1/20 Nitto "Fledermaus"

ssgkopp:

Nice build.  I built one of these last year and was happy with the outcome with a little tlc. I was surprised of big it is though.

Thank you. Yeah, she's big. That's one of those IMEX plastic display cases its perched on. The big diorama sized ones.

Funny thing is, it doesn't weigh hardly anything. Just a little over a pound, even w/ the base. Its almost completely hollow. Course, if it weighed any more than it does, I don't think the spindly landing gear could hold it.

When I get around to reworking the base, I'll fill it w/ old chopped up sprue and casting resin to give it some heft.

I used a picture frame and a for sale sign for my base.  UI used a sponge and 5 diferent greys to make the concrete and scribed the lines in with a #11 blade and a metal ruler.  It has the nice winter feel and the icy glass to boot.

Back when these came out there was just NO WAY I was going to pay THAT MUCH for a model kit as an E1 in the Army. Oh how times have changed!

I love the 'maus!

David  

ssgkopp:

I used a picture frame and a for sale sign for my base.  UI used a sponge and 5 diferent greys to make the concrete and scribed the lines in with a #11 blade and a metal ruler.  It has the nice winter feel and the icy glass to boot.

Oh yeah. That's much nicer than my base. Actually looks like real concrete slabs.

How did you get the ‘frosted' effect? I was going to build something w/ the ‘AFS Polar', and that would be perfect.

PLU1:

Back when these came out there was just NO WAY I was going to pay THAT MUCH for a model kit as an E1 in the Army. Oh how times have changed! I love the 'maus! David

I hear that! I used to brag that I never spent more than $20 on a model kit.

Now I spend more than that on just the PE. 

TC:

That looks very nice JC. I can see why that one would grab a first place with no trouble at all.

Thank you TC, but I don't want to give the impression that I was the only one to win a Gold at WF 2007. WF judges on the Merit System, which means they can award several Gold awards, or just one, or none at all.

In fact, I've seen at least one other WF2007 Gold model in these forums. Check out kylwell's "Falke", for instance.

ssgkopp wrote:

The frosting was actually an accident when dull coat reacted with something.  But it turned out looking good.

Penecillin, Rogaine, and now frosted windows.  Just go to prove the old saying true: "Some of the best discoveries don't get the reaction of 'Eureka' so often as 'Now, that's odd...'"

Kugai:

Penecillin, Rogaine, and now frosted windows.  Just go to prove the old saying true: "Some of the best discoveries don't get the reaction of 'Eureka' so often as 'Now, that's odd...'"

Yeah, that's how I discovered post-shading. I had painted a model a custom color. Later, when I needed to touch up the paint job, I remixed some paint, but got the ratios wrong...

"Oh !! Oh, man, I just ed it up!

Well, I guess it doesn't look that bad.

Hmmm. Hey, that actually looks pretty good."

Cosmic J wrote:

This is my Nitto "Fledermaus" in 1/20 scale. (Some of you may have seen it before).   I started this kit back in 98 or 99, and it took me about five years, off and on, to finish it. It's a complex build. For example, the landing gear is sandwiched between the cockpit sides and the hull parts, so the gear must be completed before you can go on to the next step. Of course, the cockpit had to be fully completed before it could be assembled, and the cockpit had to be attached to the lower hull before the upper hull could be assembled... You get what I mean. It's mostly a stock kit, but I made a lot of minor modifications to it: -Waldron instruments and bezels in the cockpit -Eduard 1/24 scale photo-etch harnesses -rebuilt the refueling nozzles on the fuel tanks w/ brass tubes and rods -added about 16 bolts from M.S.G./Kotobukiya to the undercarriage (the existing details were terrible) -replacement fuel lines to each of the engines -Evergreen sheet styrene was used to block off visibly empty sections of the interior -replacement antennas on the rear -dry transfer stencils by Archer and Verlinden The hardest part was getting the engine bells smooth so I could paint them w/ metallics. All five of them came in (at least) three parts, and it literally took me YEARS to remove those seams. Next time, I'll just turn new aluminum ones on a lathe... The model took a Gold at Wonderfest USA in 2007, although I think the judges were being generous. The base is terrible, slapped together over the course of a weekend before the show. When I get some time, I'll go back and make a better one. Comments and criticism welcome.

Yeppers, I remember it quite well from this last years WF.  You're much too modest of your skills, as it was deserving of what it was given. 

Isn't that the truth? LOL. Can't wait to see ya at WF this year. Bet I could learn a bunch from ya CJ. How many awards have you won? Just curious. You know I want to learn from a master.

Cosmic J wrote:

Kugai: Penecillin, Rogaine, and now frosted windows.  Just go to prove the old saying true: "Some of the best discoveries don't get the reaction of 'Eureka' so often as 'Now, that's odd...'" Yeah, that's how I discovered post-shading. I had painted a model a custom color. Later, when I needed to touch up the paint job, I remixed some paint, but got the ratios wrong... "Oh !! Oh, man, I just ed it up! Well, I guess it doesn't look that bad. Hmmm. Hey, that actually looks pretty good."

PetarB wrote:

I've seen other pics of this Fledermaus. Fantastic work Cosmic J!

Truely a work of art, one of many. 

Hey Cosmic, that. . . is. . . awesome!  Love the Ma.K kits.  Some of the most imaginative designs in the sci-fi genre.

I finished my Fledermaus back in October and built a tarmac display for it as well.    Here's a shot of mine.  Not as refined as yours, but it's only the 2nd Ma.K kit I've done.

superjedi (love the name) welcome to the boards.  is this a scratched B4 stand?  looks great with the 'Maus .

David

Hi David,

Thanks!

Yeah, it's scratched.  It's built it from some Plastruct products; tubing, diamond plate,and a pre-made stair/railing kit.  The little generator is converted from a resin large-scale model railroad piece I found. 

 I'd love to find some good 1/20 figures to 'populate' the scene.

Master Jedi ( assuming you are a Master at this point :)  ) you will find an easily converted 1/20 Tamiya pit crew team. Several figures all in 'work' poses.  I found some alternate resin heads to fit the scale I intend to use, also youcan drill out the necks and use the current 1/18 toy heads that we seem to see on Walmart discouted shelves a lot.

 the Tamiya figure set comes in a bagged set not in a box.  Easy to convert for Stral/ Merc support crew.

HTH

David

KTM:

Isn't that the truth? LOL. Can't wait to see ya at WF this year. Bet I could learn a bunch from ya CJ. How many awards have you won? Just curious.

Oh, I dunno... A couple.

 Enough so that 2008 is the last year that I'm entering anything. I don't want to be that guy, you know what I mean? I'd rather be promoting the hobby, not myself...

...but awards are nice.

PetarB:

I've seen other pics of this Fledermaus. Fantastic work Cosmic J!

Thanks, PB. Yeah, FSM ran a picture of it in their Oct. or Nov. issue. Good eye.

If you feel like it, go back and look at the picture. Can you see any flaws...?

superjedi:

Hey Cosmic, that. . . is. . . awesome!  Love the Ma.K kits.  Some of the most imaginative designs in the sci-fi genre.

I can't argue w/ that. I'm a total M.aK. fanboy.

superjedi:

I finished my Fledermaus back in October and built a tarmac display for it as well.    Here's a shot of mine.  Not as refined as yours, but it's only the 2nd Ma.K kit I've done.

I wish my second MaK had looked that good.

I think I've seen this one, maybe over in the Krueger's Krieger board? The cart thingy is scratchbuilt or converted from something, right? And a Verlinden runway?

Your display kicks mine in the butt. Anyway I could convince you and ssgkopp to collaborate on building a base for mine?

PatlaborUnit1:

Master Jedi ( assuming you are a Master at this point :)  ) you will find an easily converted 1/20 Tamiya pit crew team. Several figures all in 'work' poses.  I found some alternate resin heads to fit the scale I intend to use, also you can drill out the necks and use the current 1/18 toy heads that we seem to see on Walmart discouted shelves a lot. the Tamiya figure set comes in a bagged set not in a box.  Easy to convert for Stral/ Merc support crew.

Davids right about the Tamiya pit crew. I think they are even used next to a SAFS kit in this years GSM annual.

I dressed mine up a bit when I used them. I sculpted some obvious cybernetic enhancements out of miliput on two of them: eyes and some cranial implants on one, and a crude cyberleg on another. Not great, but it helped make them look a little more sci-fi.

Thank you, gentlemen. You are all very kind.