On the bench; LCM 3, Operation Torch 1942, part 3

This LCM project is taking so much longer time than anticipated. Just can't find the time so finish it but slowly I'm getting there no matter what. Since last time I have painted the decks dark grey. Gave up the idea to air brush it as there are too many small ribs and things sticking out everywhere and it is a tough job to mask it all. So, what do you do? You go old school and pick up the small paint brushes and spend an hour doing it like all painting used to be done way back. Mask the bottom hull and front ramp I did however and this time it was air brush time!

After a bit of Vallejo black grey and true black I ripped the masking off and this is the result. Here you can also see the wheel house padding painted a bit. Next job will be to mask and paint the bow markings. Starting to see a finish line way over there...

On the bench; LCM 3, Operation Torch 1942, part 1

Since mid December 2011 I have been working on an LCM 3 project. It is Trumpeter's little boat in 1/72 that's getting some extra attention. It will be loaded with an early GMC 2 ½ truck in its hold. I saw a photo in a book showing a truck being off loaded from an LCM 3 during Operation Torch in North Africa and felt this was something for me to make a model of.

The truck from Academy got a bit of extra details added as per the photo; some tube on the side coming out of the hood, a fire extinguisher and some copper wire to add some sense of detail on the winch.

A bit of extra work has to be done to make it into a Royal Navy LCM. Anti-splinter padding on the wheel-house, an anchor windlass, special ramp wire holders sticking up like horns on a rein deer.

The skegs got some extra attention. Supporting struts were glued to each side as you can see here. As far as I know the propellers should have only three blades each, not four as in the Trumpeter kit. Do I care? Nah.

And the wire holders in the front.