A Coder Makes Minis

Just another programmer who likes building models. Here you'll find images of completed models I've built plus photos of projects in progress.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

I’ve been revisiting some old projects recently. This is the Gato-class submarine I mentioned in an earlier post - it’s one of the first plastic miniatures I ever made. I made a bunch of mistakes on it, of course, and it didn’t look particularly interesting sitting on a shelf, so I decided to rust it up a bit and position it on some terrain in a “sunken ship” scene. At one point I was considering taking a hammer to the hull to emphasize the “sunken” part a bit more, but ultimately decided not to.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Rust marks + display stand! I was going for a look where the stand itself would be part of the scene as the sea floor. Though, with all those rocks and weeds it might well be a river rather than the ocean itself. This is my first attempt at rusting something and I’m pleased with how it turned out, though there I made a few mistakes (which are on the other side of the ship, safely hidden).

I may add further details as my mood dictates, but this is pretty much done at this point.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

With the addition of the anchors, this is now at structural completion! This will take some finishing, however - note the small spots along the waterline that need touchups. I also haven’t put any of the decals on yet or assembled a proper display stand.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Time for the rudder. I saved this ‘till about the end just due to how fragile the joint between it and the hull is.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

These appear to be inflatable life rafts set up for quick launching. I haven’t been able to find a lot of closeup photos of these things for reference, so that’s just my assumption.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Forward cranes. The aft cranes are pretty much identical to these.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

The other crane masts are going to proceed much as the first, with the exception that the booms are single pieces. This complicates assembling the base of this part somewhat, so they’ll go a bit slower.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

There are three of these crane things. The silhouette is starting to look like the actual ship in a major way at this point.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

I lied. There are more ventilators.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Yet more teeny tiny guns

[babgabplusplus-blog]

I decided to paint the lifeboats while they were still on the sprue tree. Given how small they are, this makes the actual painting much easier and faster since I don’t have to paint one half, wait for it to dry, then paint the other half, wait for THAT to dry, then cement the boat onto the deck.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Adding the funnel basically completes the superstructure part, though I still need to paint it and add the lifeboats.

[babgabplusplus-blog]

I believe this is the last of the ventilators!

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Tiny guns! I think these would probably have been used as anti-aircraft guns?

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Yet MORE ventilators!

[babgabplusplus-blog]

Lifeboat davits.

[babgabplusplus-blog]