IJN Submarine Chaser Type 13 Tamiya 1/700

[Dirk]

Thanks, Bob!

Here after applying Tamiya primer with an airbrush:

Subchaser22

Subchaser23

Subchaser24

[Dan K]

Quite the little jewel.

Dirk, it seems clear that you have exhausted your talent in 1/700. Time to turn your attention to 1//2400 scale.

[Dirk]

Thanks, Dan!
Concerning 1/2400: I like 1/700 and a lot of interesting ship models available. I even ordered the 1/200 Arizona. Will be maybe shocking now (H U G E !) after building this tiny subchaser.

But now I have a ship model with handle (or a ship-popsicle?):

Subchaser25

or a lollypop?

Subchaser26

Sorry for this lapse. I will turn serious again.

[Dirk]

Here pictures after airbrushing in Kure grey (I learned from Allan ("Ive lightened colors by about 20 % for scale effect.) and also lightened the grey a bit.)
By the way: The degaussing coil is from Rainbow model (I like it!).

Subchaser27

Subchaser28

[Dirk]

... started with the rigging:

Subchaser29

[Dan K]

Jeez, between you and Jeff Lin on these ultra small 1/700s...........

[Dirk]

Dan ... and its is really fun with such a small project. It is possible to find out in a very short time where the weaknesses are. And also trying some experiments ....

I continued with the rigging, the depth charge equipment and weathering:

Subchaser30

Subchaser31

Subchaser32

Subchaser33

Subchaser34

[Dirk]

... continued with the rigging:

Subchaser35

Subchaser36

Subchaser37

[Dirk]

Coming back from my trip to China (and missing Telford ) I had some problems to start again with modeling .
At least I got an inspiration: In a factory producing silk cloth I got an introduction how to process silk starting from the cocoon. Wonderful material with interesting properties! � Why not using it for ship modeling?
And I found one application: The boats of IJN ships are typically fixed by two crossing belts. At first I used thin brass strips to simulate these X-shaped belts. A lot of work, too thick and a nightmare to get them into the proper shape. Paper might be even too thick, too white and not easy to produce a very thin strip. Now I found a solution I would like to share with you: SILK.
I took my waxed dental floss (I never used in in its primary function.) and used � of its width. Not so easy (I used a pair of scissors with teeth and made a small cut along � of the width and then tearing parallel to the fibers.) but the result is a very thin 1/700 belt. The fixing is easy (see Subchaser38) and I think the appearance looks good (no weathering required). Only the mint flavor of the dental floss is needless in this application (Or? ...remember my picture Subchaser 26?).

Subchaser38

All in all I am not satisfied with this model: The airbrushing resulted in a very grainy surface . It seems to be happened during the priming. It might be that the brushing distance was too large, the pressure too high or not enough stirring of the paint. At least a good decision to start with a very small ship to make a first trial. My next model will be the K-19 class IJN minesweeper from the same Tamiya kit. But this time I will perform a series of air brush tests before and maybe no priming at all.

[Dan K]

Flat dental floss is an interesting idea. I might have to experient with that. I've been using paper soaked in a matte acrylic.

[Allan McBeath]

I like it a lot. Great work. I agree that lightening the color for scale effect really lifts it. I learned a lot from David Griffiths book . Cant recommend it enough for work in this scale by the way

Airbrushing primer, I found Timiya a bit grainy until I used lacquer thinners. Have to test the pressure, distance from kit , watch the consistency . I found the new Valejo primer easier to spray but doesnt have the nice matt bite of the Timiya, and its a bit plasticy.. It does cover brass well though and easier to clean up. I keep experimenting

[Tim Reynaga]

Dirk,
looks great, so much better than my old school (1980s!) build of the Skywave subchaser. Can't wait to see her with some paint on! http://www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/ ... /reysc.htm
regards,
Tim

[Quincy]

Hi Dirk:

I have an idea about the grainy paint effect. You could almost use it as if the subchaser was sunk in shallow water and raised after to be salvaged in a drydock layout? The barnacles and seaweed would be all over the hull/superstructure when underwater for a period of time. You would have to add some damage effects here and there but, it might just work.

Just a thought.



Bob Pink.

[Dirk]

Thank you all for your comments. Sorry for my late reply.

Silent one: I now did some new air brush experiments with the next model, a IJN W-19 class minesweeper in 1/700 (viewtopic.php?f=59&t=65351):
- no primer at all
- lightend Kure grey (WEM), 45% paint, 55% thinner, directly sprayed with low pressure setting (0.5bar) and a very small spraying distance
Seems to be better.

Tim, I like your subchaser. Especially the picture with the thunder flash in the background and the tiny boot in the heavy sea: very realistic and phantastic atmosphere!
I only don't understand this:

Can't wait to see her with some paint on!

Do you mean your model or mine (mine is already painted.)?

Quincy: Good idea with the grainy paint effect. Last time I watched the History channel documentation of the USS Arizona. After being exposed to the seawater for 69 years the guns looked very similar with a very "grainy" appearance.