Posted by Matty on May 28, 2011, 20:08:31 Edited by board administrator November 24, 2018, 12:45:23
LST-610 Tank Landing Ship
Click on Image for FULL RES Testors 1:600, upgraded by Matt Stein
Completed this year about a month before the anniversary (5/25) of our friend Garry's passing, this build will also perform "double duty" as a gift to the family of my veteran friend - also now passed on - Fred Koplow:
Not a true, OOB "Beebe build", still it did not entail any bashing on the original (ex-Hawk) mold beyond removal of a few "Aztec Stairs", in favor of PE ladders - among extensive additional PE and resin upgrades. Painted according to my best guess of the appearance of LST-610 - actually just before Fred went aboard - the camo duplicates (as well as I could) the portside of her sister LST-609, at Leyte Gulf. Over a base of Tamiya Dark Ghost Gray (AS-25) - a good approximation for WWII-era Haze Gray, lightened for the "scale effect" - the camo colors are a complete guess, from lightest-to-darkest being: Tamiya Gray-Green (IJN) (AS-29), Testors SAC Bomber Tan (FS34201), Testors Euro-I Gray (FS36081) and Testors Flat Black (1249).
Click on Image to Enlarge _______________FULL RES__
The SC radar is from a 500-scale generic USN (WWII) fret. Rafts are Matt Stein Models' prototypes - admittedly oversized, but still a great improvement over the kit's "rafts" molded into the deck. Single- and twin-40mms - both guns and mounts, replacing the kit's offensive and all but unrecognizeable depictions - were chopped/sculpted from Matty's Models quad-40s, in 550-scale. Though time-consuming, this was really not too difficult - though it could be done better (especially with better eyesight ). Their tubs, in three distinct sizes, are likewise Matty's Models prototypes - again somewhat overscale, but again far superior, with details including fusing racks on their inner walls. Tiny Mk51 directors in the 40mm director towers are SkyWave/Pit Road USN "1:700" depictions - actually in 600-scale. The kit's featureless, twin skegs were detailed with rudders modified spares from a Heller 1:400 u-boat.
Beautiful droop-chain PE railing came from the 700-scale Dragon Deluxe Edition San Diego kit - again, closer to 600-scale, as it looks just perfect here. The bridge canopy was constructed from PE mesh, filled in with white glue. This and all the superstructure detailing simply mimicks that done earlier on my LST-131 - another LST on which Fred served. The anchor is WEM 600-scale - from HMS Warspite fret - and racks supporting the rafts were cobbled from snippets of 540-scale boarding ladders. Note the upgrade gun tubs also feature textured flooring - washed with flat black, as were the guns, to bring out details.
Inclined ladders are again WEM, generic 600-scale bits. The kit's LCVPs are absolutely featureless, rectangular boxes - to which I didn't even rig lines, anticipating future replacement with (just about anything) better. Also skipped for now - though certainly a possiblity for later addition - was the addition of PE detailing on the 40mms. The kit vent stacks were drilled out, making them recognizeable as such.
Numbers were scrounged from decal spares: in truth, their styles should be reversed - finer on the sides, and blockier on the bow (at least, as seen on LST-609). Absent stern numbers are another item for future addition. Girders supporting the bow tubs were again various PE snippets, and hellaciously difficult to construct: this was my second try, resulting in the beat-up and glue-spattered appearance in this area. Camouflage borders were feathered per my "Extracted Bead" method - however, at this small size, the fineness of the mist is crucual: note a large difference in performances of different (spraycan) paints, some failing to feather almost entirely. Note the resin 40mms, even with a defect or two still remaining, are a tremendous improvement over kit "guns".
Click on Image to Enlarge
This was perhaps not the simplest of all possible builds - but still a very quick one (especially for me ), and a tremendously satisfying result starting with a $5 mold as the foundation - and constructive use of available/spare parts. Something which I think Garry - and also Fred - would both wholeheartedly appreciate.
God Bless, guys - you are remembered, now and always.
and the life rafts look perfect. The camo is great; along with the recognition markings (the huge hull number).
Cheers,
Don
I gotta take some better pics...
Posted by Matty on June 1, 2011, 22:42:53, in reply to "Looks great -again"
THANKS for the compliments, Donny. I have to take some better pics, though: too much of everything is out of focus - the model shot from too closeup, so no depth-of-field - in each one. And it makes the build look as big as the 250-scale Lindberg: in fact, it's only (less than) 5" long - and at that size all the details, especially the guns, really look a lot better, in person.
Or, maybe it's just that my eyesight is going...
I do appreciate the encouragement though, Donny - thanks, bud!