mslz22

One alone with the 1/60V2 and a group shot... thanks mike

Thanks guys, i had a request to show the size difference between this and the "classic" 1/72nd scale kit. My "classic" kit is not built yet but here is a couple of pics, the foot of the CAmerica kit is as big as the body of the classic kit. In short, i will be using the classic kit as a 1/100 kit. thanks mike

2 left out of this batch. thanks mike

See last post for update, this is for the resin kit, finished model shown for illustrative purposes only.

It has brass (i think Capt used acrylic but i use brass) cast into the legs, 2 at the hip joint and 1 at the knee, the 2 at the hip fix the upper leg into place so it can't twist or turn. There is also a hidden screw that goes under the forward panel of the leg that secures the lower leg to the foot ball. Overall very secure, the arms, gunmount and canopy hinges are cast in a HD resin so they will not warp. Calling this done some pics alone and some with a hasegawa 1/72 battroid. thanks mike

So i have been working on this here and there again, got it decaled up and standing today so thought it was a good time for an update. John's work really starts to pop as you get the paint and weathering going. I used AS-5 spray for the light blue and TS-4 spray for the dark grey, both Tamiya rattlecans. I cast up a few of these before the cold weather got here so if anyone is looking for one of these PM me.. thanks mike

http://www.g-system-shop.com/product_info.php?cPath=31&products_id=369 They fit this pretty perfectly but are too big for anything macross that i have found.... thanks mike

Quick update, i have not had a lot of time to work on this this week but got a little done today. I did a very light wash/filter before i gloss coated the parts that will get decals, it was enough to add some depth to the colors. I did most of the decals at this point and will then dull coat, add some more filters/wash to deepen it a bit more, then more dull coat. Doing the missiles is becoming tedious but will try to paint 1 set a day until they are done. Still need to do the wings, nosecone and a few other details. thanks mike

I don't know if i am doing something wrong, I don't think I am but with the leg missiles I don't think i can close the doors as the missiles are too tall. The upper arm ones seem to be able to be closed. The joints can be posed but need to be locked down when you get it where you want it. You can loosen and repose, but like any model with that feature you may risk paint scratches if you do it too much. Hope to have this wrapped up in the next week or so... thanks mike

thanks mike

Here you go with the 1/60. Got the gunpod painted up. I am using the G system hands instead of the ones that came with the kit, no reason other than i prefer the square fingers. thanks mike

It stands! Few anxiety inducing moments while tightening up the joints but it seems very sturdy now. Hope it stays that way when all the other parts are added on. thanks mike

After some internal debate i think i will be going with the open missile bays. This detail will "pop" more after a wash.

No surprise how well engineered the kit is with the hardware. One pic to show the color of the foot guard. thanks mike

Thanks, here is the progress for today. I am using Tamiya insignia white for the white since it's scaled a little to gray, pure white looks too white to me. The nacelle are blueish gray, it's actually close to hot rod gray primer, the color of the original BSG studio viper actually, that's why i have it in my color library. For the blue i went to home depot, picked out a blue that i liked, and took it to an auto paint store and had them scan it, custom mix it and put it in a large spray can mixed dead flat. I use the auto paint store a lot for this, it's great to have a library of colors available, and the paint is awesome. It's a little pricey, but it's no more than buying 3 cans of tamiya spray, which is about the volume that you get. The other 2 colors will be gunmetal for some parts and accents and the footpad and foot armor will likely be tamiya storm gray. All the colors were picked keeping in mind that a light wash/filter will be done over the whole model when it's finished, so all the colors will benefit from some added depth. thanks mike

Mods, hope it's OK to put this here, the beast has lived in the forum for a long time so I wanted to share it with the guys here..... mike OK so this has been a lot of 10-15 minute work sessions, but now that i have a little more time in the winter i want to really get going on this if possible, this thing is to awesome to be a shelf sitter. I have made some mods that are specific to soldier mode, in no way are any of the mods a reflection of the kit, just some tweaks that i wanted to do to enhance the soldier mode. I modded the upper nacelle covers a bit to bring them inline with the intake part, added a few chip detail parts and a couple of other small details. The 2 big changes were the heavy mod to the nose to shorten it up for soldier mode, and the first operation on my milling machine to cut a trench into the body just above the hip where the color separation between blue and white are, that gives it a little illusion of separate panels in that area like the art. thanks mike

Which mill did you get? I got the "standard" cheap home one, i guess what is commonly referred to as the X2, the Central Machinery one from harbor freight, almost the same as the grizzly one. I got it on sale so i used the savings to get the upgraded belt drive conversion kit as well from Little machine shop. It will allow for an increase in the RPM, eliminate the broken gear thing, and quiet it down significantly. I should be able to do some aluminum stuff but i really got it to work with Renshape, it should be more than enough to handle that. My metal work would, at least at first, be only for aluminum armatures for the bigger models that i do. For the lathe i have shopfox 1704, i just upgraded it with a Nova 3 chuck, which should improve it significantly. Again, renshape is the material i will be using mostly so it should be powerful enough to handle that. thanks mike

Yeah the Renshape is used sparingly if possible. For the real big stuff like the boss pod I use precision board plus modeling foam board. There is an extra step or two involved in finishing but for stuff with a lot of volume it's a lot less expensive, something like the boss pod with renshape would be cost prohibitive. I am actually in the process of updating the shop a bit, just got a milling machine in, plus upgraded the lathe to a Nova 3 chuck to increase the ease of use on that. I have been wanting a mini milling machine for a long time, i have always had to "fake" certain procedures to get around owning one but figured the time had come to get one. I am hoping that it will increase the accuracy and speed of work. I should be able to do a few more valks in the spring if you guys want one... thanks mike

So after years and years i am really hoping to get this going soon. Casting season is finally wrapped up with only a few odds and ends to send out so i really hope to get more time in on this. Here is just a rough preview, i am hoping by posting it will get me motivated to really get moving on this. The body has been almost completely reworked, the nose, the cannon mounts, side panels, back end have all been reworked or tweaked a bit. It has also been set up for rotocasting. Same with the arm, almost nothing of the original remains, it's a bit longer and more aggressive looking. back end of the gun is complete rework as well, also set up for rotocasting. The engine compartment has had some tweaks as well. New foot also compete rework, will be cast in multiple parts and will be "angled" so that the monstar can have a more aggressive stance.. I still have a lot to do but I have been making progress. I think the only things that will really remain from the V1 will be the arms and even those will get some upgrades. I will be doing my best to make sure this will look at home with the Capt's destroids in the detailing department. thanks mike

Sorry, should have been one in there, I will send it out soon. I still have 2 of these to ship out, sorry for the delay, I tried to avoid the post office during the holidays, especially with a 3 year old in tow. thanks mike

Yep, your fine, cast up a bunch last week. Will be making a push this week to ship out all the stuff i have piled up here that needs to go out.......once all my loose ends are tied up, it's on to the v2 monster... thanks mike

I'll be posing more as i find out more but i am hoping that I will be able to get some of the members here stuff displayed at the "showcase" In short the idea that talked with him about is that the "showcase" would consist of unique sci fi builds, either scratchbuilds or low run garage type kits. I would think that the more commercially stuff would be more in the contest room. It's a little like the stuff that Jason Eaton did at WF with the 30th anniversary of Empire Strikes Back and the Studio Scale display the year that Lorne Peterson showed up. In fact i am hoping that Jason will be there with some new sci fi stuff. Planning to have big SW stuff, big BSG stuff like at the above, I am planning on bringing stuff like my 1/24 AT AT and the 31 inch viper that i did, but I am really hoping to have a section for macross stuff along with Mak and some other anime stuff. Guess i would bring stuff like the 1/24 valk, 1/48 pods etc. I am really hoping that people here will also be able to make it and get some stuff displayed in the showcase or contest. Again the idea for the showcase will be unique stuff, so any of the Capt's kits, old WF kits etc would be great, or any scratchbuilds too.... As more gets hammered out I will likely start a new thread on this, really hoping it all works out.... thanks mike

I have been talking with the guy who runs Jerseyfest about having a Sci-Fi spotlight including some macross stuff. It's a long way away but I am hoping to be able to show some of the macross models I have built in a showcase type display. I am hoping that it can be a mini east coast MW meet up if possible. Here is the website. http://jerseyfestfair.com/ Like I said i am in preliminary talks with him but he does want 2013 to have a heavy Sci-Fi component. mike

Yeah, planning too, just wanted to offer a quick round while i still had some decent weather here. I am hoping that i will be back up and casting in mid march, first up will be seeing if anyone wants pods/pilots. Also hoping that the 1/72nd monster will be done and molded by early april. thanks mike