P6M SeaMaster, on a tender- Finished

[sandiego89]

Very cool, are you going to do the nuke-powered version and it's catamaran tender next? 

Thank you joncarrfarrelly.  I really like those drawings, especially the the LSD drawing.  What is your source for those?

[sandiego89]

Great little builds.  Now bring on the ship.

philp, your wish is my command- the ship work has begun.

The ship kit.  A pretty basic model.



Need to make the well for the cradle/ramp.


Cut the main aircraft deck to accomodate the extending ramp and craddle.



"Well deck" made up in styrene.



Test placement of a SeaMaster.  The craddle and ramp will take some thought as they have some complex curves.    

[Captain Canada]

Wow. This is great. Totally stealing the Seamaster design to try and build my own !

[NARSES2]

Great work on such tiny objects

[sandiego89]

Work on the stores loading gantry crane.  The SeaMaster had a top loading hatch so weapons could be loaded alongside without taking the aircraft out of the water.  Main stated mission was as a mine layer, but nuclear strike was quietly a main role. The SeaMaster was intended to spend much of it's time in the water.  

Stores loading gantry crane.  Made from scratch, styrene sheet and lattice beam.



Placed near the inspiration picture.  



Stores crane in the stowed postion.  I attached it to a round rod thorugh the hull so it can rotate 360.  A CONVAIR Sea Dart has snuck aboard.  You can also see the winches and curved guide rails for the extending ramp.  

[ericr]

love the SeaDart too!

[jcf]

Very cool, are you going to do the nuke-powered version and it's catamaran tender next? 

Thank you joncarrfarrelly.  I really like those drawings, especially the the LSD drawing.  What is your source for those?

AAHS Journal, Vol 51 No 3 - Fall 2006, Nuclear Patrol  - Attack Seaplane Studies, Martin Model 331,
Capt. Albert L. Raithel Jr., USN (Ret.)

The Model 331-1 and 331-2 were a straight modification of the P6M, 331-6 was the last configuration
based on the P6M, the rest of the configurations were new designs.

[Captain Canada]

Nice work ! Love this small scale stuff.

Can you post a link to your Sea Dart article as well pls ? I'd like to save both of these for future reference.

[sandiego89]

Thank you Jon

Captain Canada, here is the link to the SeaDart build:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,34962.msg555534.html#msg555534

[arkon]

wow!! love all this seagoing madness!

[sandiego89]

Time for the ramp.  Here is a rough up of the extending ramp.  Tracks and beaching cradle next.



And the diorama base. Scrap piece of wooden shelf.  Unmodernized CURRITUCK serving as placeholder.



Going to use the paintable caulk method again as the ocean surface. Make sure to use paitnable caulk! It goes on white but dries clear in 24 hours. 



Like icing on a cake.  Will be at anchor, so just some subtle swells and surface action. 



Unmodified CURRITUCK surrounded by water.  Caulk still white.  I find clear caulk is best as it is a little tranlucent when it gets the top coat.



Pop the hull out while caulk is still tacky, or it might be there forever. 



Sneak preview of the ocean painted with dark blue rattle can.  Will liven up with some pastels and whitecaps. 

[jsport]

great work. superb stuff

[tc2324]

Loving the work on this one. 

[sandiego89]

Build complete.  USS CURRITUCK servicing two P6M SeaMasters and a single CONVAIR SeaDart as part of the Seaplane Striking Force, deployed in the 7th Fleet area, 1960.  

The Kit: 1/426 USS Pine Island.  1950's Revell mold.  Modified with a seaplane ramp, cradle and scratch stores crane.  The SeaMasters and SeaDart are scratch with a few 1/350 donor parts as per the build pictures. I built two ramps so it could be displayed in the up/stowed position or the extended position to launch or recover seaplanes with the cradle on tracks.

Quite small, the diorama water base is 23 inches long, the ship is about 15 inches long.  Each SeaMaster is about 4 inches/10cm long.  



SeaMaster on the ramp.











SeaDart on the hook


Ramp up.




SeaMaster in the hanger.


Ramp up. Stores crane in the stowed position.












Thanks for looking!- Dave

[PR19_Kit]

Brilliant stuff Dave, great work. 

Just a pity it never happened for real.