TBF-1 Avenger Ditching in Sea

This is the image that started off the diorama of a TBF-1 Avenger that had just ditched next to its carrier during a failed landing.

For the kit I used the 1/72 scale Academy TBF-1 Avenger set which is pretty decent. The panel markings are (as usual with this scale) too deep and pronounced and the glass is rather basic but I enjoy scratch building from what I have. I recided to have a shot at a cast polyester resin diorama because all the other ditched Avenger dioramas I've seen used plaster or a thin coat of resin for effect. I wanted to be able to see through the water form the sides and beneath.

My first scratch task was to cut apart the canopy to create an open pilot section and rear radio operator/ gunner canopy hatch. The effect is always offset since the plastic is too thick and I don't have a vacuum form table to make new ones. I also still paint with a brush and haven't yet graduated myself to an airbrush over the past 30 odd years (one day maybe) and so the model isn't as good as it could be with. I cut out the flaps and painted the ribs rather than using sprue (which I probably should have done).

I used the Castin' Craft polyester resin with catalyst agent (32 oz/ 946ml tin at about $45). I had to do a fair bit of research on the resin having never used it before and was rather nervous dunking my finished avenger in globby plastic! You have to be 100% accurate with the resin and catalyst amounts. I created a plastic tray with 1/16 inch plastic sheet taped together (so I could pull the sides off and release the mold easily). Then I made 4 pours of about 1/2 inch as follows:

1. Initial 1/2 inch layer and leave to set for 30-40 minutes

2. Insert Avenge in resin then pour 1/2 inch layer #2

3. Wait 30-45 mins and pour 1/2 layer #3

4. Wait 30-45 mins and pour 1/2 layer #4

You can see that layer lines have formed meaning that I left it too long between pours and should have waited only 25-30 mins. Bubbles in the mold were not a problem since I wanted lots of them to be realistic. I also dropped in a few drops of blue and green food dye to tint the water (do this at the mixing stage before adding the catalyst to the resin and before pouring).

As can be seen from the view beneath, I couldn't get the base plastic off so it rather looks like an ice sheet (unintended). I broke off the undercarriage and door flaps and left in the #2 layer to give the effect of them sinking.

 After everything was dry (after about 1-2 days it is hard as glass) and then started sanding down the sides with a rough paper and ending with a fine 600-800 grit cloth which really starts to make the sides clear (I didn't sand the top or base). I then painted on the waves using Liquitex High Gloss Acrylic Gel which you can get from an art store. I painted the white foam using acrylic artist paint then applied another thinner coat of Liquitex.

I masked the resin and sections of the Avenger and used a gloss spray lacquer to shine up areas where the nose and wings would be wet from waves (a dry matt model doesn't look right dunked in the sea!). For the figures I used an old Airfix RAF crew set and painted in USN pacific uniform (not the best figures as they always reduce the diorama realism).