ICM 1/144 Type IIB Uboat ( 1943 )

[Dave Ward]

First layer of DAS applied..........................

It gradually turns white as it dries. My tool is what I would call a lolly stick, but sold as a drink stirrer - you can shape the end to produce whatever you like - keep it wet to prevent the clay from sticking. It's a damp cool day here, so the drying time is probably going to be a day or so. You don't want it to dry too quickly, as that will produce cracks & poor adhesion.
Next step will be to add bow wave, wake etc, using small bits of DAS applied pretty wet, so you can smooth the surface - I'm told that adding PVA can make the surface really shiny, I might try that................
Dave

[adt70hk]

Nicely done Dave.

ATB.

Andrew

[Tim Marlow]

Coming on well Dave.

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
Well done with the cut along the waterline. Base looks to be working well.
Jim

[Steven000]

Looks good Dave :thumb2:

[langy71]

looking awesome Dave,

[Dave Ward]

After a day or so, in a cool place, the basework has dried - the slow cure worked, as no cracks have appeared

I can add the fiddly bits, and smooth the surface for a sealing primer................
Dave

[spanner570]

Nicely done Dave.
Looks good.

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
That sea does look good :thumb2:

the slow cure worked, as no cracks have appeared

That's something worth remembering. The only time I used DAS I put it on a radiator to dry - disaster.
Jim

[papa 695]

Looking good Dave.

[BattleshipBob]

Lovely job Dave

[Neil Merryweather]

I'm impressed, Dave. I've never got on with DAS- I can't stand those fibres, they always stick up where you don't want them. The last time I tried it was quite recently, for my Higgins boat, but I put it into the airing cupboard to dry ,with the (now I know) inevitable result.
Since then I haven't exactly persevered with it....
But you seem to have tamed the wretched stuff, hats off to you sir!

[Dave Ward]

I'm impressed, Dave. I've never got on with DAS- I can't stand those fibres, they always stick up where you don't want them. The last time I tried it was quite recently, for my Higgins boat, but I put it into the airing cupboard to dry ,with the (now I know) inevitable result.
Since then I haven't exactly persevered with it....
But you seem to have tamed the wretched stuff, hats off to you sir!

Neil,
are we talking about the same stuff? DAS is an air drying clay, it doesn't have fibres in it. I've just watered it down to a thin slurry ( took a lot of mixing ), so I could use a stiff paint brush to add texture. It sounds very much that you were talking about Modroc, a plaster impregnated bandage, much used by railway modellers!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

After adding a bit of texture, bow wave etc, I left this overnight to dry.
I sealed the surface with diluted PVA, with a drop of ink ( so I could see where I'd covered ) - looks very patchy

I'll give it another coat of PVA mix, then I'm gong to mask the deck only, and paint the sub hull. Then I can go on to paint the sea - mainly grey - I've been in the Baltic a few times, and it was grey ( mind you it was Autumn/Winter )
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Painted the light grey hull sides, then the dark grey 'saddle tanks', and gave the sea it's basecoat - appropriately Ocean Grey...................

I'm going to have to work in some dark greens into the sea, as well as darker greys, it's going to be a matter of trial & error! Eventually, however, I'll use white/off white to highlight the waterline.
I've done sea bases before, but they've always been blue/green seas, so this is a bit more of a paint challenge
Dave