I'm often encouraged by the guys here (Steve Joyce the most recent) to scratch build stuff ..but I'm seldom confident in my abilities. I've been working on a PCF as a gift for my father in law who served on one out of Cam Rahn Bay ...PCFs 44 and 36. I'm also using it as an entry for the WelcomeTo The Nam campaign. The 1/48th Revell PCF kit is a "Plain Jane" and the pilot house is devoid of any interior and since this was being built for him and other Swifties would see it, I thought I'd better take the plunge and attempt an interior. This is the result (so far) after three attempts. I'm really happy with how the sounding radar turned out...it just looks ...right.

I know, this is pretty basic stuff.

What pleased me the most was how much it made a difference in that empty pilot house. If this turns out looking half way respectable, I may try something like this again.


The only thing that bothers me about this attempt so far, is that I think I made the console a little too high...but..I think it's close.

Steve

Ahoy Steve!

You have done a good job and scratchbuilding is not that difficult, it can make a big difference even if it's only a "few details" like these!
What else are you going to include inside?

Keep up Steve

Skipper

Hi ya Skip!

Yes, I do plan on doing some more. The roof of the pilot house is full of conduits and junction boxes, so I'll add those. Plus, I'll add the barber's chair( I'll swipe the base from a 1/48th B-29's CFC position) in front of the wheel, handle for the spotlight, and other goodies that would be found there. I'd like to find a 1/48th M-16 or M-14. If anyone has one that they'd like to trade for something, let me know.

Thanks for the kind remarks Skip.

Steve

Three more days boys!

WAY TO GO. Your first effort is outstanding. I think one of my first attempts was to put a turret interior in the Tamiya Tiger 1 mid-productio. I had purchased the Academy early production that had just come out with the full interior. Bought the sheet styrene and copied the parts of the academy kit and put them in the Tamiya. Since then, I'll add some little things here and there. Boxes for the backs of tanks and tracks. Some panels for tank interiors. Had to do some stuff to convert the Peerless Max M-15a tank trailer to 35th scale from whateverit was they did bck then. I've also used coke cans to make fenders and schurtzen and brass pieces for ships. I consider myself a pretty good modeler, but some of you guys are really good and scratch building is nothing more than shaping a piece of plastic or some other material to your needs.

Thanks Steve, I do truly appreciate that.
A friend of mine told me the same thing about scratch building. I guess I would never believe him because he was really good at it. He scratch built an entire fire truck! (Minus the wheels) So, I thought there was much more to it than that.

Maybe I just might scratch build that missing deck gun. But I plan on having a molded one as backup just in case....

Thanks again
Steve

Thank you Derek,
You guys and your encouragement were the catalyst.

Steve it is all about starting and you are definitely on the right track and attitude- all the best and welcome to the fraternity, small but definitely always open to new people

Thanks Ian,

This has really pulled me out of a slump. I'm looking at this project in a whole new light.

Steve,
congrats on you scratchbuilding. Looks like your off to a great start.




What are you talking about, looks great. The best part of scratchbuilding is that once you start it's hard to stop, and everytime you do any scratchbuilding on a kit you'll learn new ways, short-cuts and tips. (hope you'll share) LOL. You'll be building more often, you will also find that you'll buy less aftermarket kits. Looking forward to your next up date and finished pics.

Looks great Steven. It gives enough impression of what was there to give a person an idea. That's the main idea, isn't it?

Actually, I'm trying to take it one step further. I'm slowly adding more and more to it to make it look like it should. I know my skills aren't that great and I'm hoping that what I'm buildinig resembles the actual article enough that nobody will need to guess what it is. I still need to add the chair, the radar, the helm lights, gauges, and other goodies. I received a whole new batch of photos from one the Swifties that shows the entire layout. I no longer am having to guess at this with only a few photos. Needless to say I've ripped out the interior yet again. But, with these photos, this time around will be the final evolution.

Thanks Rodger for the kind words. Like I said, you guys are what keeps me trying new things.

See ya on deck
Steve

Steve, I got a 1/48 M-16 if you still need it. Let me know. "Q"

Very nice...

PCF 44... any chance he served with a Lt. Adkins?

Askins is a personal friend of mine here in San Diego and I am just completing a Swift for him...

Keep up the great work

Neill

Any chance we can get a look at the pictures?

Have a few other Swifties who want Boats from me. Any pics would help.

Neill

What year would he have been assigned to the 44? My father in law was there from 68 -69. He started out on the 44 and then was on the 36.

In regards to the photos, I can direct you to the web site they can be found on.


...well...I thought I could...I'll need to retrieve that e-mail from the other machine. I'll post it as a seperate thread.