Okay, I am officially not doing the picture that I chose. I have struck some issues:
- I can’t for the life of me (or with the help of friends) make anything that looks like splashing water - at least reasonable enough. Tried various methods and it all looks awful and really fake.
- I added the canvas cover around the mantlet and forgot to do the surgery required to enable the barrel to be raised sufficient to match the picture.
- The PVA/water mix I used on the mantlet cover seeped through into the barrel pivot joint, and the barrel is now stuck in place.
I could cut it all away and start again, but I can use what I have and make what is depicted in another photo… so I’ll progress with that.
The addition of Magic Sculpt putty to correct the turret shape went well. Hopefully the cast texture I added with a bristle brush will match the kit finish. Once it is all under primer I will be able to judge that.
Here is what I have now. Whilst the kit has etch for the canvas securing straps it is now too short for the resized mantlet and also the bolt heads as depicted are not correctly spaced anyway. Adding bolts to my own strip now. A little filler between the strip and canvas is still to be added.
