LCVP "Higgins Boat" with 1/4 ton utility truck from Italeri.

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Sat May 24, 2014 3:01 pm

When I think of D-Day I see the coast of France, the landing craft along the beaches, and the soldiers coming off them into the German guns. I didn't own any boats or landing craft and the half track I was going to build was a bit too inland for what I wanted, so I went to the local (alright 20 miles away) hobby store to see what they had.
I found this from Italeri:

I know it's not exactly a "storming the beaches" kit but an important part of the invasion none the less. I don't know how I will display it yet. I haven't done water before, (or beaches, or docks, or soldiers, or sailors) but that is what I would like to do. On the plus side, though, there are no stripes!

DC87 · Post by **DC87** » Sat May 24, 2014 3:14 pm

Cracking submission, lots of possibilities for display.

Should be fun to watch.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sat May 24, 2014 6:17 pm

With each new entry, I've thought "wow, I'd like to do that too". Well, now I've seen yours: wow! I'd like to built that too

fly1ngdutchm4n · Post by **fly1ngdutchm4n** » Sat May 24, 2014 8:31 pm

Owh.... nice!
Saw this kit in a store for a bargain ones, didn't take it home with me.
Regret it ever sins...
Great entry!

alextheblue · Post by **alextheblue** » Sun May 25, 2014 9:33 am

That's a great choice DBMS!!

Gotta agree with you, for me the mention of D-Day always evokes images of the landings. Used to go to Normandy regularly on family holidays and always like to take some time out and go and sit and look out over the beaches. It's such a beautiful part of the world now and I think it's important to remember the thousands of brave people that gave their lives in order to preserve that.

Managed to track down one of these kits myself from Scale.Model Shop (thanks chaps!), just waiting for it to arise now!

T3hGuppy · Post by **T3hGuppy** » Sun May 25, 2014 10:11 am

Nice choice dude.

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Sun May 25, 2014 4:16 pm

I haven't started building yet; I want to do a bit more work on this one than I'm used to so I'm collecting more references. To say this is out of my comfort zone is a bit of an understatement! I couldn't even get stripes to come out right...
So, to the book store in search of inspiration! I found about a dozen magazines, regular and special editions, that are out for the 70th anniversary. I chose one that had some nice images and text that would fit my project. Sea Classics, vol.47/no.6 has some information about operation Neptune, the water part of the invasion.

I also found a new book from Osprey publishing, Operation Neptune 1944: D-Day's Seaborne Armada, just out this year. The cover shot alone is enough to scare me off dioramas for life!

How's this for a diorama project!

I found a great diorama site, http://en.diorama.ru/, with just what I was thinking of for my build, http://en.diorama.ru/gallery/dioramas/594/photo1/.

I guess I can give it a try!

MarkVerploeg · Post by **MarkVerploeg** » Sun May 25, 2014 4:21 pm

There is a nice dio like this in a modelling magazine
I can send you some pics. if you want
Cheers Mark

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Sun May 25, 2014 9:13 pm

MarkVerploeg wrote:There is a nice dio like this in a modelling magazine
I can send you some pics. if you want
Cheers Mark

More pictures is always good! That is very nice of you to offer. Thanks!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Sun May 25, 2014 9:49 pm

I guess some people are not scared off by any diorama!

Here it is in 54mm scale. Forget about mine now...

http://www.ifelix.net/gamingblog/?tag=d-day

: D-Day_OMG.jpg (56.92 KiB) Viewed 3234 times

MarkVerploeg · Post by **MarkVerploeg** » Sun May 25, 2014 10:28 pm

I send you a pm with the photo's but don't expect to much from them
I'm a terrible photographer

But the dio in them sure looks great ,maybe it is.online somewhere

Coen · Post by **Coen** » Tue May 27, 2014 1:11 pm

Having and landing craft in a D-Day GB is as important as having buns for a hotdog (if you eat such things)
So I think that you made an awesome choice for your build.
This is an interesting kit from what I've read about it and it should be cool to see what you do with it.

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Wed May 28, 2014 1:32 pm

MarkVerploeg wrote:I send you a pm with the photo's but don't expect to much from them
I'm a terrible photographer
But the dio in them sure looks great ,maybe it is.online somewhere

I'll post a thank you here as well as answer the PM. The photos are fine, and should help out with my project. I found the modeler and the book online. He is quite a bit beyond my skill level though.

I will be starting this weekend (I've been working on my night fighter) and should find out right away how much trouble I'm in.

MarkVerploeg · Post by **MarkVerploeg** » Wed May 28, 2014 1:35 pm

Good luck building

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:35 pm

Finally started!

(root beer, sorry).

Here are my references and extras for the build. The Tamiya extras I've had for ever but the paints are new. You may notice that the jeep instructions are a print out. That is because the kit didn't come with any! Thanks to ISM, though, I was able to find a site where I could get them!

Closer look at the books. I found the book where one of the builds I saw online came from, the Verlinden, and ordered it last week.

From the Verlinden:

Sea Classics has some nice images including this color shot of the men. Should be great for the figure painting!

This beautiful diorama, from a Tamiya magazine, depicting a landing in Grenada has super water! A little too tropical for Normandy but the effect is nice.

Sprues! Not too bad. This is one of a pair of identical sprues for the hull bracing and crew. The figure doesn't look too bad either. Hull detail is nice and sharp.

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I agree with Lee about Italeri instruction sheets so I cut up mine and stapled the pages into an easier format.

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Before I started gluing up parts I used the hull to lay out how I want the diorama to look. I just used some drawing paper and a marker to get the idea of where I'm going.

Look! Actual work in progress!

Now what? I went to the store today and found these to fill out my jeep trailer and beach area.

That's all for now! Lots of work to do, and I'm lazy and slow!

UKguyInUSA · Post by **UKguyInUSA** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:43 am

Looks like a great choice of a diorama build for D-Day DB....I think when anyone thinks of D-Day they instinctually visualize the landing crafts on the beaches with soldiers pouring out and getting gunned down in the chaos.

I'll be watching this one.

Cheers,

Martin

alextheblue · Post by **alextheblue** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 8:55 am

Great progress DB and you have some great reference material there. Plus, that's a great tip with cutting up the instructions and stapling them together - now why didn't I think of that ('cos you're stoopid, I hear my wife call-out in the background!

)

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:13 pm

Very little work done since last time.

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 5:56 pm

Hey, an update!

I've started cutting out the foam base for the water and sand. I'm doing this before I get any farther along on the hull so I don't mess it up. Since this can't be cut along the waterline I've had to cut out a hole for the hull and slightly slope it up toward the beach. After that, I gave it a coat of gesso primer to seal it off. I also have Styrofoam particles everywhere now! (By the way, the spell checker thinks I meant to type "gestapo" instead of "gesso." Really!?

)

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My first time ever pre-shading! (Now it thinks I meant to type "pee-shading." What am I, a cat?) I was using black primer on my Mosquito repair job and had some left in the airbrush so I gave it a go. I used grey primer to finish it off. It doesn't look too bad at that! The final color should even it out pretty well, I think.

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Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 9:14 pm

Off and running - nice start on the base too

fly1ngdutchm4n · Post by **fly1ngdutchm4n** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:24 pm

looking good!
good luck

rodrant · Post by **rodrant** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 12:09 am

Very nice build and kit ! Great Choice , I was watching your build progress and thought that D-Day couldn't happen without these Landing crafts ! It is very nice to see them here in our GB !

Will watch with interest , great work so far .

wappynutter · Post by **wappynutter** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 12:16 am

Good luck with the build matey.....

You and Alex have both chosen a very testing kit build...
Looking good so far, keep it up...

" munch...munch...munch..."
Thats it... i'm settled for the duration....
All the best...

alextheblue · Post by **alextheblue** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:59 am

That's looking very nice DB, the pre-shading worked out really well!!

Just out of interest, what colour are you using? Plus, good thinking painting bits of it before building it all up. Being an armour guy, I just got stuck in - most of it should be ok, but there's a couple of bits that are going to be tricky to get to!

Looking forward to your next update!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:07 pm

Those are just Vallejo primers, black and grey, as an experiment in pre-shading. As for painting in stages, I just know I will have trouble if I don't!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:54 am

Finally, a little more work! My job has been a bit rough on me these last few weeks. Then the temperature went up over 90º, and I can't face much of anything when all I want to do is crash on the sofa. I know, I should just cowboy up and do the work. I suck.

Got the rigging done on this inner hull part and started putting the cleats and other details on the deck.

The next two shots are of the main deck. I used Tamiya grey in a mottled pattern to give it some visual texture. It should look pretty good once weathered.

UKguyInUSA · Post by **UKguyInUSA** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 2:22 am

Looking good so far, mate!

GIACOMER · Post by **GIACOMER** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:57 pm

I like a lot that modulation!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:08 pm

Wow, I really had to dig down to find my thread! I haven't given up though. I just got in some new Mig Ammo paint for the jeep part of my build, whenever I get to it, so I'm gearing myself up for another round of work!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:49 pm

Back from the hunt for my thread. It was an arduous task but I got through! If I'm not careful, though, I will end up finishing this in the "Shelf of Doom" GB! So, I've threaded the lines for the ramp and glued up the interior walls, floor, and rear deck. I've also started on the crew while everything dried up. I don't know who stitched those uniforms but they left terrible seams!

...

The whole headless zombie sailor crew!

I also started on some of the extras for my diorama. Well, really only one extra. It took quite a bit of thought to figure out how these parts went together. The instructions were not too clear on this. And I forgot the seam lines. And the ejector pin marks. And the "I" beams are not even so they don't fit snugly against the joints. And I'm REALLY running out of time!

UKguyInUSA · Post by **UKguyInUSA** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:21 am

It's looking good so far DB...you still have a month left! I hope you can finish it, because this looks like it'll end up being really good!

FishBowlMan · Post by **FishBowlMan** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 11:56 am

Good progress, DB. I'm enjoying this thread.

The zombies look nicely detailed - even without heads!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 5:13 pm

The most difficult problem I have in my life is finishing what I start. In the few months since I've joined this forum I've finished 3 kits and won a prize! Thank you all!
.
On to the current build:
Started priming the bits. I used the Vallejo acrylic primer at a very low pressure (under 20psi), spraying very thin coats. I used black for the parts that will be green (or dark), like the helmets, gunner's seats and obstacles, as well as for a bit of pre-shading on the boat. I used the gray for the parts that will be gray, as well as on the figures. You can just make out the heads at the top of the frame. I've tried to re-sculpt the faces with a sander and knife just so they don't look like identical triplets! Also, those headless bodies look like they could use a disco ball above them. Disco Inferno!

While that was drying I checked the placement of the boat on the base with some of the other parts added. I used a jeep kit I built back in 1993 in place of the kit vehicle which is still sprued. The interior of the hull is primed with dark primer from a can so is not the right color yet.

So far, so good! Looks like it will fit with out being too cramped.

As a side note: I won first place for this jeep at a local model show back in '93. But, in the spirit of full disclosure, I should admit that mine was the only entry in that class of vehicle. Doh!

martin57 · Post by **martin57** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:25 pm

looking good so far

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Mon Sep 01, 2014 2:20 am

This is great, I've got 3 different builds going at once all in one kit! There is a ship, a vehicle, and figures and I can switch off between them. Began on the jeep and trailer a few days ago and have started on the figures as well. I'm always a bit distressed at how a paint job can look pretty good on my desk, and so bad in a close up photo!

I ran into an issue with the Vallejo primer though. I brush painted the base colors for the figures and the primer started to soften and flow! It happened with both Tamiya and Model Master Acryl paints. Once it all dried I was able to add more paint just fine but that seemed a close thing for a while!

I've started on the driver for the jeep. I'm using the legs from the kit (because they fit the seat and floor of the jeep) and the torso/arms from a Tamiya figure set (because it had better detail).

Here are the figures with more work on them. The instructions call for all olive drab for the uniform and yellow for the vest but I have not seen those colors in any photo. The navy personal wore denim pants and lighter blue shirts as well as a green jacket over that. I'm building up the layers, trying to get a denim look to the pants and 2 different greens for the jacket and life vest. At some point I will have so much paint on them the figures will look like colored blobs!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:35 am

Getting very close here!

Still plugging away! Enjoying it even though I may not make the deadline. I've finally gotten the hull together and have only a few bits to attach for that to be all built up. The jeep and trailer is coming along fine as well. I've also been working on more figures and equipment for the beach part of the diorama.

Black primer on the jeep and trailer and grey on the LCVP.

This is an unusual group of guys! It must have been some night out! Those faces on the LCVP crew are FAR from done! That is just a base tone to see how it will come out!

A fuel drum painted up with Ammo olive drab! I had some trouble with this paint using my Harder and Steenback. I found that using my Iwata that has a bigger needle I got better results. Low pressure works best for this paint but I don't have the right thinner so the bigger spray helped a lot! I have 2 more of these to go!

This is what happened when I tried to thin the Ammo paint (very slightly!) with Model master acrylic thinner. It was painting fine but just a little rough, as you can see on the trailer, so I tried the thinner and a bit higher pressure. All of the sudden it went all wet and wild! I cleaned it up and re-painted with my other airbrush back at the low pressure and it was fine. I haven't taken any photos of the new paint work yet, but, whew!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:12 pm

Beautiful weather today! Cool and dry; just perfect for a marathon building session!

Here is where I am on the landing craft. All but a few bits that need separate painting are attached and the first coat of grey is on. If nothing else I will finish the boat for the deadline! I need to work on the base before I can attach the ramp so I get the angle right. That should be fun; I've never done water before.

.

The jeep and trailer are also doing well. I fixed the issue with the Ammo paint and have been using it fine since. I did over coat with a brighter green to break up the dark olive base coat. Once that is dry I will use the wash and streaking formula that came with the Ammo tank color set. I've already used the wash on the barrel and it looks good.
The hedgehogs are painted flat black then a rough coat of brown paint with baking soda sprinkled into it for rust. And I decided to change the color of the sailor's uniforms. I've seen too many refs. that show them in blue rather than in green shirts. They look like navy now! I like the blue shirts and brighter green life vests better. They just need some dry brushing now to blend in the shadows and give depth to the figures.
.

.

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 3:10 am

Here are the last of the build photos for the LCVP! I'm not entirely disappointed that I couldn't finish my diorama since that was always going to be a lot for me to do anyway. The jeep and trailer was coming along so well that I didn't want to rush and ruin the whole thing! Also, the base was giving me fits and I knew that was going to be a piece of junk so that just went to the side! I will be working on it even after the deadline so there will be photos of the complete beach scene sometime. Really.

Tiger131 · Post by **Tiger131** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 4:22 pm

Loving your work and youre figures look quality

froppolo93 · Post by **froppolo93** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 4:46 pm

Love the rust effects

UKguyInUSA · Post by **UKguyInUSA** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:29 pm

Coming along nicely mate....the figures look great and the rusting effects on the landing craft and the beach obstacles looks awesome!

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 8:42 pm

The build and diorama will be continued here:http://intscalemodeller.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=8894