by David Seacy
1/400 FN Replenishment/Resupply (Heller)
This is my first ever diorama, first submission to Modelwarships.com, first attempt at water and first to submit this Heller TASK FORCE kit it maybe the last!
I just love the drama of this diorama. From the stand-back look at the vista of the three shipments performing a hazardous ballet on the high seas to the details and lines of the decks and fittings, this is a great subject and has inspired me to try some other ideas with less popular kits.
Diorama base: used wall filler premixed in a tube on a card board base sized to fit in my display cabinet. I cut out the holes for the hull so that each ship can be removed and displayed individually. I stuck gardening wire on the base to be a guide for the wake made by the ships. I coloured the waters to depict the South Seas of the Pacific with a mixture of blues and finished with a brush gloss coating. Not the best but if I can do it anyone can.
The 3 FN ships are all interesting in their own right. The carrier can be either the FN Clemenceau/Foch. The Replenishment ship is LaSeine or LaSaone. The destroyer escort is Kersaint or Dupetit-Thouars. All three ships were: detailed with GMM PE, real chain for the anchors, stretched sprue for aerials and fine-twine for rigging and life raft ties. And some kit bashing for other details. All ships received a Satin coat finish on completion to give them a more metallic look.
Clemenceau: Had to cut out several moulded recesses in the hull, bow and stern, to bring it to life. I replaced the air wing with a set from the Chinese Lee 1/400 USS Enterprise (another super cheap purchase/challenge). The aircraft are Corsair II’s and two sea kings, the Heller supplied were in the two hard basket. I used white glue on the canopies, I think this really added the ‘glass’ look so many small scale aircraft miss out on.
Kersaint: The destroyer escort has great lines, very French. Originally, I was going to hook it up for refuelling but simply did not have the diorama space to do it convincingly.
LaSeine: The replenishment ship is the heart of this diorama. It comes alive when PE details are added. The oil lines are made from wire and painted black. These would look a lot better if I glued them in place and put more effort into the cranes and rigging but they need to remain free to pull apart the diorama components.
Each ship has its interesting angles and details and of course definitely room for this modeller to make obvious additions (personnel and air wing) and improvements to the finish, I will eventually.
Hope this inspires you to have a go, do better and be more creative with your projects.
