September 10 - making progress on my LVT again. I applied a coat of Polly Scale’s Navy Blue 5-N to replicate an LVT that would have been sitting in the pacific sun for some time, followed by a bit of oils, Rust All, dust and chrome. The few color period photographs I have seen show these things weathered very fast, rust grew and spread rapidly. Next will be the green camouflage, for which I am cutting masks. That will be followed by another round of weathering but, much lighter.
I managed to pull ahead on chores and homework enough to devote some time at the hobby desk and my neglected models. I have been itching to work on Dragon’s new 1/72 LVT-A1, and their LVT-A4 immediately after. So far I have only come across minor problems needing attention, there are more to correct but that will be carried out on my next LVT-A1. I plan on finishing her as “B-4” of 3D Armored Amphibian Battalion on Peleliu in September of 1944.
To get the cab (part C10) to fit properly I had to slice away a sliver of the engine decking (part A6) just forward of the lifting eyes.
The deck’s aft area leaves a step on the aft bulkhead when mounted to the hull, so I added a sliver of styrene there to sand flush. You can see the white strip in the pictures. And she floats as if perfectly trimmed too!
NEXT GO ROUND—
The weld seams are way overdone on the kit, and would have been better represented recesses lines vice raised. There are no ridges of welds on an actual LVT-A1, and the bolts are all flush with the deck, not raised as represented on the model.
PRAISE—
Hopefully Dragon continues to expand on these kits, as it seems to be engineered in a way that an LVT-2 or LVT-A2 could easily be done with a new tree (C). Also, with the LVT-1s in the background of the LVT‑A1 box art but, that is probably a pipe dream.
Time to get back to the plastic------
WIP:
Trying to get my hobby stuff sorted - just moved and still unpacking.
"Gator, Green Catskill....Charlie On Time"