Greeting all,

Firstly Seasons greeting to you all, have a Grand Chrstmas and New Year.

Been absent for a while as I haven't been doing any ship type things, so I've cleared the decks to move on with some stuff.

First up will be the additional fittings I talked about for the firts LCM 3 and some reworking, behine I have two possible loads, one a Bren Carrier as a deep wading versions (new tracks are on their way from Resicast) and an armoured dozer. As my painting skills have developed a bit since I built the orignal a few changes may appear.

This I hope will put me in the frame of mind for all things watery and them I'd like to finish the infantry for the LCA, most of which are well on their way to completion.

Unpacking the Lighthouse will be next and getting on with that. As always lack of suitable RN personnel is a problem so I'll have to think about some more active type sailors that might work on the boats.

Lots of fun ahead.

Have fun over the holiday period guys and just to prove I'm ready to go:





As always all thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Cheers

Al

Wow, the response was over powering, well here ya go like it or not.

Hi Guys,

I've added the spare ladder and stowage railings I had left over from the Trumpeter build to the boat and started to give this ona more worn and dirty look than before. This will allow me to load some stores to the upper deck as well as some additonal kit here and there.

The boat was quite clean looking in the orignal build so I'm adding a bit more wear and tear, will make some hooks to hang the boathooks on as well, and add a couple of tyres over the sides also. I'm trying to get a slightly more metal look to the finish so I shall see how it turns out.





Cheers, hope you're all having a grand day.

Al

hello Alan,
the LCM looks great to me.keep the pics coming.
cheers,
Bruce
P.S. a lot of builders are off line for time with the family,so you will get some comments tomorrow.

Hi Bruce,

It's quiet all over, posted a pic of my finished Churchill on the 23rd, but I must have used invisible paint again as it passed by unnoticed on the Big A too lol, lol.

Really just wanted to see if I could imporve on the orignal build as it was my first boat and kinda got passed by as things developed, trying for a more metal looking deck, some additional stuff for interest and I'll switch the original anchor that looks a bit big, as do the holding chains in the well. Hopefully the passsengers in the for of the Bren and Dozer will be more appropriate too.

What is very noticable is the difference in size after working on the Trumpeter kits, this one looks small lol, lol.

Hope the festive season went well for you.

Chhers.

Al

Yes, the boards have been quiet for a few holi-"days", but things will pick up again..........nice looking LC, mate, and as always, a fine reproduction and example of the "in-use look" weathering process that you've perfected....thanks for sharing!

Hi Gunny,

Cheers, and the Seasons Greetings to you. Just hope I get the balance right an don't go OTT which is easy to do.

Enjoy the hols.

Al

hello Alan,
i try to leave a comment when builders post apic or other ideas.but sometimes i miss a post.i do not think you went overboard on any part of the model.it looks great to me.
cheers,
Bruce

Hi Bruce,

I'll post some natural light pics when I get a bit more done, inside and flast always looks a bit odd.

Thanks for the feedback.

Cheers

Al

Alan, where did you find the bulldozer?

Gator

Hi Kenny,

The Dozer is from Resicast. They have an D 7 Hydraulic Armoured and a D6 Hydraulic Unarmoured version on the British side and an unarmoured US version with a La Tourneau Blade. Just hoping it fits the boat lol, lol.

Pictures are from the Resicast Site







Cheers

Al

Hi Guys,

This is now a considerably dirtier boat than before!! I have started to add some things, extra fule drums on the rear (need tied down) some old tyres (need painted) made some clips for the boathooks and added a sledge hammer beside the extinguisher (needs a clip).

Mainly the pics are about the look of the paint job on the main kit so comments welcome, my aim was to make the kit a more interesting boat to look at.





















Cheers

Al

hello Alan,
the touch up's you did looks good to me.the tires you added looks a little to big,maybe if they were down 1 scale?what do you think.
cheers,
Bruce

Hi Bruce,

Thanks, the tyres are all 1/35 of various kits. One is slightly smaller than the other 2 which are the same size as the one supplied with the kit, agreed 3 smaller ones might look better but them's all I have lol, lol.

Cheers

Al

Andrew Higgins would be proud Alan.

Gator

Cheers Kenny, much appreciated.

I was wondering if it might be appropriate to add the boat number in white lettering to the front or back of the wheel house? That might help lift the top a little. I've seen that style on LCT's, LCI's but don't recall having seen it on LCM's?

Al

Hi Guys,

Another question as well as the boat numbers. Would these look appropriate? I have altered the cradle that holds them and was going to add some retaining chain. Not sure what it is but they kinda look like they belong to me!!! Would this be realistic?



Discovered another unused axe to replace the sledgehammer.

Al

hello Alan,they look nice there,but if i was on the boat i do not think i would want having something that could go BOOM and sink the boat.i have looked at some pics and did not see any of them.remember this is your model,if you like it,put it there.
cheers,
Bruce

Hi Bruce,

Thanks, that thought had occurred to me but they had to bring stuff like this and ammo/petrol ashore so somewhere these types of things got moved around. You could say the same about the fuel drums etc.

I'll build them up and paint them and see what I think, if I don't use them here they will turn up in the back of a truck somewhere lol, lol.

Any thoughts on the numbering?

Cheers

Al

hello Alan,
i saw some with the numbers on the front of the ramp.also saw some on the sides of the hull and on the stern,but i have not seen any on the wheelhouse.
hope this helps.
cheers,
Bruce

These boats were the workhorses of the invasion fleet. They carried just about everything from personnel to lumber to ammo. One of the primary users of the LCMs were engineers.

Alan, you should get the book Andrew Jackson Higgins and the Boats That Won WW2. I've learned all kinds of things about the Higgins designed LCP, LCPL, LCVP and LCM.

Gator

Hi Bruce,

Thanks, might have to take some model licence here, I'll think on it.

Kenny,

Yip that's my thoughts on them too and I thought some engineering stuff might fit in well with the Dozer. Do you have the ISBN number for the book, always useful.

Thanks guys, have book a days modelling tomorrow with SWMBO so I can make some more progress lol, lol.

Cheers

Al

Hi Guys,

Happy New Year to You All.

RM Come on Board - sorry about the stark pics, taken inside with the flash. Have added some stiwage and bits and tried out the first of the RM Commandors that will beon this one.













Tried out my forst Archer Rank transfer and added some shipping labled to the box. Wheelhouse door has to go back on yet.

Cheers

Al

hello Alan,
looking very good.the RM's look like they belong there.
cheers,
Bruce

Hi Bruce,

Thanks and a Very happy New Year to You, all the Best for 2008.

Al

Hi Guys,

An update on the Dozer. Blade is too wide for the LCM, but I always thought that might be possible hence the deep wading carriers. Sill I will do just fine on the beach.

Daylight pics of the RM.





Looking at the pics I think either a tarp or some extra kit on/over the rear two drums might look good.

Al