Feb 20 2015
Signal flags and sea surface complete. The second photo shows the whole base. A clear plexiglass cover fits over the whole thing, when it’s displayed.
I’m probably unusual in this regard, but I’m actually ambivalent about the virtues of creating a sea surface. I like a ‘museum’ look that highlights the ship itself, and I so far I haven’t used glossy sea surfaces because when I experimented the gloss distracted from the ship, I felt. If I could create amazingly realistic sea effects I might feel differently, but that’s an entire other skill set I’d have to master! I’m not yet retired so maybe when I have more time I’ll look into that. As it was, I had to be content here with what might be called a ‘placeholder’ sea experiment.
In the future I may revisit this Frank Knox and add a few more details. It would be nice to add the securing straps and oars to the life rafts, and a couple other things, and maybe try an alternative sea surface. The ship is still removable because it’s only secured with the nut-and-bolt system, and the sea surface is painted onto watercolor paper that’s glued down with rubber cement, so that’s removable too. I kind of like the look of my previous photos - of the completed build on the plain black base. I might almost consider leaving the base black, just mounting an information plaque amidships on the plain black surface. I’m going to experiment on my next build and find my own approach for representing the sea surface, something that is highly abstract and yet complements the build. Next time!
My next build might be a Coast Guard cutter from the early 1960s. My father was the captain of the USCG cutter McCulloch, and I actually sailed on her in 1962 at age 10, as my father’s guest (I brought a friend; the first mate brought his son, too). We sailed from Boston to Bermuda, staying in Bermuda for several days. It was quite an adventure. Anyway, I recently learned that a company called Back-Aft Models sells conversion kits that transform Iron Shipwrights WWII sea plane and PT boat tenders into their post-war incarnations as Coast Guard cutters. I have reference photos of my father’s ship, too.
Thanks for all the kind comments! This website is great - I love checking out all the amazing work the other modelers are doing. Keep up the great work - you inspire me!
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