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Roberto Colaianni
28 articles

Italian Navy U-212, with experimental camo, Revell 1/144

September 6, 2017 · in Ships · · 13 · 2.7K

First of all I would like to clarify that the camo of the U-Boot, has been copied from a model appear on an Italian Modelling Magazine some years ago. A collector request to me this job. After desperate search on internet, I did not find any evidence it has been ever applyied to any Italian Navy sub. To Scratch build the dry dock, I get inspired looking at the US-NAVY ARDM-4, adapting it to my subject. The sub has been build OOB in Spring 2017, very easy task, may be 30 pcs in all. The camo has been sprayed free hands, using Tamiya mix thinned with same brand Laquer Thinner. Gloss, decals, gloss again, Tamiya panel liner and Gunze Matt completed the painting job. A very light weathering has been made with artist chalcs powder, brushed free hand. Only for the dirty on the water line I used masking tape.

This year I had very long vacation in August. Summer was very hot, and early afternoon was impossible to go at the beach: the right time for modelling. Therefore I bring at the see all the necessary tool to cut, dril, bend and glue styrene. On a woodden base purchased by a friend of mine, I stick wide sheet of stirene, approx. 0,1 mm thick, I then scratch build most of the details. Only the stairs, the handrail of the stairs, the big gray valve and the hand rail of the balcony middle heigh, where ready stuff purchesd by Plast Struct italian dealer. More than 1000 pcs needed to complete it! I have to say that, in this particular case, the frame will be much intersting then tha paint! The dry dock is the real job, the Sub just an accessory to fill some empty space. September come, time for painting the dry dock... but that will be next episode.

Cheers,

Roberto.

Reader reactions:
14  Awesome

13 responses

  1. Gee...I don't know which I like better - that camouflaged sub or the scratch built dry dock - both nicely done, Roberto.

  2. I'll bet it was very effective camo paint pattern. And perhaps very hard to keep it in good order.

    Beautiful detailing, Roberto!

  3. Now this is some impressive work. The dry dock looks great, and the sub's cammo doesn't look too bad either 🙂 Did you have plans for the ARDM to work from? You just gave me an idea for a future 350th scale project...

  4. Excellent work! Is it just me, or does the sub look like an orca in that camo?!

    The dry dock is very nice. I look forward to seeing it painted and weathered.

  5. Interesting scheme! great work on the dry dock!

  6. Superb modelling Roberto.

  7. Roberto, that is a very clean build. The dry dock is extremely well made. Your artistic talents is an inspiration.

  8. Unfortunately when the diorama you see in th photo, was almost finished, I had a problem whit large bubble under the plasticard used to cover the woodden base and vertical wall. I haven' t understand the reson those bubble born. I suppose is due to the wood changing his dimension. I had to remove all the minoir detail, like stairs, cabin, light, ecc...some get damage in the process and have been rebuild. Remake the plasticard cover of all surface, by using smaller sheet and partiall gluing them on the wood, in a way they do not interfear with each other in case of woow epansion or restriction. Now I'm painting it again, in November will be finished, and I will post new picture.

    By the way I get some inspiration looking at US Navy dry dock.

  9. ... next work: replacing the keyboard of my lap top...

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