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Nice details on the Pred.. Nice to see a full kitting out of an Armored Vehicle!

Co'tor Shas wrote:Wow, that's some good texture-making. .

Thanks Co'tor. Always trying to improve.

Solar_lion wrote:Nice details on the Pred.. Nice to see a full kitting out of an Armored Vehicle!

Thanks S_L. The building and painting are the fun bits for me. This is how I get my moneys worth out of the kit. Wish I'd known about this sort of thing earlier, my previous models may have taken a good length of time.

I'm not back on the tank yet. As I said, I'm painting a model to sell and that is, so far, part way done. Pop over to my commission thread to see that.

But I do have something to show here as well. The next re-painted model.
Welcome back Tactical Marine Number 2.

Here's a comparison of what he was like before (where his backpack fell off when I was having a look at him) and after.


and here he is in all his (new) glory.


I'll be back on the tank soon.

One of the enslaved Marines ? Much better redo very nice to see

Nice red marine! really nice! so many extremely neat line work

Sweet red. Love it.

shasolenzabi wrote:One of the enslaved Marines ? Much better redo very nice to see

Yep, everyone in the army gets a good brainwash, reprogramming and a free gizmo implanted in their brain so they recognise that the rest of the army are friends. The Scientist is an equal opportunities employer.
Thanks.

nerdfest09 wrote:Nice red marine! really nice! so many extremely neat line work

Camkierhi wrote:Sweet red. Love it.

Thanks Chaps. He was a lot of work. It's shocking how bad he was before the sanding and many layers of red. Glad you like him.

Lo. Sorry for the quietness over here. I've been busy with things.
One of them was Kranon out of the DV box. He is now done and will be up on ebay soon-ish.

The other thing I've been busy with is making some shelves to give me some storage space and to bring all (well actually, some) of my models together.
So, as I don't have progress on the tank to show, I can show you my new shelves and we can play "name that model"...

This is probably just over half of all my models, but the rest are still boxed up from when I originally ran out of space years ago.

also, while I was taking pictures, I snapped a shot of where I work on my models these days. Although now with the free space I've now made this will change around a little and may give me a little more space.


I'll now go back to work on the tank...

Nice set up Dr. H, extra shelving is always a bonus. Liking the brainwashed blood angel, I can see the good doctor changing the dreams of the marine into something akin to him fighting his way to the side of his primarch and saving him from Horus killing him. He could see all the others around him as members of the blood and his enemies are the foul traitors coming to kill them.

that marble statue look very good...

and I envy you for all those good looking models...

Wow, such a cramped work surface. Amazing what you do on it. I would feel claustrophobic. :(

Great helicopter collection. I may be a tad jealous

Yup heck of a chopper collection.

Also I see you have one (you have many really.) of my favorite jets of all time, the old F4 Phantom, don't really know why, just a shape and look I have always loved.

Looking forward to some more on the Predator.

Theophony wrote:Nice set up Dr. H, extra shelving is always a bonus.

You're not wrong. It was when I saw your additions to your hobby area (and that I was tripping over all those boxes you see on the top shelf) that made me decide to add shelves.

Liking the brainwashed blood angel, I can see the good doctor changing the dreams of the marine into something akin to him fighting his way to the side of his primarch and saving him from Horus killing him. He could see all the others around him as members of the blood and his enemies are the foul traitors coming to kill them.

Thanks. Yeah, that's pretty much what I see the job of the implanted gizmo that every member of the army gets. Anyone without a gizmo is recognised as an enemy.

Viktor von Domm wrote:that marble statue look very good...

Thanks Vik.

and I envy you for all those good looking models...

Thanks. While neat, the paint-jobs on them are nothing special. Some of these models go back 10-15 years (maybe more). I'm still happy with them though. Going to have to repair a couple of them at some point (most of them have been repaired numerous times over the years).

Red Harvest wrote:Wow, such a cramped work surface. Amazing what you do on it. I would feel claustrophobic. :(

It's not the size, it's what you do with it that counts...
I make the best with what I have and what I have is one room. I would love more space, but until I have the money coming in I can't afford it.

Great helicopter collection. I may be a tad jealous

Thanks. Yeah, I tended to pick models to make based on their difficulty and parts count first, and looks second.
Helicopters being more complex than planes and both being more complex than cars/boats/etc I tend to have more helicopters. Although, I never really looked at tank models, so I've missed out there... until now...
Having said that, the motorbike there was one of the most complex builds because of the scale(1/12th. Most of my models have been 1/48 or 1/72). It's even got brake and clutch cables, fully detailed engine and the shell is held on with tiny screws.

Camkierhi wrote:Yup heck of a chopper collection.

Also I see you have one (you have many really.) of my favorite jets of all time, the old F4 Phantom, don't really know why, just a shape and look I have always loved.

Yeah, My 40k collection may be smaller than most (as I've not been collecting them long), My plastic-crack collection is far from small.

That's not a Phantom, I'm afraid. You're looking at either the A-4 Skyhawk or the Super Étendard there. Very similar shape though.
The models pictured (for those of you keeping score) are:

Not pictured and currently in boxes are:
Panavia Tornado GR 1B (1/48, Airfix),
UH-1C Huey "Heavy Hog" (1/35, MRC),
Another Hind D (1/72 I think),
Westland Seaking Mk.41 (1/72, Fujimi),
Westland Lynx (1/72, Airfix I think),
Gruman F-14A Tomcat (1/72, Airfix),
BAC Lightning F3 (1/72, Airfix),
Another Sea Harrier (1/48, Airfix) This was my very first model ever,
Another 1 or 2 Harriers (I like Harriers ), probably GR-5 and/or 7 or 9 (1/72 I think),
SEPECAT Jaguar (1/72 I think),
Possibly another Tornado (1/72 I think)...

and there may be more I'm forgetting (and haven't saved the lids from ).

Looking forward to some more on the Predator.

More will happen soon.
Remember the belt buckles that I got the wrong way round. They annoyed me enough to fix them and I managed it without damage.

Thanks for popping by.

Here's a concept for what I wanted to do with the exhausts. I really didn't like the stubby excuse for an exhaust that-can-fill-with-water-when-it-rains that comes on the kit, so I wanted a downward turn to the exit. I can't go any thicker than this due to the turret.


What do we think?

Oh Doc! I didn't know you were also into other scale modeling! But I should've guessed by your detailed tankery you do! Are you involved with the IPMS-UK at all?

 dsteingass wrote:
Oh Doc! I didn't know you were also into other scale modeling! But I should've guessed by your detailed tankery you do!

I am indeed. That is where I started modelling and why I have such a big thing for little details and realism.
However, those were always built and painted according to the instructions with no modifications or advanced painting techniques, so look a little basic compared to what I do now.

I changed to the GW models as I was running out of space to store the models I was making (such as that Hurricane which is 0.5m wide. This predator I'm building could drive along the wings, it's that big...).


I thought I'd try smaller models that could be stored easier and I could take more time over (I could knock out a 1/48 model in less that a week).

The freedom with not having to replicate a real world vehicle has actually led me to discover techniques to make my models more realistic...

Are you involved with the IPMS-UK at all?

I'm not, and hadn't heard about it until you mentioned the US version in your blog. I wouldn't mind knowing more though.

I think it's a grea modification Doc.

Good call on the exhausts. There really is not much else to do with them. That looks sort of like the way exhausts on the old Mark I tank did, running over the top like that. I would either lengthen that last section though so it vents past the tracks rather than onto the hull, or angle it away.

And a proportion question. With a the modification making the tank taller and wider, have you given any thought to elongating it somehow?

Gitsplitta wrote:I think it's a grea modification Doc.

Thanks Gits'.

Red Harvest wrote:Good call on the exhausts. There really is not much else to do with them. That looks sort of like the way exhausts on the old Mark I tank did, running over the top like that. I would either lengthen that last section though so it vents past the tracks rather than onto the hull, or angle it away.

Thanks Red.
Interesting point. I see what you mean.
I was wary of the exhaust already being quite long. Lengthening that even more may start to make it look silly IMO (why have the exhaust go all the way up the side of the tank, only to have it run all the way back down the back).

I'm in the process of sticking the sections on, but I haven't got to that last part yet (I'm gluing bits of sprue inside them and then pining them together before I putty the corners). I'll have a look at different angles for it. Either slightly up from how it is above or out to the side.

And a proportion question. With a the modification making the tank taller and wider, have you given any thought to elongating it somehow?

Anything that I could have done to lengthen the bulk of the tank probably should have been done earlier and I hadn't intended to make the model much larger when I started... However, I have always planned to add a substantial dozer blade to the front. I'm hoping that this addition will make the tank look longer and therefore proportionally correct (as a tank can be).

I have done some research on dozer blades and how they attach. I even found a nice Rhino/Predator shaped tank that has a dozer attachment that actually matches what I had in my head... In fact... *frantic googling* ...Like this:

But the blade will be more pointy, snow-plough like, rather than a flat one like that.

Very nice idea with the exhausts forced down in the lengthened tubes

There's a huge array of models on your shelves, sir. I like the everything I'm seeing. The exhausts, the belts on the tarp, even that weird statue. I'm amazed you made her out of sprue.

Here's their site. In last month's Journal, Some of the US club took a trip over there for the UK's 50th Anniversary shindig.
http://ipmsuk.co.uk/

Great Idea for the tank's exhausts, the wire work looks really awesome, very neat and tidy. Damn I've missed a fair bit here.

Really nice scale model collection and helicopters at that! great taste

looking forward to seeing the WIP's of the dozer blade!

 Dr H wrote:

Anything that I could have done to lengthen the bulk of the tank probably should have been done earlier and I hadn't intended to make the model much larger when I started... However, I have always planned to add a substantial dozer blade to the front. I'm hoping that this addition will make the tank look longer and therefore proportionally correct (as a tank can be).

I have done some research on dozer blades and how they attach. I even found a nice Rhino/Predator shaped tank that has a dozer attachment that actually matches what I had in my head... In fact... *frantic googling* ...Like this:

But the blade will be more pointy, snow-plough like, rather than a flat one like that.

Ah, many moons ago I did something similar:

A little bit of faff to cut the angles, as I recall, but looks not too bad.

that exhaust style indeed does make sense...will you shape the connecting parts that way to suggest a true pipe or will it be segmented?

shasolenzabi wrote:Very nice idea with the exhausts forced down in the lengthened tubes

Glad you think so.

Warboss_Waaazag wrote:There's a huge array of models on your shelves, sir. I like the everything I'm seeing. The exhausts, the belts on the tarp, even that weird statue. I'm amazed you made her out of sprue.

Thanks Waaazag.
It's nice to have at least some of my models on display where I can see them again.

I like working with and trying new things with sprue, as if I make a mess of it or break it or it just doesn't work, what have I lost; a bit of sprue.
Whereas when I get the milliput out, I'm much more careful and always looking at how to minimise waste as it costs money.

dsteingass wrote:Here's their site. In last month's Journal, Some of the US club took a trip over there for the UK's 50th Anniversary shindig.
http://ipmsuk.co.uk/

Interesting. I might look into it when I have some money to spare.

OneManNoodles wrote:
Great Idea for the tank's exhausts, the wire work looks really awesome, very neat and tidy. Damn I've missed a fair bit here.

Really nice scale model collection and helicopters at that! great taste

looking forward to seeing the WIP's of the dozer blade!

Thanks OMN. More exhaust work below. I'm getting quite practised with the wire work, what will I do when I run out... well, will probably have to buy more. Can't even remember where I acquired all the wire I do have (might have fallen into my bag while I was doing electrical engineering at uni...).

Helicopters are really fun to make. Although, I should go back and take a hairdryer to most of the rotors to give them the "at rest" look. I've only done it on the Black Hawk.

Yeah, I may make a mock-up of the dozer blade in card first to get the shape and size right. Soon-ish.

Red Harvest wrote:Like this blade then, but with the hydraulics? Now that would be cool. Or heck even build some sort of a cowcatcher.

Spoiler:

Yeah, something like a combination of that and a cowcatcher, but sort of multi-bladed, very evil, looks-like-it'll-chop-up-anything-in-it's-way kind of thing... a mock-up will make or break the design I vaguely see in my head.

There looks to be space to put a smallish cargo cage on the back of the hull, something similar to that on the back of an Abrams turret. But everything looks fine as is too.

True, but that's the door. So can't really add anything there I'm afraid. Thanks.

And as far as looking silly goes, I won't bother posting images of certain Dark Angel's vehicles

and I won't be sick on my computer screen...

inmygravenimage wrote:Ah, many moons ago I did something similar:

Spoiler:

A little bit of faff to cut the angles, as I recall, but looks not too bad.

Yes indeed. Good job. I'll be scratch-building mine as what I see in my head doesn't match anything I own... Very much worried about how I will manage the angles, hence a card mock-up planned.

Viktor von Domm wrote:that exhaust style indeed does make sense...will you shape the connecting parts that way to suggest a true pipe or will it be segmented?

Thanks. A single angled pipe, See below.

The exhausts are glued and puttied and sanded.
They may require a little more work that will become apparent when they are primed (for the first time and hopefully only the first time).
I may also add a bracing strap thing to make it look like they are held on.


Thanks for the input.
I think it's come to the time to work on the dozer blade. This may take a little time to think about, but I'll try and show a mock-up asap.

Yes, very good! I had done so years ago with a M-113 kit I made into an IDF "Zelda" with the extra stowage racks, and other goodies, and the long bent down tube for the exhaust.

Can I pick on something really awkward? The back, particularly the back door, looks quite bland just now; it doesn't do justice to the rest of the awesome. Just an annoying thought, hope you don't mind.

Yeah... fix that. Otherwise graven will be a sad panda.

Thanks Shas.

Gitsplitta wrote:Yeah... fix that. Otherwise graven will be a sad panda.

We can't have that.

inmygravenimage wrote:Can I pick on something really awkward? The back, particularly the back door, looks quite bland just now; it doesn't do justice to the rest of the awesome. Just an annoying thought, hope you don't mind.

Not a problem, pick on anything, I do.

Yes it is quite plain. I could add something like the tow cable, or spare track links... I did actually intend to add spares somewhere, but as I haven't got round to the tracks yet, I haven't added them yet. I had, however, partially forgotten about them too...

Or I could leave it plain and do the planned tank-art there (as the slightly-larger-than-expected sponsons kind of filled the space towards the front where I was planning to add some...).

Thoughts?