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Kitbashin' a starship

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  • Member since
    January 2010
Kitbashin' a starship
Posted by Klik on Friday, October 21, 2011 5:03 PM

To start, a little background on this:

I've always wanted to make my own model. All it took for me to decide to finally get off my, er, butt, and do it was a recent issue of "Star Wars Dark Times". In the letters to the editor section of Issue 2 (IIRC) of the comic book series, someone made mention of a model that the artist had used for the bad guy's spaceship. The editor, as it turns out, is a fellow model builder, and kitbashed a ship as a gift for the artist, who then used in the comic.

So, I decided to give it the ol' college try and came up with this:

Top view (note the masking tape--that's where the canopy will be)

 

And, a Bottom view, too:

 

I also took some side view shots, but they're waaaaaaay too blurry to make out.

What d'ya all think? Comments, and especially criticisms, are always welcome.

P.S. For all you hard core plastic junkies out there, can you ID all the kits whose spares I used?

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Friday, October 21, 2011 6:25 PM

Really cool idea Klik Yes

not able to spot the piece you used Sad

i tried somethin' strange with the 1/48 tomcat tarps pod and another with front t-2c  fuselage section and other spare parts to do somethingh like a space fighter ... both never finished Dead

keep on this one up Toast

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: SE Pennsylvania
Posted by padakr on Saturday, October 22, 2011 10:05 AM

Hi Klik,

That looks really cool.  I have no clue as to which kits you used.  Might be that I'm useless at spotting them, or you did a good job making them look like something completely different.

Are you going to leave the paint job as is, do some shading, or add more color?

Paul

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Klik on Sunday, October 23, 2011 10:08 AM

padakr

Are you going to leave the paint job as is, do some shading, or add more color?

Paul

Yeah, colors are forthcoming, as time permits. This, for the moment, is the basecoat. I'm going to be painting it light grey with some colored striping.

Klik

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: Central IL
Posted by SLW 45 on Sunday, October 23, 2011 5:16 PM

Looks really good my friend

Do you know what name the ship will be given ?

                 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Monday, October 24, 2011 6:27 AM

Looks like it started out life as a modern 8-wheeled armored car, guessing a Revell Luchs or a Soviet BTR.

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Klik on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 3:02 PM

SLW 45

Looks really good my friend

Do you know what name the ship will be given ?

Yes, it's name will be "Fin's Rot".

 

Rob-- good guess, you're close.

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Thursday, October 27, 2011 6:44 AM

I can't tell how big it is scalewise, but if it isn't the Revell Luchs or BTR, then the most obvious choice would be Trumpeter's M1126 Stryker ICV.

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Klik on Thursday, October 27, 2011 2:39 PM

Very good, Rob! It's tiny--the 1/72nd scale one, so the full length nose to tail of the ship is only about 6 inches. Small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.

Can you guess the rest? Heres a hint-->the engine section TANKs.Wink

Stay tuned, folks, got most of it painted up the way I like, and I'll have 'finished' (nothing is every truly finished) pics up soon.

Klik

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    January 2010
Finished Kitbashin'!
Posted by Klik on Thursday, November 10, 2011 3:29 PM

Ok, Y'all waited for it long enough, here are finished pics of 'Fin's Rot':

 

 

 

 

 

and a close up of the "solar panel" on top:

 

and, dern it all, but I forgot to take a bottom view pic. Oh well.

Comments, concerns, criticisms welcome.

Any more thoughts on what kits I used?

KlikCaptain

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Friday, November 11, 2011 6:07 AM

Nice finish Klik Yes like too much, and the idea is really good.

My opinion is to use enamels to paint with brushes (i presume you used acrilycs with a brush to paint it) 

Also a sort of landing gear will perfect the work imho Propeller seems that you have leave a good attack point on the front.

You inspired my to try something like that , i have really lots of spare parts 

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Klik on Saturday, November 12, 2011 4:52 PM

Yeah, Bsyamato, I brushed with acrylics for this model. I'm not a huge fan of using enamels, but will use them if necessary. If I build another ship this size, enamels are the way to go, I think.

About landing gear. Yes, it really needs some to take it from it's current 'in Flight' pose, but I don't have any spares that really fit the part of landing gear. (maybe a stand is in the future?Hmm)

I built this ship with the Millenium Falcon from Star Wars in the back of my mind, and tried to mimic a weary, well-used freighter look (as well as one that has been repainted many times, only to have the paint peel away).

I just wish more people would provide feedback. I'll never get better if no one cares to comment or critic my builds.

Thanks for your feed back, Bsyamato, it is sincerely appreciated.Headphones

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Sunday, November 13, 2011 5:13 PM

keep invent friend Yes is a really good way this Propeller

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: Central IL
Posted by SLW 45 on Monday, November 14, 2011 8:46 PM

Looks good

 

                 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: NW Washington
Posted by dirkpitt77 on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 9:08 AM

I LIKE that!!   Way to pull it off!

 

    I agree that your paint needs work though.  Got an airbrush?  If not, I'd put that on your Christmas list, as well as some weathering tools like pastels or the Tamiya sets.   This is a neat little model and I'd say paint and weathering are it's only weak spots.  Nicely done!

 

  ---Chris

    "Some say the alien didn't die in the crash.  It survived and drank whiskey and played poker with the locals 'til the Texas Rangers caught wind of it and shot it dead."

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Klik on Thursday, November 17, 2011 5:49 PM

Thanks for the critiques, guys!

I agree, the paint wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. (even so, it looks better in real life). I think it needs a quick coat of dull coat to give it that 'finished' look. Maybe that'll give it a better look?

As for why I painted it with brushes, this thing is Tiny! It measures from tip to tail about 6 inches, which was a major limiting factor in the creative process of painting it.

Keep modeling!

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Friday, November 18, 2011 4:10 AM

Yes

a dull coat is good, also try to get some outdoor picture, will improve the real look

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Huntington, WV
Posted by Kugai on Saturday, November 19, 2011 7:40 AM

Nice little model!

It could also bee seen as in the tradition of the guys who worked at the FX places before CGI took over.  A lot of people don't realize how much kitbashing like this was done for shows/movies like Star Trek, Star Wars, and the original BSG.

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww122/randysmodels/No%20After%20Market%20Build%20Group/Group%20Badge/GBbadge2.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Klik on Monday, November 21, 2011 3:30 PM

Thank you for all the comments!

Well, taking advice, I took some outdoor pics on my patio:

 

without sunlight:

 

and a below, "person's-eye-view" shot (with a flash for some reason Hmm):

and for my final picture, a shot that I neglected to upload earlier, taken indoors for size comparison:

 

and, yes, that's a dime.

Keep on keepin' on.

Klik

oneyearwar1

The hardest part of flying isn't flying...it's landing.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 4:06 AM

sun looks better Yes

love the cockpit!

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