My first attempt at weathering a ship

If I remember right, that Revell kit was originally issued in England as a simple fishing trawler - and the "Russian Spy Trawler" was the same kit without modifications. The radar mast and various antennas in the kit were standard equipment for commercial fishermen.

A worse scam was Pyro's alleged "Spy Trawler." That one was a reissue of the company's old 1950s trawler kit - which was pirated from Model Shipways' Hildina. The "Spy Trawler" version contained "radar masts" that were printed on stiff paper, to be cut out and stood on the decks. Yyyyuuuccckkk.

At least the Russians attempted to disguise their AGI's were as the Chinese make no effort to disguise theirs. I dealt with both when I was in, they can be a pain but they were fun to mess with as well.

I know what you mean about "more seagulls". A friend who liked the model suggested for extra realism that I sprinkle it with Vietnamese fish sauce so it smells really fishy, but as the model is in my home office I decided that it should LOOK the part, but not smell the part. 

Needs more seagulls...

Good looking model. I find that I get the imaginary sea odor when I look at a well made model. Definitely an 8 on the smell meter.

Nice picture of a real P.I.A.

Ahh yes, the ole Russian Trawler trick. The one with all the antennas.

Back in the olden days when I was in the Navy, we would have these Russian "trawlers" (actually auxiliary general intelligence gathering ships, or AGIs) following us all over the Tonkin Gulf. They were a real mess! You cannot grunge up a Russian boat too much.

Ozmac

Is turpenoid the "odourless turpentine"

Yes sir. I thought members were misspelling turpentine until I took a look at the store. The pastel and alchol mixture works well too, but I have noticed that pastels "muddy up" when wet, which would be perfect for rust at the source, but if you want running rust, try the oils IMHO.
Here is the Indy I just finished with both rust colored pastels (I.E. on the stack and some superstructure) and oils (along the hull). The results will really blow your mind.

Steve

Thanks Modelcrazy. Is turpenoid the "odourless turpentine" I also hear people mention?

What I've been using is finely shaved (ie, powdered) burnt umber soft pastels dissolved in rubbing alcohol. I apply this slurry with a brush and it slushes down the side of my rusty old trawler.

I'll get some burnt umber oils, as you suggest, as I am a newbie in general and especially a newbie to all this weathering stuff, and I am keen to give everything a try and experiment as much as possible.

Ozmac,

Nice looking trawler. 

I have found that Burnt Umber oil mixed with turpenoid works very well as rust. I dip the tip a small brush into the oil paint, then into the turpenoid. Apply this mix onto whatever is rusting and pull down. The turpenoid will allow the oil paint to "run" like rust. If you need less rust effect, add more turpenoid.

Give that a try on a scrap piece to see how it works for you.

Now you are on the right track .You are right though , Extra Grunge sounds like a modern breakfast cereal !      T.B.

Thanks Ron

I've been working on the grungey old trawler, and here it is – now with Extra Grunge (sounds like a breakfast cereal)!

I know, I know, you're probably thinking "more! more!" (or maybe that should be "not enough! not enough!"

Ozmac,

 I served a long time in the Navy and have seen many of these AGI's shadowing our squadron. They were all very rusty and grimy. Trust me, you didn't over do it.

 Ron W.

Hey ! Ozmac !

    If Mike can succeed You will see  .Just what he sent seemed to make sense to me . I was seeing it in front of me Almost too small , but I started to get the idea .Thanks for your patience ! Tanker - Builder

No worries at all 1943Mike. I'd love to see some of Tankerbuilder's builds. He's very helpful, but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Ozmac,

My apologies for inserting the little tutorial for Tankerbuilder.

I do like your build and am working on a waterline build of the SS John W. Brown (converting it to the SS Stephen Hopkins) so I appreciate the work that goes into making seawater, waves, and wakes.

Mike

Tankerbuilder,

1. in order to post images on FineScale one must have an image hosting site in which to host the pictures you wish to post. There are many of them. Most have some features - in addition to hosting your images - that are free. You simply have to put up with all the ads that are on the site if you don't wish to pay for the service. I use Photobucket but there are a slew of them on the 'net so do some reading about the ones you find interesting and choose one. Here's a list I found from which you should be able to pick one: http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/photo-sharing-sites

2. Once you've uploaded an image or images to the site you've chosen, find the key on that site for copying your image's address. Here's an example of how to get the address on Photobucket, the site I use:
    A) click on the image you have stored on the site to enlarge it with a list of "share links" to the right of the image. I click on "Image" which I've found to be the most efficacious.




    B) save the address you've just gotten to wordpad or some other handy word program by pasting it on to the open page of Wordpad or Notepad or whatever program you're using. (Don't lose it!).
    C) When you're back on FineScale, write your text and then paste the address you've saved from Wordpad or Notepad where you want the picture to appear. I usually paste it (them?) after my name but you could paste one picture's address, then write some more text, and then paste another address, etc., etc.
    D) I usually hit "preview" before hitting the "post" button. I've caught several of my many mistakes that way.




I sure hope this helps a little.
MIke

P.S. I forgot to mention that in order to paste anything from Wordpad or Notepad, or Word, you must first click the little icon with the folder and the letter "W" which will open another window into which you paste the text and addresses you've copied onto your mouse. Then, in that window, at the bottom, click "insert".

Mike

I wish I could get someone to sit and teach me the picture thing .Then I could show you a tanker and what I am talking about .Just so you know I scratch - build All my tankers in " N " or " H.O. " scale .That way I can get people for them ! >

Thanks for all that, Tankerbuilder, much appreciated.

Ozmac !

      It's smee agin . I noticed that on the wheelhouse bulkhead behind the figure , you didn't have hand rails for the old one hand for the ship one for me . You can add them anytime and then you have their little short legs as a source for more rust !

    You can use .010.for the rails ( very thin ) or you can take 1/32 lengths of .020 , make your legs and them when dry bend .020 for the rail itself . Same applies to the .010 .rails and legs can be the same size . The naval or marine word for the legs is " Standoffs "

Ozmac ;

   You have a very good start in the right direction . Just remember stop when you think you should ! You will figure things out . A tip here :

When you add the portholes then take the rusting agent and do this . From the top let it run around and freely under the rim . if you want the deckhouse grungier then find seams and rust them up with emphasis from halfway down for the heavy rust .

       I did notice on my boats the join between the cabin and the deck were always needing attention and my boats were only six yrs old .  Ah Yes , water , water everywhere and not a drop to drink , Sure does like to rust me boat though , I think !

 I have one more suggestion , if you don't mind .The entry to the Wheelhouse is not there .Can you take some .010 sheet plastic and make some doors ? And put a small port right in top center .The  Despatch # 9 Tug had the same deal  . Nice wheelhouse , no way to get in there though

 Polished cardboard works too .You might find a mailer that has wood grain on it , made of heavy card , use that ! I always use stuff like that . Saves on scratch - building , and painting ! .

Hi all, not offended one bit! Thanks for the feedback.

That's why I entitled the thread "my first attempt". Since reading your comments I've added more grunge in the way of lots more rust, and I'll get stuck into the portholes today.

As a beginner I'm just a bit tentative about all this weathering stuff, but I am sure as I go along I will get better at giving all those weeks of model-building the finishing touch it deserves of adding muck, grime and rust here, there and everywhere.

Question ;

   Would you be upset if I suggested painting in the portholes ? In that kind of sea they would be uncovered so's the crew could have some light within .

Hi !

    Going along with the consensus here .The ship could be a whole lot grungier if you wanted . I saw a version as a civilian that was twice a dirty as yours . Fishing vessels , even those NOT fishing , should Not be pretty . They are workboats . They looked pretty when new and that's probably the last time they were ever that way .

      My boats for whatever reason had to be kept pristine before and after an environmental spill . Contractor's orders . I guess if press or gov't officials came aboard they didn't want them getting dirty ! I do like what you did with the water too .

This looks really good!

It looks really good.  Along with weathering, I like what you did with the water. Excellent work!

Steve

Cool!

Thanks for that, and that link, it looks really useful indeed.

The box artwork has it far more beaten up that mine is at the moment, so I will probably take it back out to the shed and over-weather it a whole lot more!