1,561 Tough Marines. But right now, they just want to curl up and die!

[spanner570]

Hi all,
I had intended to model my recently finished USS Montrose Attack Transport tootling along on a calm Pacific Sea. Then I read about an American Task Force during WW2 that was caught in a tropical storm. Such was the severity of the weather that three US Destroyers where overwhelmed and sank, with the loss of most of the crews. Other, larger ships were badly damaged.

This set me to thinking about attempting to model the Montrose trying to ride out, and survive, a storm.....

I've not tried modelling a full blown storm before, so a couple of cans before I started worked wonders!

Here's my stab at it.......sick bags at the ready!.......:eek:






























........now in colour too!
















...a bit calmer on the lee side (sheltered, to you land lubbers!)





Thanks for looking, and I hope you approve of my bash at an 'Unkind Sea'.

Cheers,
Ron

 

[Tony]

That looks perfect.

Not sure how you make your water effects but they are very effective.

You can almost feel what it must have been like to be aboard sonething like this fighting with the elements.

 

[col68]

Excellent diorama Ron the sea looks very realistic.

 

[dave]

Looks good.

 

[eddiesolo]

I feel sick just looking at the pics!

Outstanding as normal Ron, beautiful pictures that just showcase a spectacular model.

 

[yak face]

Uncanny how you can recreate a seascape mate , its just like looking at a photo of the real thing , in fact as si says im feeling a bit green round the gills just looking at it! Superbly thought out , realised and photographed, im in awe matey , cheers tony

 

[stillp]

Very convincing - I feel a bit ill!

Pete

 

[spanner570]

Thanks ever so much for the positive response to my model, chaps.

I'm really sorry the pictures churned your guts up - well, not one bit!....Serves you right for looking.:p

Tony - I just painted the base with cheap children's acrylics. Then worked with clear silicone using a 1" paint scraper and a nail.

Thanks again boys,
Ron

 

[Paulalison]

that is simply stunning,what a dio

 

[Gern]

Beautiful as always Ron.

 

[Jack10]

Wow, amazing. I actually thought the first few black n white pics were genuine photos from ww2 lol shows how realistic it is! Great work

 

[papa 695]

Fantastic water effects again Ron, I think I'd want to curl up and die if i was on that ship mate.

 

[bazers]

Great work on the water Ron ,in black and white it looks real.

 

[spanner570]

What a brilliant response to my model!
I'm really chuffed you folks like it.

Thanks,
Ron

 

[Steve Brodie]

Awesome!!

 

[colin m]

Brilliant. I've spent a few days dodging hurricanes and tropical storms in a previous career and this captures the scene nicely. One thing to consider though, in heavy wx, the ship would be wet.

 

[spanner570]

Cheers Colin, and a good point, well observed. I had chewed over gloss varnishing parts of the ship, but she is surrounded by cling film to prevent the thing sticking to the base.

The reason being, space is at a premium here, so I will probably have to dispose of the base and place the ship on a stand. Hence my reluctance to give her a good soaking. I thought about cutting down the base, but I don't think it would look right. However should I decide to go down that route, rest assured your suggestion will be carried out.

Thanks for bringing it up though.(See what I wrote there?) I guess I should have written something on the subject at the beginning.....

Cheers,
Ron

 

[colin m]

And a good point you bring up to, space. The one commodity modellers often suffer a lack of and hence the allowances we have to make.
"Bringing it up" only once did I actually see a person turn green with sea sickness. Unreal !