by Konley Kelley and Evan Serpa
1/426 USS Arizona BB-39 (Revell)
I took a trip to California in early July to go backpacking with my Dad, son and my 14-year old nephew Evan. I don't get to see my nephew very often so that was a highlight.
We spent several days of the trip in Cambria (central coast of CA). I talked a lot about scale modeling and digital dioramas with Evan. He wanted to build a model with me so we visited the famous "Soldier Gallery" in Cambria and picked up the Revell 1:426 USS Arizona kit (we had watched PEARL HARBOR the night before). I didn't think we could do it but with careful planning we built a very respectable model in just two days. We had just enough time to float the boat in my sister's pool before I had to leave.
In a lull during the making of the kit, I began to look closely at chunks of styrofoam left over from packing for some patio furniture at my folks' house. This became a pretty cool base for a USS Arizona diorama.
Where is the Arizona's second seaplane? We aren't sure. It may have been launched to warn Cambria and the west coast of the attack. No one knows (smile).
Evan is hooked and his next project for the shelf and the pool is the Revell 1:72 PT-109. I can't wait to see the results.
Next up, I've told Evan I will make him a digital diorama using his Arizona model and my Photoshop skills. I have returned to Texas and am eyeing my Tamiya Val kit. With that built for the Photoshop project, it might be do-able.
Speaking of digital dioramas, I delivered a presentation at IPMS-NCT Scalefest and Squadron's Eagle Quest in June. For anyone interested in using Photoshop, 3D and other digital tools to put your scale models in action, you can now see these presos on slideshare.net at the links below:
Modeling History with Photoshop
http://www.slideshare.net/konman/squadron-eaglequest-preso-by-konley-kelley-2337544
Modeling History in 3D
http://www.slideshare.net/konman/modeling-history-in-3d-squadron-2010-eagle-quest-presentation
*Note: Movies play poorly on slideshare so I cut them out.
