Ahoy Shipmates!!!

MSW Crewmember Rui Matos [skipper] takes us along for a helo ride over USS Seawolf, SSN21, as she runs on the surface in the Model On Display Feature.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Nice work! Water very natural

The authenticity and artisan to build this is in direct proportion to its size.
Modern subs are probably the least attractive vessels for me, but when i see such a good execution i am tempted to abandon all projects and try something similar myself.
Rui , very nice dio.The dolphins and the sea are super.

Awesome work Rui! I Think this is one of the best renderings of a modern sub and the very special wave it creates at its stern - very well executed good depth in the water and very realistic colors !

Rui

Congratulations on this awesome achievement.
I can only agree with the other comments. The water looks very in-scale, and realistic.

You should really write a how-to because I just can't figure out in how you created the foam and the wake, and also the water running over the bow of the sub. (Ok, that last one I would guess to be a few layers of acrylic gel medium?)

The dolphins are a very nice touch, giving this dio the final extra which makes you want to look again and again and...

I can only echo those above, especially the few with the backdrop, very nice indeed.

Superb, Rui!

Water effects, color, shape, texture, look very realistic which tells about oyur master skills in model-water making.
The dolphins and the backdrop are nice touches too

Cheers,

Jorge Augusto

Not being a sub type person I find this one captivating. The dolphins add a life like touch to it. And your water, outstanding.

Outstanding.

If I hadn't seen the edge of the base in the bottom corner of the first pic, I would jave taken it for a reference shot of the real thing.

Absolutely superb work Ruis

Si

Like the others I say Bravo to the subject, the art, and the presentation. It looks like it will start to move at any second.

Hi to all

Thanks for the compliments on the MOD feature!
It was a surprise today to see it published, since I was away during the weekend on ModelTroia contest

So and to rest some of the members assured, this is only the MOD Feature... there will be a full feature with this and two/three more subs "Who to display Modern Submarines" and this is just one of them... It will be a SBS all the way in all projects, so please stay tuned for this feature... This is my contribution to Jan's (MrMox) challenge on this subject - small scale, modern subs

Again thanks to all for the nice kudos

Cheers
Rui

Rui,
A wonderful job! You've really captured the look of the bow wave and wake. As a former submariner may I offer a couple of pointers. The white markings around the hatch are normally only there during sea trials. They are used to guide in a DSRV if the sub would happen to sink. Second, while surfaced, the boat would almost always have one or two periscopes up, and the radar mast up as well. Please don't think I'm criticizing your great work. Just a couple of things to think about for your next masterpiece!
v/r,
Rob

Hi Rob

Criticizing is good, especially when it's a constructive critic, like yours!
So, no offense taken

And now my "defense" (just kidding)
Regarding the DSRV markings, they are there because they add a little more interest in a all-black sub, like most modern subs are. Also understand that when the sub is delivered to active duty, past all the testing, these are gone...
Periscopes...

I used this as main reference for sail and bow water effect

Again, I want to make it clear that I am not offended by your comments, nor I am starting a fight over these, but just explaining my point. As I usually say, this is just my hobby and it is supposed to be FUN!


Cheers
Rui

Rui,
I agree the white markings make it look more interesting. Occasionally there are exercises where the DSRV is used to practice mating with a sub. During that time, the markings are temporarily reapplied so it's not unheard of. As far as the scopes go, as soon as I posted my comments I realized there was probably a photo somewhere of a boat with all masts and antennae housed. Sure enough you've got one
Once again, great job!
v/r,
Rob

Hi Rob

Yes, you're right!
I have plenty

It's actually a strange procedure, because there isn't a rule!
You can see the same type/class of sub and there are always different deployment status of periscopes and antennae, so it's a question of doing what you can feel it's right for the moment you're trying to portray in scale

Thanks for your input
Cheers,
Rui

Rui - fantastic work as usual; echo what has been said before. Look forward to your full feature; I am also doing a small scale/modern subs project, albeit around 2 % as good as yours Quick question - for the markings, did you make your own or do they come with the HB kits? I have the old ARII kits, not anywhere as good as the HB or Bronco offerings. Cheers

Hi James

All the decals are those included in the Hobby Boss kit...
Considering the price of Hobby Boss sub kits, I could consider them expendable for testing, since they are very good and cheap....
so, if you make a big mistake, you can toss that to the bin and grab another one (ok, this may sound too drastic, but it's not a big loss).

If you see my more radical experiences (Kilo dio, Akula dio and now the Seawolf) they are all Hobby Boss kits, and I was lucky in the final outcome

More to come!
Cheers and thank you again - you're all very kind!
Rui

as many have said, looks like a photo! most excellent

Skip, thanks for the info, look forward to the SBS full feature. Cheers

Rui, what can I say? Epic! Fantastic water effects! The porpoises...very nice touch!