I hate you, McQue....

Once upon a time, (modelling) life was simple.  I was content to build kits and scratch build from various Gerry Anderson series, assorted Sci-Fi television and movies, and Japanese anime mechs from the 80's & 90's.  And then it happened; I stumbled across a posting in "Concept Ships" featuring  the work of artist Ian McQue.  His colour palate and subjects of flying junk boats traversing through the air, defying gravity on some future/past Earth or other planet was inspiring!  This was 10 years ago, and from then on he has lived in my head rent free.  Since that time I have built two flying ships (see previous posts of the Cargo Barge Regina & Towboat Jean), and all the time the urge to build more as always been there.  So in the hope that if I built one more boat, I could get back to "normal" modelling.  Unfortunately, this did not work.  And the project got out of control.  What was to be one little ship mushroomed into a diorama of sorts comprising of five ships, plus a central structure to tie them all together.  The result, The Tofu Tower!

The Tofu Tower is a run down, grotty little anchorage off of the main shipping routes.  Ships and sailors who frequent this establishment want to avoid inspections and other authorities.  Here they can replenish themselves with food, water, fuel, repairs, and most important, companionship!  There is also a restaurant, a taxi service, and with all the comings and goings, an RNLI station.

For this project, I decided to change the scale so I could build bigger, but take up less space in the display cabinet.  (That is always the problem with modelling; where to put them afterwards...).  The previous ships were built at 1/35, but this time I chose 1/148, which was British N scale.  The tower is 24" high, which is almost 300 feet high in "reality".  The five ships range in size from 2" to 8".  Three are fixed/moored to the tower.

I didn't want the display to be fixed, so I came up with the idea of having movable components.  Using a steel base, I fixed magnets to the underside of the tower and aluminium plates for the two ships which allow to put them anywhere I want.  Unfortunately the acrylic rods holding up the ships are permanent, but this gives the height variation as well.  I lost track of how many months I worked on this.  It must be at least 9 months, as I only get 1 to 2 hours at most in an evening to model.  Now here are some nice close up blue sky shots!

This low angle view shows some of the many billboards, a few condenser units, and to the right, the taxi.   Here we see the most popular establishment on the tower, as well as the roof gardens.  It was all so rusty and bleak out there....

Much more of the tower, it's features, elements and construction will be discussed and described in the next post.  And the assorted ships will be done in good time as well.  But it's getting late so last call and lights out, sailors!