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Old 01-24-2020, 05:00 AM
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dhanners dhanners is offline
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Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....

Between a couple of international moves and other stuff, I haven't built a model in months and it shows. But I decided to tackle the MCRN Scipio Africanus, Cheesy Wotsit's Morrigan-class ship from The Expanse. (Scipio Africanus was the Roman general who commanded the invasion of Carthage in the second Punic War.)

Wiwo has already done a build thread of the model, and I don't have a lot to add. The model presents some challenges -- even more so if you shrink it from 1/100th to 1/144th scale, as I did. The design of some parts didn't make sense to me, and I abandoned the instructions about two steps into the build.

We haven't bought a printer yet in Cyprus, so I have to take the model on a thumb drive down to my local print shop. My Greek isn't that good, and I feel fortunate to get the model printed out at 69%, let alone get the tone lightened up a bit. As such, the model is kind of dark.

A couple of notes re: accuracy. There are some artists' renderings online of the Morrigan class, and they all show it with an MCRN marking, which the model lacks. I suppose different ships have different paint schemes, but most of the artwork I found online differed a bit from the model. I have neither the software or knowledge to do a repaint.

Wiwo noted the issue with the forward torpedo tubes in the recess on the ship's bow. The model offers a \_/-shaped piece that is vaguely like what is seen in the one screen cap of the Scipio Africanus that is online. The screencap shows the port torpedo tube doors open (the top door swings upward, while the bottom swings down) and there's a starboard set of tubes, too. So I ditched the kit parts and used gray cardstock to replicate the closed doors. I also added some other bits and pieces to the recess to "busy" it up a bit.

Wiwo also noted that there are only supposed to be six of the flaps or vanes that surround the bottom of the bell of the Epstein Drive. But here's another issue: the model has eight "bell stays" -- those things with the trusswork arms surrounding the bell -- and I can't find any screen caps or canon drawings showing eight. They all have six, and they line up with the vanes on the bottom.

The model's bell has 32 longitudinal lines on it, so the six stays and vanes can be placed every 5.3 lines. I scratchbuilt the vanes. The bell stays are killers in 1/144th scale, and I somehow managed to put them on the wrong way, but I'm not sure it shows on the finished model.

I found the model's Point Defense Cannons (PDCs) unconvincing, so I decided to scratchbuild the barrel parts using thin strips of a dark metallic gray paper. In 1/144th scale, you don't really notice that they are strips, but you can see daylight through the barrel assembly, which is what I was after.

I also added handrails out of laser-cut card from Avantcard (which is unfortunately out of business) and paneling throughout, using pictures I found online as a reference.

There is still a little bit of touch-up to do, and I need to cook up some sort of stand and take some better photos. But I thought I'd post some quickie shots.

All in all, even with the challenges, it captures the unusual and unique shape of the model, so it is nice to add it to the collection. Much thanks to Cheesy Wotsit for offering it, and to Wiwo for a nice build thread that helped guide the way.
Attached Thumbnails
Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8959.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8963.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8962.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8966.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8957.jpg  


Last edited by dhanners; 01-24-2020 at 05:16 AM.
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  #2  
Old 01-24-2020, 10:28 AM
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wiwo1961 wiwo1961 is offline
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Hello dhanners.

Congratulations!
You made a very good looking model of the Scipio Africanus in this scale!
I like your enhancements.
The PDC's look very good!

Thank you for your friendly words about my buildreport.

Cheers,

Wiwo
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Old 01-26-2020, 01:36 AM
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dhanners dhanners is offline
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As promised, here are some better photos, relatively speaking. Made a simple stand out of a small-diameter wood dowel and a wood base from an art-supply store.

In 1/144th scale, the finished model is 24.5cm long from the tip of the forward antenna to the rear of the engine bell.

I may re-do the handrails, or at least paint them a bit darker color. And if I can finally get a warm, dry day here in Nicosia (it is the rainy season...) I may spray another coat of matte finish on it.
Attached Thumbnails
Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8973.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8975.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8978.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8979.jpg   Another MCRN Scipio Africanus....-img_8976.jpg  

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Old 01-26-2020, 11:06 AM
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wiwo1961 wiwo1961 is offline
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Hello dhanners

good pictures of your destroyer!
The wooden stand is proper for your model.
Thanks for showing theese pics.

Regards

Wiwo
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