Hello Chaps. This will be my entry for the Amphibs campaign. Started when it when it was released, but has sat on the shelf since.
I used this model to further the idea I had about adding dirt texture to the underneath. SEE HERE FOR DIRT TEXTURE THREAD.
On the DUKW, I used the same method, but added another layer of Mr. Surfacer 500 over the granite paint. The small particals in the granite paint are too pronounced, but the MS.500 really makes all the difference. A little care was taken not to hide any of the kit details.









The kit itself was built OOB. To dress it up a bit, I have used the tarp frames from the Tamiya 2.5 ton cargo truck (Special thanks to Mr. Roo for graciously sending me these ..Thanks Cliff) and the machine gun frame from the accessory pack for the same vehicle. All the drainage holes have been filled in, as this was an after-war feature.





Im in the process of decaling this just now, and then its gonna recieve a sand camouflage layer. Still not content, I searched after a possible Army camo scheme. Roy Chow supplied me with this picture of Ducks coming ashore at Ghela during the Sicily landings. Thanks Roy.



As usual all comments, critic, tips, points of view, etc.are welcome.

I really like the fading paint. I never thought of texturing the botton of my dukw

Lol, using the same pic as reference for painting my DUKW

Thanks for the comments guys.


Maybe this is not the most appropriate vehicle to continue the experiment with, as most Ducks appear pretty clean as they´re seen just out of the water. But when they´ve come out of water with dirt stirred up, and then travelled on dusty roads, they are bound to build up some underneath. With the breaker up at the front, this one is just on its way back into the water! (well thats my story anyway :-) , I couldn´t decide what I wanted to do with it originally, I was planning on showing it, on its way out of the water )

Next stage complete. The kit decals are added. Johnssons klear was used before and afterwards. It was painted on by brush. The whole model exterior then recieved a light spray of klear to finish, so the decals area, doesn´t appear darker.
I´ll give it all a flat cote next, and then mask for camo. More installments later next week.

Frank

What method did you use to fill the side holes please? Putty, or small plastic strips???--I'm curious as eventually I'll be doing one of these plus some scratched wheel well fenders also. You'd never know the holes were ever there so you've done a great job of filling and blending it all in.

This looks good Frank.


Steve

Thanks Steve. The holes were filled with white milliput, and when these dried, they shrunk a bit. So I then went over the top with my favourite, Humbrol putty. This takes a good 24 hours to dry, but sands equally to the plastic. I gave them a brush with Mr. Surfacer 1000 to be 100% they wouldn´t show. Cant recommend the Mr. surfacer enough. I seem to be using a lot of this recently. All the best.

It looks great Frank! As I PM'd you, I've checked references, and it looks as though on every DUKW I can find the tarp hoops were more or less level with the top of the raised windscreen, I guess this makes sense to clear any cargo carried.

Vinnie

Looks Nice Frank. Are you going to depict this just coming out of the water? If so you need to darken the green that below the water line to simulate wet paint, before any gloss or semi gloss is applied.

I think the gloss itself would darken it sufficiently would'nt it? Personally, I can't wait to see his 1/35th barnacles! :-)

Vinnie

Frank Vinnie is correct. The hood bows were level with the top of the windscreen.

Nice job on the DUKW by the way and while I think the dust/dirt underneath is too even it makes a nice change to see it done this way. By 'too even' I mean the small stones etc. thrown up by the tires would wear a series of grooves in the dust/dirt in the same line as the wheel rotating.

cheers
Cliff

Thanks for the heads-up Vinnie. I checked my only reference on this ... Squadron - DUKW in action, and it appears so. There is a picture on page 11 though, where the tarps look very low, but because the picture is so dark, its unclear if the tarp hoops are lower than normal, or the tarps are just tied directly over a load. Im not changing it at this stage anyway.... I´ll have to live with it.

John, its going into the water again, so no water line. I never really had a plan what to do with this kit, and anything I did try, I wasn´t happy with. Because of the dirt build-up underneath, it leaves me only with this option. Thanks anyway!

Thanks Cliff for the comments. I had the dirt completed before I actually thought about it, and how it got there. Because the wave-breaker was fixed up, the story has to be that it has been on land for some time and is getting ready to set out onto water again. I will try to incorporate your point in though, by painting fresh and dried dirt.

Thanks for all the comments guys. Much appreciated.

I masked the DUKW tonight with blue tack and a little tape, and sprayed again with Tamiya desert yellow. Went over this again with desert yellow and buff, with a little white.

Wow! Impressive Frank! I like it!

Vinnie

Wow that is a great looking DUKW. I love that camo job. It's a winner

Superb camou. I hope to get the same effect with my LVTP-7

Thanks very much for your comments guys. Im was a little apprehensive about doing camo, as my previous attempts did not turn out exactly like I expected. However, Im happy with how this turned out. I will have another update at the weekend. Im doing some detail painting, washes and filters until then.

Wow! Awesome model! And you can see all the process of building and painting! Congratulations! It's very well built and painted so far! Very good work...!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

Thanks very much Prato.
I had this nearly finished in the week after my last post, but havent had a chance to model since. Hopefully I can get it finished up this weekend!

This is so beautiful. As I scrolled down, I kept seeing the pictures and thinking it can't get any better. Then I see the paint added. Then I see the decals added. Then I see the camo added. What is next?

Oh, do you plan on adding the .50 on top? It would appear so since you have the spare ammo can added.

Great job and best of luck finishing this beauty.

Jeff

This has been finished for some time, but I havent had a chance to take pictures and post them. As usual any further comments or critic are always appreciated.

Frank, superb finish! You should enter this for the MOM comp. The only small thing is...why are the tyres so clean when the vehicle is so muddy?

Vinnie

Beautiful, absolutely stunning.
Beats my last DUKW by a few lenghts (pun intended.)
I will pick up on a few of your tips on my next one. I'm thinking of building the DUKW with the Howitser in the back.
Any figures in the pipeline?

Cheers
Henk

Well done, Frank. Where did you come up with the dash placards?

Thanks guys for the comments. Much appreciated. Cheers.


I wanted to show the mud and dust that would stick to the bottom and lower parts when a wet vehicle travelled on dusty roads. The tyres have been treated to pastels, but would also naturally be cleaner as they get the abuse again. When this vehicle is fixed to the base it will get more weathering to tie them together.



Yes ... several. I have a selection of Verlinden, Dragon and a Corpus figure. Final selection is not made yet as I need to build up the scene and see what fits! Pictures of them will come eventually!



Those on the right side of the dashboard, are a supplied decal. The dash instruements are painted by hand.