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So. This has been done before, several times by several people. But, with the Aquila Lander no longer on Forge World and with me in possession of not one, but 2 copies of the crashed Aquila lander due to happy chance, I have decided to try it again. As instructional material, I have the 5th issue of the good old Firebase magazine as well as a write up for a poorhammer contest back in 2008.
Firebase: https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer/comments/1zms42/all_firebase_magazine_issues_uploaded_to_scribd/

Poorhammer: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=2ahUKEwiVnYHs3afnAhXbxosBHcpuCx4QFjABegQICRAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fforums.tauonline.org%2Fshowcase%2F65685-un-crashed-aquila-lander-battle-macragge.html&usg=AOvVaw2Pg78ZCy6tUNKZMvmSV4eo

I decided to begin by cutting out the broken wing on the worse painted of my two crashed landers (I like it as a scenery item so I intend to keep the better painted one as is. (Besides, it would make a good crash after effect)

I'll be updating this thread as I go along. Stay tuned.

Good luck! You're gonna need it!

I’ve just finished cutting out the next part of the lander. The next step will be to realign all of the individual wing “feathers” along with the various components of the wrecked engine and fixing them up before gluing them in place onto a plasticard skeleton. I’ll move onto the other wing once I have finished with this one.

Pretty Orky way of going about it. Cool idea!
Just at a curiosity, how are you cutting through the terrain parts? I’ve never seen a crashed aquila in person before, but the terrain parts look awfully thick. Are you using any tools for it?

Drill starter hole and run a coping saw blade through the hole, then re-connect the blade to the handle and saw away. I imagine. You could score the outline of the wing with a craft knife until it was cut far enough through, then break it away, but a saw is easier on the fingers :-)

Ha ha. I wish I could. Yes, the plastic is very thick and it is hard work. I am using two craftknives/box cutters. One has a standard, albeit very sharp box cutter blade. The other has a plastic saw blade. The saw is easy enough to use, but it leaves a 1/2 mm wide hole when cutting unlike the standard blade, so its fine for cutting away the dirt and rock, but not good when cutting the engine components up. Thats just all craft knife work.

https://pasteboard.co/ISqfDzc.jpg


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Well, I just separated the two broken elements of the right wings engine. I can now join the wing together semi-properly.

So. I've just gone and finished cutting out the rest of the right wing. Its now tidied up as best as I can and ready for assembly. I will need to use plasticard and random bits and pieces (I hear super glue lids make good jet engine tops) to fill it in. The image below shows what appears to be a rather fragmented engine but the grill part connects directly to the engine part. All I really need to do is green stuff the two together and then find suitable replacement engine nozzles, using as many of the original parts as possible, then plasticard the bottom up.

I bought a new, thinner piece of plasticard today because the last one was way too thick and I couldn't cut it. I also had the sentinel cockpit I had ordered off ebay arrive. So its all go this weekend with assembling the first 1/3rd of the ship.

Its a little rough and ready, but with some sanding, trimming and green stuff, it should come out alright.

I've now assembled the undercarrige of the right wing engine. I've also used up the last of my green stuff in the process, so while I'm waiting for an order of green stuff to arrive (Which thankfully I ordered last week) I've started on cutting out and gluing the left wing.


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its taken a fair bit of careful knife work, and my arms are really tired. But things are taking shape now.

GIVE THIS MAN A MEDAL

Well, I've got everything cut out and assembled as best as I can. Now comes the serious scratch building/plasticard cutting stage. I can't say I'm the best green stuff sculptor but it should like fine with paint over it. (Its not as bad as the picture makes it look though at least which is a relief)

The right engine pod has now been properly attached. I’ve also half done the back of the passenger area at the back. The bezelling on the end is tricky, but I think the most difficult part will actually be the cockpit as its missing a lot of structure, some of it curved. I also need to add the interior of the cockpit which will be difficult (using an old sentinel pilot and parts for that.) In terms of in game use, this lander will be mainly used to ferry grey knights or perhaps my space marines. I’d like to ferry my Inquisitor with it, but his Entourage is huge and the lander only carries 7.

Do you work as an archeologist restorer? They are coming along nicely I might add

Ha ha no, I work as an English teacher in Japan. But I'm a bit of a jack of all trades. Heck, I have a double bachelor in International studies and Software Engineering.

Sending encouragement to keep going. Lot of hard work and a very interesting project.

Thanks. Here's the latest on the build. I have now plasticarded and green stuffed all of both wings and the bottoms of the motors. The end is in sight! The next step will be to fill up the body of the vehicle so its not so delicate. (I'm thinking of using plastic piping as bracing) I also need to get some more plastic piping for the bottem of the engine on the left side and all of the thruster on the right side. I saw a nice looking nozzle at the hardware store last time so I might get that for the end of the right engine. After that, I will need to plasticard up the cockpit and observation deck. (The observation deck will be the tricky bit), and make the base. I'm now out of green stuff (Again) I used a whole 6 inches in just a week. Luckily I had the foresight to order some fresh green stuff half way through the week. The last lot arrived really quickly, so all going well, this lot will too.

I have included a photo of the tools I have been using for the project. I don't have a workshop, I've been using a cutting board on my living room table and all my tools are rather low tech, which just goes to show that if you do have a workshop this will be much easier for you. (not that its been that hard for me really) If you want to do this project for yourself you will be pleased to know that it is in fact rather straight forward.

Also, its worth noting that scissors are amazing and not to be underestimated. They cut plasticard like reasonably hard butter.

This is the sort of pointless mad modelling project I have no choice but to respect.

Looking really good!

My years teaching in Japan were some of the best, hope you're enjoying it over there.

It has its good, and bad points. Incidentally, I'm currently waiting on another shipment of green-stuff. I've made a few bits of progress in regards to the main body and filling it, but I wont be able to really put the bottom on the body until the green stuff arrives. As for the cockpit, the same kind of logic applies, as I rely on the green stuff in part to hold things together. I have found a good body supporter though in the form of a large plastic pipe and small plastic pipe and I've used the scrap pieces of metal that are scattered around the wreck to help fill the bottom of the body in where the bezeling is. For the struts/buttresses on the sides of the observation deck, I'm going to use chopped pieces of sprue as they are the perfect shape and size for it. I also intend to drill into the wing hinges on the body side slightly and cut horizontal lines in the wing side so that I can fix thick wire into the drill holes and slot the wire into the horizontal lines in order to hold the wings on in play, but also allow me to take them off for transport and storage. I've already tried the drilling and wire on the tail wing a the little nub that slots into the body broke off and I needed a replacement.

You're mental.

Skilled, but completely mental!

It really isn't that hard.

Two Hours of hard work, frustration and sticky fingers (not to mention 4 of the 6 inches of freshly arrived green stuff) later...

Messy prgress is good progress.

I bet you are loosing your mind by now and cant wait for the finished product

Well, I'll certainly be pleased to have it done. Just a bit of minor work on the observation area ahead of a major push to finish assembly tomorrow (painting on monday)

Nearly there now. The observation dome work is done, as is the left side of the cockpit. I've also painted the pilot and interior of the cockpit (both the seat and the interior of the model)
I'm waiting for the green stuff to set before I finish the bottom of the cockpit off. (Hopefully tonight) I'm still trying to work on the best way of making the wings detachable. I'm considering actually drilling in a couple of hinges.


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Its done! (Sort of) Yay!

Of course, I still need to pin the wings on (I have one pinnable, I really need to buy a drill) and paint it. But yes, project done, hooray!

That's really cool.

Thanks. Oh, I just got the base working and managed to pin the wings on the donkey. (10 points)

I also had to buy a hand drill for the pinning, bringing up the price of this project to approximately 15,000yen, or $130 US. id say only 4000yen of that is actual materials (not including the crashed lander itself) the rest being tools, which I can and will use again some time.

Base coats done. Just a bit of dry brushing with 50 something different shades of grey.

And done!

I've named it the "Pheonix" which seems like a fitting name. (Note the base, made from sink drain cover, some copper wire. and a piece of thick plastic pipe. Very sturdy and easily removable, because its not attached at all.)