The Ship Model Forum

A Nice build there :thumbs_up_1: The weathering looks spot on to me something I have to tackle on a build I got going(aero guy) of the Graf Spee.Congradulations on the IPMS placement.Cheers Kevin

Allan, I just discovered your WIP thread. Outstanding work! I don't think anybody looking at that would believe it was only your second ship build after a 20 year hiatus. I'm a returnee to the hobby myself after over 30 years away and there's no way I would have tackled a build like that in 1/700 as my second project. I second what another poster said above about the weathering. Very nice, subtle, not over done. You can be justly proud of you work. I can only imagine what your future builds will look like as you gain experience and knowledge. I'll be looking for your work in the Gallery here.

Bob

An outstanding build, Allan, and a worthy champion. :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1:

And finally its in the gallery now. Pics are a bit better but the color saturations still a little off. Weathering looks more red than it actually is in real life. Ce la vie.

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/dd/ijn/sakura-700-am/am-index.html

Any comments very welcome.

Now working on the Fabuki class. Bring it on ;)

Yes its the Tamiya Sakura. It was a bit basic out of the box as you can see. was a fun build. I really learned a lot in the build process :) I hope you put a build log up. It really can be a lot of fun.

Congratulations!
I just discovered your WIP and like it :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: .
It is valuable for me: Just before I discovered it I decided to start a small 1/700 project with a small IJN destroyer and after some research I found the Matsu class and its derivates and ordered two models (Pitroad Kaki and Tamiya Matsu Destroyer).
I think you never mentioned the model you used as a base. Is it the Tamiya IJN Sakura?
Dirk :wave_1:

Ill have to put up some new pics of the finished ship now.

I just won the New Zealand IPMS Nationals with this build. Thanks to all of you out there who gave encouragement and helped me along the way :)

She is looking very good :thumbs_up_1: Nice work

Very, very well done!!!!! :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1:







Bob Pink. :wave_1:

last pic just to give some sense of scale :)

heres some more pics. Having to learn how to make a sea now so ignore that its still just experimental. The ship is however pretty much finished.

I used Caenis line for the rigging and gum glue. Using our own David Griffiths technique. I cant recommend his book high enough. Vertical rigging patched on with matt varnish.

Weathering was with oils. Black, burnt umber, white and blue. then pin wash with a near black brown around detail .Then dry brush with oils. I think it came out ok and Im now a convert to this technique . Even though its very time consuming.

The signal flags incidentally are A M for my initials :) couldn't resist. Flags are Lion Roar . Fixed with dilute white glue. Incidentally these decals wouldnt stick togeather. I had to use a white glue solution and stuck them to foil. This allowed me to bend and pose the flags.

Alecap, all I can advise in mast building is this. For a start you need a high mag desk lamp or optivisor ( well you do when your in your 40's. lol ) Id recommend good tweezers. I use the tamiya stainless steel ones for precision work. and Vernier calipers for measuring ( essential I think ), particularly with the cross struts.Medium superglue. I got the thin brass from pacific front . I think the cross struts are 8 thou and the main struts 14 . I think Ill have to check. you need a steady hand and patience. Use a lot of eye ball checking for symmetry as you work . A word of wisdom , dont trust the dimensions of the kits masts. In hindsight I would re do the rear mast. but thats a long storey. Get as many photos of the real thing as you can. Oh , if you want a world of pain try soldering the masts. I did that for the main frames. This uses lay on joints and its a whole subject in itself. I do think it adds structural integrity to the masts. Some structures such as the flag bearing part of the rear mast couldnt possibly be glued in place. solderings the only kind of joint that would hold it in this scale. Im sure Ive missed stuff. get back at me if youd like more info. Remember this is only my second kit so Im a beginner myself ;)

More to follow as I finish the sea. The rigging needs its insulators and I may add 2 boats at the front. The large whalers are often missing I see in pics so Ill leave those off.

Untill next time.
Your feedback is very welcome :)

Just seen this build in the flesh at our local IPMS meeting and it is looking great.

:thumbs_up_1:

I agree. Unless you are trying to depict heavy sea use and long intervals between refits, weathering should be more subtle on a new or well maintained ship.

This has come along wonderfully and while no doubt you'll get this finished sooner then later, don't forget those scratch built mast you said you'll talk through, also the close-up shots of your work. :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1:

I like your weathering. Its very subtle . :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1:




Bob Pink.

Short update. Trying to do the weathering now. Never used oils before so all new territory here. Using the method in David Griffith's excellent new book.
Using 3 coats of black. 2 of white and Ive just done 1 of the brown still to do the blue. its looking good. But to be honest I cant really tell if its too much or not enough. The pics appear a bit more washed out than in reality where the streaking is a bit more apparent in real life. Anyway feedback would be appreciated. After these its onto the detailing via pin wash. Slowly nearing completion :)

Ignore the base. Ill be covering it with acrylic paste as I make the sea, waves and wake .The current colors to make coverage more visible as I work the paste.

Very nice build so far :thumbs_up_1:

Gilbert

Well overdue for an update. Afraid life's been getting in the way of building :)

The guns are nano dread as is the searchlight. I painted that silver before painting it gray so you can see the reflector inside. Doesnt really show in the pics unfortunately.
The roll off and ready racks are Lion Roar.The depth charges in them are Voyager.
The navigation/ Station keeping lights on the rear mast were made of scrap pe and paper.

Ive lightened colors by about 20 % for scale effect. Im about to do some minor touch up work. Put 3 cable reels on her before glossing it before weathering. Looks a bit bland now but Im sure that the later painting will set off the detail. So that's her about done. Just practicing how to make a base now. Never done that before so a bit anxious. So just the weathering rigging and base to go. Is that all. gulp ;) Its been a pretty fun ride on a really steep learning curve. All in all though I think its not a bad effort for a noob ;)

Your comments are very welcome :)

Very clean work. Congratulations. :thumbs_up_1:

Ill do an update in about 3 days. Its been a tough week at work and havnt really been in the right head space for 700 scale :) With luck Ill have everything primed tonight and check for problems, paint base coat tomorrow and assemble the day after. Sounds easy ;)

Alecap Ill try to add some mast stuff at that point. Though I dont have many words of original wisdom other than get a pair of vernier calipers and be very precise in your measuring. or things will go to hell fast ;) lol.

More soon :)

Allan