Great job Phoenix, I enjoyed following along. Nice touches to the head; it has real character. I used to paint miniatures ages ago and their expressions always looked lifeless and robotic. I could never make them look human.

Also the satin black camo colour scheme makes me think of unpainted cast iron. Almost steampunk. It contrasts well with the gloss black arms which look more futuristic. Definately gives the feel of a suit that's been through the wars and kept going by scrounging for parts.

My apologies Phoenix, I was going to comment and then forgot. Looks awesome! Great work! The figure came out great and I like the matte black too! The black gives not only a steampunk look but makes it look heavy and solid!

SplatterMan

Nice touches to the head; it has real character. I used to paint miniatures ages ago and their expressions always looked lifeless and robotic. I could never make them look human.

Thank you Splatterman!  I know exactly what you mean.  Did lot's of research on figure painting and this was my first attempt at painting a human face.  Must have used something like 4-5 different reference sources to figure this out.  Turned out to be not as involved as feared, but without those references don't think I would have been able to achieve the final result. 

I'd be lying if I were to say I wasn't a little pleased with the responses to it. 

SplatterMan

Also the satin black camo colour scheme makes me think of unpainted cast iron. Almost steampunk. It contrasts well with the gloss black arms which look more futuristic. Definately gives the feel of a suit that's been through the wars and kept going by scrounging for parts.

Success!!  Exactly what I was hoping for.   Though I am a little disappointed in the weathering.  I spent several hours on it only to discover the black color hid most of it!  Something new for me to learn how to do.  Apply convincing weathering on dark colors. :)

PhoenixG, you really powered through that build!  Most impressive.  Your face painting skills are really good!

So what's next?  A Strahl bad guy?

Gamera

My apologies Phoenix, I was going to comment and then forgot. Looks awesome! Great work! The figure came out great and I like the matte black too! The black gives not only a steampunk look but makes it look heavy and solid!

 

No worries!  Glad you like it! I think that sense of weightiness is intrinsic to the line.  The sculptor did a great job of conveying it in form.  But the right colors can enhance it further.  I'd think you'd want these to feel solid.  Can't imaging too many people would be interested in climbing into one if it didn't offer some protective advantage.

Can you imagine the quartermaster introducing the new pilot to their machine?

"Climb on in!  It offers the same level of protection as wet tissue paper and a person on foot can easily out maneuever you, but you've got this awesome gun!  Oh. You're recon.  No gun.  Well... Good luck!"

Real G

PhoenixG, you really powered through that build!  Most impressive.  Your face painting skills are really good!

So what's next?  A Strahl bad guy?

 

Thanks RealG!  I couldn't help but hear Vader's voice when reading your post.  It must been becase of the, "Most Impressive". 

LOL.  Seems like the face of the pilot is the most popular part of the model!  Now I'm worried everyone's expectations will be really high for the next face I have to paint.  Don't know if I can handle that kind of pressure.  I think the next Ma.K. is gonna have a closed opaque cockpit!

Ma.K. is definitely a build more of and as luck would have it there is a Falke waiting in the wings.  However, it will be waiting a little longer yet.  Did so many new things with the Raccoon that going back to something more familiar for a moment will be a welcome break. 

To that end I just started working on another of the 1/144 Bandai Star Wars vehicles.  They're speedy little builds which let me work on honing my painting skills.

PhoenixG,

Yes you have set the bar for your figure painting.  To me, the most common rookie mistake that spoils a face is "fried egg eye".  You know the one - big, oversize white blobs with pinpoint pupils.  Your figure shows none of that.  We will be expecting nothing less from now on!  

I look forward to when you tackle the Falke.  I liked the design so much that I tried scratchbuilding one back in the 1990s.  But Hasegawa's kit rendered the effort redundant.  With Hasegawa and Wave releasing new tool kits, it is definitely a good time to model MaK!

I was initially skeptical of Bandai's 1/144 kits until I saw finished examples.  And the little mini kits are equally nice.  They are all definitely fun to build.  Fun...  Now that's a word I have not heard in a long time.  A long time.

Real G

PhoenixG,

Yes you have set the bar for your figure painting.  To me, the most common rookie mistake that spoils a face is "fried egg eye".  You know the one - big, oversize white blobs with pinpoint pupils.  Your figure shows none of that.  We will be expecting nothing less from now on!  

I look forward to when you tackle the Falke.  I liked the design so much that I tried scratchbuilding one back in the 1990s.  But Hasegawa's kit rendered the effort redundant.  With Hasegawa and Wave releasing new tool kits, it is definitely a good time to model MaK!

I was initially skeptical of Bandai's 1/144 kits until I saw finished examples.  And the little mini kits are equally nice.  They are all definitely fun to build.  Fun...  Now that's a word I have not heard in a long time.  A long time.

 

The other half of that is trying to use pure white for the eyes, an off white works best.  Regardless of color, I found it challenging to apply just the right amount of white.  Don't know how many times I had to erase the blob of white with a damp cotton swab.  Eventually got it close enough that was able to use a a little bit of brown wash around the eye to hide the rest. 

I shall endeavor not to let my future efforts dissapoint!

Speaking of fun.  Have you seen the new XP-38?

PhoenixG

 Speaking of fun.  Have you seen the new XP-38?

"Yeah, I heard it's really something...  What was that?"

"It's just gas, don't worry about it."

"You had burritos for lunch?"

"Naw, why do you ask?"

"I dunno, something smells like an old man."

"Must be the gas."

Real G

"Yeah, I heard it's really something... What was that?" "It's just gas, don't worry about it." "You had burritos for lunch?" "Naw, why do you ask?" "I dunno, something smells like an old man." "Must be the gas."

ROFLMAO!

The scene as originally written and performed before they dubbed over it and redacted the manuscript. ;)

Your abilities to source obcsure lines from Star Wars is impressive...most impressive.  Your Jedi powers betray you, young Padawan.

As for me, I credit my sister and her friends for sneaking a full sized ghetto-blaster into the Cinerama and audio taping the whole movie.  We listened to that tape over and over again.  You have to remember this was 1977, before Home Video was common, and there was NO streaming service!    Although I do recall movies on VHS at the time selling for $80(!!!).  One of my friend's dad bought Alien and Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan.  We watched those tapes into the ground.  We didn't bother with his dad's copy of Grease though.  

Successfully sneaking a full size ghetto blaster into a movie theater, now that's impressive.

Uh oh, I feel a trip down nostalgia lane coming up!

I try not to have delusions of granduer.  I was still a wee child when Star Wars hit the theaters, but when older our local library had movies on 8mm you could check out.  That's how I saw Star Wars for the first time.  Projected onto our dining room wall with subtitles because our projector didn't have audio!  However, for Empire the parents splurged and rented a CED player.  Those CED cartridges were huge.  As big as a laserdisc and half the video quality. 

I too gained my knowledge of Star Wars through audio tape recordings.  Back during the days of tape rental I figured out I could hook up the audio RCA output from the VCR to the phono input on the home stereo and record it via the tape deck. All three movies on 5 audio cassettes.  Absolute bliss! 

Are home stereo systems even a thing any more?

Your friend was so lucky start with two awesome movies right away!  I cast no stones regarding Grease.  There may be a copy of it residing somewhere within my domicile. 

Our first VHS movie was Top Gun.    It was on sale for a measley $50!  So cheap! 

Ah yes, those halcyon days of carefree childhood!  Yeah, I was astonished that my sis and her cohorts could smuggle a big radio casette player into the theater.  She must have bundled it up in a jacket or something.

I found MaK (SF3D at the time) at Woolworths in 1985.  I had no idea what they were, but they were so different from the missile and gun festooned Japanese robots of the time.  They felt like sci-fi kits for grown-ups, with their restrained armament, faux kraft paper boxes, and multi-media parts.

Interesting that Squadron/MMD imported the kits before the anime tidal wave hit the US.  Nobody seemed to "get" the concept. They were always on sale in the Squadron flyer, until they abruptly disappeared due to Nitto going bankrupt.

And then the Renaissance of SF3D dawned in 1999, reborn (and rebranded) as MaK.  Most of the old kits reappeared, Hasegawa and Wave joined in with new kits, and suddenly it was all new again!  

Hi;

      I managed to find a combo kit of the Windowed Machine and the Other one like what is pictured here. They are NOT easy to find in New Braunfels ,Texas. Now that said, Yes, I did try to order on line and got two of those ridiculous  Transformer looking Dudes, With all the wings and other wingy looking features. Not at all what I wanted!

      The Japanese seem quite taken with them. I personally like the idea of the Fighting suit like the Melusine because the Science Fiction I am reading right now has a lot of these in the future. Especially after Earth was invaded by Aliens! The fighting suits are standard fare on the Orbital ships and Stations, Scout Craft and "Marine" type fighting units.The weapons are some interesting things too. Especially on "Drop-Ships"

      You are right about their assault on the Hobby budget though. These things ain't cheap. My pair cost almost fifty Bucks and they are 1/35, But! They are sure fun to work on and also a nice break from Ships and Cars! Plus, so far every part fits like it's supposed to!

Real G

I found MaK (SF3D at the time) at Woolworths in 1985. I had no idea what they were, but they were so different from the missile and gun festooned Japanese robots of the time. They felt like sci-fi kits for grown-ups, with their restrained armament, faux kraft paper boxes, and multi-media parts.

My active interest in modeling along with the ability to acquire models fell right in between the disappearance and re-emergence of SF3D/Ma.K. While I may wonder at the "what might have been", I have no regrets in how I spent my hard earned cash on Star Trek/Wars and Macross kits. :)

Perhaps it was better for me to be exposed to them now.  I am a much more patient modeler and willing to spend more than a weekend on a build.  Giving me much greater satisfaction with the results.

Real G

And then the Renaissance of SF3D dawned in 1999, reborn (and rebranded) as MaK. Most of the old kits reappeared, Hasegawa and Wave joined in with new kits, and suddenly it was all new again!

I am pleased to have the opportunity to enjoy them now.  Very much looking forward to continuing to explore the medium! 

Tanker-Builder

I managed to find a combo kit of the Windowed Machine and the Other one like what is pictured here.

Hey TB, didn't find an image but I'm guessing your more recent acquisition was a kit like this one?

Tanker-Builder

They are NOT easy to find in New Braunfels ,Texas. Now that said, Yes, I did try to order on line and got two of those ridiculous Transformer looking Dudes, With all the wings and other wingy looking features. Not at all what I wanted! The Japanese seem quite taken with them.

I think it's amazing you've found a kit locally!  If I want anything from Ma.K. it has to have been ordered online. 

I enjoy much of the creativity that appears in the model kits from Japan.  Though many are not my cup of tea, there is such a cornucopia of model options that rarely is there difficulty in finding something that catches my interest.

Tanker-Builder

I personally like the idea of the Fighting suit like the Melusine because the Science Fiction I am reading right now has a lot of these in the future. Especially after Earth was invaded by Aliens! The fighting suits are standard fare on the Orbital ships and Stations, Scout Craft and "Marine" type fighting units.The weapons are some interesting things too. Especially on "Drop-Ships"

I'm an avid sci-fi reader and am always searching for new titles and authors.  Any qualms with sharing the title of the book?

Tanker-Builder

They are sure fun to work on and also a nice break from Ships and Cars! Plus, so far every part fits like it's supposed to!

Couldn't agree more! 

Yeah, the first model armored fighting suits the Strahl forces developed had clear canopies/windshields and side window panels (mostly because Kow used helicopter fuselages for the torsos!) I think the mercs developed the first suit with an enclosed cockpit and optics for the pilot, but I may be mistaken about that.  Strahl developed a suit with an enclosed cockpit but with a small window (10"x10" or so?), the Nixe, and then the Melusine with a fully enclosed cockpit and an optical system.

(that's all from the backstories, which you can find at Bryan Krueger's MaschinenKrieger forum, http://maschinenkrueger.com/forum/index.php?board=26.0)

the Baron

(that's all from the backstories, which you can find at Bryan Krueger's MaschinenKrieger forum, http://maschinenkrueger.com/forum/index.php?board=26.0)

Baron, thanks for sharing the link.  That is one Ma.K. filled site!   Looking forward to having more time to explore.  Ma.K. is going to be putting a serious dent in my pocket book.