Tamaroa Dio

Those are beautiful models.

I could not open the last two. I am interested in seeing them, as well as the actual ship. The maritime foundation website is no longer up. It takes me to some other site now. I was using that site for guidance. Luckily, I saved some of the pics to my 'puter before that happened.

If you have other pics of the ship itself, I would greatly appreciate you e-mailing them to me. As you can see, I'm trying to recreate her later in life than what your pieces represent. (ie: no rear gun tubs, RHI istead of lifeboats, etc). Pics help me to recreate the little things a bit better, like changes to the boom, the water cannon tower, window and hatch locations, etc.

This model will eventually be a gift, if I'm satisfied with the final project, for a relative who served aboard her 3 times during his career. I figure with the frame,(big ocean, small ship) he can opt to hang it on a wall if he wants. we'll see. He may not even want it.

Thanks and regards,

The Dave

Looks good.  I prefer my models a little larger and fully operational.  The model is 1:48 scale,  51" long, 9.5" beam, weighs 30 pounds.  Power is supplied by a 12V 7AHr gel cell battery driving two motors geared 3:1 to the shaft.  A 6 channel radio controls the throttle, rudder, horn & fire pump, and the fire monitor rotates left & right.  The model also has working nav lights. 

The last two pictures are me and the model visiting the full size TAMAROA in Baltimore in October 2006.

Thanks for the advice.

Do you think the "sea" color is correct for a stormy north atlantic? Perhaps a bit more gray?

Re: the aft deck area. There really isn't too much back there, except for a few more cleats and a deck hatch that have to be built and installed. That is part of the reason that I'm considering putting crew back there. It appears to be a busy part of the ship in the pics. The life rings are a good idea. Will have to get them.

Re: PE material: A set came with the model, but aside from the ladders, and railings, I have no idea what the rest of the parts are for. Any Ideas? I can take a pic of what's left and post it, if that will help. (home for lunch break right now; will have to do that later)

That gel medium just won't "build up" the way I want. I guess it will take several more apps.

Thanks again,

The Dave

Maddog129 wrote:

The base is wood. Believe it or not, that is acrylic gel medium. I can't seem to build it up to where I want it.

Use the acrylic gel medium I mentioned above. It has a mayonaisse-like consistency.  It can be applied & shaped with a pallette knife(or puttyknife) or brushed into shape.  When it dries it retains most of the shape (it does shrink a bit as the water leaves).  Then paint it with your acrylics.

Maddog129 wrote:

What color should I use for the rigging?

Invisible thread from the sewing notions department (Walmart, craft store, sweing store).  Color it by pulling a length across a black permenant marker.  It ties and can be cemented with CA.  It also can be heat tightened, with care.

Maddog129 wrote:

Any ideas for weathering? I was thinking a rust colored ink around the hatches, etc. The pics I found from this time period for the ship does show a bit of wear and rust. I just don't want to over do it.

Yes a light rust-colored wash or perhaps some rust pastel or colored pencil.  Just a touch - nothing too heavy handed.  Don't overdo it in the areas where the deck division can maintain the paint.   Since hulls can't get maintenance underway - the paint can be a bit more ratty there and show a bit more rust.   Go a little more rust at the scuppers & rubrails.   

Finally, my pet peeve.  If the ship is underway and is taking water over the deck - don't leave the decks finished flat.  Apply some Future for a wet look.   Is the area behind the deckhouse more sheltered?  Then leave that area dry (i.e. flat).

That big aft deck sure looks vacant.   Depending on your references and what your trying to show - you may want to flake out some lines and/or add some storage lockers to the insides of the gun'els.   Something as small as a couple of PE liferings, painted Internatinal Orange, will suck you eye to them and off the vacant space. 

The base is wood. Believe it or not, that is acrylic gel medium. I can't seem to build it up to where I want it.

Unfortunately, the ship is now fixed to the board. I really don't want to go through removing it. I don't know if it will matter, but I intend on "turning" the wake a bit, to make it appear as though the ship is changing direction. I made the base that large in an attempt to give the impression of a large sea and a small ship. Don't know if I succeeded with that.

What color should I use for the rigging?

Any ideas for weathering? I was thinking a rust colored ink around the hatches, etc. The pics I found from this time period for the ship does show a bit of wear and rust. I just don't want to over do it.

Thanks to all who replied thus far. Any critique is welcome.

Ed, thanks again for the help with parts, etc.

Regards,

The Dave

Looks good as far as you've gotten.   Rigging takes some work and forethought.  Unless you have a trained spider, think your rigging through - inboard to outboard. 

What is your base material?  Is the ship affixed to the base?

If its done in acrylic paints,  you will be able to build waves and wakes using artist's acrylic gel medium.  It is a thick paste which artists use with their tube paints to add texture & body to their paintings.  Get it at the local arts & crafts store.

If the ship is not affixed yet,  just a thought on layout.   Twist it just a bit so that it isn't sailing into a corner.  Send it an inch or so off course.  It adds some visual interest intead of everyting being symetrical.

never built ships but it looks good to me for what thats worth

I like the water looks realistic, but it looks like a lot of base for the model, creating empty space.  This could have been the look you were going for, if so ignore me I'm not a ship guy.

 Thanks!

I bought the model from Iron Shipwright, Commander Series. If you google Iron Shipwright, it should pop up 1st. The model is a resin 1/350 scale of the USS Apache. I had to modify it a bit because she comes outfitted as she was during WW2. During my research, I found a "ship in a bottle" of the Chilula. The pic contains a zippo lighter for scale. The ship is not much bigger than that. It shows her in "whitehull" paint scheme (no racing stripe). I can send you the pic if you want me to.

Funny thing about that nickname......

Regards,

The Dave

Looks good so far!  As it just so happens, I served aboard a sister ship of the Tamaroa back in the early 80's....the CGC Chilula (WMEC-153) out of Atlantic Beach, NC.  Most of the crew went by nicknames and our cook's name was Maddog....talk about ironic!

Where did you get the model and what scale is it??

Vic