A CHALLANGE to all of you Tread heads.

Yeah, I am stretched about as far across the hobby as I'm willing to go too.  I build Tamiya 1/16th R/C tanks and not necessarily right out of the box either.  Sometimes I'll get the cheaper Heng Long tanks and stuff the electronics from Tamiyas in them, or completely build another version with resin aftermarket kits.  The mechanical and electrical challenge is enough to keep my interest high enough so I don't burn out on just a styrene build.  And there are so many details that can be improved or made to be an actual functioning item that a single build can last a few years.  Metal tracks, updating the gearbox and suspensions & wiring ... the costs can soar.

Once in a while I'll break out a 1/35th kit that I've been itching to build and it's pretty refreshing.

So there's your challenge smeagol ... get into some R/C gear for a change. 

Well, Smeagol, you and I have had this conversation before, I think, so you probably can guess were I'm goin', but for the sake of others, I'll be a bit more detailed in my answer..

Forst of all, I'm first & foremost a Military Modeler... This means that I build military models that encompass all the areas of the battlefield, i.e. Land, sea, & air... Although I don't do large Navy Ships of the Line, I do small craft that can be found in 1/35th scale.. Since I build dioramas exclusively, I model vehicles (tracked and wheeled, Combat and support, tube and rocket artillery, motorcycles, male & female figures both military and civilian, horses, donkeys, dogs, boats, aircraft, houses, barns, sheds, shacks, trees, shrubs, fences, walls, roads and trails, to name a few)...  Now that that's said, I also build civilian vehicles and aircraft which may be needed in one of my dioramas... That includes military vehicles that have been built up from their civilian counter parts, like staff cars and the odd Citroen here & there..  I also build Sci-fi dioramas, or have in the past, since the [i]Star Wars X-Wings, A-Wings, Snowspeeder, & TIE Fighter, Battlestar Galactica Viper & Raider, and Star Trek's Shuttle crafts & pods...  I like to do thaose because I can build whatever support gear and bases that strike my fancy, and I can light 'em up in all kinds of different ways, LED, incandescant, miniature and automotive, AC/DC, steady burn and flashing/chasing, colored & plain...

I use plastic, metal, wood, paper, cloth, epoxy, resin, RTV Rubber, Autobody filler, celluclay, and plaster, and I glue, solder, hammer, nail, and tape stuff together and paint with enamels, acrylics, oils, water colors, tempera, latex, and magic-freakin'-markers ...

So basically, I'm stretched about as far across the hobby as I'm willing to go, and am not going to build a gundam or mecha or any of the "Japanimation" stuff because it doesn't interest me in the least... 

You'll have to be content with Galictica Hangar Bay diorama that's in the pipeline, and before you say it, I LIKE "monotone" spacecraft that are heavily weathered, dinged, dented, stained, & scorched... 

Bottom line is that I don't want to build any sci-fi kits from any scfi-fi shows or movies that I've never seen, or didn't want to sit through after a few minutes trying... I'll do Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien II, Battelstar Galactica, Lost in Space, Space: 1999, and the like as the mood strikes me and kits are around though...

That, young Jedi, is the extent of what I'll do...  No "Panzer IVs in Space" though, no way, no how...

Come up with another idea like your Secret Santa Armor group build though, and I'll play again...  That one was a keeper, even though I haven't started my kit yet...

G'luck, Space-case..

P.S.  Doog's Eagle ROCKED! 

well depends on what you mean by 'play'

Any model kit, if given to a little kid, will get the paint all scratched and dinged, and needs to be sealed and such to keep it safe, but there are alot of gundam kits that can be for little kids to play with.

Also depends on what kind of toys he plays with (I dont have kids yet, thank god, so I dunno what they play with at what age)

These run fairly well for any younger kids and have a fan following because of them being cute

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban75671.html

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban904023.html

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban72791.html

If he can handle things like action figures, try these

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban901787.html

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban902407.html

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban919251.html

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban925650.html

Some are classic designs, some seem more fit for younger kids, some have accessories that could lend to fun for your son.

As long as you make sure all the paint is sealed and safe, and that you glue all of the parts securley so he cant pullem appart, they should be fine.  

Worse comes to worse (and I dont condone this action) you could just snap, glue, and give

Is there any kind of Gundam or Sci-Fi kit that can be played with by a small boy? I ask because I wouldn't mind doing one. They actually seem kind of cool to me in a weird sort of way. My only concern is my almost 3 year old wanting to play with them.

I'm not asking to be a smart-***. If there is something like that out there, I am genuienly curious to know. Fill me in please if you can.

Regards,

Jeff

Off you go Steven.  Back to Sci-Fi.  There's a good lad......

Hows that for some, on the site I linked

P.S. I also find something hypocritical in the origional post too.  First you rail on about "montone" paint schemes and why you did not challenge anyone on certain other sci-fi kits, yet....YET...the 3 Maschinen Krieger kits you linked us too are ALL monotone paint schemes (except for one which looks to offer you a second option which looks like nothing more than a checkerboard paint job). 

Brian

And lets not forget, Doog is the last one that should have stones casr at....I mean Doog recently broke down and tried building his first aircraft (I think I also read he has tackled ship modeling once or twice also).  If that does not show diversity and breaking from the mold I have no clue what is!

Look, it comes down to this.  We all took on the hobby so we could build stuff that interests us.  If you are not interested in a subject it is just going to be way to hard to keep yourself entertained.....I mean, this IS supposed to be fun, right!?

Brian

Brown, you hit on nail on the head, there are no real limits.

Also, appart from the Dr Who kit (I figgured some of you had to be fans, and may not have known about the new Airfix kits), all of these kits lend themselves to what comfort zone you have, like SMJ was saying. 

The MA.K 1/20th scale were designed by WWI and WWII Buffs who wanted to do something scifi,  I have seen some done in up German camo and they look amazing, there also great candidates for heavy weathering.  The details on them are crisp but have room for additions if you want to scratch, the figures and the heads are very nicly sculpted, better then some 1/35th I have seen.

The Macross kits are half scifi jet fighter kits, with an anime giant robot twist, they can be built and displayed in fighter mode, and make a definate eye catching piece.

The gundam kits, while not having a close root, take ALOT of stuff, storyline, and weapon and design from WWII, ALOT of the weapons come straight from allied and axis weapons.  I have put and seen gundam kits, with zimmerit added on in makeshaft patches over the legs, torso and arms, it looks very good, they also look quiet good with certain types of Wwii camo.

I chose the kits I linked for a reason, I didnt just grab anime catgirl figures and such and throw them up, I thought this thing through.  In the end, if you built one and didnt want to keep it, you could always sell it, scrap it for parts, put it on display in your LHS to drum up buisness for them.

And not like all of them are expensive, the cheaper (priced) gundam ones can cost upwards of 12$

TD4438 wrote:

That is some nice work, right there!  I agree with you about the monotone finishes - it's sci-fi for crying out loud.  'Fiction' is right in the title, so it seems to me, there are no limits.

I've been on a major sci-fi binge this year.What I like the most is the simplicity of the kits compared to AFV's with indy links.It let's me concentrate on the finish more than the build.

As for monotone sci-fi colors,who says you have to stay in the lines?I like to use non screen accurate colors (A-Wing and Snowspeeder) and heavy weathering (B-Wing).I've only done a few sci-fi kits over the years compared to armor,but I'm having a blast in 2009 building SW stuff so far.

Hmmmm...a challenge to build something outside my comfort zone or genre?   Shoot, its a challenge for me to build something WITHIN my comfort zone or genre!!!

Sorry smeagol, I understand and respect what you're trying to do, but its a no go for me.

I'll stay out of the fray also, but I've got to commend the doog on that sweeeeet Space 1999 spacecraft (I forget what they're called)!!  Great work!!

I'll stay out of the fray, but add this:

No offense to anyone, we are all geeks at heart, just ask our kids, but I have a couple (2) tank models displayed over my bar at home, and I am fine with that.

Sci Fi stuff has a certain, err, stigma, and I might be interested in building/weathering one of those armored suits, I loved Steakley's Armor, but I can't really do anything with it when it's done.

So I'll just live vicariously through you guys, and encourage you all to post your work.

Don't take this the wrong way, there is an admitted dorkiness factor to ANY model, I'm not claiming to be one of the "cool" kids, we're all brothers in arms here.  I just can't comfortably display Sci Fi in my home.    

SMJmodeler wrote:

I did try a NASCAR model recently and HATED IT...and I like that subject too, but I felt like a fish out of water!  I think I could do a spaceship, and probably do a decent job too, I just prefer not to.  In fact, I don't know how doog ventures as far as he does...maybe he likes the challenge.  With all that said, why not throw down a challenge to us within our genre?!

I love watching sci-fi but have no interest in sci-fi models. But as I said I do stray to other areas like heilos. You could challange the WWII guys to go modern or someone like myself to go "tank". In the long run, we would have to be in the "mood" for it.

As an example, I have enough backed up that I want to get done to keep me busy until next year. And by then more will back up. I do helio when I feel the need for a change of pace. But it is a subject I also enjoy. If I tried to build Sci-fi....with no disgrace to you...I would be bored with the subject matter.

I also take exception to your monotone color issue and agree with others here. Try to do an OD vehicle. Yeh, it is just one color but the color variation, pin washes for details etc make the model. Take a look at some of the models from an AMPS contest. There is some outstanding work with monotone.I feel Karl's Space 1999 spacecraft is a great example of that.

Rather than be frustrated with your thoughts of how we lack sci-fi experience, look at some of the regulars here and the diversity of things other than armor they do get into. We all love armor as our primary build and this a 90/10 principal occurs and we will only spend 10% of our precious time on things other than armor, but it has to be something that we are interested in.

You like many people here are a very good modeller. But like everyone here, we all have different tastes. We got into this for fun. We tend to stay with what we like to continue to have fun.

I joke about my Germaholic friends here but would not challenge them to build what I build since unless they were interested, they would not have fun compared to what they currently enjoy building.

Don't worry, be happy...

Rounds Complete!!

smeagol the vile wrote:

Plain and simple, I want to see what you guys could do with a kit outside of your genre... I post this for a few reasons, one... how the heck many Hetzers has Karl built... I want to see something new from you guys.  ...but sometimes its good to branch out.  What is the WORST that could happen?...

smeagol the vile: I recently commented to my armor mates about "branching out" and trying new techniques...it wasn't received well...now I understand why.  It seems like you're frustrated at something and are taking it out here.  I paraphrased your intro post and believe me, I truly understand your thought process.  But with all due respect, why the heck would I(we) care to build a spaceship?!  I like Star Wars like the next guy but I'm not a "sci-fi buff"...I'm a "WWII AFV buff".  Besides, my wish list of AFV kits is so long I'll be dead before I ever get to build even half of them. 

Also, and I know you are a good modeler so you can appreciate the time it takes...I don't want to spend precious hours on a subject matter that doesn't interest me.  That being said, I have considered building a Corsair and even the WWII carrier Yorktown to expand my horizons, but it's because they have special meaning to me (kits from my childhood)

I did try a NASCAR model recently and HATED IT...and I like that subject too, but I felt like a fish out of water!  I think I could do a spaceship, and probably do a decent job too, I just prefer not to.  In fact, I don't know how doog ventures as far as he does...maybe he likes the challenge. 

With all that said, why not throw down a challenge to us within our genre?! 

All I can say is ... wow.  I don't see where this thread is going.  Doog's work is way over the top, not even a simple build to me.

I think your approach needs re-thinking there.

Yeah......my stash is big enough,and I have enough builds that I want to build,and they are varied aircraft,ships,and armor,but no sc-fi or cars for me,but thanks for the offer.

Not that i'm one of the experts anyway.......so i'll just stick to what I know.

Look, Steven, just so you know, I am not trying to poo-poo your idea here.  Hey, you want to drum up more action over in Sci-Fi, that is cool with me. 

I am one that will fall into the 'not participating' category, not because it is not my cup of tea, but because I build relatively slowly, I have committed to several builds already (both armor and air) so I don't want to bump anything out of the lineup.  However, I think there are very few people who are truly 'one-dimensional' in their modeling.  Doog has done everything from armor to air to cars to space.  Manny does his armor, his figs, and (I think) he is really into ships.  True, I think we all have a 'comfort zone' but I doubt it is a genre specific one for most.

I might suggest, however, that rallying support for your challenge might be easier if you don't then pretty effectively dismiss the genre of the very same people who you are trying to recruit.  The 'a panther is just a hunk of metal with three colors' approach might rub a few people in here the wrong way.  Also singling out people who have done what you wanted (gone out of their comfort zone) and then trashing their build does not help your cause (why would I want to participate in a 'challenge' if I see you take one of the more accomplished builders in this forum and, in effect say, 'Look, even when doog built something in Sci-fi, it sucked').  It seems like your underlying motivation may be to get people out of their so-called comfort zones so that you can then trash their efforts.  Before you get defensive, please understand that I am talking about impressions - this is how you might be perceived, whether that is your intention or not.

Well, pray tell then, Steven--what would you have had me paint it in--a 3-color ambush scheme with chipping and maybe lots of rust streaks and chips?!

Seriously, I'm at a loss to comprehend you...I read through your post a while back about "Why is there not more respect for mecha modelers?" or something like that--well; I think that for a guy who professes to not even giving a hoot about the correct color of a halftrack, you're the last one to sit in judgment about what constitutes "quality" or competence in a build--much less a paint scheme!

Sheeesh.

smeagol the vile wrote:

I'm not doing this for ego or anything, its I know that you guys have alot to offer us, and we have alot to offer you.  Once you get past the beginner level for mecha/scifi its almost a requirement to mod and use either Am or scratch build parts to make it work better.  Hell, even prof competitions require any build thats set above beginner to use either scratch build/ after market metal, or resin parts.  Or, for another example, Karl, your eagle, while it is a very very nice piece, the figures in the cockpit arent the most detailed, no offence, I doubt your used to working in that scale for figures, most of the gundam line kit come with atleast 2 figures of that scale if not more, and there superbly detailed.

I don't think there is any greater difference in 'requiring' aftermarket in competitions in the armor/aircraft or sci-fi genres.  I think that expectation is pretty standard.

And not that Karl needs me to defend him, but I think if you review his build of that kit, he mentioned that he was not too concerned about the figures since they are virtually invisibe in the cockpit.  In fact, (and I could be wrong about this) if I recall, he did go so far as to modify one of the figs -maybe both- to represent specific characters from the show.

smeagol the vile wrote:

Wow, way to blow things our of porportion doog, it is nice, you did a very nice job on it I never said you didn't, but the majority of the darned thing is white and compared to the work you put into just painting and weathering some of your tanks that you finish in a week or so, its not the same.  I did watch your build with great interest, you did a great job rebuilding thos parts, but the colorscheme is just I dunno, disapointing, after we see what you can do even with just your hetzer tutorials.

Smeagol

Are you kidding?  I mean, 'disappointing'?!  Look, I hate to use a worn out analogy, but perhaps you are comparing apples to oranges here.  Take a good, close look at doog's build.  Yes, it is primarily 'white', but look at how he has been able to give the white some depth and to vary it across the surface of the ship.  Look at how the details pop out.  Notice the engine nacelles and the burn pattern on them.  Notice the color that is there (the red stripes in particular) and how the transition between them and the white has been blended in such a way that the stripes are not 'glaring' next to the white of the hull.  They don't jump off the page, but instead look 'continuous' with the paint on either side.

I'd argue that doog demonstrated more skill in this paintjob because he took something that could be very 'vanilla' and made it visually appealing.  You can say a lot about this paintjob, but I don't think 'disappointing' is one of them.

Wow, way to blow things our of porportion doog, it is nice, you did a very nice job on it I never said you didn't, but the majority of the darned thing is white and compared to the work you put into just painting and weathering some of your tanks that you finish in a week or so, its not the same.  I did watch your build with great interest, you did a great job rebuilding thos parts, but the colorscheme is just I dunno, disapointing, after we see what you can do even with just your hetzer tutorials.

Once I get the cap of the paint bottle attachent for my AB cleaned out Ill beable to finish that halftrack, its sitting on my paint area just waiting. 

I didnt link those panther just because there so simple, I saw one at mosquito con, its gorgeous, but its really just a 3 color metalic piece nothing really special.

to rob, your quite right about how people act on scifi only forums its why I came here to post my work, our scifi section is like our aircraft or armor sections, and we have a one or two on there are are close to the top of the field (Red Comet, though he doesnt really post much, for example)

I'm not doing this for ego or anything, its I know that you guys have alot to offer us, and we have alot to offer you.  Once you get past the beginner level for mecha/scifi its almost a requirement to mod and use either Am or scratch build parts to make it work better.  Hell, even prof competitions require any build thats set above beginner to use either scratch build/ after market metal, or resin parts.  Or, for another example, Karl, your eagle, while it is a very very nice piece, the figures in the cockpit arent the most detailed, no offence, I doubt your used to working in that scale for figures, most of the gundam line kit come with atleast 2 figures of that scale if not more, and there superbly detailed.

Ya know, if it isnt your boat, it isnt, I get that, but never poopoo something till you try it.  I have aircraft and naval kits just for the reason.  Heck, you can get a good gundam kit for about 8$ and some of them can be as hard as the dickens to get nice.

Besides armor, I'd like to think I'm a big sci-fi buff.  Especially I like the '50's movies.  I've been looking for a decent project to start, but really can't decide on just what it'll take to devert my attention.

Those "The War of the Worlds" models by Pegasus look nice, but aren't very detailed.

But, I'd like to find something from Star Trek or Space 1999 ... without breaking the bank. 

Karl,

Knowing what comes "in the box" (even though It must be some 30 years since I built one), I'd characterise your Eagle as "spectacular".  

I dunno, doog old man, it looks pretty detailed, painted and weathered to me. I've done a few space ships now and again.  The challange even with Federation Starships is to make them interesting with what you get.  Subtle transition with the basic paint job is an art.  The "aztec" pattern is a real challenge, even with pre-printed masks. I did a FineMolds Y-wing last year, real fun to weather, and a darn great fitting kit.  Anyhoo, I think your Eagle is a darn great job.  , ( more smiley thingys). and up to 71 posts now.  I blame my wifey for hooking up my game only computer to a wireless web connection, so now I don't have to wait for her to get off for me to connect.  She is web and facebook addicted. 

Doug

" Jane, get me off this crazy thing!"