Coverings for searchlights and ship's boats

[KevinR]

Hello all,
What materials/techniques do you folks use to add/make covers for searchlights and ship's boats?

Thank you in advance.

Kevin

[aeronautic]

Hi KenvinR

I use household metal foils.........remember to paint it after

Lars

[Rob]

You could also try white glue. Paint it on, let it start to dry, then pull it with a dry brush to the shape you want.

For a boat cover you may need a frame work of sprue or wire, paint glue round the edge and pull across gap.

Cheers,

Rob

[Ron Smith]

Hello all,
What materials/techniques do you folks use to add/make covers for searchlights and ship's boats?

Thank you in advance.

Kevin

I use gift wrapping tissue. After it's tacked in place with white glue and shaped I seal it with thin CA.

[Devin]

The last ship I did I filled the boats with white glue. It dried, voids formed, so I filled it again. It took about 3 tries to get it looking correct. I think I'll try something else next time, probably some Aves sculpting putty to fill the boat and drape around the edges for that secured tarp look.

-Devin

[Rob]

Devin, if you try to fill them it will. You need to stretch a film of white glue over the top.

Cheers,

Rob

[j leyland]

All of the methods discussed are fine, but be sure you have a reference photo to show that the boats were really covered. It does not have to be from the correct ship, but from the same navy at the same time. In my experience, much of the time boats are not covered, although we modelers do it to avoid the work of carefully detailing the interior. Wooden boats are often left uncovered as the moisture keeps the wood from drying out and shrinking. The US Navy in WWII and modern hardly ever covered boats.