CHROME KNIGHT (Amai)

This is the knight known as Sir Corey Van Zandt, the Chrome Knight of Texas. The original kit is the Amai Armoured Knight series 1:12 scale model of Kaiser Maximilian II (B-1395).

In the mid-1980s a young chap named Corey Van Zandt was taught by his art-teacher mother how to polish metal to a mirror-like finish. He used this skill on a suit of armour he bought and custom built for the local Texas Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), where he took part in mock battles of knights with swords. His highly-polished armour reflected the sun from all angles, and usually resulted in his opponent being blinded just enough to allow Corey to win many battles. Corey was a friend of my wife, who passed along this story.

Paint is mostly Rustoleum "chrome" spray can, with pin wash of Vallejo steel.

UPDATE: This model placed first in the giant CAPCON biennial model contest on 28 September 2019 at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. (Collections - Theme (groups of 5 knights in armour))

Sir Corey Van Zandt, the Chrome Knight of Texas

Sir Corey Van Zandt, the Chrome Knight of Texas

Sir Corey Van Zandt, the Chrome Knight of Texas

This model placed first in the giant CAPCON biennial model contest on 28 September 2019 at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. (Collections - Theme (groups of 5 knights in armour))

LIBERTY SHIP K66 (Skywave)

This is a 1:700 scale model from Skywave of a U.S. Navy "Liberty Ship" numbered K66.

USA shipyards built over 2700 of these freighters for use in WWII. So many survived the war (2400) that they immediately went on surplus sale and became a key component of the worldwide post-war shipping trade. It is the largest number of ships ever built to a single design.

I built the model in one day, then painted it the next day. Paints are Vallejo acrylics. The kit was from the Bill Wilson collection. Thank you Bill.

Liberty cargo ship

Liberty cargo ship

A real one...

Liberty cargo ship

Liberty cargo ship

Liberty cargo ship

Liberty cargo ship

Liberty cargo ship

Liberty cargo ship

Liberty cargo ship

I.N.S. SINDURAKSHAK (Bronco)

This is the 1:200 scale model (BB2005 of 2010) from Bronco of the modified Type 636 attack submarine shown in Indian Navy markings. It is an out-of-box build. Paints are Vallejo acrylics, washes and powders.

Sindhughosh-class submarines are Project 877 Platus (Halibut) hunter-killer diesel-electric submarines in active service with the Indian Navy. The Sindhughosh submarines, designated 877EKM, were designed and built under a contract between Rosvooruzhenie and the Ministry of Defence (India). It cost Indian taxpayers $113 000 000.

The submarines have a displacement of 3000 tonnes, a maximum diving depth of 300 meters, top speed of 18 knots, and are able to operate solo for 45 days with a crew of 53. The last sub was the first to be equipped with the 3M-54 Klub antiship cruise missiles with a range of 220 km.

INS Sindhurakshak (Sanskrit for "Protector of the Seas"), pennant S63, was constructed at the Admiralty Shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Construction began in 1995. It was launched in June 1997 and delivered to India in December 1997. It was commissioned on 24 December 1997, and was the ninth of the ten Sindhughosh-class submarines in the Indian Navy. It took part in the Kargil war with Pakistan in 1999. The submarine suffered a major fire and three munitions explosions on 14 August 2013 and sank at Mumbai's naval dockyard with the death of 18 crew members. After being used for commando training, the wreck was sunk in the Arabian Sea in mid-2017.

Length:72.6 m     Beam: 9.9 m     Draught: 6.6 m
Propulsion: 2 × diesel-electric motors, 2,722 kW each
Speed: 19 km/h surfaced;   31 km/h submerged
Range: 9700 km at 13 km/h snorkeling;   640 km at 5.6 km/h submerged
Test depth: 300 m
Complement: 53
Armament:
Club-S missile
Type 53-65 torpedo
TEST 71/76 anti-submarine, active-passive homing torpedo
24 × DM-1 mines in lieu of torpedoes

(data courtesy of Wikipedia)

O.O.B.

INS Sindhurakshak, 877EKM #S63

INS Sindhurakshak, 877EKM #S63

INS Sindhurakshak, 877EKM #S63

INS Sindhurakshak, 877EKM #S63

Salvage operation of remains of Sindhurakshak

Crest of the INS Sindhurakshak S63