Lt. Z0mBe

Never noticed the alternate head before. Am I the only one who'd love to scratch an anti-missile system head with a rotary cannon? Kenny

Tried this after reading your build of the SV-51 (and talking by email). It is a good idea for the uber complex schemes. Kenny

At the risk of being beaten, how about a 1/72 TR-5 Harpy from Crusher Joe, known as the Samurai in Battletech and appearing on the cover of the first edition Aerotech game. Versions have been made in 1/100 and 1/144. Here's a link to the 1/100 one: http://www.hobbyxstyle.com/en/productDetail.asp?PID=397&Price=78&MCid=0&SCid=0&StoreID=1 Kenny

Yessir! I'll be using the canopy plug as a positive master for thermoforming. If I feel like it, I may build a new vacuformer so I don't burn my fingers. Kenny

Update on my Cobra Rattler scratchbuild from starshipmodeler: Big update for today. Rough sculpting of the fuselage is complete; it's received its first thin layer of Aves over foam and bulkheads. The outer wings have been rough sculpted, finalized with file, sandpaper, and more Aves, and are ready to receive their engines. Outer wings and engine cradles with rough Aves cover, along with some other stuff in the background Starboard wing shows results of LOTS of carving, filing, and sanding Canopy plug rough Avesed Centerline turbofan clad in Aves and ready for the file and knives Horizontal stabilizer pinned in place with flexible wire Beauty shot showing everything coming together By now, you've figured out I am deleting the turret. I hated the thing as a kid and now, I don't want to include it. I like the lines and logic a lot better without it. Comments and criticisms welcomed, as always. Kenny

I use everything - craft paints, Tamiya, inks, Testors - and mix and match within solvent classes to get the result I need. I airbrush with all types too. Kenny

Update on my Cobra Rattler Scratchbuild. Here's my post from Starshipmodeler: Big update for today. I finished the foam forming and have begun the Blessed Aves work. Engine cradles foam carved Centerline turbofan foam carved Vertical stabilizers chopped and built with pieces from spares bin. I set the wire angles with a craft store wire bending jig; the angles were set to match those of the toy's vertical stabilizer. Yes, I have the toy at my bench. Building the canopy master for thermoforming later. rough sculpting the centerline turbofan intake Filling the voids on the chopped and pieced together wings The wings were mated to the engine cradles with wire. Correct dihedral, relative to the engine cradles, was set in the wire using the wire bending jig. Rough sculpting of the engine cradles is complete as the Aves has been sculpted over the foam. Better view of port wing and engine cradle Better view of starboard wing and cradle I'm Avesing the fuselage as I type this...well almost as I type this. Comments and criticisms welcome as always. Kenny

Update on my Cobra Rattler Scratchbuild. Here's my post from Starshipmodeler: Lots of work done for a few more images. After stringing the wing ribs and spars together, I realized I had done them exactly upside down from the way I needed to build them. I should have dropped the spars in from the top of the ribs, not the bottoms, as the wings thin from the bottom as they progress outward. I now had no way to thin the wing tip ribs and keep the spars in place. D'OH! My logic of it being more work to re sect an existing wing went quickly out of a 1/48th scale window. Luckily, the Strategic Styrene Reserve provides for such emergencies and I was able to provide the desired wings from, fittingly enough, some sections of A-10 wings. The wing weren't a total loss, though, as the engine mount cradles were still perfect. They do not taper and have no dihedral or anhedral.. I've done a lot of foam work too and that, coupled with fasting, chanting, and burning of styrene to cleanse my body in preparation for the Holy Aves, I will begin the good stuff. At least the engine cradles were able to be used Lots of surgery to get something useful of of these spare parts The most insulated model in the Commonwealth of Kentucky There's a turbofan engine in there somewhere Salt water taffy as a modelling medium?!?!?! Comments and criticism welcomed, as always. Back to work. Kenny

For small stuff, I just use the plastic in common blister packaging. I save any large, flat, or slightly concave/convex pieces I could place over a positive(male) master. I hope this helps. Kenny

Well done! I know nothing about the prototype but the build really has the feel of having "weight." Kenny

More work on my Rattler to post for today. Outer wing ribs and spars completed. Cutting notches in wing ribs. The notches are for the spars; the tape on the saw helps keep the notches of uniform depth Laminating some .010-inch styrene to make wing spars Completed wing skeleton Very rough layout to give you guys an idea of size and scale More updates to come. Comments and criticism welcome, as always. Kenny

Go to Target and get a Tiger Rat. It's the Joe's captured Rattler. It's made using the same mold and is the same aircraft. I bought one for reference after I realized I needed more than just the plans I'd drawn. I also zoom it around my bench...for reference purposes. Kenny

Update on my evil project. sleepymarine over at starshipmodeler guessed it correctly. It's a Cobra Rattler. Before everyone asks, no, you can't just use an A-10 for it. Par for the course with these types of builds. Lots of work for a little bit of progress. Smallest of the three turbofan nacelles with more skeleton complete More to come. Comments and criticism welcome. Kenny

lol Perhaps my post from SSM will help: One engine nacelle is a little smaller than the other two. It's made from styrene sheet and two bulkheads. The other two are trimmed down ones from my spares box. Fistful of engines The horizontal stabilizers are sanded thinner, spliced together from two different kit parts along a piece of styrene strip spar, and set aside for the time being. Stabilizer schmabilizer, I always say More to come. Thanks for all the kind words. Comments and criticisms welcome. Kenny

Having just bought and watched Macross Zero for the first time, I laughed my arse off at that one. Kenny

Secret, evil project progress post from starshipmodeler: A lot of work to generate a small update. The wing root and vertical stabilizer base are squared and set. Is it a bird or a fish with all those ribs? More to come. Comments and criticisms welcome, as always. Kenny

Very sexy. Post more pics when you can. Kenny

My newest project's post from over at starshipmodeler: Wise and Sagely Starship Modelers, I was approached by an individual who asked me to build and present a model of one of his most prized aircraft. The problem is, it doesn't exist. I didn't understand, was told I didn't understand, and judging by his decidedly evil laugh, determined I did not want to understand. His wish was simple: Scratchbuild this evil aircraft model in time for Wonderfest 2010 so that all the world, or at least all the science-fiction-model-enthusiast-world-who-travels-here-to-Kentucky-to-Wonderfest would know fear. At least, that's how I remember my moment of inspiration when I added this idea to my planbook some time ago. All pieces cut from templates Fuselage main beam in place and everything square More rails parallel to beam in place to further lock things together I'm adding the starting points for the wing root and vertical stabilizers as I type this. If you guess the name of the design, post it at your own peril. Gods be with you if you do. Kenny

They do seem to have some good deals - at least on the stuff I like to buy. Thanks!! Kenny

Macross Worlders, I just saw Macross Zero for the first time a few days ago.. I watched it again, and again, and again... The destroids on the carrier were awesome. They looked like DYRL with Patlabor thrown in. Are there any kits of them? Thanks! Kenny

Looks great! I would love to have one like that in my display case! Kenny

Finally finished my VF-22. Here's my post from starshipmodeler: Finally, this thing is finished. PAstel and ink washes are finished. Glazing is completed Pastel and pencil weathering are complete as is drybrushing. Closeup from below from below FRom six o'clock high from nine o'clock level High to starboard high noon coming at you Now it's the time for the catharsis I call "the cleaning of the bench." Comments and criticisms welcome, as always. Kenny

Everything is fixed. It, like the other Hasegawa Valkyrie fighters, are traditional styrene plastic model kits. The undercarriage is a one-way deal. You build the model with it up or down. I hope this helps you out. Kenny

I've got total newbie questions for you all. I want to see "Macross: Do you remember love?" and the TV series. But searching for them leaves me a little confused to be quite honest. Which DVD should I buy for the DYRL movie? Is it the "Macross Volume I" DVD, the Volume 1-12 set, or what? I saw this originally in 1995, and it was like a drug deal or something. I had to go to this obscure anime and comic book store in LExington, Kentucky, ask for a specific guy aaaand watch "Clash of the Boiloids." Yes, it was titled "BioLoids." It was a crappy re-recording of DYRL and I haven't found another good translation yet. But, I am a COMPLETE Macross newbie, so I didn't give it a lot of time. Did I mention I HAD to watch it at the store? Very nostalgic now looking back on it. Just to make sure I am talking about the correct movie - it's the one where Roy Focker (can't remember his Japanese moniker) dies rather unceremoniously with a punch to the thorax of his VF-1S, where we see Hikaru fly into the center of the Death Star (can't remember the name of the thing) and the missiles and Asahi (or was it something else?) beer cans fly by. Finally, we think Hikaru''s dead, but he's really not. Second newbie question: What DVD's do I buy to watch the TV series of "Super Dimensional Fortress MAcross?" Or, is it pretty self explanatory? Thank you so much for the help. Kenny

Another update today on my Hasegawa VF-22. Decals are completed and another Future coating is on to prep for some washes or glazes as needed. Vertical Stabilizers and undercarriage doors From below From above Also, masking and color coating is finished on my simple display base. Lots of tape A night to cure and then it's on to those washes and glazes. Comments and criticisms welcomed, as always. Kenny