1⁄35
Scratchbuilt LCM6 Landing Craft

a build story by Andy Wright
24
Comments

 

The Cargo

The vehicles are the Italeri Dodge and the Tamiya M20. The Italeri kit is now very old and I believe that the Skybow kit is better but with a little detail work it can still look good. The main things I changed were making the tyres fatter by adding sheet plastic between the two halves of the wheels and sanding all the wings to a more scale appearance. I also added a lead foil canopy. The M20 is a lovely kit and if I made it again I would use some photo etch but it is not absolutely necessary. I added some detail to the interior and some stowage to the rear deck. Both kits were airbrushed with enamels, sorry I didn’t keep a note of which ones and I added markings from Archer. The markings are not supposed to be super accurate but just representative.

This left the figures. There are just about no sailors out there in 1/35th scale, however Roger Saunders from Hornet models came to the rescue and issued US and British sailor head sets just when I needed them. I used two from the US set and some from the sets of US helmets. The sailor in the wheelhouse and walking down the outside are from the Dragon US tankers set slightly modified and with new resin hands from Historex. The machine gunner is a bit of a Frankenstein from the spares box. For the vehicle crews I used the standing officer from the US tankers set with some modified Tamiya infantrymen. Most of the figures got new hands which makes a vast difference and they all got new heads. The faces and hands were painted in oils and the uniforms mostly in enamels so that they looked flat. I hand painted the insignia.

This is my first full scratch build and from start to finish the model took about a year. I really enjoyed making it which is what I believe modelling is all about. I now know that some details should be different, but if you have as much trouble as I did gathering data then you may not notice them! Thank you for taking the time to read this.

References:

Books
Time Life World War 2-Across the Rhine (a few stunning photos)
Ian Allen Landing Craft of WW2
Tanks Illustrated no 29 US Marine tanks in WW2 pic 53 (only clear overhead wheelhouse shot)

Internet
www.awm.gov Australian War Memorial (largest on-line picture database 200k plus)
www.nara.gov US national archives on-line
www.metronet.com/~rlewisjr/don072.htm US 594th Engineers
www.freehomepages.com/bdk/pvtallee.htm Excellent private reference of Seaman Allee

Copyright ©2002 - Text and Photos by Andy Wright. All Rights Reserved.
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About the Author

About andy123
FROM: ENGLAND - EAST ANGLIA, UNITED KINGDOM


Comments

ShermiesRule
Didn't realize this original post was so old. Andy mentions he heard rumors of theVerlinden LCM3. Still a great job
APR 29, 2004 - 05:19 AM
MrRoo
a very nice build and thanks for the info about widening the Dodge tyres I would never have thought of that.
APR 29, 2004 - 09:03 AM
andy123
Hi Jon, I don't come back to these comments much now as I submitted this article some time ago. I can photocopy plans for you if you wish, Andy Sunny Southend on Sea
JUN 07, 2004 - 04:03 AM
greatbrit
was that particular type of landing craft used by the british during WW2? cheers joe
JUN 07, 2004 - 04:08 AM
johnno
Hi Andy and others, You mention hearing of the Verlinden Kit. Yes, I have one and have started it. I'd like to post some 'progress photos' if I find out how. Several people have mentioned sailors, yes, very rare, I have several Verlinden Army figures which I am converting with Milliput and Hornet heads. So far they look great. Your work is unequaled Andy, such attention to detail. Best, Pat [email protected]
AUG 10, 2004 - 06:38 AM
peacekeeper
The only comment I can make is WOW!!!!!! The detail is fantastic and bordering on obsessive compulsive (grin)
AUG 10, 2004 - 09:41 AM
Hoovie
great job!! wish I could see more!! Ron
FEB 13, 2005 - 10:41 AM
jantkowiak
This is terrific work! I hope you are still coming back, though, Andy, because I am dying to know who you found that knows anything at all about LCMs, and how I can contact ... him? her? them? I am also working on a diorama, the LCM(3) that was one of the command boats of the Special Engineering Task Force on Omaha Beach, depicting the moment the boat drops the ramp (which is to say, before it actually falls open). But I cannot figure out how to operate the darn boat! I assume the pilot does it, but how? What position of the engine throttles is "full ahead?" Stuff like that... John A.
MAR 17, 2006 - 05:29 AM
andy123
Hi John, The Histoire and Collections book on DDay units is great although it is not specifically about LCMS. Mostly i just trawled the net to some pretty obscure sites! I've never seen any clear pictures or drawings of the inside of the wheelhouse but I do know that early models had an exposed winch that was amoured over on later models. The early ones appear to be manully operated. regards Andy
AUG 15, 2006 - 08:14 PM
Hollowpoint
Yow, an OLD thread resurrected! In answer to John A's question: get a copy of the "Engineer Amphibian Troops Manual for Boat Crews" from Wasy 1 Productions. It has lots of great drawings and photos and should answer most of your questions. Unfortunately, it doesn't have good pics or drawings of the .50 cal. MG mounts, which is what I am seeking for my LCM3. http://www.easy1productions.com/
AUG 16, 2006 - 10:00 AM
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Copyright ©2021 by Andy Wright. _OPINIONS Model Shipwrights, KitMaker Network, or Silver Star Enterrpises. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of Model Shipwrights. All rights reserved. Originally published on: 2002-09-21 00:00:00. Unique Reads: 29595