Martian Handling Machine - colours

HG Wells has the Martian craft as metallic. Problem there is that could be a bit dull, especially as the bridge girder work will be the same. So how to jazz it up? Well, I've got a pot of Citadel Metallic Green that I've had for a good 30 years and is still viable. So, after basing in gun metal, I've dappled on another coat with some of the green mixed in. A bit bright, but the next stage will take care of that.

Martian Handling Machine - progress

Right, with tentacles made from Green Stuff and legs from coathanger wire, the thing was given a dapple of Mr Surfacer to give it surface texture, then primed.

Martian Handling Machine - getting started

So this is what i need that yogurt pot for - Alvim Correa's brilliant depiction of the Martians handling machine.
I plan on buidling it in this pose, set amongst Red Weed-encrusted ruins. Hopefully i'll be able to source some suitable scale birds from the railway modelling section.



Studying the picture, it looks like it has organic tentacles front, left and one coiled up at back. Assuming there's also one on the right that's either retracted or snapped off, I've drilled four holes in the yogurt pot and capped them with some wheel bits.

Yogurt pot

The "yogurt pot" cliché of SF modelling? Its true for my next scratchbuild project - this is the basis!

Bulk Cruiser - from awful to worse

I think i'm going to have to preface a lot of these shots with an "oh dear". Oh dear - the very front has Airfix Lunar Module hull halves, along with with Eagle Transporter leg pod halves topped with one of its feet.

Bulk Cruiser - oh dear...

Three years ago, i started to chart on my modelling FB page the restoration of this blummin' awful build i did sometime in the late 70's.
Back then, i'd gotten loads of clear plastic boxes and i'd decided to make a ship by gluing them together, then cladding with Plasticard, then adding kit bits and, when i finished a section, hand painted it with Humbrol enamels.
Yes really.
I think i was so appalled by the result that i hid it in my Mum's attic and forgot about it.
Until three years ago when i stumbled upon it.
After the shock and horror of remembering what i'd produced, i gave myself the task of restoring and finishing what i'd started all those years ago.
And this is what i had after i'd given it a good wash.
Its the underside of the ship and, yep, that is indeed a cut-up mid-section of the Galactica towards the rear!
As i say, this photo was three years ago and i did quite a bit of work on it before being distracted by other projects and putting it into my new attic.
But now think its time to start again so, after i've updated here the state of the rest of it then and now, i'll be carrying on.

Ma.K style peanut ship

Something else i built while away was the ship very much influenced by the Ma.K universe.
Made from a plastic snowman sweet container from last year (yes really), i sculpted Das Pronto over the top, scribed in panel lines, and added odd details.

Well, hello there.

Yes indeed. For anyone who still might pop in here, i'm still a-modelling away, but its jsut that (A) i've been spending all my time charting my builds on my Mr E Models Facebook and Instagram pages, and (B) i'd totally forgotten my password for here and its been a right bastige to set a new one.
But, done now.
Promise i'll start posting on here more and, to kick it off, have a look at a robot i scratch built back in the summer: