Model Fleet

(Editor's Note: After almost exactly a year's absence - no doubt recovering from the last presidential election, and the "Change" we actually got stuck with

- John Bange returns, now building in 1/72 scale. Note below, however, that even in this scale - almost 7 times larger than his earlier, preferred scale of 1/500 - John is still bashing on the classic kits - still Johnny Bange! -Ed.)

" Here are some photos of my latest efforts in various stages of completion:

Click on Image to Enlarge It is a lot more comfortable to be able to see without some fly tying goggles on top of my glasses.

The subchaser is an old Glencoe kit waiting for a paint scheme:

Click on Image to Enlarge (ANY SUGGESTIONS!) As an old kit basher, I could not resist. Thinking the early WWII (US) navy was short of ships, I assumed they used whatever was floating. I have upgraded this ship a little with a new main gun...a new 37 mm auto Oldsmobile cannon from White Ensign and a new 20 mm from Lt. Kennedy('s PT-109) via Revell.

The Flower class corvette is slowly getting there:

Click on Image to Enlarge
In the next few months I plan to build a Revell Gato, Uboat (Type VII), PBY, (Revell) PT boat (missing it's 20mm and upgraded with a 40mm), Vosper mtb, and a (German) S boat...don't know where I'm going to store them..."

"(Here are pics of) some of my new big ships:

Click on Image to Enlarge ...or is it 1 ship and some boats?

...The PT boat is a Revell with a paint job I saw on the web...She is waiting for some WEM PE and resin torpedoes...backordered for now...I added a small radar dome and a 40mm.

...The S boat is a Airfix kit:

Click on Image to Enlarge ...built out of box...at least until I can get some extra weapons...maybe some mines.

...I just completed my Flower class corvette...K-49 Compass Rose:

Click on Image to Enlarge I added some GREAT LITTLE SHIPS accessory lifeline stanchions. These were much easier to work with than the plastic ones that came with her. If you want to build a big one, the Revell Corvette is a great choice...very easy to follow instructions...Erikson and Lockheart are on the bridge...I'm slowly painting the rest of the crew."

I love that huge kit! The Gato's not bad. I'd get some Nautilus or WEM guns tho. Are you doing the Flower as a USN or RN ship?

Cheers,

Don

building the corvette as Compass Rose...I probably will not try to name the small craft I am building...maybe kitbash a little.
I need to buy an air brush set up...whats the best to start with? john

The 'H' series is a single action airbrush which means that when you press down on the trigger you are only controlling the airflow. To contol the paint flow, you have to ajust the paint nozzle and tip assembly which is very, very easy to do. I also have the double action V or VL series. Have'nt looked at it for so long I can't remember the series. With the double action airbrush you must push down on the trigger for airfow and at the same time pull back with the trigger to control paintflow. I hope I did not confuse you with the details. I have used the 'H' series exclusively since I bought it in 1992 and have no complaints but do remember to keep it clean. Ther are other brands out there and they may be more inclined for the beginner it's just that i have never strayed from 'ol faithful'. Hope this helps you out. Jon

Iwata and Badger also make some nice airbrushes, but I have had a Paasche "H" (single action), and a Paasche "VL" (double action) for almost 20 years and they still work great.

Kevin

I only use brushes and the occassional rattle can. I've been meaning to get an air brush but right now I have very little model building time at home and my fear is that I won't have the time to use it correctly.

Cheers,

Don

Here's another subchaser website (which I had for some reason already bookmarked): "SplinterFleet.org". I think they must be in some sort of competition with the other site, which Kevin just mentioned - "SubChaser.org" - as the latter seems to be closely allied with Glencoe, while the former makes zero mention whatever of the Glencoe kit (nor the Ringo release of this classic mold, which came before). (Didn't Lindberg also do a SubChaser - or was that yet another repop of this same mold?) Whatever the story, it looks like they've got some great references there for you, as well.

As for suggestions - for both your builds - the first thing that strikes me is how crucial, especially in your larger scale, now, it becomes to give any and all natural-wood areas some depth - wood grain, or at least some indication(s) of planking - for example, just look how gorgeous is this model I saw at SubChaser.org, built by David Jack:

Click on Image to Enlarge Beautiful for many reasons, but primarily (IMHO) because of the deck - which may well be individually planked, but you could also do very well with faux-painting - just as I recently demonstrated, in particular, for my Hiryu's flight deck (among others). It may or may not be too late for you to do this for your corvette - probably not, considering it would be a whole lot less demanding than it was, in 1/500-600 scale - but certainly not too late for your sub chaser, if desired. If you're game, you know I'd be more than happy to help/advise, Johnny - just say the word!

I was also struck by the molded-in code letters on your Glencoe (ex-Ringo, ex-Lindberg?) surfaces - both superstructure and hull - and SubChaser.org also noted it, for this mold - they have definitely got to go! (Using a new-sharp chisel, would be my recommendation). And along with them, many a seam-line and ejector mark which is also visible in your pics. Larger scale may be easier to see - I'm sure it is - but that doesn't make for any less work, in fact, quite possibly the opposite!

Now, as the the advice you actually asked for

- I noticed on this page at SubChaser.org, a camo pattern that I think looks just awesome:

Click on Image to Enlarge This is a "zebra-stripe" type of bona-fide, anti-submarine disruptive camouflage.

And I saw another one I really liked - though it is on a larger-type SC (actually a PGM) - at PT DockYard:

Click on Image to Enlarge This looks like a Vietnam-Era boat - clearly in a "Jungle Measure" type camo - and it is seriously packing some guns: a pair of twin-'50s amidships, what looks like a (leftover WWII-vintage) 37mm aft, and up forward, something larger still - possibly a 3-inch, or some sort of howitzer, or maybe a mortar of some type.

Although a bigger boat than your 101' SC, still I'll bet that during WWII many an earlier boat wore this type of camo, the above splinter type and everything in between! To really see the entire range of options, I would recommend going to Navsource.org, and plowing through all their pics. Or as many of them as you can stand

- seriously, you can discover some just great references that way!

Looking forward to seeing your progress on both of these John - welcome back, buddy - and keep 'em comin'!

Cheers,

-Matty

John: You may have already seen this site, but try linking to this site for some good info.:
http://www.subchaser.org/home

Thanks,

Kevin

great site...thanks very much, I had not seen it, john