Naval Drifter 1/144

[Dirigible-Al]

I had  planned to scratch build a Naval Drifter in 1/144 having got the plans but before I started the project, NeOmega Resins released a kit in 1/144! Luckily I was on the home straight with the kit when the Dave Wilson Group Build began, looking at some of the pictures it still needs one or two tidy ups and add ons but I think it is good enough to show now. Figures are a mix of Omega Resin's 3d printed set and some N scale railway figures I dug out from the spares box (after major surgery). Base is 3mm ply. Sea is insulating foam sanded to shape then covered with tin foil, painted and coated about 40 times with tinted varnish. Cotton wool was used for the water froth and the funnel smoke. Rigging is a mix of EZ-line, fuse wire and nylon thread. Masts are bamboo. All of the painting was brushed with acrylics. Unfortunately I didn't start a thread on it but here's a few pictures:







Thanks for looking in, Alan.

[DaddyO]

Well that's a beauty
Always had a soft spot for naval models and this one's a real cracker - congrats

Paul

[NigelR]

Lovely job. I nearly bought this at Scale ModelWorld last year, it's a lovely looking kit. You did a great job on it, and the seascape looks very nice as well.

[macsporran]

Lovely model. Very atmospheric; great water and the smoke is amazing.

I'm currently swearing at trying to paint the face on a 1/32 figure - and you've got realistic looking little chaps in 1/144!!!!
Marvellous
Sandy

[FokkerFodder]

Love it! Have to say I’m a little tempted having seen this. Well done.
Cheers
Matt

[Dirigible-Al]

Thank you for your comments Paul, Nigel and Matt.
Sandy - it is probably easier to paint 1/144 figures than 1/32 because it is too small to see eyeballs, eyebrows, lips and many of the things you can see and need to paint in 1/32. I just painted the uniform blue and gave it a black wash and the face and hands flesh and gave them a brown wash (not that I would have been capable of painting detailed features on them anyway). The kit is well detailed. All the bits went together OK. The only issues I had that was not of my making was the resin deck cast to the waterline had warped to a banana shape and needed to be straightened without damaging it (and I did damage it). The masts needed straightening too but I didn't bother and just made them out of bamboo cocktail sticks instead. The mistake I made on the NeO.R. figures was not buying more of them. They're a winner!
Alan.