Amphibious Assault Ship (28mm) launched!

[Geudens]

Next week (at the Red Barons convention - Ghent) TSA will present a Vietnam demo game using our new (hex based) rules.  Rules have been tested thoroughly, figures, jungle, buildings, statues etc finished, bu I thought a big item would look nice on the table, so instead of giving the US forces a landbase to start from, I thought a model of a Groening Class amphibious assault ship (LPH/LHA) would be a nice project.

Groening Class
LPH 64 USS Matt
LPH 65 USS Homer
LPH 66 USS Marge
LPH 67 USS Bart
LPH 68 USS Lisa
LPH 69 USS Maggie

The Groening class LPH's were built and commissioned during the Vietnam War (as smaller cousins of the Iwo Jima class - about 1/3rd the size and half the tonnage) and proved so succesful they have been modernized continiously since and served in both Gulf Wars (redesignated LHA).  They are now deployed to support the war in Afghanistan and on call for any other conflict where fast action is of the essence.  Actually, they are often the last thing the bad guys see before all hell breaks loose...

(Actually, this class is purely a product of my imagination, looking for an excuse to name a ship after my newborn granddaugther, Lisa... ).  Well, anyways, here she goes: LPH 68 - the USS Lisa (motto: "Pamper Fi!"  )

In Nam:








And pictured during more recent operations (sorry, can't tell you where, it's classified... )





A removable gun in front of the island and a crane aft still need to be added.  The elevator aft of the island actually goes up and down.

She started life as this

http://products.onestepahead.com/assets/images/product/detail/15697.jpg

I guess, since I bought the hull only for 3 Euros a few years back.  The superstructure is built of card and bits.

Hope you like Lisa, please comment!

Rudi

[Geudens]

Just when I thought I had seen it all THIS comes along! It is outrageously good. I think this could spark a whole new interest in the Vietnam War just for the chance to field one of these.

Note: do you 'field' a carrier? doesn't sound right does it?

Thx!  No, "to field" is not an option  ...  A corner of the table will be "water" or otherwise, the ship will be placed say 30cm away from the battlefield on the table and a time lapse will be set for the choppers to arrive.

Rudi

[Arlequín]

"Get those Army pukes off mah deck!" 

Great model, I'm sure it will bring many hours of pleasure. Aren't these normally deployed with at least one 'Chief Wiggum' class FF?

[Andym]

Very cool! Are you not going to tell us how you built it? I think I recognise a deodorant can top and a kinder egg in there.....

[WillieB]

Rudi,

This is just great!
It does however make me think my intelligence gathering minions have missed quite a few things. I've been playing the 'Nam game for weeks with you now and never caught a whiff of this beauty. Superb!

[Geudens]

Very cool! Are you not going to tell us how you built it? I think I recognise a deodorant can top and a kinder egg in there.....

Very observant and both correct!  The rest is (plastic) card & strip, mini washers and hard labour  .  The mast is a wooden rod with some plastic & balsa shapes for the antennae (one side covered with fly screen to create the waffle effect).

Cost = next to nothing.  I've noticed a while ago that the carrier (of which I used the hull - fleamarket 3 euros) sell for about 25 Euros, so even that's not too steep.

Rudi

[Geudens]

"Get those Army pukes off mah deck!" 

Great model, I'm sure it will bring many hours of pleasure. Aren't these normally deployed with at least one 'Chief Wiggum' class FF?

Don't push me!    A few years ago, a battleship with a suitable hull for an escort was sold over here in toys shops.  This idiot didn't buy one...

However, some riverine 28mm (Grand Manner) vessels are still waiting to be painted and 5 large LCVPs, if that counts for anything...
Rudi

[Geudens]

Rudi,

This is just great!
It does however make me think my intelligence gathering minions have missed quite a few things. I've been playing the 'Nam game for weeks with you now and never caught a whiff of this beauty. Superb!

Thx, Willie, but I did offer you to opportunity to guess what I was building, didn't I?...

Rudi

[Big Juju]

Looks great, Rudi!  Very impressive!

What scale is that CH-47 on the deck?  Who makes it?

[chicklewis]

Rudi, what a wonderful project !! 

As usual, your work is amazing. 

Chick

[Koekie]

Thx, Willie, but I did offer you to opportunity to guess what I was building, didn't I?...

Rudi

Well, I think I wasn't too far off.
I did mention "a carrier", and it sure looks like one to me.

Nice work Rudi, I hope you bring it along next friday...

[Silent Invader]

Great stuff!  Impressive scratch building.   

[AKULA]

Nice job Rudi, as always - it really looks the part.

 

Of course, if you'd wanted, I could have sent the Argus over to you - its made mainly of high density polysterene, so it would have floated over ..... 

[Johan]

Only thing I can do now against this behemoth is building some very nasty sampans with torpedo-mines stuck on them. I'm searching for something to represent the outboard engine. The boats I already have. They were sold in a Macro shop not far away for a few euro's for 25 of them in 4 different sizes. (Rudy knows what to expect because he's got them as well)
At last a worthy task for my suicide VC.

[answer_is_42]

Awesome stuff. Boats are cool.

Rudi joins the select groups of LAFers (one other member; AKULA) who have built their own 28mm scale aircraft carrier. You two can be carrier buddies!