PACK ICE! Novaya Zemlya....H.M.S. Belfast Dec. 1943

[spanner570]

It's December 1943, HMS Belfast, along with elements of the British Navy has just sunk the German Battle Cruiser Scharnhorst and she is heading for the Kola Inlet in Northern Russia....

She has encountered pack ice off the island of Novaya Zemlya, and has slowed to a crawl, whilst she carefully pushes her way through to clearer water....

The initial build is explained in the other 'Belfast thread'. The final stage was to paint the white base Dk.blue and then I made the ice from a sloppy poly filla mixture and when dry, I cracked it up and stuck the pieces random like over the blue using very diluted PVA, thus giving a cracked look to the ice surface....A suprisingly simple process, the difficult bit was making the ice smaller by the ship, going out to bigger, undisturbed stuff further away, but I managed to get close to the result I was after.

I gave the ship and rigging a dry brushing of white acrylic to give a sort of frosted look to the steel.

I've really enjoyed this build and being something I'd not done before, it was great fun figuring out a way to get the ice to look something like, to show off the ship, and to convey the awful conditions the mariners endured.....

You might wonder why no Walrus aircraft? They weren't carried after June 1943....

I took the pictures in sunny blue skies, by tilting the model up to the heavens, thus avoiding trees and the like! The sunset one was taken for fun just as the sun dipped below the hills....

Here is the finished model.

Thanks for looking.

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Sorry about the wonky masts.....It's the weight of the ice!

Ron

[eddiesolo]

What a wonderful dio, wonky masts or not this is a lovely depiction of a cold yet still setting. The ice flows look very realistic, and enhance the imagery. The light frosting on the ship highlights the angles beautifully. Top Work Ron, love this to pieces.

Si

[papa 695]

Truly stunning Ron great work mate

I hope Colin gets to see this one

[Guest]

Wow that's brilliant Ron! The broken pack ice looks great & the black & white pictures could be authentic wartime shot's!

I'm glad you included the sunset pic, that's a very nice one.

Top marks young man!

Cheers Patrick

[spanner570]

Thanks for your input chaps. I appreciate them. They make for very nice reading.....

Cheers.

[Ian M]

You did it again!

I do like seeing your maritime adventures.

Great stuff all the way from the first picture to the shock ending with that gigantic bottle of Vallejo paint!!! Where on earth did you get that from!!!

Excellent Ron!

Ian M

[yak face]

...... Gobsmacked .... I'm struggling to express how much I like this without swearing!!! Everything is amazing matey , the pack ice , the photos , the ship , the wake , all totally real looking ( the sunset shot is my fave ),the Great build doodab just doesnt seem enough! , cheers tony

[monica]

...... Gobsmacked .... I'm struggling to express how much I like this without swearing!!! Everything is amazing matey , the pack ice , the photos , the ship , the wake , all totally real looking ( the sunset shot is my fave ),the Great build doodab just doesnt seem enough! , cheers tony

truly great dio Ron , the whole thing is just so spot on cannot real add whats beem said lov it ++ for it

i think i do like the second last picture, the best with the setting or rising sun looks great

[flyjoe180]

Fantastic work Ron, those pictures could have been taken in 1943. Awesome build

[spanner570]

Wow, boys and girl....What an amazing set of replies. I'm truly taken aback by the great comments on my diorama.

The perfect natural light really helped get the great shadows and nice deep blue sky. I was very lucky to get both at the same time...

Thanks ever so much......

Now, would anyone like some Vallejo Model Colour Negro Black Acrylic paint? I have 500,000ltrs. to get rid of!!!!

Cheers all,

Ron

[Gern]

Fantastic work Ron, those pictures could have been taken in 1943. Awesome build

The quality of Ron's work always makes me think he's cheated and got hold of pictures of the real thing. This piece is no exception.

Gern

[spanner570]

The quality of Ron's work always makes me think he's cheated and got hold of pictures of the real thing. This piece is no exception.Gern

After posting a model thread, I don't think anyone could receive a better, more humbling post than this about their work.......

Thanks Dave. I couldn't wish for a better way to start my day.......

Ron

[spanner570]

Apologies for resurrecting this build, but I thought the following might be of interest......

I was in the garden yesterday when I noticed the cloud formation and thought how like the wacky paint job on HMS Belfast during her duties with Russian convoys in WW2.......Yes, I know, what a sad person!

So I took a picture of the said sky, printed it off on cheapo A4 paper and placing it behind the model and took the picture below. I tried an 'as is', like the original pictures, but due to the glare from the sky, the ship was too dark, hence the printed picture.

Although a strange camouflage ( and a s** to paint!) you can see the thinking behind it for use in Arctic waters......

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Cheers all,

Ron

[eddiesolo]

That is a great picture Ron and works really well, it compliments the ship beautifully.

Si

[spanner570]

Thanks Si, see how the front funnel has almost blended in......Pity about the horizontal 'tween masts aerials. 'cos it's a low picture, the four have joined together making the things look like a walkway!!!

Cheers,

Ron