Hi!

I'm back to plastic, and for the second time in a naval project.

Lately my interest in soviet river monitors has grown, and before I undertake a real big project, I gave this small boat a try... and by now it has been going quite nice.

This is the original BK





http://mkmagazin.almanacwhf.ru/ships/bk_2.htm

Using the betexa paper model as a guide and the blueprints above, I redrew the model in 1:35 scale in a Cad software. As usual in my projects, I then print it on adhesive paper,glew it on styrene and started cutting...





After the (relatively) quick assembly of the structure, came the (quite often boring) task of riveting everything!!!



Some of the small pieces, carved on styrene:


And, after many attempts, the Hotchkiss 37mm!!





Rivets, rivets, and MORE rivets…









Construction completed, I sprayed the primer on it




Then, time for paint!!!


Masking it for the red on the lower side


And whit a white stripe, this was the result


After some hours of detailing, it is now like this









Next task, the vignette!

Great scratchbuild Antonio. Very interesting subject as well. Looking forward to the vignette now.
One thing I would recommend is some pin-washes ... even some light dry-brushing. Even though theres some beautiful rivet detail, because of the paint job, it looks quite flat. Needs something to make the detail "pop".

Beautiful work Antonio! An unusual subject for sure, but 100% scratchbuilt? Man, you have some real talent my friend. That 37mm looks like it's the real thing. Great build.


Hermon

Antonio;

Thank you for sharing this great project. Im very impressed with you skills. I also am a big ship modeler and also enjoy the odd projects of naval ships. Was the main turret made of evergreen or cardstock or both?

I just started doing more scratchbuilding to my kits and I'm very excited about doing a full scratch build project.

Great job on your project.

Sam

Thank you, for you comments.

Frank, I will follow your advice, sometimes we really need someone else's point of view to understand what could be improved.

Hermon, yup, 100% hand made... I love model building, but became fan/addicted/interested in full scratch since I made two soviet armored railcars some two years ago... can't seem to be able to stop now

Samuel, the turret is made of styrene, I buy a 2 meters x 1meters styrene sheet (1mm and 0.5mm) and use it for everything... I try to use the least possible the Evergreen "L" shaped pieces (because they're expensive!! ) but in the main structures I have to... for me, the structure is the most important part of my projects, if they're not well made, it's very difficult to hide it in the most advanced part of the building (I have learned it the hard way!).

Very nice build, Antonio! One question for you since this is a scratchbuild... how did you make the rivets? If you didn't make them individually, then what was your source?