Step 4: Painting & Marking

The boat was airbrushed overall using Model Master Marine Corps Green acrylic paint (Acryl 4724), with is a good match to the original color used on the Vietnam River Assault craft. Don't be fooled by some reference books that claim riverine craft were painted Olive Drab!

Bow shot of the freshly painted A-111-7. The next painting step is to give the boat a wash of black oil paint diluted with thinner. Applying a black wash will accent the shadows and make the raised parts stand out. Before applying a wash you must allow a minimum of 24 hours for the base coat to dry or you will ruin the paint.

Another shot of the bow. Notice how the running lights really stand out in this photograph, with only just the base coat applied. They will stand out even more after the wash and a dry brushing of the base coat and flat white paint is applied.

The canopies were given a base coat of Model Master Olive Drab enamel paint (FS340987). For complete details of how the boats were painted and the exact Federal Standard colors to use, see page 24 of my book "Vietnam Ironclads". Also notice in this photograph that the antennas have been shortened and the rope tie-downs redirected into the coxswain station.

Stern view of A-111-7. Notice the drag-chain and navy 20mm ammo cans have been given a base coat of Model Master Flat Gull Gray acrylic paint (FS36440).

A wartime shot of A111-7 in Vietnam. Notice the makeshift RPG screen surrounding the forward Mk 48 turret.This was a simple field modification made using a steel frame and chain link fence The RPG screen was used to prematurely detonate enemy rockets before they could reach the turret. Photo courtesy of Gary Grahn.

The RPG screen support frame was made using styrene strips, cut and glued onto the the completely painted forward Mk 48 turret.

Next I painted the support frame the same color as the boat because I knew when I placed on the screen it would be difficult to reach the interior.

I then added Verlinden Productions Mesh screen to the support frame and trimmed excess screen when the glue completely dried. I then painted the screen Marine Corps Green.

A111-7 completely painted and detailed. Notice the heavy weathering on the hull, which was accomplished using watercolors.

A close-up of the forward Mk 48 gun turret and the RPG screen. Notice the AM/FM radio on the deckhouse near the air-horn.

Top view of A111-7. Notice the hull numbers and star applied to the engine cover awning. The flag is a decorative toothpick that was sandwiched between a piece of aluminum foil to make the flag "wave" in the wind.

Close-up of the amidships Mk 48 turret. Notice the tip of the 20mm cannon was painted white, just as on the original boat. The case of C-Rations I made on my computer from an original case that I photographed and sized it down to 1/35th scale.

A neat little trick to make expended shell casings is to paint a piece of styrene rod brass color and cut it into tiny pieces then glue them all over the deck. Notice the open .50 cal ammo can resting on the split-hatch. Also you can see an M-79 grenade Launcher resting on the forward Mk 48 turret near the hatch.

The white hull numbers are 36 point dry transfer letters and numbers.

Notice the correct positioning of the antenna pull-down ropes. They were connected to a small pulley on the deckhouse near the hand rail and the rope was routed into the coxswain flat through the armor-plated windows.

Notice the larger expended 20mm shell casings resting on the top of the deckhouse.

Visible near the fuel can on the stern is a Remington 870 shotgun resting against the deckhouse. You can barely see the boat registration number "50AB67" etched into the stern. ASPB registration numbers began with "50" which was the boat lengtht; then "AB" for Assault Boat; then the year it was made "67" and a manufacturing sequence number made up the last digits.

The weathered deck and rain streaks were accomplished using watercolors. I love weathering with watercolors because if you make a mistake you can simply wipe it away. Next we will mount the boat in an exciting brown water scene!