Kriegsmarine Vorpostenboot Scratchbuild in 1/72 Scale Part IV

Ship models take a long time to complete, especially when working in larger scales. So many details! Running out of mojo is a real danger. I find it helpful to think of each component as a small model in itself, that gives me a series of minor “wins” as the project progresses. Here is a test fit to check that the smaller assemblies work and to help keep the vision of the completed project in mind, all good to maintain motivation!
After more priming with Mr. Surfacer 1000 here is another test fit to position some details. I have cast some resin lockers and located them under the weapons platforms and other places, ship’s companies tend to add additional storage when possible. The angled “boxes” are actually covers for inclined ladders which lead belowdecks, these are resin copies of the Special Navy KFK items.
The painting plan is to model a worn and weathered scheme which has been repainted. The earlier underlying scheme is seen here, with wooden decks and rubbing strakes showing through the black hull and light gray upper works. It is tempting to show the natural wood of the decks where appropriate, but wooden decks are very visible from the air and require a lot of maintenance. I feel it is likely that the vast majority of (if not all) Kriegsmarine Security Forces crews would have painted their decks at the earliest opportunity.
My Vorpostenboot will have been repainted an overall Dark Gray, with that scheme having worn down and chipped to reveal sections of the earlier scheme underneath. The paints used are shown, the first layer was painting the wooden areas with two tans, then sealing that with Future thinned 50/50 with Mr. Leveling Thinner. Micro Mask was stippled onto areas where I wanted chipping, then the Black and Light Gray areas were sprayed on. When that had dried I removed the paint over the chipped areas with masking tape and thinly sanded other areas. Then another coat of Future, Micro Mask, and applying the final Dark Gray before repeating the stripping with masking tape and more light sanding.
With all the paint layers down the model received yet another coat of Future before applying Tamiya Black Panel Line wash. This looks like a dog’s dinner and is a little intimidating, even if you have done it a few times. The excess is removed with standard paint thinner from the hardware store and Q-tips, the coat of Future will protect the underlying layers. The tip I will offer is to set aside all other bottles of thinners, glues, or other potions you may have scattered across your workbench before starting this process, if you grab your bottle of lacquer thinner or thin cement by mistake you will strip off everything down to the plastic. Ask me how I know!
The funnel in all its glory. The white bands need a little touch up. You can see some color modulation from applying the Dark Gray in thin layers here, I have also done this on the rest of the model to vary the finish. Solid colors are rarely solid in practice, you can usually see several tones.
A variety of fittings which will go into the pilothouse, cobbled together from Evergreen and bits from the spares box. The comfy chare is for the Captain, by tradition he is the only one permitted to use it. The rack for the various binders and publications was fun, “titles” are from aircraft stenciling decals. Radio faces are spare PE parts.
Here are the some of the parts mounted to the deck of the pilothouse. The dials are photos of the actual items they represent printed on photo paper and punched out. The ship’s wheel and deck grating are laser cut items from Vector Cut.
The pilothouse will not be glued into place until near the very end of construction to make it easier to slot in the bridge windows. This view shows many of the details in place.
A test fit with the overhead piece off. Some of this should be visible on the finished model if you look through the bridge windows with any luck. I may add a few more details to “busy up” the space a bit but the general intention is to give the viewer idea that there is something going on inside.

Part I here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2026/05/15/kriegsmarine-vorpostenboot-scratchbuild-in-1-72-scale-part-i/

Picture of the Week 126

An F-35B Lightning II from VMFA-242 makes a STOL take-off from USS America (LHA 6) cruising in the Philippine Sea on 01FEB25. The America is classified as an amphibious assault ship, but the design lacks the floodable well deck present in previous designs which would allow her to deploy amphibious landing craft. Instead, the ship is optimized for aviation operations and can carry a variety of USN and USMC helicopters and vertical take off types, including the AV-8B Harrier or the F-35B Lightning II.

Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu “Nick” Part I – Color Photographs

At the end of the Pacific War the vast majority of Japanese records were destroyed. Unit histories, blueprints, documents of all kinds are now lost forever. Original surviving wartime Japanese photographs are very rare compared to the archives of the other warring powers. Even more rare are original color photos of operational JAAF aircraft.
This is an excellent series of in-flight photos of the Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryū (屠龍, Dragonslayer) “White 65” of the 53 Sentai, 3rd Chutai. The Toryū was unique in that it was often seen in the distinctive “veined” scheme shown here. Prominent in this view are the white home defense bands around the Hinomaru and the yellow applied to the leading edges of the wings, a recognition marking intended to aid in identifying approaching aircraft as friendly.
A formation of 53rd Sentai Toryū. The 53rd Sentai operated out of Matsudo Airfield during 1945 and was primarily tasked with intercepting B-29 raids. This unit, along with the 244th Sentai, was often featured in the Japanese press which has resulted in several photographs surviving today.
One usually thinks of the Japanese Army Air Force as operating from primitive airfields hacked out of tropical jungles, but units operating from the Home Islands, particularly northern Japan, could also encounter snow. This aircraft was photographed at Matsudo in Chiba Prefecture in February 1945. This scene would make for an interesting variation for those who construct bases to display their models.
The same aircraft as shown in the previous photo, this angle give us a good look at the tail markings. The 53rd Sentai’s unit insignia was a highly-stylized combination of the numerals “5” and “3”. “White 93” wears the tail insignia in Blue, which indicates the headquarters flight. The 53rd followed the standard color assignments used in the JAAF for the unit insignia colors – the Headquarters flight was Blue, 1st Chutai White, 2nd Chutai Red, and 3rd Chutai Yellow.
Another snowy scene at Matsudo showing a Toryū with unique nose markings being serviced. The tail markings of this aircraft are often depicted in red in profile artwork, indicating the 2nd Chutai. The exposed nose armament is a 37mm Ho-203 cannon, the Ki-45 Kai Tei also carried a pair of 20 mm Ho-5 mounted at an angle to fire over the cockpit, similar to the German Schräge Musik installation used on many nightfighters. A third 20mm was mounted under the belly. An interesting feature of this photo is the color of the fuel drums, a detail which can prove difficult to pin down.
Often the only color photographs of Japanese aircraft are those taken of derelict examples by Allied personnel, either after capture in the Pacific or by occupation troops after the war. Despite the missing vertical stabilizer and fabric removed from the control surfaces, this example otherwise appears relatively intact. Late in the war Japanese aircraft manufacturers experienced paint shortages and the factories used what they could acquire locally. There were several variations of browns and olive drab finishes introduced, and these paints could be seen applied to the entire aircraft, even the undersides.
The National Air and Space Museum is home to the sole surviving Ki-45, the unrestored fuselage can be seen in the exhibit hall at Udvar-Hazy today. This is a photo of the cockpit of that aircraft, still in the original colors. (NASM)

Hobby Boss Ilyushin IL-2M3 Stormovic of the 335th ShAP in 1/72 Scale

This swept-wing “Arrow” operated over the Baltic region in the Fall of 1944.  The inscription tentatively translates as, “For Znic Tuschlobov”, although Google Translate seems a little unsure of that one.  If the modeler is willing to correct issues with the fixed guns in the wings, add some detail to the cockpit, and replace the flexible defensive gun, the Hobby Boss kit can be built up into an attractive model. This turned out to be a fun build, I liked this kit more than I thought I would.

Construction here:  https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2026/02/20/ilyushin-il-2-stormovic-comparison-build-in-1-72-scale-part-i/

Women Warriors 372

IDF
France
USAF Captain “Rebel” Fiedler and Major “Beo” Wolfe with F-35
New Zealand
Finland
Ukraine
Lance Cpl. Abigail Rodriguezpabon USMC received NAM for rendering first aid after a vehicle accident
New Zealand WAAF
Brazil
New Zealand
USN F/A-18
Germany
IDF
USN Petty Officer 2nd Class Amy Etie uses an alidade aboard USS New York (LPD 21)
Ukraine
Auxiliary Territorial Service plotters at work at 428 Battery, Coastal Defense Artillery Headquarters, Dover, December 1942
IDF
Finland
Czechia
Major Tammy Barlette with Reaper RPV
IDF
US Army
2nd Lt. Valdeta Mehanja, a pilot with the 1-131st Aviation Regiment
WAAAF Whiraway
IDF
Czechoslovakia
Croatia
Austria
Christy Wise USAF C-130 pilot
USAF
Norway
USAF
WASP with P-39
WRENs loading radio aboard Lysander
IDF
Kurdish YPJ
Finland
IDF
USMC Sgt. Kirstie Ennis aboard CH-53 helicopter
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Kelsey Casey stands in front of an AV-8B Harrier at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, March 27, 2019.
USN WAVES with Devastator
AT AN ATS MOTOR TRANSPORT COMPANY TRAINING CENTRE, CAMBERLEY, SURREY, 1941 (IWM)
WAVES with PBMs
ww485_IDF
IDF
ww485b_Norway
Norway
ww485d_Belgium
Belgium
ww485e_Norway
Norway
ww485g_Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School
Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, Russia
ww485KurdishYPG
Kurdish YPJ
ww486_Norway
Norway
ww487_IDF
IDF
ww488_Soviet pilot Mariya Dolina_HSU_72missions_PetlyakovPe2
Soviet pilot Mariya Dolina HSU with Petlyakov Pe-2
ww488Poster
ww285
US Air Force
ww286
US Army
ww287
USMC Sea Cobra pilot
ww288
WAC officers rescued after their ship was torpedoed off North Africa
Poster072
Ukrainian sniper Olena Bilozerska
ww086
IDF
ww087
Vietnam
ww088MaureenDunlop
ATA pilot Maureen Dunlop
Poster022

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Kriegsmarine Vorpostenboot Scratchbuild in 1/72 Scale Part III

A very common feature seen on most Vorpostenboot are cowl vents which were used to provide ventilation to engine rooms and other spaces belowdecks. Micro Master from New Zealand produces this 3-D printed set intended for Flower-class corvettes in 1/72 scale. These are beautifully rendered and will be just the thing for this project!
Another Micro Master product are these small boats, again intended for Flower-class corvettes. They come with nicely-detailed stands. Boats and weapons are the most time consuming details to build up from scratch and having ready-made high-quality parts like these can save weeks of build time and add a lot to the finished model. I was a little leery to have such delicate parts shipped from NZ to the US but they were packed very well, the bases were glued to the inside of the box and bedded down with cotton.
I constructed many of the smaller parts while I was building my Special Navy Kriegsfischkutter. On the left is a paravane float for the VP made from an aircraft drop tank and on the right is the Special Navy KFK part. Another option would be to buy an extra KFK kit as a parts doner for the needed details.
Besides the modified hull parts there were very few usable items in the Lindberg trawler kit. I was able to clean up the Lindberg windlass and use it as the basis for the cable windlass for the minesweeping gear located on the fantail. With some scratchbuilding it can be made into a big brother for the KFK windlass on the left.
This is a simple deckhouse made from Evergreen and cast resin copies of door details from the KFK kit.
The pilothouse was constructed from Evergreen. The roof can be pressed into place. I have planned the window pattern so that hopefully I can simply slot in some flat clear panels at the end of the build and save myself the need for masking.
Test fitting of the fantail details. There are three roll-off racks for depth charges, the round objects are bases for the J-bar davits which were used to handle the paravanes.
The anchor windlass was made from various bits from the spares box.
Scale Warship offers a large PE fret containing various vertical and inclined ladders for 1/72 scale ships. They also offer another sheet of cable reels in several sizes. Both are very useful and can save a lot of time.
PVC pipe can come in handy, this is a section of ¾ inch (ID) cut to represent the smokestack. The inner wall has been thinned at the top, just visible inside is a ladder which was used to service the interior of the stack in port when the boilers were off. The tube at the back is the vent tube for the boiler safety valves. The MEK I use in place of thin cement also works on the PVC used in plumbing pipe.

Part IV here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2026/06/05/kriegsmarine-vorpostenboot-scratchbuild-in-1-72-scale-part-iv/

USS Ranger’s Last Strike – Operation Leader

USS Ranger (CV-4) was the smallest of the fleet carriers constructed for the U.S. Navy prior to the Second World War, and was unique in that she did not see combat against the Japanese. After playing a major part in the Torch landings in North Africa and several successful runs ferrying USAAF aircraft she was assigned to support the Royal Navy’s Home Fleet. Here she is seen exercising with the Home Fleet in September 1943. (IWM)
The Home Fleet organized a strike group to counter any German attempt to sortie the Tirpitz or Scharnhorst from Norwegian waters. The British contributed the battleships Anson and Duke of York, the Americans contributed Ranger. After the Tirpitz was damaged by midget submarines on 22SEP43 the Admiralty decided to use the Ranger offensively to strike German shipping in Norwegian waters. Here Ranger is pictured with a British battleship astern and an Avenger overhead in September 1943. (IWM)
Operation Leader was a plan to strike German shipping in the area of Bodø, Norway in early October 1943. The task force consisted of the battleships Anson and Duke of York, light cruiser Belfast, and seven destroyers from the Royal Navy. The Americans provided Ranger, the heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa, and four destroyers. Here Anson is seen in the foreground with Belfast behind during Operation Leader. (IWM)
The Ranger launched two strikes on the morning of 04OCT43. The first group consisted of twenty SBD Dauntless dive bombers escorted by eight F4F-4 Wildcats, followed by a second group consisting of ten TBM Avenger torpedo bombers escorted by six Wildcats. Here Ranger is seen with an empty flight deck and aircraft overhead with the heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa (CA 37) in the background during Leader.
Each of the strike groups carried a Norwegian aviator who was familiar with the local geography to assist with navigation. A number of combat photographs were taken to help evaluate the effectiveness of the strikes. Here are a pair of Ranger Dauntlesses with empty bomb racks on the return leg. Note the graded camouflage scheme and the national insignia with the red border.
A Dauntless over Bodø still carrying its bombload. In the background a merchant ship can be seen underway bracketed by explosions.
Bodø at the height of the attack. Note the flak bursts in the upper left of the photo. The Luftwaffe did not oppose the raid, all of the American combat losses – an Avenger and two Dauntlesses – were to flak.
Three ships being dive-bombed. They are identified as the freighter Kerkplein, the tanker Schleswig, and minesweeper M 365 providing escort. Schleswig was damaged and beached to avoid sinking.
The tanker Schleswig suffers a near miss.
The freighter Malaga under attack.
Malaga again. Her damage proved to be minor and she survived the attack.
The large freighter La Plata was attacked and damaged by a pair of Dauntlesses. With no aerial opposition the escorting Wildcats dropped down to strafe the freighter. This is gun camera footage with a Wildcat visible in the upper left of the photo.
As the strike group retired the Luftwaffe dispatched several reconnaissance aircraft to locate the fleet. These aircraft were detected on radar and Ranger vectored her Combat Air Patrol to intercept. Here a Junkers Ju 88 is dispatched, a second Junkers was driven away.
Maritime reconnaissance is a high-risk mission, here a Heinkel He 115 meets a similar fate at the hands of Ranger’s Wildcats. The task force was able to retire without German attack. Operation Leader was to be the Ranger’s last combat, she was subsequently re-assigned to the Pacific where she served as a training carrier.