So I sprayed it all with Klear and gave it some washes and a bit of rust streaking with GW Agrax Earthshade ( one of their less exotic names) before going for the decals. I was agonising over which was the correct markings for which beach, with a view to making sure I have the correct unit insignia for the GI’s when they arrive.
This is further complicated by the fact that some units (but not all) wore an anti-gas impregnated denim HBT uniform over their regular uniform (the smell from which is possibly the cause of many of them throwing up), and I don’t want that; so accuracy in this regard would further dictate which unit I represent and at which beach . I have already weeded out those figures that are wearing this HBT (Herring-Bone Twill, for the uninitiated), so in the end I just thought ‘Who cares? - Artistic Licence’ and made up a number from the available decals and I will decide at a later date which unit to represent, based on which shoulder flash I fancy at the time.
I haven’t done decals for a long time but they went ok.
Then I started to think about the CITF. Here’s some of the inspiration
First up is rope. The kit provides a small amount for the fenders but I want a lot more. Luckily, for some reason I don’t remember, I have a large amount of proper model boat-type rope which really looks the part. It appears to be made in the same way as real rope, it’s not just a beige-coloured thread.
I started with the ropes for the sides
(these guys are clearly wearing the HBT over their regular uniforms)
This is very much an experiment but after my success with the Klear on the bow door cable I just tied a length of rope around the various stanchions, drowned it in Klear and weighted it to try and replicate the lumpy effect of the real thing.
Again, if I hadn’t seen the pictures I would expect the rope to hang in smooth curves, but clearly it didn’t.
And then I found a contemporary justification for the anchor in the correct type of Higgins boat -WOO HOO!
So that was next
Again I just drowned the rope in Klear and stuffed it into place with tweezers.
More the other side
And some on the stern -with at least a nod to ‘ship-shape and Bristol-fashion’
What’s nice about the model rope is that it frays very realistically.
So that's where we are today. Next it's tarpaulins.
Cheers
Neil
