1/700 MV Wild Goose. John Wayne's Yacht '62-'79. TLAR #124

The little shorty ladders go to the bridge hatches on both sides and the one long ladder to the observation deck goes on the starboard side. It was time to work on something for profit for a bit.

The kit includes a p/e bit for the swim platform. (The stern ladder is molded on the ship!) But I didn't like it, so I used a scrap piece of wood deckling that was lying about the desk. I might advise sanding the stern of the speedboat a little shorter. A 16-footer would be just about right.

The Yard Minesweeper got herself some love today as well. A 3D-printed Mk. 2 3". 50 caliber cannon will be issued with the US Navy YMS-1.
2 p/e 20mm guns, mast and ladder section make up the rest of the 136-footer metal parts.

People like me with NOD (Nautical Oddity Disorder) get a lot of mileage out of the 1/700 scale YMS-1 platform. Wild Goose and her far-away sister, Calypso were both converted from these handy, wooden-hulled, little ships.

The 45' dive boats got a light gray wash. The air tanks would be metallic, but a swipe with a #2 pencil should take care of this. I didn't cast anything at all today.

Thanks fer (sigh)................lookin' in, Pilgrim.

Here's the decal proof for TLAR Models kit #124!
The "WILD GOOSE" and "Newport Beach CA" will fit on the stern of the model, but they are so small, they might be near unusable.
Wild Goose' 290117 CA 'reggie number is accurate.

The Yard Minesweeper decals were picked sorta by fame. YMS-124 is the ship featured in the 1943 picture "Minesweeper". YMS-328 was the vessel Wild Goose was converted from. (Doyawanna do a Before and After build?) YMS-416 represents the ship the 1/700 YMS kit was actually modeled after. J-826 is the Royal Navy mine warfare ship that eventually became RV Calypso.

These all micrometer out to fit the models. As always, decal markings are repeated to give a guy more than one chance at success!

Now, disclaimer time! These print in black, which for some paint schemes in incorrect. So far, printing white decals is beyond my level of decal technology. It's been a productive morning. Sauce for tonight's lasagna is on the simmer. I already poured today's LPP castings. It's gonna be a good day!

We were shopping at the Wal-Mart last night and I lobbed a plush little lamb at my Sweetie. She had never heard of flying sheep before.

Careful Chris, she can make her own sheep.

#124 Nears completion!

Sans flags, the little YMS-1 turned out to be an interesting if small vessel! This concludes (almost) my N.O.D. affliction with the 136-foot Mine warfare ship platform! 328's stern decal could have been better centered.

Fine craftsmanship. :

Contents are coming together.

Instructions are almost complete. Decals have been edited. New, accurate flag decals are printed. The GoDaddy tlarmodels.com listing is prepped. The third TLAR Models release this month! USS Potomac, AG-25 is next!

Another beauty Chris - very nice!
....and the John Wayne story was cool as wel,l as he was a hero of mine when I was a 'youngin'. I never new he had a giant boat like this converted from a minesweeper but I am not surprised.

Brokeneagle said:

Another beauty Chris - very nice!
....and the John Wayne story was cool as wel,l as he was a hero of mine when I was a 'youngin'. I never new he had a giant boat like this converted from a minesweeper but I am not surprised.

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Thanks Ian!
Wild Goose is the second of The Duke's yachts. The 76-foot "Norwester" was his first. She's a beauty, but too small for a decent 1/700 scale build. She was grounded and sank near the San Juan islands a while back. He took his final cruise aboard Wild Goose in 1979. A couple of weeks before his death.
She still swims. You can have an evening cruise from Newport Beach, even today. I asked the current owners for details about their vessel, but they couldn't be troubled to help a micro model maniac out. NO LINK for that reason. Wonkers.

Hanging flags. My least favorite part of the build. These are so small (?!) they are difficult for even me to install. The usual method of taping down the elastic rigging line, slipping the flag half way under it, and folding it around the line, proved impractical this go. Instead, I ran the elastic lycra line and using great care, stuck the flags to the line with C/A glue. At that, the flags on Wild Goose are still way over scale, but you won't miss them!

Box top and end panel artwork. Remember how I said an interesting display may be YMS-328 coming in and Wild Goose putting out to sea? The Minesweeper turned out to be quite the tidy, little ship model, don'tcha think? Before she make her show debut, she will get her SK-2 radar.

Packaging. I do not seek wholesale distributors. You won't find a TLAR Model on the shelf of a hobby shop. This kind of decoration seems unnecessary, but, Modelers like boxes, and I enjoy getting a cool picture to fit, so............

This kit release has 2 firsts. The first TLAR Models kit to sell before it was released, and the first paperless instructions went to that enthusiastic, new Florida TLARian this very morning!
Thanks for looking in!

Well done Pilgrim :duke

Ich erzahle dich, Po-ny Soldat. Diesem kleines Shiffe VIEL SpaB ge-macht hatte! Wa-haa.

I can make that one out.

OK pardner, Waha!

moon puppy said:

I can make that one out.

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Only I do a German John Wayne impression! (That I know of!)
"I'll tell you, Pony Sol-jer, These little ships have been a lodda fun! Wa-haa."

I do love this boat! Way to go Chris!