Here are a few photos showing my build of the Italeri LCM (3) so far. Ive tried to build this kit straight from the box more or less & improving it with some minor detailing. The major thing I did was to add the destressed skin effect. This was accomplished by first marking out a grid (using limited reference) with thin strips of plasticard, then covering this with aluminium foil adhesive tape & rubbing it firmly over the plasticard strips to achieve the effect seen in the photos. I copied the idea from an article in Tamiya Model Magazine International from Nov 04!! The rest of the build was more or less straight forward & the detail & fit of the parts is quite impressive considering the size! any comments welcome. (More photos soon!)
JC

JC-- man is that cool or what Looks great. I have to copy your technique when I start mine....really well done, keep us posted. What adhesive did you use to ensure the foil adhered to the base model?
DJ

I am with DJ on this one--that looks great. Does the metal stretch as you burnish it down, or do you work in sections, or use some other method? I will definitely use the same technique on my LCM(3)!

-Doug

Nice looking Mike boat?

Has anyone tried to lengthen the hull to convert this one to an LCM-6?

Semper Fi,
Dave

Quote " then covering this with aluminium foil adhesive tape ..."

i got the kit & the article, but what's the brand of tape you are using?

Cheers for the comments . I found the tape was very hard to find, I eventually tracked it down in an auto shop (Halfords in England) & it is Duck flexible aluminium repair tape, used for repairing meatal pipes etc. It is just wide enough to do the hull sides in one piece! In the article the author states that he wanted to do it in one piece but found that 'it kept creasing on the rear corners due to the slight taper of the lower rear corners'. So copying this advice it is done with three pieces, the rear & the sides. I found it worked really well & after a few attempts (with it creasing) as long as you keep the top of the tape level with the top of the hull it goes on nicely. Then just rub it over the plasticard with you finger to get the desired result! Simple but effective

JC-- fascinating workmanship, take more pictures! Great effort.
DJ

J C great job on the hull I used this same method on mine a couple of years back and really does make a great difference are you planning a dio for it and what theater are you going to do I use the kit figures and set it at OMAHA beach

Keith-- in applying the rib pattern to the hull, how much space did you allow between the braces?
thanks
DJ

Hi Keith, not to sure yet, was going for the Iwo Jima version with a sherman but need to give it a bit of thought! Just display it on the stand for now.

Here are a few more photos

JC-- you continue to inspire me! How did you determine the spacing between the plastic ribs applied to the hull?
thanks
DJ

cheers DJ. I just did it by eye using references & counting how many ribs there were betweendifferent features on the hull & just marking them out!

Hi JC,

I'll be interested to see how the boat turns out. If I had know about this technique I'd have given it a try when I built my boats. It looks effective, I may have to re-visit mine!!!

Nice work.

Cheers

Al

JC-- great work.
thanks
DJ

I think J C has the spaceing of the ribbs spot on I also counted four plates top to bottom on the tallest part of the hull in my referance books I looked at WWII allied landing craft by Ampersand i think it was borrowed from a freind. Looking good with the build so far J C.

Keith-- What is the spacing suppose to be?
Thanks
DJ