Vietnam River Crossing *Updated*
Tamiya 1/35 M48 Patton. Just finished this week. I was inspired by a photo I saw of a Patton crossing a very deep river, but modelling water scared me! Was recommended to use Woodlands Scenic Real Water so crossed my fingers and it worked (not without trial and error, and a few harsh words trying to sort air bubbles). I’m pretty happy with it, I wanted to have the whole crew on the turret as the loader/radio operator doesn’t have his own hatch but would not want to spend all day inside the tank in the heat. I also gave the Commander two 50cal machine guns as I have seen this set up in a few photos, and to be honest, if you have two gun mounts and a friend in the armory to get a second machine gun off, why wouldn’t you? I hope you enjoy looking. I just have to work on my photography skills now. Also cat wasn’t real happy I used his chair for back drop so quickly calmed it back once I was done, hence last photo!
*Update*
After some helpful feedback from Hans Fischer I revisited the water effect i had done and have now made the water go to the edges and not have the big black boarder around it. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried you can still see the boarder under the water due to the way it shrinks as it dries but it still looks OK, and does look better than it did before. Three changes are in the last 3 photos.
15 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Craig Abrahamson said on February 14, 2017
I like it….appropriately muddy ‘Nam water, too. Looks good!
Louis Gardner said on February 14, 2017
As an old US Army Tanker, I can say from first hand experience that you captured the “Look” very well. Your water turned out very convincing too………. I especially like how you have small ripples in the water, similar to how a boat would leave a wake as it moved through the water. That’s a nice touch.
Top notch all the way around Sir. I like it !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Louis Gardner said on February 14, 2017
I’ll bet “kitty” is happy to get the chair back ……………….
Carl Christensen said on February 14, 2017
Yip, little bugger was trying to get up while I was taking the photos. That would have ended badly for both of us haha π
Carl Christensen said on February 14, 2017
Also, his name is Sherman, I managed to get that name past the ‘boss at home’ without her realising it’s a tank name! Haha.
Louis Gardner said on February 14, 2017
Good one !!!!! How did you manage that ???? π π π
Carl Christensen said on February 14, 2017
Not sure… however if I try for Panzer for the 2nd cat she wants she might get suspicious….
Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said on February 14, 2017
Carl, outstanding! Ya got that Vietnam river look down pat! You can almost smell it! The angle of the tank entering the water is just classic! The driver don’t look happy! We’ll hope there are no sprung seams from the thunder runs down QL 4.
Just a beaut all around, congratulations! Museum stuff!
Carl Christensen said on February 14, 2017
Thanks Bernard.I hoped I got the water right.
Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said on February 14, 2017
Pat the kitty for me, Mine is asleep in my computer chair, I’m using a folding chair, instead. Cats!
Craig Abrahamson said on February 14, 2017
At least the cat doesn’t sit up on the shelf among built models like mine is sometimes prone to do. Although…..she’s very agile and has yet to break anything. Whenever I spot her up there (which isn’t often), I do NOT attempt to coax her down lest she gets antsy and DOES produce a cat-astrophe. I figure she got up there with no mishaps – she’ll get down the same way (and does). Luckily, the clumsy, overweight one (sister) doesn’t try to mimic her – she definitely WOULD cause damage.
DE4EVER said on February 14, 2017
π … Greetings … π :
Very well planned out diorama Carl, nice water work.
George Williams said on February 15, 2017
Great work, Carl, it looks very convincing. I like the positioning of the figures, and, of course, that muddy water, just marvelous. How about “Tiger” and “Churchill” for cat names?
Simon Whitney said on February 15, 2017
Lovely work Carl, as Bernard put it, you can smell the water….
Great to see the cat Sherman make an appearance .
But don`t call your next cat T 34, otherwise the “Boss” will wise up.
Robert Royes said on February 15, 2017
Excellent diorama and build. I guess the name Patton would be a dead give away.
Greg Kittinger said on February 15, 2017
Looks really good – seems like you got the ripples about right for a slow-flowing river. The muddiness also looks convincing.
Tom Bebout said on February 15, 2017
Outstanding Carl, the muddy waters came out great! Of course the driver hopes the river doesn’t get any deeper.
Hans Wilhelm Fischer said on February 15, 2017
Not much to add. Very fine diorama, especially the water.
Just one slight critique. You have an “open” watersurface. Why did you put a rim around it, that gives a border to it like a Swimming-pool? (sorry didn’t find a better comparison.)
Carl Christensen said on February 15, 2017
The water product I used has the consistency of water while it dries so unfortunately I had to use a boarder to contain it.
Carl Christensen said on February 16, 2017
I’ve taken some thought re your comments about the boarder and your right (Damn it! Hahaπ) so watch this space I’ll try something I think might work and post photo’s as an update once done.
Hans Wilhelm Fischer said on February 26, 2017
Looks much better now.
Maybe for the next time one could try a wooden frame with the upper rim thinned out.