Convair Sea Dart w/ refueling sub- COMPLETED plus a few more pics.

[sandiego89]

A technical question for you sandiego89, how will they get the Sea Dart onto the deck of the sub?

Gondor

The sub will be equipped with a small inflatable boat and divers.  The boat and divers will positon the SeaDart over the semi-submerged sub, which will then de-ballast and lift the SeaDart out of the water.  This is only for servicing as it would be a cumbersome operation; for most refueling or rearming ops the SeaDart will stay in the water.  I though a crane or drive on ramp would be too unwieldy. 

[sandiego89]

Now for the diorama base.  Going to give it an open ocean appearance with silicone caulk.  This is clear silicone caulk that goes on white, then dries clear.  Then will lightly cover with blue spray paint, giving a semi translucent look.  Make sure you use paintable caulk!

  Caulk going around hull.  I cut off the top 3/16 inch of the lower hull and glued this to the upper hull to raise the sub off the base.

Caulk going on.



Spread it out- like icing on a cake, with some swell patterns. About 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick.  Used 1.1 tubes of caulk.   



Starting to dry- getting clear

[Cliffy B]

^^^^What he said!  *grabs popcorn*

[kerick]

I'm going to watch the silicone caulk treatment!  Looks like the easiest way to do water I've seen.  This should be a very interesting dio.

[sandiego89]

I'm going to watch the silicone caulk treatment!  Looks like the easiest way to do water I've seen.  This should be a very interesting dio.

Silicone is easy, no complex mixing, just squirt it out, spread, let dry and paint (again make sure you get paintable caulk, most is non-paintable). You have a good hour or so to play with it, and it is easy to make waves, etc. Just play around with it with a puttly knife or a scrpa of felible styrene. If too thick it will not all turn clear, but no worries as you will be spray painting over it with blue, or greenish blue.  Let dry for 24 hours or you will get fingerprints in it or mess it up. This is my second build with it.  It is quite cheap to play around with it so recommend some experimenting on scrap bases.   It looks better in person than this close up.    

Updates: Popped the hull out of the "ocean".  You can see the outline where the sub fits in.  I should have wrapped the hull in painters tape, or applied a non stick jelly, as I had some silicone stick to the hull. White caps and wakes brushed on in flat white.  

Conning tower/sail on the sub almost complete.

Ocean painted, I went with more of a flat ocean appearance so not too many swells or whitecaps.  Used cheap spray paint from a can (gloss Navy blue). I did add a good rooster tail thrown up from the unpainted SeaDart!

Next up, finishing touches on the sub then paint the sub and SeaDarts.

[sandiego89]

Custom decals printed, Sea Darts painted.  Still need to put the canopies on (from Trumpeter A-7's). 

[sandiego89]

Decals on.  Gloss overcoat next, then final steps on the submarine and diorama.

One Sea Dart has an open canopy.  

[NARSES2]

Those little Sea Darts are amazing 

[PR19_Kit]

'Little' being the operative word! I keep pinching myself to remind me just how small they are!

Outstanding work sandiego89. 

[sandiego89]

Thank you guys.  All done.

USS GUAVINA (AGSS-362) supporting three Sea Darts in sheltered waters in the Western Pacific as part of the Submarine Striking Force.






 

[MiB]

Remember me of SHADO Skydiver..... 

[PR19_Kit]

That does look the business, no doubt about it! 

How large is the whole diorama?

[Cobra]

Superb Job looks almost like it would be a scene from Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlet! Keep up the Great Work Dan

[NARSES2]

Great work - love it 

[James]

That's fantastic work.