Jump to content

My Finished 1/72 Resin Launch Arm With Base


wm cheng

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

Well... Christmas/New Years holiday craziness has finally subsided. After a little hiatus, I finally got back to finishing up this amazing resin Launch Arm and base by our very own Gundamhead & Myersjessee. If you haven't bought yours yet, then hurry up; http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...3&hl=launch+arm I also created a buildup thread here; http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...6&hl=launch+arm that outlines my process with this baby!

I wanted to make a stand for it so that it would be free-standing instead of being hung on a wall or placed flat on a table so that the arm and valkyrie are perpendicular. I'll start with a few final workbench photos that I'm pretty proud of - unfortunately, I never got these cool angles again when it was time to properly take photos of the completed kit. (The Max VF-1A super was completed a few years ago, and that build up thread unfortunately is locked away or lost on the old MacrossWorld boards for the moment)

post-244-1138233169_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233186_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233200_thumb.jpg

Edited by wm cheng
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm... those small click to enlarge thumbnails doesn't seem to have the old impact of the old boards where you'd see the large post (although I've resized them down to 1024x768).

Here's just the resin kit (this is what you get without the Valk) - minus my work of course :D !

post-244-1138233293_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233313_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did say finished... sort of... You may notice that the signal lights themselves are not done yet, I have the silver undercoat for the three big squares, which I will finish with a blue clear coat over top and cover it with windex for a lens effect. However, I am still going to try to replicate all the little red and white graphics on the side paddles of the signal lights at some point with decals - but that may be a bit away.

post-244-1138233459_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233471_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233490_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233505_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just plain awesome!

I can't wait to see your stand configuration.

Thanks for sharing so much of your talent with us on these boards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay here are the stand pictures I took today. Its very simple, I went to Home Depot and bought a 1/8" thick aluminum flatbar. Aluminum is a good metal to use since I can display it bare finished without having to paint it, also its a non-ferrous metal (without iron) so its soft enough to use woodworking tools on it. I used a chopsaw to cut the flat bar down and a drill to drill out the back to allow two screws through to attach to the resin base . You can see in the photo behind, I have four washers between the flatbar and screw, basically I didn't have screws short/shallow enough to not poke through on the good side of the resin base, so I used the washers as spacers to back the screw out so they can't been seen from the front. I also put the flatbar in visegrips between two blocks of hardwood to get a nice clean bend at the desired angle. And thats it!!

The new photos were taken with available diffused/cloudy daylight against black foamcore boards (everyone wanted a black backgound!).

post-244-1138233940_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233953_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138233964_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138234030_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138234042_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And finally some closeups against a dark background. :)

Thanks for tuning in... now I want to see what you guy all do with your launch arms! The no-brainer would be to scratch build a full hanger interior and put the launch arm on a retractable rail (like a kitchen drawer bearings) but I was too anxious to get this built to go into all that scratchbuilding. But I know someone here is crazy enough...

Now its back to the Boosters...

post-244-1138235151_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138235163_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138235173_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138235183_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138235195_thumb.jpg

post-244-1138235207_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dang....that' sweet.

My plan (yes, I have a plan) is to mount a short piece of angle to the bottom with some heavy weight on the bottom and then build a box to cover it all. I know a place where I can get soem tungsten shot that should work well enough as a counterweight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And finally some closeups against a dark background.  :)

Thanks for tuning in... now I want to see what you guy all do with your launch arms!  The no-brainer would be to scratch build a full hanger interior and put the launch arm on a retractable rail (like a kitchen drawer bearings) but I was too anxious to get this built to go into all that scratchbuilding.  But I know someone here is crazy enough...

Now its back to the Boosters...

364161[/snapback]

Someone need to Photoshop one of these and put some stars in there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dang....that' sweet.

My plan (yes, I have a plan) is to mount a short piece of angle to the bottom with some heavy weight on the bottom and then build a box to cover it all. I know a place where I can get soem tungsten shot that should work well enough as a counterweight.

364482[/snapback]

Stop planning and get to building. :p

*Seriously, excellent build, WM.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, I want to quit my job and start modeling full time.  Oh wait, where all ma money!  >_>

Maybe I could make a living off of this?  No, Cheng's probably doing that now!  :)

365952[/snapback]

I WISH!! :p Actually got a real job now that actually pays money, so the boosters might be on the slow burner now...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Finally finished the graphics for the signal arm paddles. I have posted them for download in my build-up thread!

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...ic=16726&st=200

Good luck... now I want to see everybody else's launch arm models.

post-244-1143516931_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

The pair is scratchbuilt, and the boxes are Hasagawa. I re-used some missiles I had made for my old 1/72 Imai Variable Super/Strike VF-1 set. (Pre Hasagawa days). There's been a years old controversy about the smaller pairs not really being 'official', but pre hasagawa they were more or less accepted. There are a few shots of VF with considerabley smaller reactor bombs that appear to be mounted sharing a pylon. I don't believe there is lineart, or an official name, but the Ultimate 1/48 VF-1 includes them along with smaller box missiles too, so I guess I'm not the only fan of them left. :ph34r::D

On a similar tangent, I had also scratchbuilt the Fire Retardant missiles Max and Millia used. I'm not sure where they got to though. They are official though, there's lineart for them. I had an idea for a fire fighter VF, but got stumped on the gunpod. Then I was going to do a Max and Millia ready for take off 'armed' with them and date the stand Christmas Eve 20?? Rescue (I forget the year) B))

Edited by Gundamhead
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only missiles they ever made before Hasagawa were the atmosheric missiles. You don't have to Ebay. (You know, the 3 per pylon bunch). The parts I used was of my own making. I mastered a resin set of weapons and super armor that let you convert any of Imai's (Bandai) 1/72 Variables into the Super/strike version, while still leaving it variable. I took some of those old missiles I had made and redid them for this Arm. So long explanation short, they're scratchbuilt. :huh::D

How many missles come with the 1/72 Imai kit?  Looks like I need to search Ebay now...Thanks!  :D

392541[/snapback]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...