I like to add an appreciation thread also for Yamato and Musashi. Whether FastGun, BigGun,Treaty or 1/72 or 1/96 lets have a look at the other models of this class that participate in this great obsession called RC NAVAL COMBAT.
Lol. your welcome. I try to make them look as good as possible within reasonable limits and resources. I get a lot of inspiration from the scale model ship gallery on the internet and other sources not to mention any pics of the real thing. Showcasing my model at shows and events I find if you want to grab their attention you don't want too much intricate little detail because most people don't want to overload their visual senses looking at it. But if you add things that are readily identifiable, like Ladders, lifeboats, searchlights, cranes , airplanes, flags and rigging, doors, portholes and bridge windows that generaly works along with the secondary and AA armament. Don't forget to put a crewmember on each level but stagger it for port and stbd and have them at various sections of the model for size comparison like a guy next to a main turret or AA gun, couple of guys around the plane or lifeboats, always some guys around the bridge works and any spotting tops you want guys there. Anchors and chains on the forcastle work well to catch the eye. Lights are a good effect and nice touch to wow them for the table displays. Just some of the basics. Virtually any material can be used. It doesn't hav to be exact but it should give a viewer a representation of something akin to the ship being there. I made search lights out of the backs of bic pens, those little blue tops and made them into searchlights. Course they don't look anytning like a search light but with a little paint, stick a crewmember next to it and step back a couple of feet and most people if not all don't even notice. But they can see that it 's there and to their mind it is a searchlight. Just some of the tricks of the eye I used over the years. Kiss works on superstructures too.
Either way you skills for the small are much better than mine. While I come from a background of Costuming, I mainly did large things like Swords and Stromtrooper Armor. so I understand a lot of what can be done on our ships, but for me I am struggleing to make things look nice on a smaller scale. Just trying to cut out things for the Super is driving me nuts.
I know what you mean. I had fits with the Veneto I scratch built, and the Yamato which I stripped everthing off and then rebuilt it over again to try and get it a a little more correct but boy.. those weird cone angles and dimples are very difficult to gauge on a Yamato superstructure. You need teh model for 3D look or a Computer 3D section by section breakdown of the superstructure. I have seen those but I already had rebuilt the superstructure. Doh! I had a buddy who made swords and other costumes for outdoor Fantasy roleplaying. He made all kinds of cool stuff.
Fortunately I get a Model to work from for my newest ship, but the Des Moines I did I can old work on from Pictures. I plan to rebuild the Super for the Des Moines after I have the Konig class done. Sorry for Hijacking your thread. Maybe I could start a thread for tips on build superstructures that folks can chip in on and shows examples.
Now that's a great idea. Seeing that Superstructures tend to intimidate new people from getting into the hobby. Nothing like scary eye candy.
I have limited patience for the detail work. I've gone back and forth and decided that what matters to me is how the ship looks at speed on the water about 20 feet from shore which is where she will spend a lot of time (unless she is a few feet lower than that...). When my ship looks good in that situation I am content. One way to get there is to make one simple master of the smaller AA guns and make a mold of it. You can then cast many quickly and simply and easily replace the ones that get shot off.
I still go through those motions as well. I used to add a littel something here and there when time permitted. All my models started that way they were plain and then just gradually built up over the years. Only Roma and PE started with some detail from the get go. But they were for my buddies. The 20 ft rule works for me . Any detail I add that I don't want shot at I make it removable. The Termite details work great these days along with BB proof superstructures. Somebody here on the forum was making a mold or had mad one for a Yamato superstructure. I don't know if he made more but boy if he does I want one. Chris Osborne Musashi's supurstructure is stock BC and a heavy vinly resin type material. He did a beautiful job with teh bridge windows antennaes and made a nice funnell grill. Chris did one better here. He took Ralph Coles superstructure and did nothing to it save put a red bandana on the tower ..BANZAI! This is his battle superstructure. He just swaps that out for shows with the detailed structure. I have a spare superstructure too and I could do the same. But I like the bits to fly!
I have already put more detail into my Hood than any other ship in the past. I plan to add more detail to her over the next couple/few years. I have to admit that I have said that in the past on other projects, but then got side-tracked by new build projects, and never got back to the detail stuff. I do enjoy looking at the really detailed ships though. Very nice job. Mikey
I've found that low detail is almost like having stealth on a ship. Everybody wants to shoot at the really pretty ones, but the ugly garbage barges get forgotten about and left to their own devices.
Hey guys, I am looking for the beam of the Yamato at the deck. Does anyone have good information on this? Deck beam not the waterline. Thanks,
Lmao maybe because the fancy ones have more stuff to stare at? so they draw your attention? perhaps that would give the ships left out time to get in position for fireing...
There's nothing like floating debris from battle damaged ships. The best is when the little details that can float rise to the surface after your model sinks. I usually recover most of mine. I seen detail fly off another ship after a hit to have it land on the opposing ship that shot it off! The key here no commercial fancy stuff stays on the model during a battle. Keep it simple, easy to replace and doesn't cost hardly anything to get or take any time to make. If it can float all the better. If you do like the fancier detail make it removable before a battle. Bead of Goop or silicone does wonders to keep your little details from flying off the ship and becoming lost. For bollards and cleats I put a bead of Goop and a drop of CA. The combo makes it Super strong and will not come off from a bb hit.
