Sorry for the lack of posts, but my head exploded. Don't worry though, I'm all better now. Let's get on with the show shall we.
This post is all about the
spaceship that I began building early last year. I lost interest when I got to the landing gear as it looked like it was going to be too fiddly and tedious to complete. So there it sat, in it's half finished state, till now.
Decided to pulled my finger out about a month ago and finally got it done. Here tis:
 |
| Landing gear bay doors done. |
 |
| Windscreen made from cardboard and old sprue. |
 |
| The Balustraded section on the top was made from old sprue, a hatch from a Rhino kit and plastic grating for the walkway. |
 |
| Lower windows were made from plastic card and the window frame from wire. |
 |
| Quite tricky to make the front of the ship conform to the original contour, but I got there in the end. |
 |
| Nothing much has changed from this angle. |
 |
| The entrance door was pretty fun to figure out. I don't play with magnets that much, but sometimes they are indispensable. |
 |
| Still got a little more detailing work to do inside the entrance area. |
 |
| The dreaded landing gear. The hydraulic cylinders were made from sprue and copper wire. |
 |
| Chin gun made from an old PS2 laser and two Zoid guns. |
 |
| All put together, with a magnet on top. |
 |
| Titchy little magnet installed underneath. |
 |
| Voila! |
 |
| Top gun made from a few more Zoid guns and a piece of wood from a toy kit. This is removable as well. |
The most difficult part of this build, as I already mentioned, was the landing legs. How to fit functional landing gear into the small opening, yet make them look substantial enough so as to appear believable. I'm still not totally convinced that I've managed to pull it off, but I suppose I'll find out when I paint it. It's now primed it and next comes the colouring in part.
Till next time :)
Looking really awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michal :)
DeleteNice build, I can see why the landing gear was such a problem, but time well spent in my opinion. I look forward to seeing the next stage.
ReplyDeletePaul/Golgfag1
I was pulling what little hair I have out trying to get it to look right. It's nigh impossible to find cool looking landing gear that's also able to take the weight of a heavy load.
DeleteAnyway, it's done. Cheers Paul :)
looking good.
ReplyDeleteGlad you recovered from your exploding head!
Heads back on and I'm just as nuts as I was before.
DeleteCheers Riot :)
Just looked at the first post...brilliant idea and conversion.
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul. It looked more like a spaceship to me than a gun when I first looked at it. Once that happened I couldn't wait for it to break :)
DeleteGlad you like it.
Looking really good, you worry too much methinks. I love that balustrade for some reason! The landing gear detailing is impressive, I think you'll be happier once the final coat of varnish goes on. Always seems the way for me!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think your right Ragsta. Paint always helps unify a kitbash. Cheers mate :)
DeleteThat's a well sanded space ship you have here bud... ;)
ReplyDeleteIt was buffed & polished mercilessly for days on end! All for a good cause :)
DeleteCheers mate.
That looks fantastic. It's great that you picked it back up. The landing gear and railing look awesome.
ReplyDeleteThanks Major! That's high praise coming from you. Your a dab hand at building spacecraft :)
DeleteYour epic battle with Grove and your star destroyer's will surely become legendary.
I'll be trying to get this beast finished off before the months end.
Cheers :)
Erasmus wow! This is really shaping up. I think you’ve pulled of the landing gear, and the entrance door able to come down is the perfect. Can’t wait to see the paint work. 😉
ReplyDeleteThanks Grover. I've got the colour scheme and name figured out for it. Spent an unreasonable amount of time scribbling down names, trying to find one that would fit. Time will tell ;)
DeleteCheers mate :)
So cool having you back. And what way of doing so! This is such an extraordinary endeavour, I think it is enormously awesome!!
ReplyDeleteHi Suber,
DeleteGlad your liking it so far. I'm on the home stretch...there's no turning back now :)
Pleased to hear that your head has been repaired/replaced as applicable.
ReplyDeleteThis is great work. In particular the window at the front end of the ship looks terrific. The detailing around the landing legs is great. I like the bunch of faces looking out of one of the lower windows although I doubt they'll make it to the final version somehow!
Yeah, my cranium feels decidedly better for being reformed. Cheers :)
DeleteThat card is an old AT&T phone card. It's funny, I've been collecting old cards for ages to use with projects. It's like a mini time capsule really, I even cut up a card that my wife must have used to call me OS when we first dated :)
I doubt I'll try and paint faces in the windows. My freehand is mediocre at best, quite shocking at worst.
Cheers Toby :)
Looks great. Sometimes its good to come back to a project later on, refreshed and all that. Looking forward to seeing the paint job.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Jeg
Thanks Jeg,
DeleteIt's supposed to be an enjoyable pursuit isn't it. Mulling over the practical way of how I was going to proceed with the next part of the build took a little longer than I anticipated that's all ;)
Cheers.
I really like where this is going. You've given a properly elephantine look; massive, hulking, and ominous. And I really appreciate that you're still following through on it. Genius takes time, sometimes. Have to let it simmer. Well done!
ReplyDeleteYour really quite insightful with your critiques on my projects Composer. It it really does look like an elephant doesn't it! I decided a while ago to not let my projects get out of hand. This one will be done pretty soon and I can get back to Joff and The Wolf Time.
DeleteCheers :)
An elephant or a rhinoceros, maybe. The overall shape and bridge window could get you started in that direction, but the feet really carry you across the finish line. And of course the boarding . . . stair. It's a great looking ship. I am insanely jealous. I feel project envy. Only one solution for that.
DeleteSomething about the landing gear lends the elephant look I think.
ReplyDeleteAnd that chin gun is ace! How are you planning to paint it?
I think your right about the legs Lasgun. It's getting the matthew black paint treatment as I type.
DeleteCheers Lasgun :)
Man! I wish I had the imagination to do this kind of stuff. It's all brilliant but the door, that actually opens, and that engine really blow me away. Also great use of magnets.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sean :)
DeleteThe door was, and still is, a tricky part of the build. Anytime you introduce a movable part into these toys it adds more complexity to the project. Not only in the building, but the extra consideration you have to take during painting as well. Anyway, it adds another level of detail that looks ace and will be fun to have during a game.
I'm really happy with how the engine turned out too. There's no bounds as to what you can make with plastic rubbish it seems ;)
Cheers.
If you turn it backwards, it'll be like the mine-busting cannon that they have in the new Star Wars.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing the progress on this.
Your right Curis, it does doesn't it! Maybe when it's finished I can use the exhaust as a flamethrower in-game :D
DeleteThanks Curis :)