Earlier I made three 20mm AAVP-7A1 for the JGSDF. These were the fully tracked versions for the land battle. However the assault will be from the sea in the for of an amphibious landing, so I needed three in water version of the amphibious vehicles for Historicon.
Modeling the vehicles
The first step was to buy three additional kits and cut them down to the in water height. This process was much easier than I expected. I firstly went on the internet and found some pictures of the AAVP-7A1 in water, and then I used a razor saw to cut down parts. Only eight parts in each kit needed cutting and the entire process only took just over an hour for the three vehicles.
I was thinking about using the models in this state, but with the bottom missing I was worried about how much handling they would be able to withstand. I eventually decide to base the models on some ABS plastic sheet. The first step was to cut the ABS leaving enough room for some water effects. Again I used a real life photo to decide where to place the model on the base.
Putting on the water gel effects
I then matched the paint color of the base with the color of the water on my terrain mat, this meant combining dark blue, green and grey. Once matched I painted the base and then glued the vehicles onto it.
The next stage was to model the waves and splash using the photos as a reference. I used some really neat products produced by AK Interactive, their “water gel effects” and their “water foam”. Here is a link to their products page.
Firstly I applied the water gel effects using a brush. This product goes on white but dries clear. It is used to provide the surface texture of the water and can be used to simulate waves. For the higher wave peaks I put on two layers and allowed it to dry in between. Putting it on too thick in one go may prevent adequate drying. In the following photo you can see the drying in progress. The top vehicle had the gel effects applied first and the bottom one last. The phot allows you to see how I applied it and what it looks like when it starts to dry.
Adding the foam
Once the product was completely dry and clear, I then wanted to add the foam. Again I used reference photos. The shape of the foam at the front and rear is exactly how foam forms in real life. On the sides, I initially modeled reality, but when it was complete it looked too much. So I decided to back off the foam on the sides, particularly on the diagonal waves. In the end it looked much better. This case is one of those times where modeling accurately just does not look right and I had to achieve a balance that I was happy with.
The application was again done using an old small painting brush and dabbing the product on. The process only took about five to ten minutes per model.
Amphibious vehicles for Historicon
This was the first time that I had used these products and I was very happy with the results. I now have my amphibious vehicles for Historicon.
If you like this post and want to receive notification about future posts, please subscribe below.