LCS Salamander
2023's SHIPtember build is (I think) complete!
A chunkier and generally bigger build than last year's cruiser Aegirocassis, this is my first ever minifig-scale SHIP and a departure from previous build strategies on a number of fronts:
- For the first time I tumbled to the idea of building the vessel in sections and snapping the sections together afterwards, so the crew section, spinal midsection and engine block were all built separately. I've heard of other people doing this before, but it's always gone against all my childhood instincts to build it in one piece and build it strong.
I tell you, though: it was a lot more manageable only having to manipulate a piece of the whole to put it together. From now on, unless there are other considerations, this is how I build SHIPs.
- As stated earlier, it's minifig scale, and by far the largest minifig-scale space construction I have yet built. There's a lot of fun to be had building a really large minifig-scale ship, but I'd always felt unable to produce a sufficiently interesting interior and if you're building at 'fig scale you really have to. This didn't need or get a really spectacular interior compartment, but baby steps.
- It's a civilian vessel. The "LCS" in the name I eventually settled on stands for "Light Container Ship"; I envisage this as being a spacegoing equivalent to a long-haul big rig as opposed to a giant commercial freighter; something that can haul 1-2 standard shipping containers (not included) held in magnetic clamps beneath the central spine. Previous SHIPs have all been decidedly military or at least explorer-type vessels, as well as being microscale they've been loaded with at least a few notable gun emplacements; this one is completely unarmed. It still follows my typical naming conventions, though, because I've named it after an animal, a stellar object or a mythological creature. Two of those at once, in fact.
- It didn't even use all of my blue, light bley and trans yellow, though it did come close. I'm contemplating building a little spacegoing Trans Am to go along with the spacegoing truck, for a real Smokey and the Bandit flavour....
Clocking in at 103 studs and thus beating out last year's submission by a single stud, the build is done.
Various angles to show off some of the features as well as the classic side view poster shot. Enjoy.
LCS Salamander
2023's SHIPtember build is (I think) complete!
A chunkier and generally bigger build than last year's cruiser Aegirocassis, this is my first ever minifig-scale SHIP and a departure from previous build strategies on a number of fronts:
- For the first time I tumbled to the idea of building the vessel in sections and snapping the sections together afterwards, so the crew section, spinal midsection and engine block were all built separately. I've heard of other people doing this before, but it's always gone against all my childhood instincts to build it in one piece and build it strong.
I tell you, though: it was a lot more manageable only having to manipulate a piece of the whole to put it together. From now on, unless there are other considerations, this is how I build SHIPs.
- As stated earlier, it's minifig scale, and by far the largest minifig-scale space construction I have yet built. There's a lot of fun to be had building a really large minifig-scale ship, but I'd always felt unable to produce a sufficiently interesting interior and if you're building at 'fig scale you really have to. This didn't need or get a really spectacular interior compartment, but baby steps.
- It's a civilian vessel. The "LCS" in the name I eventually settled on stands for "Light Container Ship"; I envisage this as being a spacegoing equivalent to a long-haul big rig as opposed to a giant commercial freighter; something that can haul 1-2 standard shipping containers (not included) held in magnetic clamps beneath the central spine. Previous SHIPs have all been decidedly military or at least explorer-type vessels, as well as being microscale they've been loaded with at least a few notable gun emplacements; this one is completely unarmed. It still follows my typical naming conventions, though, because I've named it after an animal, a stellar object or a mythological creature. Two of those at once, in fact.
- It didn't even use all of my blue, light bley and trans yellow, though it did come close. I'm contemplating building a little spacegoing Trans Am to go along with the spacegoing truck, for a real Smokey and the Bandit flavour....
Clocking in at 103 studs and thus beating out last year's submission by a single stud, the build is done.
Various angles to show off some of the features as well as the classic side view poster shot. Enjoy.