Gans - nearly done

Cracking on with this as i've a couple of new projects i wnat to get started on.

Here are all the sub-assemblies all painted up. I've used a variation of my Himmelspion colour scheme, just using a different, lighter grey on it.

Decals are applied and i'm just about to put a coat of varnish on to pull everything together.

Gans - underway

Well, what i thought would happened happened - starting this project so soon after finish my Neuspotter and almost finished my Krote (which the Gans uses huge sections of both) has meant its proving to be a real slog on some sections.

The piece on the right is the Neuspotter head, which went together exactly the same, albiet the smoke dischargers and lower cowl broke the tedium a bit.

The piece on the left is an all new thing for me and because of that a lot more enjoyable, and its a connecting section between the head and lower body.

By the way, i'm still working hard on finishing the Krote and Gustav - just not got time to take pics and upload them.

Psydon Ship - first Saturn 1B parts

This project has been on hold for quite a while as a lot of what i can put on or constuct is dependant on their relative positioning to parts from the Airfix Saturn 1B kit - which i haven't got and is VERY scarce.

But, a bit of progress today thanks to the top blokeness of Keith Scaife, who's very kindly cast me these two discs from the kit to apply to the rear of main section.

No idea what they'd be on a "real" version. Escape Pod hatches? Mine launchers?

Krote and Gustav - painting underway

I've always found the Gustav to be a bit of a boring design and the guy peering out of the open canopy has always looked a bit naff.

The usual Panzer grey doesn't make it anything other than dull too. But i've found that, with the canopy in place, it actually looks a lot better so that's what i've gone with. I wanted to brighten up the colour scheme so i went:

Basecoat of Vallejo Luftwaffe Grey,

then GW Astrnomican Grey splogged all over,

and to busy it up - GW Bad Moon Yellow as identifying bands.

Next stop some decals before rusting it up.

The Krote has been washed with a black/basecoat mix. I've picked out the metallics and washed them with black .Again, decals next before MUCH rust.

With both kits i applied Mr Surfacer, but only one coat. That gives a subtle texture but not as much as i'd have liked on the Gustav.Rather than apply more coats and wait for each to dry, i've instead splodged on Liquetex Gel Medium to give a really bubbled up texture, which you can just make out in the pic

The new Wave Gans

After paying the right rip-off Customs charge, i was pretty hacked off. Till i opend the box that is.

What a lovely effort this is - a great box, looks like lovely casting of the parts, excellent decal sheet and a camo card too.

Can't wait to get started.

Krote and Gustav - basecoated

Here they are, and they've come out a bit different to how i planned.

For a start, the Mr Surfacer i applied isn't that noticible. I could've applied more layers of the stuff, but the new Gans arrived at this point and i want to get these quite a way under way as i start on the new kit.

Also, my original plan was to have the Krote here in a camo pattern and all beat up and rusty, and the Gans in a plain, Scorpion Green scheme and have them displayed together, implying that the Gans was the new kid on the block and replacing the well past it Krote.

But the Gans comes with a lovely winter scheme on the camo card and i'm going with that. So the Krote gets the single colour - and here it is, GW Catchan Green.

The Gustav is based in Vallejo Luftwaffe Grey, which is very dark, but i'm going to lighten it right up.

Krote and Gustav - Mr Surfacer applied

First time with this stuff and, while its as smelly as i've been led to believe, its nowhere near as lumpy and bumpy as i'd thought it'd be. A lot of folk have to sand down the bumps with Wet And Dry but its a nice finish like this after being applied with an old brush.

Was hoping it'd be good to cover some remaining seamlines but its a no-go there.

Krote and Gustav - assembled

First up, hope you're having a great Christmas and all the best for the next 12 months.

Second, apols for the lack of posting just lately. Despite the Crimbo rush i have been a busy modeller, but haven't had time to take pics really.

But as you can see, the Gustav and Krote are pretty much done. Had great fun with both of these and they went together really well (despite some errors in the instructions).

The Gustav was a pretty standard build, notable for the nifty lead weights included to put in the feet and the lovely metal accessories that come with it. You can see here that the pilot is done. I haven't gone to town on the finishing of him as i'm enclosing the canopy.

The Krote was a revelation - just how many parts were needed for the engine and waist sections????. There's a side panel that you have the option of having on or off. I've chosen off as its a right bastige to stick on. So it'll be off and i have it in mind to have a diorama of it broken down and under repair. You should be able to see that i've added greeblies to the interior just to busy it up a bit and make it a bit more 3D.

I'm keeping everything in sub-assemblies for easy of painting and ease of applying the Mr Surfacer - the next step.

Krote and Gustav

My latest tow kits arrived together. Always wanted a Krote and i only really got the Gustav because it was cheap, i want a suit that's clearly got a man inside rather than a head popping out the top and i can try the Mr Surfacer out on him before i apply it to the Krote.

Neuspotter - done

Very suprised to see the light still works after all the constuction but don't think i'll be using it.

S.A.F.S - finished

Pleased with how the paintjobs come out but that pose is SO stiff and dull. Tried pointing the camera up the barrel to liven it up but no dice. Could've modified the joints but don't think i'd make a decent job of it.

Judge Anderson original art

Not a modelling project, but this site started as a 2000AD as well as SF themed one so figure this is worth a mention.

Been a fan of Dave Taylors work since his work on Dark Horse's "Tongue Lash" and knew he was going to be doing an Anderson tale for the Megazine from his previews on his Blog.

When it arrived it didn't disapoint - an old school Mega City tale involving sentinent buildings getting up and smushing stuff.

And the art was top notch. Dave is excellent at both inticate machinery and the female form and this strip showed both off brilliantly.

So, dead chuffed to get this page. I wanted this one in particular as the final panel is an excellent example of what i'm talking about - a stunning Anderson giving off loads of attitude in front of a very detailed city (the panel itself is relatively small but the amount of tight, tiny detail is astounding).

Psydon Ship - Command Module eyes on

Apologies for anyone who keeps popping back here for progress on the Psydon Ship.

There hasn't been any for a while as i've been putting off the next stage - putting the "eyes" on - as i didn't want to balls it up.

Bit the bullet though and its all done now.

Went ok but... either the Eagle beaks too small or the Hawk mouldings are too big, but the "eyes" cannot be positioned in place the right distance away from the bottom edge on both sides and have the gap between them on the top.

I've compromised - this side has the eye the right distance from the bottom, but the other side is too close (guess which side i'll be photographing from) and the gap up top is too narrow.

But, that's the best i can do.

My War Of The Worlds Blog

Thought you might like to take a look at my fledgling Blog devoted to War Of The Worlds in all its incarnations, be it book, album, art, model, concert, whatever.
Basically a ramble of my thoughts on things, with a heavy design slant:

http://thewarsoftheworlds.blogspot.com/

Psydon Ship - getting there with the CM

Here's that disc puttied in nice and smooth, the Saturn V cone underneath joined to it, and a bit of primer to give me an idea how its looking.

Amazing how mean it looks already.

Oh, and that's a blob of Blu Tac on the front keeping paint off where the "sting" will go, rather than the part itself.

Harrier Jump Jet

And i've one of these 1/24th beauties (the first since '73!) for parts for my Psydon Ship

Tamiya Pit Crew

Why there's a racing car pit crew here? Well, they're the few figures that are the standard Ma.K 1/20th scale and now, thanks to Ian Sinclair, they're mine!

Neuspotter

Thanks to Will over on the Ma.K Forum, i'm building one of these fellas again 24 years after the last one!

Its a lovely bit of work and goes together so well. I'm stunned by the part fit, the crispness of the detail, the multi media parts, the craftmanship - the tiny, tiny holes for the lights leads are drilled in just the right place and just the right size to fit the cables through.

Here's as far as i've got after just one afternoon and a bit of a morning.

Psydon Ship - skirt

Here we have the part kindly supplied from Darren. It replicates the shape of the Blue Ribbon container that Martin used but is virtually impossible to find these days.

The trouble with it is, being clear, its hard to see just where to cut, especially as its got a flange that's quite a bit bigger than the diameter needed. So you can see i've sprayed that area with white primer to make it easier.

Psydon Ship - Martin Bower to the rescue

Mentioned to Martin that i was hunting around for a disc to go behind the "sting" on the Command Module and, next day, the proper part arrives in the post.

Cheers Martin.

Here it is, with me in the process of blending it in.