Battlemech redesign - The Lancelot

Heya, sorry it's been a while since I've updated the blog, just been busy the last couple of weeks and I haven't had the time to post. 

In the mean time I thought I'd take a whack at redesigning the Lancelot 'Mech from Battletech, a 'Mech who's loadout has always been to my liking, but the original TRO design just didn't do anything for me.

The original design...  

My redesign... My apologies for it not being a high-res scan and only a photo, my computer crapped out on me this week. I'll try to upload a scan of the deign as soon as possible. 

On this redesign I tried to keep the general slim proportions, while making sure the 'Mech could actually move. (Just look at the legs on the original... See any viable joints in those legs, save for the hip joints?) 

To illustrate this, I've drawn out the movement possible in each leg joint. Full movement is only available at the hip, while the knee and ankle joints remain completely stale. Unless the armor plating moves with the joints, the 'Mech won't be able to move in it's original TRO incarnation. (Which doesn't quite feal feasable at the ankle joint.)

That's all for now, but I am working on the Zaku II from Mobile Suit Gundam:Thunderbolt, so I should have that to show off soon^TM. 

Thanks for looking, and if you like what I do around here, make sure to hit that subscribe button to the write, to get the latest posts delivered to your inbox. It'd help me out alot. 

Stay safe out there, and we'll see you soon. 

MWO marauder, 3D model Pt. 1

G’day folks, thought I’d try something different in this post. While going through Thingiverse, (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1453274) a website with free 3d models, I happened across the 3d model of the Marauder Battlemech from Mechwarrior Online of the Mechwarrior/Battletech franchise! One of my favorite PC games with my all time favorite subject matter, giant stompy robots!!

 The model looked clean enough, so I decided to upload it to shapeways, an online 3d printing service to see how much it would cost to produce. While there, the algorithm detected some weak spots on the model that the 3D printer may not be able to print due to their orientation on the model, or may otherwise break off easily, so I decided to plug the model into Blender; a free 3d modeling program, found here: (https://www.blender.org/ ) to clean up some of the problem areas.

The problem areas on the model are highlighted in yellow. The rest of the model is in green. That means that those parts would be clear to print without major errors. 

The problem areas on the model were some of the smaller details such as the ladder rungs on the lower left and right legs, the antenna wires on the Center Torso, and the Cargo(?) rungs on the Left and Right Torso Assemblies. 

To begin, I started with the easiest part of the modification process, removing the antenna on the center torso. To do this, I clicked edit mode on the bottom of Blender’s Operating face. I then right clicked the vertices on the model I wanted to delete, and then, logically hit the delete button. Here is the end result… Pretty legit eh?

The editing process will be continued in the next post, and we just might be able to make this thing 3d printable. Thanks for looking, and I’ll see you in the next one. 

Macross Valkyrie, Pt. 2

In today's post, we'll continue progress on the Macross Valkyrie from last post. 

We have completed the preliminary work, and will start on the white basecoat in the next post. For the Gerwalk mode, I will use the decal's to make Roy Fokker's signature Skull squadron paint scheme, and I may do the same for the fighter mode, depending if I have another set of the same decals laying around... Well see. 

Another fighter I had lying around will be an even funner project than the Gerwalk mode and Roy Fokker's Valkyrie combined as the me from a good eight years ago, when I was just starting out in modeling, decided to spray paint it (Very thickly!) and use a two color camo using Silly Putty as a mask. The silly putty stuck a little too well, and that's how we got here.  Most of this Silly Putty is still on the model, only harder than it once was. Not a big problem, as I've got plenty of spare time on my hands. 

That's all for now, if you want to keep up with this project as it progresses progressively, hit that subscribe button on the upper right of the page to stay up to date. It'd help me out alot. 

Stay safe out there. 

Shown above: The two legs to the Gerwalk, both puttied, sanded, primed, then sanded. 

Shown above: The torso for the Gerwalk. The torso was in two man peices that can together with a big seem line down the middle down the nose. It is primed and ready for the white base coat in the next post. 

Macross Valkyrie, Pt. 1

G'day folks, last post I mentioned that I would start a work in progress (WIP) series of posts, this will be the first one. I will be documenting the build process of one of the older Robotech 1/170 plastic models. 

The first step to take with a model like this is to assemble the model so that you can start on the next process, filling the mold lines. Because this is an old kit dating back to the mid '80s, this process will be delightfully tedious. Here is a before and after image, showing both the unglued and the filled and glued leg together. 

This process requires you to first put down a layer of putty on the offending area. In this case I am using Squadron's White Putty. It is cheap, and fairly decent for what it's worth. 

After waiting for this layer of paint to dry, the next part in the process is to file down the putty so that it is flush with the surface of the model. After this, I tippically rub the part with a damp cloth to remove any debris, then I spray it with a thin layer of grey spray primer. 

This layer will give you a good impression of what the model will look like with other layers of paint on it. 

If the surface looks uneven, file off the primer from the area, and then put another layer of putty down. 

I repeated this process for the rest of the kit, and it is ready for the first coats of paint. 

The fun will really start with the next post! 

The images above show the before and after on filing the fueselage. A major improvement! 

The next step will be to wash the model with water to remove any mold release agents still left on the model from it's original casting. 

Thanks for looking, and if you want to see this project come to fruition and help me out, hit that subscribe button to the right of this post. 

We'll see you in the next one, in the mean time, stay safe out there. We'll see you soon.

Something that got a kick out of me...

Two posts within a week!? A miracle!! Was doing my usual perusing through Ebay and I noticed an listing of a Battletech model kit. 

Upon clicking through the pictures,  I noticed something that really got a kick out of me. 

I first noticed that in the manual they had used the lineart for the original Macross/Robotech VF1 Valkyrie Gerwalk mode and variable fighter mode (The Battletech equivalent to the original unseen Stinger, and Stinger Land-air-'Mech.) in the instructions, and even went as far as to include one of the Zentraedi Battlepods on the front cover of the instruction manual. 

To further this, I remembered that I had some of the older Robotech model kits that Revell used to make back in '84 and the early '80s so I decided to compare the actual models to those seen in the pictures. 

To my suprise, both the runners, plastic model, and decals were the exact same as seen as the pictures below. I'd even be willing to bet that the runners from the Battletech plastic model series even had the very same Japanese Katakana(?) printed on them. 

Anyways, just goes to show how spread out the rights to Shoji Kowamori's original designs were. 

If you are not aware of Battletech and the infamous unseen fiasco fought between Fasa Corporation and Harmony Gold, (The bastards!) the owners of Macross/Robotech, check out this link over at Sarna.net if you've got the time; it is an interesting read and it'll walk you through the whole shabang. 

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Unseen

In the next post I'll be building one of the original Robotech model kits, so make sure to stick around for that. Building a kit of this age will be interesting to say the least. 

As always, thanks for looking and I ask that you please hit that email subscribe button at the top right of the screen, it'd help me out alot. Stay safe out their, and I'll see you in the next one. 

"Here, Let's try for a two-fer!"

G'day folks, picked up the HG:IBO Barbatos, and I thought I'd throw it up for review. Overall, it is a great kit, with posability being it's greatest asset out of the box due to it's full inner frame. Essentially any pose that you can think of, you can display it in. I'm not that creative when it comes to posing my kits so for this review it'll be shown standing for the most part. 

Allthough this kit has great posability, the color separation is lack-luster, even for your average high grade. Stickers make up the majority of the color separation, aside from the standard Gundam colors; blue red and yellow. Some of the smaller yellow details that should be there are stickers as well. These yellow stickers being placed on the shoulder armor and other smaller, less noticeable bits. 

Black stickers are used on the back of the legs behind the knee simulate the look of the jump jets, but they don't look the best either considering that they have to be folded to match the general contour of the model. However, this problem can be fixed with some minimal masking and paint work. For the dark metallic, I used Testor's magnesium buffing metalizer. I think this greatly improved the look of the model. 

Metallic red stickers are used on the shin and shoulder armor; they look okay, but I chose to paint them in. 

Alltogether, the HG Barbatos is a very solid kit, and the $10 price point can't be beat for a hg of it's overall quality. The only thing that I wish that they would have done was spend more time and budget on the color separation, as it is seriously dissapointing. 

My apologies for the terrible final picture, I'll take better ones once I've gotten my completed models portfolio on the blog completed. More on that at a later date further down the line. 

Finally got around to painting my "3D printed" Victor that I had posted a few months back from one of my favorite video games to date, Mechwarrior Online, of the Mechwarrior/Battletech franchise that got me into giant stompy robots in the first place. 

It's painted in the canon paint scheme of House Kurita's First Sword of Light.

 HONOR THE DRAGON! 

As always if you like what I do around here, make sure to subscribe to my mailing list to the right of this post. 

Thanks for reading, and I'll be back with another, real soon. 

MSG:Ecole Du Ciel

Mobile Suit Gundam: Ecole Du Ciel manga first look 

Ecole Du Ciel is a manga series written and drawn by Haruhiko Mikimoto, with mecha designs based off of concepts by Yoshinori Sayama, originally published in 2002. 

The plot of Ecole Du Ciel takes place in 0085, roughly six years after the events of the original 0079 anime that detailed the "one year war", and two years before the events of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. The story takes place at the Ecole Du Ciel training academy, which is comparable to a modern day military academy. It centers around a young cadet who is known for her rather lackluster skills at piloting a mobile suit, and has past ties to the Principality of Zeon, named Asuna Elmarit. 

Here is one of the Mobile Suit designs that we have seen so far, the TGM-79(C), the Training variation of the standard GM-79 Mobile Suit. 

I like the design, and it's one of the more unique mobile suit designs I've seen in a while. 

If you haven't read this title yet, having only read the first chapter myself I would recommend it as it shows potential. 

That's all for now, ya'll stay safe out there, I'll be back with another post, real soon. If you like what I post, be sure and tell me by subscribing to my mailing list to the right of the screen, so you'll get the content that I post delivered to your inbox.