British LCM 3 Landing Craft Mechanised - building and painting (Trumpeter 1/35 scale model)

Building, painting, and weathering the WW2 British Landing Craft Mechanised 3 (LCM 3). This huge model Trumpeter features parts for both a US Navy and Royal Navy version. LCMs were used extensively by the Allies during World War 2, including in Normandy and for the final push across the Rhine.
This video is part 1 - in part 2 the LCM will be included in a diorama. Stay tuned for that second part!
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[@JuergenGDB]

Hello Model Nerd, great kit, stunning detail as usual. I think you should add to this with a 22nd Armoured Brigade Cromwell tank that would be epic as they landed on GOLD Beach before the rest of the 7th Armored arrived. Later they drove on towards Villers Bocage on the 10th where they had an interesting day on the 13th of June with the likes of Michael Wittman.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks - it's a good suggestion. Unfortunately I've almost finished the diorama already :)

[@JuergenGDB]

@@ModelNerd Ah that is outstanding, can't wait for the reveal video. Cheers!

[@garrburton3375]

Nice kit and build.
Re the ‘fluffy’ rope / string. If you are able get your hands on a small block of bees wax, pull the string through it a couple of times and it will coat and subsequently flatten down / remove the fluffy effect leaving a more realistic looking cable or rope.
I’ve used this method a couple of times and it works really well.
Keep up the good work.

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you - that's a great tip

[@Nick-senese1977]

Fantastic stuff and informative. I was after some tutilage and tips for my landing craft and you have delivered, thank you kindly

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you - I'm glad it was helpful

[@robbo1068]

Great job, MN....the disruptive camo scheme looks terrific. I think whoever developed the instruction booklet really wanted the modeller to either be totally confused or making sure that they read the steps over and over first before committing to a scheme. Anyway, you've done well in deciphering these.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks. Yes, definitely a case of "well my instructions made sense to me" :)

[@RomaniaStrong]

Using VMS paper shaper or ballast freeze makes painting rope much easier

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks - good tip

[@christianrudolph1138]

Good Day Modelcomrade.
Nice Model.
I hope to see soon the Diorama.. 😊The english Version is a creative idea⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you very much!

[@ljscalemodels526]

Hey Stu great subject matter turned out fantastic, cheers luam

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you Liam mate

[@CAPNMAC82]

The circular plates in the well deck are gotten into before and after Landing Operations--so the bolts ought to be a bit shiny from having been wrenched upon. Some chipping around the edges is not amiss.
The propellers were (in USN service at least) Monel metal, which is a silvery-blue grey with hints of green sort of color. Some Mike boat props were just painted metal to match the underside paint.
Now, there is a slight detail in that these boats spent considerable time in davits on their mother ships, so the outsides were often very ship-shape and touched up by the boat crews while underway. (The insides less so or having other landing craft nested withing them, or pre-staged cargo.)
There are some quite good videos on operation of LCM-3 on YT, which are full of details.
Like the cox'n pedestal dials are basically black with white markings.
From memory, Trumpy has forgotten to include the magnetic compass set near the roof of the wheelhouse which is used as a backup to the main compass.
USN Fire extinguishers in WWII are red _only_ if they are CO2; all others are bronze or brass colored.
The ramp cables were 17 or 19 strand wire rope over a natural fibre core--they should be well oiled and rust free--twisted picture-hanging wire can sometimes be used to model this.
The word you were looking or or the rope bumpers is "fender" (there are some vendors o AM model parts who render these in very fine fly-tying thread that is spot on or woven natural fibre to scale with no fuzz.
There is a lot o "clutter" that ought be in a working LCM that Trumpy have let clean out of their kit. Like, there ought be a tow rope draped along the length of the well deck, At 1/35 it should be near 3mm diameter and at least six kit-lengths long (no real need to model the not quite 200m [100 fathom] full length). There ought be kapok life jackets in every nook and cranny; and there ought to be at least two 3m boat hooks lurking around. Various lashings and cargo nets ought be in the well deck, too.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks for the information - it's really helpful. I completely agree about the "clutter" - it really makes a model look more "lived in" and I'll definitely be using some of your ideas for the final diorama. Thank you!

[@lappin6482]

awesome, can't wait to see the diorama 🙌😍

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks

[@jamescharlton924]

Have this on my list

[@ModelNerd]

It's a surprisingly quick build, with lots of potential

[@marcfaulk]

Re: the string:
You can try minimising the fluff by brushing on glue
Re: the serial:
Hannants / Xtradecal do decal sheets of RAF / RN characters for this exact occasion

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks, that's a good tip. Ah, I forgot to check Hannants - they have such a wide range I should have guessed they'd have something!

[@CrusaderAirsoft]

Something I’ve found to make painting control panels easier is using panel liners to fill in the dials and then just doing a quick touch up around

[@ModelNerd]

That's a great tip, thank you

[@RollingThunderModels]

During my vacation in Normany there was still one of these on display, pretty cool. Supber model! The camo came out amazing!

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you! Yes, I was really happy with the camo.

[@ninus17]

Going to Normandy this summer. Any must see places?

[@RollingThunderModels]

@@ninus17 Yeah sure! Pointe du hoc, sante mare eglise, merville battery, aroumanches are a few placed i remember from the top of my head. There is a Tiger tank at vimoutiers if you're interested and the Omaha beach and la Cambe cementaries were impressive also.

[@ninus17]

@@RollingThunderModels awesome thanks

[@calumclark1719]

Looks cool, one idea if you do another would be to add exposed bare metal on the rub points where the fenders would be when she is alongside the pier or loading from the troop ships, even denting or warping the plastic to mimic the inpact on the metal work. Am saying this as someone who tried and fails to do this on my own naval models 😂 but you actually have the skill to do it.
Brillant build again look forwards to the diorama

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks, that's a great suggestion. There's definitely time to add that before the diorama is finished :)

[@Toni_G_Castroviejo]

NIce work, mate!! :)

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you Toni

[@foreverplastickits138]

*A huge kit with this LCM, beautiful paint, what kind of vehicle will you put in it?*

[@ModelNerd]

I'm going to go for cargo rather than a vehicle. Mainly because I have nothing suitable to go in it and I don't want to buy a new kit :)

[@BrushQuill]

Came out looking great bud, though those instructions do look rather contrary

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks! I don't think they could have been more confused if the pages were all separate and un-numbered! :)

[@the-creech4790]

👍👍👍

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks

[@darkwood777]

I have two of these. They both came with 5 figures. One driver with helmet, two gunners with helmets, and 2 sailor/tenders with soft caps. The driver has no life vest, but the other four do, Not sure if Trumpeter issued different versions or if they split the figures off into a separately issued kit.

[@ModelNerd]

That's interesting. I do have the separate Trumpeter crew figures which are as you describe, but it was definitely a separate purchase (and now I don't need as they're USN and I've done RN)

[@russellletch7435]

You could make into R/C should you want 👍

[@ModelNerd]

That's an interesting idea, thanks

[@nattyyoutube9621]

I like the new profile picture 👍

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks! I thought it better reflected my content, since I don't do F1 cars very often (though I have two coming up!)

[@markfergerson2145]

That looked like a fun build. Doing the darker disruptive hull color in vertical streaks really enhanced the weathering.
That string might be intended to represent wire rope especially if it has something to do with remotely releasing the ramp latches.
The box cover art seems to show the two people to the left standing on the water rather than in it. Very strange.
Like the other commenters I can hardly wait for the full diorama.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks. Yes, I'm definitely going to get ride of that string. Even if inaccurate, wire (vs chains) will look better than fluffy string

[@DanDiednot]

Only front and back are metal, sid s are wooden bar fixtures;)

[@ModelNerd]

Do you have a source? My understanding is the LCVPs and LCAs were wood but the larger LCMs were metal. There's not a huge amount of information out their unfortunately but the details (weld seams, texture) would suggest it is metal. It wouldn't be the first time Trumpeter have been wrong, of course.

[@DanDiednot]

@@ModelNerd watched a documentary on one getting done up , which one though, not sure

[@user-zw7gp8xb8f]

🤝👍

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks

[@lancewhite1477]

Fenders…

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks :)

[@MVeminor7]

Hi Stu, I had no idea how big this model is. A monster. I think you did a fine job with it. The delicate weathering allows you to see the model more clearly. Thank you for the build and sharing it.

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you. Yep, it's a beast!