,

Some nice progress Neil and the craters really don't look too bad at all. Are they really in a visible area when it's built? Sorry, I can't help you with the chipping solution as I've only tried chipping fluid once. Painted the undercoat, applied the AK fluid, applied the top coat and then I forgot to chip it afterwards...

A long time ago, and I can't remember when or where, someone said running thread through candle wax, reduced the fuzzy's. I can't say how it took paint though...Looks like it's too late now my friend...

Prost
Allen

[scottie3158]

Neil, count me in. Your off to a great start.

[Neil Merryweather]

Evening Ensign Merryweather,

Some nice progress Neil and the craters really don't look too bad at all. Are they really in a visible area when it's built? Sorry, I can't help you with the chipping solution as I've only tried chipping fluid once. Painted the undercoat, applied the AK fluid, applied the top coat and then I forgot to chip it afterwards...

A long time ago, and I can't remember when or where, someone said running thread through candle wax, reduced the fuzzy's. I can't say how it took paint though...Looks like it's too late now my friend...

Prost
Allen

Welcome aboard Allen , I can see how candle wax would work, and the colour of this is good so I'm not going to paint it, apart from a couple of rust spots.

[Neil Merryweather]

Neil, count me in. Your off to a great start.

Glad to have you along Paul, you have inspired me with your miniature magic engineering. I shan't be anything like as ambitious, but it will be a little bit blinged up.

[scottie3158]

You could try salt chipping

[Waspie]

I'll pop in Neil. Used to go ashore in them on occasion. (Also Liverpool had one as a nightclub!!!) Even though Ive been in one I still can't imagine what it must have been like when that ramp dropped.
A good start and looking forward to the seeing it develop.

[Jim R]

Looking good Neil. Filling to a smooth finish and then finding the filling shows under paint is a perennial problem. I've had some success with un-hairying string with dilute PVA but it does stiffen the string unfortunately.

[Guest]

Hairspray or Vallejo Chipping Medium??????

I would say: neither. Ships and boats tend to be pretty well-painted, with little wear showing — at least not in our scales And I would suspect that right before the biggest actual operation they’re ever going to go on, every crew who cared even a little bit, made sure their boat was in top condition.

[Waspie]

I would say: neither. Ships and boats tend to be pretty well-painted, with little wear showing — at least not in our scales And I would suspect that right before the biggest actual operation they’re ever going to go on, every crew who cared even a little bit, made sure their boat was in top condition.

Have to say, all the landing craft crews I have encountered were very proud of their little crafts. As soon as they were out of the water the paint brushes were out. (I was on a commando carrier early 70's and often worked from Intrepid and Fearless two naval amphibious assault ships with docks for landing craft P's and T's.)

[colin m]

If you do decide to chip, I've used hairspray, even with MRP top coat and can still chip away. Of course, hairspray might be free, depending on your living arrangements.

[Lee Drennen]

Persimmon to board Captain. Looks like you have your work cut out for you too like me on my LCVP.

[Neil Merryweather]

I would say: neither. Ships and boats tend to be pretty well-painted, with little wear showing — at least not in our scales And I would suspect that right before the biggest actual operation they’re ever going to go on, every crew who cared even a little bit, made sure their boat was in top condition.

Hey Jakko, in most areas I would unhesitatingly bow to your unrivalled and detailed knowledge, but in this I must beg to differ. Believe me I have studied and prepared for this project for more than ten years and the overwhelming impression and evidence is that the Higgins Boats were bruised and battered work horses. I know many pictures purportedly of D Day were actually taken in the days or even months after, but there are plenty that are clearly genuine to corroborate my decision.
The two pics at the top of the thread are clearly taken on or around the day itself as the .30 cals do not have the foul weather covers on, and even though one is colourized you can clearly see the staining and chipping of the wood.

I draw your attention to the following ...


this next one, I grant, is clearly brand new, but where's the fun in that?




And with great respect to Waspie , when he was being chauffeured in them I imagine those matelots would have been professionals with the pride of the Royal Navy at heart, rather than 'hostilities only' oiks who didn't want to be there and couldn't have cared less about 'ship-shape and Bristol fashion'.
So mine is going to be thoroughly battered.
All the best
Neil

[Waspie]

Hey Jakko, in most areas I would unhesitatingly bow to your unrivalled and detailed knowledge, but in this I must beg to differ. Believe me I have studied and prepared for this project for more than ten years and the overwhelming impression and evidence is that the Higgins Boats were bruised and battered work horses. I know many pictures purportedly of D Day were actually taken in the days or even months after, but there are plenty that are clearly genuine to corroborate my decision.
The two pics at the top of the thread are clearly taken on or around the day itself as the .30 cals do not have the foul weather covers on, and even though one is colourized you can clearly see the staining and chipping of the wood.

I draw your attention to the following ...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1226659[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1226660[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1226661[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1226662[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1226663[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1226664[/ATTACH]

this next one, I grant, is clearly brand new, but where's the fun in that?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1226665[/ATTACH]


And with great respect to Waspie , when he was being chauffeured in them I imagine those matelots would have been professionals with the pride of the Royal Navy at heart, rather than 'hostilities only' oiks who didn't want to be there and couldn't have cared less about 'ship-shape and Bristol fashion'.
So mine is going to be thoroughly battered.
All the best
Neil

You want to spent some time being 'ferried' BACK to the ship with a bunch of drunken matelots!!!! It got pretty hostile!!! Anyway, the drivers were Royal Marines. A different kettle of fish. Some of the craft were quite battered, just battered covered in green paint!!!!
As an aside, during a rare visit to Portsmouth dockyard I timed it just right as they were rebuilding a landing craft from the landings. All around the build were actual images taken on the day of some of the carnage that took place. One horrific image was of a mortar hit just before the ramp went down. Certainly made you feel that we were fortunate not to have seen that type of slaughter in this lifetime.
Nice images Neil. The local rag here showed many images of the GI's embarking as many US troops were billeted and trained around the Weymouth area.

[Neil Merryweather]

You want to spent some time being 'ferried' BACK to the ship with a bunch of drunken matelots!!!! It got pretty hostile!!! Anyway, the drivers were Royal Marines. A different kettle of fish. Some of the craft were quite battered, just battered covered in green paint!!!!
As an aside, during a rare visit to Portsmouth dockyard I timed it just right as they were rebuilding a landing craft from the landings. All around the build were actual images taken on the day of some of the carnage that took place. One horrific image was of a mortar hit just before the ramp went down. Certainly made you feel that we were fortunate not to have seen that type of slaughter in this lifetime.
Nice images Neil. The local rag here showed many images of the GI's embarking as many US troops were billeted and trained around the Weymouth area.

Cheers Doug, no offense intended!
the colour pic of GIs embarking is indeed from a series taken in Weymouth, around 4th June, I believe.