I absolutely love "Underwater Struggle"! But, regrettably, I have yet to see a cast- ing that I have been satisfied with. And while it would have been a more feasible undertaking a decade ago, a white-metal, interactive vignette is now "off the radar".It might have been "off the radar", but it did not manage to evade my sonar, and I am now in pos- session of this one-of-a-kind vignette.
The vignette is based on the underwater segment (Frank McCarthy) of the three-part movie poster of Thunderball, the fourth entry in the Bond franchise.
The casting quality of the 12-piece kit (+ plinth) is the best I have seen of this offering. Be that as it may, the complexity of the sculpture and the convoluted design have worked against the cast- ings. This would also account for the relatively few completed kits seen. . .
I received the kit on Friday, and I have spent the last two days re-engineering the kit so that each figure can be fully assembled and finished before painting begins. The main issue I have with this kit is that the respective pair of arms are molded as one piece and the fit of the arms to the re- spective torsos is less than precise. As a miniaturist who paints in oils, this is a deal-breaker. This is very much a work-in-progress. 14.08.2017-Phase I complete!
I also began reworking the fins today. The fins are not only significantly distorted, but they are grossly inaccurate. This is old-school work for me--and I've dived with both models as worn in the movie.
My reservations about this kit have been amply justified--still, I am glad I finally broke down and got it. If I can ever finish it, it will be a most unique addition to the collection. And I will have a miniature from the movie that started a life-long love affair with Mother Ocean. . .
“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003
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