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Hey All, After seeing some of the Great Scratchbuilding threads on here, especially JohnnyHell's Praetorians, I deciced to jump back into scratchbuilding. I've been converting my own models for years- I got into the hobby through scale models and most of my enjoyment of the hobby comes from the modelling and painting side. I'm hoping I can use this space to organize tutorials, track my progress and get feedback from all of you.

While not a WiP, I'll start off with My largest Scratchbuild to date, a Stormbird Variant for our Dark Heresy campaigns. It has a removable upper level and engine compartment for access to all levels of the Flyer. It weighs about 8 pounds, so it's not usable in games of 40k, but its perfect for our RPG campaigns. I started with the Patoroch Thunderhawk plans, but I widened the model and changed the rear compartment to accommodate vehicles.

























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I'm currently working on a Mordian Guard army and it needs tanks. I;m not a fan of the stock guard vehicles and wanted units that better fit the 1810s-1880s aesthetic of the mordians. I'm also a big fan of interwar era vehicles, and used vehicles from that period as inspiration.

The Hexium Pattern Leman Russ was my first attempt at an IG vehicle. I've dreaded the monotony of having to apply rivets and building tracks is not my idea of fun. My plan was to cast this model once finished, and rivets and tracks are a lot easier when I only have to build one, rather than the dozen or so I'd need for the guard. This Russ also set the design for the rest of the vehicles I plan to build.

The model needed to keep the design philosophy of the standard tanks- Hard edges, rivets and layered plate.

Most of my models start with a basswood core with plasticard. I use wood for the support because I have loads of the stuff and it is cheaper and stronger than plasticard. The hull gun mount and drivers compartment were designed separately to facilitate casting for other vehicles. It's reminiscent of the early model Panzers. I also began work on the tracks.







I raised the main engine compartment and added details from a few 1/35 scale kits I had laying around.

I'm very curious to see how that chunky flyer will look like at the end...

No amount of wind resistance will defy the Emperor!

With the hull mostly complete I focused on the tracks. I added track guards on the back of the tracks and small support struts where the tracks meet the hull. I also added tools and stowage.









Basecoated Mordians for scale

Awesome stuff! Very curious to see that flyer develop!

Thanks man. I'll try to post a few painted pics of the stormbird in the next few days

Here's the tank tacked together and ready for casting. It's broken into multiple parts. The road wheels and bottom tracks are separate pieces, as are the track guards, turret, front glacis plate, and upper and lower hull. This project taught me a ton about building guard tanks. .

Wow, that is superb stuff!

Loving the scratchbuilds- lots of imagination and terrific assembly skills. The final products look store bought. I would like to see some more shots of the smaller flyer (a fighter? VIP transport?) in the first photo.

Awesomeness.

Thanks guys.

The small flyer is my take on an Arvus Lighter. It's by no means my best work but I'm rather happy with it considering it was a 1 evening build.










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I've also started on my Taurox. The plan is to base it on the US M3 and Soviet Armored cars. Right now I have the basic structure of the cab and I'm sketching out ideas for the details on the side. I still haven't decided if the rear will have tracks or wheels.

Some more progress on the Taurox. I added the rear door and the layered armor on the sides and front. I also started adding detail to the engine hatches on the front hull. I marked out the front windows in balsa- I'm not entirely sure if I like how it looks but it was the quickest and easiest option I had. I also added the front engine vents using the corrugated styrene I use for my lascannons. I also began sketching out where the rivets will go.

Dude that leman russ is so freaking awesome!

Thanks i appreciate it. I wanted the primaruss to have the heft and stature of the normal Russ.

I still haven't figured out if I'm going with a traditional half track design on the taurox or a 6 wheel, but I did find some road wheels in my bits box that work well enough for tires. I filled the area between the two rims and added a front fender. The wheels are friction fit so I can swap them for tracks at a later date. Anyone have thoughts on either?

I also started adding rivets- it's starting to come together

This is brilliant - colour me subbed! May I ask how you did the rivets?

Thats a cool take on the taurox.

I really Like your leman russ, that's an awesome design, nice scratch building skills!

@Skinflint- I made the rivets using Evergreen scale models plastic rod (number 222) which I cut into ~1mm thick pieces. I pooled some plastic glue and carefully dipped and applied the rivets using a sharp xacto knife. Others use half sphere craft beads that don't need to be cut and give a rounded rivet, but there's a train store near my house that carries the evergreen stuff.

@noodles- I'm glad you approve. I can't tell you how many times I've considered starting genswick after seeing your stuff and your KV Russes are some of the best I've ever seen.


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The molds for the Russ are finished and I did a trial run. Casting big stuff like tanks is very different from little stuff like heads and guns. Turned out well enough but I'm going to need to watch out for air bubbles in the rivets going forward. First Russ is assembled and basecoated. Staring on the weathering now. I also finished the rivets and started on a possible turret for the taurox. The plan is to also use it on any chimeras I build going forward.

Lots of hobby work gets done when the wife is out of town for the weekend. I used my remaining resin to cast up 4 Battle tanks and the turrets and wheels for 4 taurox. The hull of the taurox is easy enough, so I'm going to build those out of balsa and plasticard. There was a mix up at Amazon and I received a black tinted resin. I don't know if was a bad batch or user error, but the black casts are coming out warped with big airbubbles. Only one set of track guards came out remotely usable, and even it needed a bunch of replacement rivets.

I've started priming the models and I'm planning on borrowing a friend's airbrush when we both have a free evening.












I've also begun designing a new chimera. I do really like the stock kit but I've got the scratch-building bug and I want an IFV that fits with the rest of my vehicle. It'll also provide a base for artillery and support vehicles that are based on the chimera chassis. The plan is to try to utilize as many parts from my battle tank and taurox to speed production.

Great work- I'm getting lots of education just reviewing your photos! The sound you hear in the background is me filing the serial numbers off your ideas, to use myself!

Thanks MeerCat. I mostly learned how to scratch hold by following others and I’m glad I get to pay it forward. Steal away!




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Work has been pretty crazy the past week, so I’ve not gotten as much done as I’d like but I have made some progress on my Chimera.

I started with the same hull design as my Leman Russ. Instead of the sloped engine compartment I added a larger crew compartment. The troop hatch goes on top, using the same door Pattern I developed for the taurox. I also added the same style back door. I’m re-using the front glacis from the Russ on the chimera.
I started on a variant turret for the chimera, but I’ll probably end up scrapping it.

I also started on the side hull, but there’s not much progress there. It’s slightly longer and 4mm shorter than the Leman Russ track guards.

I’m completely stumped on how to do the tracks, but that’s a problem for future me.










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I’ve also finished base coating my vehicles. I’m going to try to make my own washes- I don’t know how much Nuln oil it takes to cover 8 tanks twice but I don’t want to find out.

why can I not see any pictures? REALLY interested in this.

Wow that's an impressive number of vehicles already.

Yup, they're coming together nicely.

Thanks guys. The goal is to have 30ish vehicles by the time I'm done.

Between work and family I've been too busy to make much progress, but I did make some progress.

I found some H beam plasticard in my hobby box, as well as some wooden dowels. I started gluing them together n a series and cutting them into 1/4" sections.

I wrapped these around the track guards, added balsa to strengthen the sides. I also added the uppper and rear track guards and rivets.















I also started on an artillery piece, based on the truck chassis. Iare used the same templates, but I removed the troop compartment. The sides and cab will be identical to the transport.

I love the tread units you've built using the channel sections! I'm stealing that for the scratch-build Basilisk I've got going on now. I'm learning all kinds of things from you- please keep showing more!

Building your own tracks, nice work!

Thanks guys. Work and family has kept me pretty busy the last few weeks, and it looks like I won't have much hobby time in the forseeable future. I've got a small update I'll add this afternoon and I may begin to post my infantry.

Here's another update for everyone. I finished the lower track section and I'm casting the pieces up now. The hull is easy enough to build that the plan is to build those out of balsa and plasticard, and cast the tracks, turret and front glacis.






I've also gotten a lot of work done on my manticore model. It needs a few more rivets, wheeils and the doorstep on the cab.










Since I'm not sure I'll be able to keep regular progress on the tanks, here's a command squad I've also been working on. The drummer is from victoria miniatures and is easily one of my favorite models ever. The soldier with the bearskin hat is going to be a sapper- so he'll get an axe once I get my hands on one.

Love the vehicles and am very impressed with the greenstuff work! I'm wondering if the sapper (very Napoleonic of you!) could be played under the rules for the Master of Ordnance? And does Stalin know you've stolen his Organ for your Manticore? Keep it up, this is a great place for me to visit and learn things!

These are amazing!!!! Love the truck especially!

Have you tried the half round 1mm nail art beads trick for rivets? Worth a go... saves me hours of styrene-chopping!

Fantastic thread, I love the armored cars!

Subscribed.

it's so cool that I decided to register here to tell you about it.