discussion Neil's 1-35 Liberty Ship Diorama

[Neil Merryweather]

First off, I'm not sure if I'm in the right place- Is a new thread a topic?
If not , could a mod please re-direct me?

Anyway
I’m very grateful to this forum for providing me with the impetus (via Group Builds) to build this project I’ve had on the stocks for at least ten years. The first phase is complete, thanks to @Geoffers’ D-Day GB, with the LCVP (link).
I mentioned in my GB thread that the LCVP is intended to be part of a diorama but I didn’t go into any detail- well now is the time. And I’m glad it’s a six month GB because I will surely need all of it..
The diorama is set at sea, off one of the American beaches on the morning of D-Day as the GI’s climb from their ship down the scramble net into the LCVP, while the ship’s crew lean over the rails watching them. As reference for the ship I started with a set of photos I took in San Francisco of the preserved Liberty Ship Jeremiah O’Brien .
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Let me say right here that I'm pretty sure it didn't necessarily happen exactly this way, but a Liberty Ship was all I had at the start and now I’m too far in to change it , so artistic licence is going to be employed frequently during this project.
Having decided to use a Liberty Ship as my base I started trawling the internet for plans and photos to fill in the gaps in my own stuff. I printed parts of plans at 1-35 scale and I found a basic 3D printable model which I used to rough out the scope and size of the diorama in 3D CAD. I even bought a 1-350 model of one to check the finer dimensions- at 1-350 all I had to do was multiply by 10, and even I can manage that!
Then I gradually started to add bits and pieces to flesh it out,and as a way of improving my CAD skills, and before I knew it I had pretty much designed the whole model in 3D CAD. I should point out that this wasn’t quick- it took me about eight or ten months in lunch hours at work.
Anyway this is what I hope it will look like
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[Neil Merryweather]

And the happy by-product was that I could 3D-print many of the components.












so now it’s time to start shipbuilding
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[Jim R]

Well Neil you've got my interest. This project is as far from an OOB Tamiya build as you could get. Perfect for this GB.

 

[Strenko J]

Looks very interesting…pulling up a chair to watch if you don’t mind

 

[Steven000]

Of to a great start Neil, the 3d printed parts look great, can't see a picture in your first post tough. Have fun

 

[Richard48]

Wow Neil.This looks epic.I will join the gathering crowd in the stalls if you please.Got me opera glasses ready.Carry on Carruthers.
Richard

 

[john hutton]

Neil,
Had a read through your intro, I must say you have certainly put in the man hours on this one . Excellent work on the 3D work, I feel a masterpiece could be in the offing here mate. I shall join the merry crew and follow along .

 

[Ian M]

First, yes a new topic is a new thread and you are in the right place! lol
Second. You have my attention- A floaty thing diorama- Epic.

 

[Jack L]

Love the look of this!

 

[Gern]

I thought for one mad moment you were going to build a whole Liberty ship in 1/35! Then I thought - "No. Neil would have told us if he'd bought a warehouse big enough to fit it in." Then common sense smacked me across the back of the head (a la Leroy Jethro Gibbs!) and I realised what he'd got in mind.

Having seen what you did with your LCVP, I'm really looking forward to this.

 

[Airborne01]

I'm with everybody else - really looking forward to watching this develop!
Great start!
Steve

 

[colin m]

That's a lot of interesting little bits you have there. It will be good to see what magic you work on this little lot.

 

[papa 695]

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one Neil.

 

[minitnkr]

......quivering with anticipation.....

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Great work Neil.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Thanks for the interest, everyone. I have a couple of things I need to get done before I can start building, but it won't be long

 

[Steve Ski]

Excellent, Neil, 3D printing what you need, love it. Everything looks great from here!

 

[Neil Merryweather]

I am happy to announce that I have finally cut foamboard on this project.
I’ve started at the bottom, naturally, with the hull and main deck, which I am going to clad in some way, as yet undecided.
For the hull side there is a slight curve in the vertical plane so I need to create some identical ribs to attach my skin to (whatever it turns out to be). Having transferred the profile I pinned them all together with the ends and sanded them on the only bit of workshop kit I possess, which is a disc- and belt-sander.


Then I could go ahead and build the basic box.

That, my friends, is a jumbo tube of UHU, not the normal size.
It’s so bloody big I had to build it on the kitchen worktop, and it’s only the first level!
And then I had to get it back through the loft hatch….
Oh dear what HAVE I done?

that's all for now folks
cheers
Nei

 

[minitnkr]

I'm imagining the net will be a challenge. Your 3d bits are amazing as usual.

 

[Jim R]

Good to see this started. It certainly will be big. Thin styrene sheet would be my first choice for cladding but it might not be suitable for what you want.