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So another project I’m working on….

Far too long ago I was asked about building a squad of jet bikes for a client that turned into a perpetually on the back burner project as I had few ideas at the time on how I wanted to do one. Even after researching the designs in the Horus Heresy art books along with numerous third party sources I could come up with little on how to do my own take on it. In the end I wanted it to be a somewhat generic model that I could sell in my store that was useable across many game systems and not just for those seven foot tall genetically enhance super warriors we all know and love. But as luck would have it the client was extremely patient and I eventually wore down and just started it.

The trick has been coming up with the front end. As with a car this is usually its most striking feature and I wanted to make sure I got it right. First off, I wanted it big and intimidating and pictured it as a mechanical shark swimming through the skies. Finally after starting and restarting the project six or seven times I have something I like:









It’s not much yet but it’s a start. As for the rest of it, once the center section is done I plan to give it a sexy rear end with turbine engines on either side, a set of stubby wings, a tail, and three huge jet exhausts coming out the rear. So what do you think so far?

As always, more to come….

A good start!

I am a big fan of Jet Bikes, and I'd love to field a squad or two of them in my Pre-Heresy army!

I've yet to see a cost effective way to do that though...

That looks like a fantastic start. Your plasticard skills are impressive. It definitely embodies a shark, and I love the little details like the pipes along the side and the textured plates on the top. I'll be checking in for updates.

Jon

Nice work! *thumbs-up*

Well someone put the idea in my head last week about doing a more "eagle"-like front end on the jetbike and that got me thinking. After much internal debate I decided “Why not?” and set out to build it, and lo and behold it actually turned out really nice.

Of course you know what that means now, don't you? I now have to offer TWO jetbikes so that people can have the vicious "shark" design or the more elegant "eagle" design. Just what I need, more work....

Oh, there are pics:









Hopefully next week I can get back to working on the body along with a couple of engine designs.

Nice ideas here! subed

Great start here! If you're planning on selling them, I imagine you'll be scratchbuilding the whole thing. Will you make a standard rear that you can attach either of the front ends to?

Keep it up!

Cheers,
Rawson

Rawson wrote:Great start here! If you're planning on selling them, I imagine you'll be scratchbuilding the whole thing. Will you make a standard rear that you can attach either of the front ends to?

Keep it up!

Cheers,
Rawson

Yep, that's the plan. Both will share the same mid and rear section but the jet engines will be different. I had a couple of ideas on how to do those and this will allow me to pursue them both.

Hopefully I will have them in my store by the end of next month.

I eagerly await the arrival of these.

More updates today. I've been able to flesh out more of the middle and rear sections and it's really starting to take shape. Once I figure out how I want ther rear section to look I'll be able to move onto the engines.

Which brings up the next question: What should I name these things? (i.e something non-WH40K specific)

mmmmh, i'm gonna follow this....real interessing!

The nose looks a little like a Tapir.

Sky Taypeer maybe?

Very nice indeed - though I don't think the rear section quite fits the sleek design of the front I will withhold judgment until I have seen more

Very cool!

"Space Darts"? The engine looks fine... blocky and un-aerodynamic is good!

Good stuff here. "Crusader Jet Bikes"? Kindof a nod to 40k/pre-heresy without being too overt...

"Judgement Day Anti-Grav Platforms"? Less 40k and the whole judgement thing fits with the eagle and the shark imo.

Just a couple of ideas off the top of my head

That's really epic, I'll be watching this!

Awesome work, wish I was that good with plasticard.

How much are these costing the client BTW?

Apex Class Assault speeders. Just a random thought.

or just assault speeders?

I think assault speeder is the best option so far, imho.

Your plasticard skills are something to behold!

About the prototypes, I agree with SilverMk2: the rear end looks a bit odd atm, but it depends greatly on how the rider sits in there. Could we see a picture with a rider? I'm having a bit of a hard time seeing it right now.

Keep up the great work!

Cheers,
Rawson

tantan628 wrote:Awesome work, wish I was that good with plasticard.

How much are these costing the client BTW?

I'm hoping to have these up in my eBay stores in time for Christmas for about $20US a piece.

Rawson wrote:I think assault speeder is the best option so far, imho.

Your plasticard skills are something to behold!

About the prototypes, I agree with SilverMk2: the rear end looks a bit odd atm, but it depends greatly on how the rider sits in there. Could we see a picture with a rider? I'm having a bit of a hard time seeing it right now.

Keep up the great work!

Cheers,
Rawson

Yeah, I'm liking assault speeder. But what I'm really looking for are names to differeniate the "shark" from the "eagle" versions.

I agree the rear end does need some work. I came up with some new ideas this weekend so I will probably redo it into something more sleek. I'm also thinking of putting vectoring jet engines on either side of the rear section. What do you think?

They are looking very cool.

In regards to names what about;

Dorsal for the shark looking one (i was thinking latin name for shark but its way to long lol)

Talon for the Eagle looking one.

Ooow, Talon Assault Speeder! I think we got one of them named

Awesome work there, looking forward to these becoming available, haha.

How about Mako Assault Speeder for the other one? They're the fastest sharks out there, and I think it'd go pretty well with "talon" with similar word structure.

Vectored engines would definitely be cool.

I think Zefig has a good name there, I was alos thinking "Tiburon". It's spanish for shark, but it sounds pretty cool.

I love what you have so far, and I am a big fan of your work, your tank-work is awesome!

Wow that is awesome. Eagle and the Shark, so much personality in those front ends. I like the detailed mid-section alot. Interested to see how the back end will come out.

Zefig wrote:Awesome work there, looking forward to these becoming available, haha.

How about Mako Assault Speeder for the other one? They're the fastest sharks out there, and I think it'd go pretty well with "talon" with similar word structure.

Vectored engines would definitely be cool.

RSJake wrote:I think Zefig has a good name there, I was alos thinking "Tiburon". It's spanish for shark, but it sounds pretty cool.

I love what you have so far, and I am a big fan of your work, your tank-work is awesome!

Yeah Mako is another one I like, it was suggested on another site too. Although Tiburon is really good too....

Another couple of suggestions for the eagle one are: Garuda and Peregrine.

Work continues today with the rear section and on the jet engines. I made a few modifications to the rear to make it look a little more streamline. But the big project was a pair of engines for the two types. The first is a turbine and the second has a grated cowl similar to the front intakes. Both will use a jet nozzle I turned on my lathe out of a piece of ABS plastic.

Little by little it's coming together....

Oooo i like the one on the left n the last picture

Wohoo! Machinator is making jetbikes

Both designs look great and are very appealing. I think I agree with mordian that my favorite exhaust is the square one, though I also really like the rounded one as well!