Wonderful New Fish Kit by Michael Fichtenmayer

[FichtenFoo]

Oh! I didn't know Alclad had a Brass now. Uh-oh... might have to get that... or just use my Mr. Color brass paint and save a few $$.

As for painting it like the Dampfrich... Yes! And no... I mean, yes, same general copper/brass scheme, but because the environment is different the weathering and such will need to be as well to reflect that. I actually need to post some swatches I did testing various copper paints and finishes. I have a LOT of copper paints, foils, pigments, and buff-ons...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4798768&l=54fbde093c&id=734469395

[RoughboyModelworks]

Was struck with a moment of inspiration this evening on what to do with the Fish Submarine. It occurred to me it could be converted into a steam punk Munchausen/Melies hot air balloon... a Munchausen revisited, Around the World in 80 Days flying machine... eccentric 19th century inventor takes one fantastical travelling machine and converts it into a machine capable of travelling through the skies or the oceans... hmmm

Paul

[finescalerr]

This entire thread is totally insane. I love it. None of it makes any sense but everything looks great. I need more of my medication. 'Bye now. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

So I finally have an idea for if/when I do the sub into a dio...maybe a bit cliche...butI am thinking of doing it more like a giant squid hiding an undersea cave witha few tentacles coming out and feeling around, with one of them firmly grabbing the sub.  then litter the ground around the cave with fish and shark skeletons.





This though still doesn't solve the color quandry.
Marc

[RoughboyModelworks]

Woohoo... my Fantastical Fish arrived today... a touch damp from the mailman's bathtub but otherwise in great nick. Wonderful kit Michael... the resin parts and photo etchings are superb, excellent job. I also like the little steam punk touches like the wax seal on the plans... inspired.

I'm committing to the hot air balloon/gyro/submarine combination - a steam punk Around the World in 80 Days fantastical machine. I'm tending toward the copper finish for the sub (mostly because I love the look of copper)...

Should make for a pleasant diversion...

Paul

[MinerFortyNiner]

Marc, very creative.  The cave would add a nice, sinister effect.

I visualized the pfish broaching the surface (supported by a stream of water) with the toothy jaws of some subterranean beast emerging from the water encircling the sub.  Title, 'In the Nick of Time'...

Paul, copper would be a great choice...but like copper sheathing on sailing ships, it would corrode rather quickly in salt water, no?  So would it be the green patina or new copper finish?  Tough choice.  Using a different metal finish on the propeller, drive mechanism, etc. would provide great contrast.  It would certainly be a kick to prove that pfish can phfly.

I am wondering how this contraption could be shoehorned into an appearance on my layout (an On30 copper mining railroad in the Sonora Desert, 180 miles north of the Sea of Cortez)...that's a tough story to weave.  A model like this could inspire its own mini layout, with a secret sub base on a demented scientist's island.  Sounds like 20K Leagues Under The Sea, but then Verne is my first name...

[Ray Dunakin]

I am wondering how this contraption could be shoehorned into an appearance on my layout (an On30 copper mining railroad in the Sonora Desert, 180 miles north of the Sea of Cortez)...that's a tough story to weave.

You could have some miners discovering it embedded in rock like a fossil, its origins a mystery to all.

[marc_reusser]

Verne,

All you hace to do is think like the "Wild Wild West" series (the original series...not that absolutely putid pile of steaming crap movie with Will Smith & Kevin Klein.).

In the original series, some nefarious villain like Dr. Lovlace would be building this in the cellar of a building a barn, or the chinese laundry, then have it transported by giant wagon (or balloon) to the ocean.....or maybe even better yet, in an abandoned mine shaft (or mining camp near the shaft) that has an underground river, that connects to the sea.

Your idea and reasoning can be as wierd and wonderful as the fish sub itself.


Marc

[MinerFortyNiner]

Splendid...mysterious goings on at a worthless abandoned claim purchased by a mad scientist...and the machinery going in has nothing to do with mining for ore...a hidden grotto with secret sub base connected to a subterranean sea!  This could be a mini-layout connected only with my present layout by concept, and give me a chance to model in a larger scale.

Ray, your fossil idea is very creative, it would be fun to make fossilized aliens from an adventure gone awry in eons before.  Bummer is, I would have to bury part of the model!

[RoughboyModelworks]

Verne:

Actually copper is the ideal material for sheathing on a late 19th century vessel. The Royal Navy first began experimenting with copper sheathing on its war ships in the 18th century and after several years of experiments finally found a copper alloy and bolt system that worked.  Copper has the advantage of producing a poisonous film on the surface which repels sea life from clinging to the surface while at the same time improving the speed of the vessel. Earlier experiments failed because of the electrolytic reaction between the copper bolts used to hold on the copper sheathing and the iron bolts used in the ship construction. After several failed experiments the Navy was able to come up with an alloy that retained the anti-fouling properties of copper and reduced corrosion. They also came up with a copper/zinc alloy for the bolts which helped prevent the plates from falling off and the ship from falling apart, something that would bring consternation to the sailors I should think. A useful sort of chap by the name of Sir Humphrey Davy conducted the scientific experiments for which he was justly honoured. The Cutty Sark, built in 1869 was sheathed in copper throughout her seafaring life and the sheathing is still in place, though perhaps restored. The use of copper sheathing continued until the advent of more modern and less expensive anti-fouling paint, of which copper is a key component.

Given my love of copper and that my vessel is pure fantasy, I'm thinking a lightly oxidized lower surface (tending to dark reddish brown) will be appropriate, the impression being that the sub actually spends more time floating in the air than in the water...

Paul

[MinerFortyNiner]

Paul, my interest in nautical history far extends my meager knowledge, thank you for the brief expository!

I have also always liked copper...it's at the center of my current model railroad, and having lived in the 'Copper State' (Arizona) most of my life, have been exposed to its production as long as I can remember.  It will logically be the metal of choice for my deranged inventor's secret mechanical fish.

Your colors would make for an interesting model, and you have the opportunity to build an envelope device (balloon or blimp?) that could introduce complementary colors, including flags and bunting.

Question for those who Have The Fish: would 40mm gaming figures work alongside it, or would they be undersize?

[marc_reusser]

Verne,

Not sure about the figure comparison (have no idea how those compare to 1/35)...but it shouldn't be a real issue if they are slightly smaller, and at best would require minor modification to the seat inside. FWIW I think you could probably treat the sub pretty much as scale-less to some degree, and with some compromises, range from 1/35 to down to 1/48....the only real give aways are the seat inside, maybe the hatch size, the thickness of the steel plates and the rivets....with the addition of and/or change of some minor details to represent/suggest the the "new" scale you are representing....rivets could be left or redone for your new scale, and the issue of plate thickness would just need to be overlooked.

When I have a moment, I will try to set up some shots with parts of the sub, and a 1/48 and a 1/35 figure so you can see.


Marc

[MinerFortyNiner]

Thanks, Marc!

[shropshire lad]

I am wondering how this contraption could be shoehorned into an appearance on my layout (an On30 copper mining railroad in the Sonora Desert, 180 miles north of the Sea of Cortez)...that's a tough story to weave.

You could have some miners discovering it embedded in rock like a fossil, its origins a mystery to all.

  Just read any Clive Cussler book , he usually manages to make you suspend belief and has all sorts of old machinery buried in highly improbable locations .

  A funny looking old submarine buried in a copper mine in the desert ? No problem . Just do it . It is not as if you have to justify what you do to anyone .

   Nick

[Malachi Constant]

Suspend the fish in one of the arches ...