Blakes 7 Liberator article

Bit of an exclusive heads-up for my modelling chums here (especially you Andrew).
Just got last night Martin Bowers article and photos for his Liberator piece for Bowerhouse #3.
Cor!!!!!!!!!
Its the most indepth he's written yet (and if you've got the last two, you know thats going to be quite something) and has taken him SIX days to write. That's because its SUCH a complex thing to build from scratch, so has taken a LOT of text and a LOT of photos too.
Its a great read and a remarkable insight how the guy's not put off by complex challenge's.
A little while yet before the issue is reay, but the wait will be worth it.

War Of The Worlds Diorama - primed

Blimey, that was fast. Cleaned all the pices last night and this morning assembled the kit. Seems i need do nothing more than glue the tracks on the tanks. And their turrets just puch into place - handy as i think i'm gonna need a bit of poseability when it comes to lining everything up.
The War Machines look like a very good snap-fit, with no visible joins so you can see here i've primed them still in their halves. The Cobra Necks also snugly fit into a space that then fits into the hull - again a snug fit. So, taking a gamble and keeping everything apart for the main painting.

War Of The Worlds Diorama

Been getting a bit stir crazy this week, so headed up to Comet Minatures, partly to try and find some donor kits, but also to see if Tony had anything that'd float my boat.
Was quite suprised to see he'd got so much new stuff in - a lot of Trek resins i guess ready for the new film, but this is what i went for: the new diorama from Pegasus Models.
I'd seen it up on sites such as Culttvman and Starship Modeller and the $17.00 price tag was very appealing. But, with the pound/dollar rate being what it is right now, that'd work out about £12.00, add P&P makes it nearer £16.00, then the inevitable Customs would hike it up to about £30.00.
So to find it for £19.95 made it a must-buy. Dunno if i've mentioned it before here but the Pal version is my 3rd favourite film of all time and the book that spawned it my 1st.
So, what do you get? Very nice, but quite small (1/44th) pieces, and not a lot of them. As you can see from the instructions, parts are small and build will be pretty easy.
Bit worrying is the very soapy feel to the plastic - so a bath before assembly.

Denis Lowe's Alien work

Lovely rare shots here of this fellas work on Alien. VERY rare shots of the Nostromo when it was still yellow:

http://www.zen171398.zen.co.uk/Alien.html

Klingon Bird Of Prey - a muddy mess

Top pic is the craft basecaoted. This took longer than usual as the piant i used is from the Montana range and called "Peperroni Mild". These are excellent paints available from art shops and guess used by "urban artists" and such like. They're a real quality product with the advantages being a huge range of interesting shades, drying time is very fast and they go on very well. Disadvantge is they STINK, and leave a powdery residue that has to be wiped off after drying. The to be on the safe side, sealing in with varnish.
Anyway, here it is top pic with a few panels picked out in other shades. I was going to go overboard on this, trying to emulate the studio model in the 2nd pic (but ignoring the turquoise) but have chickened out as the one's i've put on seem rather jarring.
Not so jarring 3rd pic where i've put a dark green/dark grey/dark brown wash on and wiped off. Trouble with this method is that it tones everything together but blends everything TOO much, resulting in a mucky, messy paintjob.
Pic 4 is the first stage to resolve that. You can see i've gone around every panel on the beak with a 2B pencil to define the panels and make them stand out more.

Battlecruiser - finished

Here you go then, just about done with the beastie. Pretty pleased how its come out, especially as its cost me just the cost of a sheet of Foamboard and a can of yellow paint.

Klingon Bird Of Prey - built

Thing went together very well, with some nice joining of sections. Where it lets itself down though is the neck section, which was pretty blank and hade quite a gap. Got round the problem by adding a few parts. Made the neck a bit thicker but not by much. And here she is primed. Funny how putting that on makes the thing look even better.

U.S.S. Glazebrook - a question of colour

Seeing as i had the Grey Primer out for the BOP, thought i'd squirt some over this ship to see how things are coming together.
Not bad, not bad.
Minds turned to what colour it should end up? Decided one of two: a grey, workman-like finish a la Alien/Outland etc or brown/tans ans rusty a la the Scorpio. We'll see.

Klingon Bird Of Prey - bugger

So here's how i got in about half an hour. Part fits very good and was going together like a dream. Details a bit soft, but there's lots of it.
Just moved onto the next stage of assembling the hull, cutting off parts from the sprue when i notice there's two more of those ribbed "shoulder" things that give the ship its distinctive humpback shape. "Where'd they go?" I think. Check the instructions and there's no sign of them anywhere. That's when it dawns on me - there's two options using two different sized "shoulders", one for the wings up and one for wings down BUT THE INTSTRUCTIONS DON'T TELL YOU THERE'S OPTIONAL PARTS. And i'd inadvertantly used the option i didn't want - wings up.
Bugger.
Hurriedly pulled the "shoulders" off the wings, which was possible as the glue hadn't quite set. Should be ok to put the right ones on, although some of the locating pins have snapped off in their holes.

Klingon Bird Of Prey

REALLY not looking forward to the new movie. Everything about it screams "Thunderbirds Film" to me. Loved the original series when it was on in 60's and 70's. It was telly SF with tons of action and decent effects. Then Next Generation came out and the hype and the fan following and the merchandise and the rivet spotting and all the other crap put me right off - something that's lasted right up till now.
But...
Sci-Fi Channel screens the original series 7.00 in the morning when i'm having breakfast. then someone over on the SFM:UK site posts pics of their 1/2500 ships they'd made.
All of which got me thinking Trek for the first time since about 1988.
Held off on getting the original series on DVD as there's a Blu Ray release soon. But HMV have Star Trek 3 for a tenner. Its my favourite of the films so what the heck? Its No1 for me partly because of Christopher Llyods brillaint portrayl of Kruge, but mainly the effects, especially the Klingon Bird Of Prey.
Like the original and first movie version Enterprise, and the Excelsior but i find pristine white and grey spaceships kinda dull to paint. With the BOP though i could really go to town making it down and dirty and grungy and have a whole lot of fun with it.
So, here we go. Courtesy of eBay for an excellent 4.50 for a mint sealed version. Its got the strange "in flight" display option, which i might use if its not too naff.

U.S.S. Glazebrook - more progress

Hasn't been too much in the way of news with this project. That's because i've had a real shortage of the same sort of fine, intricate detailed pieces that Andrew had used. And, of course, i needed such things if i wanted everything to blend in. But the donor kits for other projects have provided some tasty lil' pieces and you can see i'm slowly getting there.
Also had to replace some panels that were made of paper and had fallen off through age - and for them i used my trusty Go Fasta striping.
Really all that's needed now is to find something for the Bridge window and a way to cover up the long, horizontal section directly below that. Thinking Cable Tie.

Lovely CG Nostromo

Stunning stuff, courtesy of:

http://jimsmash.blogspot.com/2009/04/nice-cg-nostromo.html

Gateway Shuttle - bit more

Little progress here. You can see here i've added to the Tornado tail and the Wessex tail halves (i've put them on the other way round to the original. Think they look better this way.) and just attached it to the front section with a rubber band for this photo.
On that front section you can see i've added some greeblies that cover up the wheel area and act like a spacer between the body and the carapce sections from a Formula 1 kit. Thought it appropriate to use bits from the Porsche kit for it.
What i hadn't considered - and will have to deal with - is that the rear section, with all its Plasticard and bits, is so much heavier than the very light, thin plastic front section. So started to pack it out as much as i can with Milliput inside.

Battlecruiser - pastelling

As you can see, have started on the pastelling. Doin one side at a time and thought you might like to see the difference it makes.

Best Moments In Film # 1 - Opening 2

Too long to put the whole thing up, but this first sequence stands head and shoulders above everything Spielberg has done IMO.
Started as a Projectionist the year this came out and i watched this opening EVERY SHOW of EVERY SHIFT of EVERY DAY i worked, thinking i had landed just about the best job in the world.

Battleship - adding the black

Top pic is just before spraying. To begin the masking i used my old friend Go Fasta stripes. This was because they're very low tac and very flexible, meaning i could lift them up and down again without fear of pulling up any paint, plus they easily fit into recesses.
Just got to tidy up a few places where the blacks seeped under, replace a few decals that lifted off, some white one's on the black surfaces, then pastel.

Gateway Shuttle - starting the rear section.

Very simple this. Put some Plasticard on the underside of the "wings". Got some of this neat semicircle tubing (from B&Q - used for concealing wiring along your skirtingboard), so cut some to size, made a platform for the wings to sit on and attached them. On the original studio model the "wings" were left open on the front but i didn't want that. Blanked them off and added a couple of engine cowls from the B-29 which luckily almost fit. Finally, tidied up the end of the tubing with a piece of ribbed Plasticard.

Top Ten TV Openings - #2

How i loved and love the hardware on show. Makes no difference that a lot doesn't stand up to the scrunity of logic, Meddings and co achieved brilliance.

Battlecruiser - adding decals

The whole things VERY glossy - which is great for adding decals - but a nightmare to put washes on. So have put a few decals on prior to the Matt Varnish.

Battlecruiser - yellow

Gateway Shuttle - now really a variation on a theme.

So, if i'm to be anywhere near accurate i need a 1/24th Huey Hog for the main tail section.
Seems there's none to be had right now in the UK. There's a few in the States but 25.00+ (if i'm lucky), then postage, then the now obligatory Customs charge would make it about 55 quid - if i'm lucky. All for the end off the tail and maybe a couple of guns or a couple of shapes.
No, no way can i justify that.
So, along with the above and the fact that there doesn't seem to be any shots of the rear or underside (meaning a large part of the build would be conjecture), has resulted in my deciding to go completetly my own way and just the vary basic form as a basis for my own design (much like the Blakes 7 craft).
Maybe it'll be another version of the one in the film?
What to use though for the main tail parts? The only 1/24th thing i have is the Airfix Harrier but that's a bit too thick for what i need.
Had a lightbulb moment yesterday when i realised the 1/72nd B-29 i've bought for the Psydon Ship has a tail just the right thickness. So cut them off from the main halves and here they are Blu Tac'd in place with the other parts. Again, no idea what was used for the central section that eveerythings joined to, so have used some nice grooved piping i had lying around.

Top Ten TV Openings - #1

While i'm strolling down memory lane via Youtube Lane, here we go with my favourite ever openings to TV shows.
Number 1 has been quite fairly lambasted for the cheapness of the production, the barminess of some of the tales and the woodiness of some of the acting.
Quite true.
But rising above the tackiness were the credits, which the show itself could never hope to approach in terms of moodiness and downright creepiness.
Dunno what's the most unsettling, the score or the images, especially the foetus and closing hand.
Coming soon: Number2. Which'll it be? Well, its a show that sports my favourite hardware design of any TV show, has my second biggest crush i had during my pre-teens, and was responsible for the only time i've ever fancied owning a string vest...

B7 Attack Craft - main part done

All i've to do is finish off some battle damage (i'd been a hit too heavy with the pastelling in a couple of places and am disguising them with paint chips etc).
I've also put in a window. Wasn't going to do such an Earth-type thing, but the recess here SCREAMED window, and it'd be a nice bit of solid black to break up the white.

Best Moments In Film # 4 - Take off 1

Okay, its the Special Edition but, boy, watch this and i'm a 16 year old again, fair wetting me cinema seat with excitement.

Best Moments In Film # 3 - Goosebumps 2

Brilliant, brilliant stuff, made even better that it was improvised by Mr Haur. I can watch this over and over and over and over and over. If i have one criticism its that it should be "tears IN the rain".

Best Moments In Film # 2 - Goosebumps 1

This sequence, and especially when Supes catches the helicopter WITH ONE HAND, never, ever, ever fails to give me goosebumps - and a lump to my throat.

Best Moments In Film # 1 - Opening 1

Thanks to andrew Glazebrook for showing me how, here we go with my favourite ever moments in film - those that i can watch again and again, the best bits of my best films and that i never tire of.
First up, the best ever opening to a film (from 2:45):

Gateway Shuttle - bugger, bugger and thrice times bugger

Percieved wisdom is that the large helicopter tails at the rear are from a 1/48th Huey Hog.

Postie delivered mine today. Put it up against my 1/72 Wessex and Tornado tails (which i know to be correct) - and not only is it too small, dimension-wise i think its the wrong shape.

Thinking the size difference is pointing to a 1/24th rather than a 1/32nd kit. As to what type? Gawd knows...

Brilliant 50/60's SF Site

Courtesy of a link on Andrew Glazebrooks Blog, this - bizarrely IMO - is a site devoted to a The Humanoid.

Not much for me there. But scroll down and there's an exhaustive section devoted to 50/60's SF film.

VERY indepth and highly recommended:

http://www.golobthehumanoid.com/cosmic-classics.html

B7 Attack Craft - pastelled

Here she is pastelled. But the trouble is she looks, well, pastel. There's no solid blacks for contrast, so in i go with the paint brush.

Psydon Ship - movement

Finally, finally, some progress. This project stalled as one of the things i need is an Airfix B-29 kit. But i'll be darned if i'm going to pay out a lot for only 5 parts. Finally got one cheap though so expect progress soon.

B7 Attack Craft - factory finish

Here she is with panels picked out in Skull White, then the panels and detail outlined in pencil and decals added. Kept to a pallette of just red and black with them, and nothing to give an Earth origin.

B7 Attack Craft - Base coated

Was going to go with plain white primer for the basecoat, but i'm a bit bored with that route.

Instead, put on a layer of "Peugot Alpine White" which - oddly - has a green tint to it, then a dusting of the white primer to take it back a bit.

Battlecruiser - white

Finally a decent Coldplay video

Courtesy of Matthew Schuerman and his Blog.
Truly excellent - if only i could burn this to disc and play it on the Digi Projector at work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI179GqNTWg&feature=player_embedded

Battlecruiser - grey

Think i've gone as far as i want to with this (and got to clear the bench) so here she is with grey primer. Looking quite hefty and military methinks.

B7 Attack Craft - almost there

Start of the week - and still no flamin' kits from the Postie. Never mind, went off to my local Modelzone and picked up a Westland Wessex helicopter for my Gateway Station ship. Only need the tail for it so i'm in the process of putting various greeblies onto this. You can see at the rear i've used one of the rotors for a nice chunky panel.

You can also see i've used the Baco Bricks again. One of the elements of the original i wanted to keep is the grid panel all round the mid section. The problem there is that i've got to have a lot of the same thing to repeat the pattern - and the only thing that i have are the Baco's. Thought they were a bit too chunky at first, but they've grown on me since.

You may spot that i've capped the rear with the bottom of the Airfix Lunar Module. Used that because it has a nice rounded indent that the ball should fit nicely onto.

The Trilogy Meter

Pinched from over on Andrews Blog - http://bsmbow.blogspot.com/ - this was a lot of fun to fill in.

Battleship - photoshopped

Blitzspear over on the SFMUK Forum was asking me how progress was going on the Battlecruiser. Thought i'd take a photo to show him but then thought it might be fun to try and show it the way i see it in my minds eye. Took the colour out to try and blend everything together.