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Painting and markings:
As mentioned above, I used a Belgian Air Force aircraft as design benchmark, and this meant a simple livery in khaki and aluminum dope, similar to Belgian Gloster Gladiators or Fairey Foxes in the late 30ies.
The paint scheme is very simple, I used "French Khaki" from Modelmaster's Authentic enamel range and acrylic Aluminum from Revell. All internal surfaces were painted with RAF Cockpit Green (Modelmaster). The wing struts were painted glossy black, just as on Belgian Foxes or Gladiators of the time.
After a light black ink wash I did some shading with Faded Olive Drab, Humbrol 102 and even some RLM 02, while the Aluminum received some panels in Humbrol 56 and Modelmaster's Aluminum Lacquer. Panel lines were added with a simple, soft pencil.
The decals had to be puzzled together - originally I wanted to use a set for a Belgian Hurricane, but the carreir film turned out to be brittle, so the roundels now come from a generic TL Modellbau sheet, the "Cocotte Bleue" from an anniversary Mirage 5BE, and the codes actually belong to a Chilean D.H. Venom...
Finally, everything was sealed under a mix of 80% flat and 20% gloss acrylic varnish.
In the end, a major kitbash that looks rather simple - but I am actually surprised how well the parts of the I-15 and SBC went together. And the result does not look like the Frankenstein creation this whif kit actually is... ;)
Greenmax kitbash kits 29 & 30
Since I live in Canada I have made lots of my buildings Canadian business. I decided to make this building a Toronto Dominion Bank. I added the roof painted the air conditioning vents etc.
I ended up cutting out the top blank wall where I glued in some styrene way back when.
Like I mentioned it was a bad kitbash though it was my first time doing one! :D
I'm going to leave the bottom one as I'm going to cover it over with a billboard.
Putting the other half of that Calth characters sprue to use. This was a pretty simple kitbash, even if making room for the Terminator Lord head took a bit of creative cutting.
Really happy with the end result of this conversion, and the base - a mini diorama of sorts, I suppose - was quite the striking success, in my opinion. Certainly not bad for a spare bloodletter head, some hot glue and a paperclip. :)
If I could choose to improve on one thing, it would be the glow of the staff head - I've tried blue glows a few times, without any great success. Might be that I simply don't have the right colours - I may have to pick up some electric blue layers if I keep making psykers.
All in all though, proud of this project and somewhat self-satisfied to be able to say I now have a fully converted representation of each Chaos Marine HQ. I may have to add alternative versions as time goes on - a Jump Pack Lord, a Sorcerer on a Disc of Tzeentch, etc - but for now, I'd say this is quite an achievement in of itself. :)
C&C appreciated as always!
I think I do like him on this body although his shoulders ARE a bit beefy ...This jacket is kinda snut round that area.
SH-RP4
(ruggedized modified power droid)
Custom built from a heavily modified Industrial Automation EG series chassis and incorporating the processing unit of an R-series astromech, SH-RP4 and its sister units were co-designed by archaeologists and technologists at the Shadow University. They were engineered for use in investigations of remote areas where traditional power droids might be unable to navigate. By incorporating the analytical and communication capacity of an astromech, the SH-RP4 also offered archaeologists with data storage, retrieval, uplink, and analysis functions.
Of 12 such units built in the Shadow University’s technology recovery lab, SH-RP4 was one of the only droids that had a personality chip which seemed to harmonize within the new form and capabilities. Colloquially, it was “happy” in this new body. Affable and easy to work with, SH-RP4 was the most often requested companion droid by investigating archaeologists with enough clout to burn on their requisition forms - or credits to bribe the mechanics in the garage.
Some of the post-doc fellows and archaeology interns took to lovingly calling this unit "Sherpa" as she worked both as a skilled guide and strong-backed companion.
-------
So, this is my first try at a custom Star Wars model and I'm quite pleased with the results. I pulled this together for The Smuggler's Room YouTube channel's challenge. With a combination of crayon storage boxes, salvaged toy parts, and a 3D printed head, this little kitbash droid has been a joy to pull together.
Hot Toys Chris Evans as Steve Rogers head sculpt rehaired by Andy Hibbs of Andy Hibbs Customs. Can be found on Facebook or Instagram: @andyhibbscustoms.
This is a older photo of my initial kitbash of my Kibri 7330 model. I built it back in the early 90's. Though I did a bad job of it. I'm glad I did it as this model is discontinued and harder to find.
I recently found a old built model like this off ebay. I'm ripping it apart and I'm going to fix this model up.
I hope it turns out well! :D
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
An Aerosan (Russian: aэросани, "Aerosled") is a propeller-driven sledge, sleigh or toboggan which slides on runners or skis. Aerosleds were used for communications, mail deliveries, medical aid, emergency recovery, and patrolling borders in countries such as northern Russia, as well as for recreation. Aerosani were used by the Soviet Red Army during the Winter War and World War II for military purposes, too. The first aerosledges may have been built in 1903–05 by Sergei Nezhdanovsky. In 1909–10, young Igor Sikorsky designed and tested an aerosledge, before going on to build multi-engine airplanes and helicopters. Traditionally they were light plywood vehicles on skis, powered by used vintage aircraft engines and propellers.
Military use of the aerosani goes back to at least the 1910s. During World War I, aerosani were used for reconnaissance, communicating, and light raiding in northern areas. During the 1939–40 Winter War against Finland some were equipped with a machine gun ring mount on the roof. They could carry four or five men and tow four more on skis. The aerosani were initially used for transport, liaison, and medical evacuation in deep snow, mostly in open country and on frozen lakes and rivers because of their poor hill-climbing ability and limited maneuverability on winding forest roads.
During World War II aerosani were used for reconnaissance, communication, and light raiding in northern areas thanks to their high mobility (25–35 km/h) in deep snow, where many vehicles could not move at all. Responsibility for aerosani was transferred to the Soviet Armored Forces (GABTU) and orders were submitted for design and fabrication of lightly armored versions, protected by ten millimeters of steel plate on the front. They were organized into transport or combat battalions of 45 vehicles, in three companies, often employed in cooperation with ski infantry. Troops were usually carried or towed by transport aerosani, while fire support was provided by the heavier machine gun-armed, armored models. The light aerosani were not used for direct assault because of their vulnerability to explosives such as mortar rounds, though.
However, with the success of these vehicles in the winter of 1943/44 aircraft engineer Andrei Tupolev, who had already built a successful series of aerosani designated ANT-I through ANT-V in the 1920s and ’30s, was requested to construct a heavier vehicle that could add more firepower and protection to the armed troops. This became the ббс-I (or BBS-1, бронированные боевые сани, literally ’Armored Battle Sledge’). Compared with earlier vehicles of this type, the BBS-1 was an all-metal construction and basically a dramatically scaled-up re-interpreration of the original aerosan. The gigantic vehicle – probably inspired by the appearance of new and massive German tanks like Panzer V Panther or Panzer VI Tiger - was rather reminiscent of an armored train or draisine than of a light-footed aerosan. At first glance the new vehicle looked like an outdated box-shaped WWI tank with four skis instead of tracks, even like a mobile bunker made from sheet metal. A KV series tank turret was placed on top of the sloped roof and a radial engine, an air-cooled Shvetzov M-63-S with 1.100 hp/800 kW was mounted on massive struts onto the hull. It was placed directly behind the turret, together with an armored fairing and driving a reversible four-bladed metal pusher propeller. This engine was originally designed for aircraft, but for the use on the aerosan it was optimized for operations at low temperatures and high air density. It also received reinforced elements to reduce overhaul periods.
Steering was provided only through the skis, which were held by external suspension arms on all four corners of the box-shaped hull, for a wide stance and to provide the vehicle with stability. The four skis were relatively wide to distribute the aerosan’s weight over a large area to reduce ground pressure and to ensure operations on fragile ground like deep snow or even frozen water. Front and rear pair of skis were connected through rods and the vehicle was directed through mirrored steering angles from front and rear skis, what helped especially at high speed to keep the large and heavy aerosan stable. The BBS-1 was fully protected by armor, its boxy hull was made from riveted rolled steel armor plates of 6-20 mm strength bolted onto a simple but rigid metal chassis. The cast turret at its was armed with a long-barreled 76.2 mm M1941 ZiS-5 gun, and a total of four DT machine guns were mounted in the turret (one co-axial with the gun) and in stations around the hull (front and on each side). The unusual vehicle had a basis crew of seven eight and an operational weight of 38 tons!
While the BBS-1 was under hasty development, Wehrmacht planners were convinced that the Red Army would attack again in the south, where the front was 80 km (50 mi) from Lviv and offered the most direct route to Berlin. Accordingly, they stripped troops from Army Group Centre, whose front still protruded deep into the Soviet Union. The Germans had transferred some units to France to counter the invasion of Normandy two weeks before. The Belorussian Offensive (codenamed Operation Bagration), which was agreed upon by Allies at the Tehran Conference in December 1943 and launched on 22 June 1944, was a massive Soviet attack, consisting of four Soviet army groups totaling over 120 divisions that smashed into a thinly held German line.
They focused their massive attacks on Army Group Centre, not Army Group North Ukraine as the Germans had originally expected. More than 2.3 million Soviet troops went into action against German Army Group Centre, which had a strength of fewer than 800,000 men. At the points of attack, the numerical and quality advantages of the Soviet forces were overwhelming. The Red Army achieved a ratio of ten to one in tanks and seven to one in aircraft over their enemy. The Germans crumbled. The capital of Belarus, Minsk, was taken on 3 July, trapping some 100,000 Germans. Ten days later the Red Army reached the prewar Polish border. Bagration was, by any measure, one of the largest single operations of the war.
By the end of August 1944, it had cost the Germans ~400,000 dead, wounded, missing and sick, from whom 160,000 were captured, as well as 2,000 tanks and 57,000 other vehicles. In the operation, the Red Army lost ~180,000 dead and missing (765,815 in total, including wounded and sick plus 5,073 Poles), as well as 2,957 tanks and assault guns. The offensive at Estonia claimed another 480,000 Soviet soldiers, 100,000 of them classed as dead.
On the Karelian Isthmus, the Red Army launched a Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive against the Finnish lines on 9 June 1944 (coordinated with the Western Allied Invasion of Normandy). Three armies were pitted there against the Finns, among them several experienced guards rifle formations, and the BS-1s (three had been built so far, with low priority due to the fact that they had to be assembled manually in workshops, since there was no factory of production line for these exotic vehicles) were earmarked to be deployed there once enough snow had fallen to make the armored aerosans operational. The attack breached the Finnish front line of defense in Valkeasaari on 10 June and the Finnish forces retreated to their secondary defense line, the VT-line. The Soviet attack was supported by a heavy artillery barrage, air bombardments and armored forces. The VT-line was breached on 14 June and after a failed counterattack in Kuuterselkä by the Finnish armored division, the Finnish defense had to be pulled back to the VKT-line. After heavy fighting in the battles of Tali-Ihantala and Ilomantsi, Finnish troops finally managed to halt the Soviet attack.
The Moscow Armistice ending the war with Finland was already signed on 19 September 1944, though. The entire isthmus became Soviet, although most of it had never been captured by the Soviets in battles. This time the ceded territories of the Karelian Isthmus (including the districts of Jääski, Kexholm and Vyborg) were incorporated into Leningrad Oblast (unlike Ladoga Karelia, which remained within the Karelo-Finnish SSR). Since their transfer and utility in southern regions, where the Soviet Army kept on pressing westward for Warsaw, the BBS-1s remained in the Karelian region, helped to secure the border to Finland, but never became involved in active battles. In fact, they rather had a psychological impact than a truly military use, because their operation turned out to be hazardous. One BBS-1 was quickly lost when it broke into the ice of lake Sokolozero and sank, killing its crew but one member who was able to escape in time, and the heavy vehicles’ handling even on solid ground was, due to the lack of mechanical brakes and the limited effectiveness of the ski steering system especially at higher speed, dangerous. Furthermore, the propeller kicked up lots of snow and the engine noise made the BBS-1 hard to conceal, so that it was rather used for “showing off” along the borderlines – with crews that were happy when they did not end up in a ditch or among trees. Apparently, the BBS-1 was not a success. Plans to upgrade the BBS-1 with a 85 mm DT-5 or an even bigger gun were not executed, and in early 1945, lacking snow and ice to keep the exotic and cumbersome vehicles operational, the remaining armored aerosans were retired and eventually scrapped.
Specifications:
Crew: seven to nine
Weight: 38 tonnes
Length overall: 12.60 m (41 ft 3 ¼ in)
Width overall: 5.47 m (17 ft 11 in)
Height (incl. propeller disc): 5.61 m (18 ft 4 ¾ in)
Suspension: Coil springs
Fuel capacity: 650 l
Armor:
6–20 mm (0.24 – 0.78 in)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 85 km/h (53 mph)
Operational range: 240 km (150 mi)
Power/weight: 29 hp/tonne
Engine:
1x air-cooled Shvetzov M-63-S 9-cylinder radial engine, delivering 1.100 hp/800 kW,
driving a reversible 4-blade pusher metal propeller
Armament:
1× 76.2 mm M1941 ZiS-5 gun with 118 rounds, stored in the turret and the hull
4× 7.62 mm DT machine guns (one mounted co-axially with the main gun,
and the others in the front of the hull and side stations, with a total of 7.250 rounds)
The kit and its assembly:
This kitbashing project was a dedicated submission for the “Polar Wars” Group Build at whatifmodellers.com, and the result of a search for a military vehicle that could reflect the GB’s topic in a rather dramatic fashion but also demonstrate a certain madness and megalomania. I eventually stumbled upon the (light!) Soviet and Finnish aerosan vehicles from WWII, and wondered what a fully armored type could have looked like? I did not want to put a standard tank onto skis, though, and rather looked for a different basis – and inspiration eventually struck when I came across an 1:35 aerosan kit from Trumpeter AND the Chinese manufacturer’s 1:72 model of a Soviet armored draisine – combining both plus a radial engine with a pusher propeller should yield something …zany.
Effectively, this build was not too complex, because it is basically a slightly modified core box with add-ons. Things started slowly, with the OOB KV-1 turret as the main armament of this aerosan behemoth. The main body consists of a Soviet armored draisine from Trumpeter, but I found the body to be too long and symmetrical for my plans, so that I took out a ~2cm plug and glued everything back together. The engine came from a MisterCraft PZL 23 bomber, an ugly one-piece blob that I never expected to find a good use on a model. It was modified to look a bit more delicate, and at its rear an extension fairing was added, partly consisting of a piece from a plastic ballpoint pen casing. The pusher prop consists of a reversed F8F piece, with a metal axis and a spinner transplant from an Italeri F4U.
The suspension had been taken wholesale from the 1:35 kit, even though I had to lengthen some of the control struts. While safety was not an inherent design feature of this thing, I thought that the prop would need some protection, so I started to scratch/construct a cage for it from soft iron wire. Its ugly intersections were hidden behind a pair of fins (sections from 1:72 Panzer IV side skirts!) – though improvised it turned out better that hoped for. In parallel, the four skis were put together, too - again taken OOB from the small 1:35 aerosan kit, just w/o the delicate PE parts. Once the basic hull was assembled, I added a few more details, like entry ladders and sideboards to cross the steering struts, and an improvised shallow snowplow at the front to lift the vehicle’s body over shallow humps. On the roof some details like a ventilation opening were added, too.
Painting and markings:
Due to the model’s zaniness I wanted the livery to be rather simple, so I gave the BBS-1 an overall coat with medium green (actually RAL 6003) from the rattle can. Then the decals – all gathered from the scrap box – were applied and a coat of whitewash was simulated with thinned matt acrylic paint, applied with a flat soft brush so that the green would shine through here and there. Once dry I finally added a thin coat of simulated snow, created with white tile grout blown onto the wetted model from the front as if it had collected the stuff while speeding through the Karelian landscape. Worked out quite well, since this always bears some risk that it looks goofy and artificial. Finally, the tile grout and the paint were fixed with a generous coat of matt acrylic varnish.
From left to right; Desert Rat Bertie, Desert Rat Dale (custom/kitbash), Deep Powder Brambleton, Les Mort 13
Ken with his oldest friend Alan, and his newest friend Blaine...
(I love these three boys sooo much!)
SH-RP4
(ruggedized modified power droid)
Custom built from a heavily modified Industrial Automation EG series chassis and incorporating the processing unit of an R-series astromech, SH-RP4 and its sister units were co-designed by archaeologists and technologists at the Shadow University. They were engineered for use in investigations of remote areas where traditional power droids might be unable to navigate. By incorporating the analytical and communication capacity of an astromech, the SH-RP4 also offered archaeologists with data storage, retrieval, uplink, and analysis functions.
Of 12 such units built in the Shadow University’s technology recovery lab, SH-RP4 was one of the only droids that had a personality chip which seemed to harmonize within the new form and capabilities. Colloquially, it was “happy” in this new body. Affable and easy to work with, SH-RP4 was the most often requested companion droid by investigating archaeologists with enough clout to burn on their requisition forms - or credits to bribe the mechanics in the garage.
Some of the post-doc fellows and archaeology interns took to lovingly calling this unit "Sherpa" as she worked both as a skilled guide and strong-backed companion.
-------
So, this is my first try at a custom Star Wars model and I'm quite pleased with the results. I pulled this together for The Smuggler's Room YouTube channel's challenge. With a combination of crayon storage boxes, salvaged toy parts, and a 3D printed head, this little kitbash droid has been a joy to pull together.
I haven't decided yet where new Ken (middle) fits in with the cliques in the toy box... Trent and Tyler of course are both on the basketball team in B-Ball Daze. New guy's kind of on the shorter side though... I'm thinking of calling him Zak.
Collaboration project. Kitbashing and construction by frenzyrumble.com painting done by Sabrina Ng.
More of my work can be seen at www.frenzyrumble.com
More of Sabrina's work can be seen at
This Devastator custom will be on ebay for a 10-day stretch auction, beginning tomorrow (04.23.09)
Here he is. DEFENSOR! This giant is 18.5 inches tall! There are more than 50 points of articulation on this baby. His eyes light up and a button on his back makes him say "Autobots, TRANSFORM!" and "FIRE!"
I knocked out a panel of windows while weathering the building so I made a billboard to cover it over. :D
SH-RP4
(ruggedized modified power droid)
Custom built from a heavily modified Industrial Automation EG series chassis and incorporating the processing unit of an R-series astromech, SH-RP4 and its sister units were co-designed by archaeologists and technologists at the Shadow University. They were engineered for use in investigations of remote areas where traditional power droids might be unable to navigate. By incorporating the analytical and communication capacity of an astromech, the SH-RP4 also offered archaeologists with data storage, retrieval, uplink, and analysis functions.
Of 12 such units built in the Shadow University’s technology recovery lab, SH-RP4 was one of the only droids that had a personality chip which seemed to harmonize within the new form and capabilities. Colloquially, it was “happy” in this new body. Affable and easy to work with, SH-RP4 was the most often requested companion droid by investigating archaeologists with enough clout to burn on their requisition forms - or credits to bribe the mechanics in the garage.
Some of the post-doc fellows and archaeology interns took to lovingly calling this unit "Sherpa" as she worked both as a skilled guide and strong-backed companion.
-------
So, this is my first try at a custom Star Wars model and I'm quite pleased with the results. I pulled this together for The Smuggler's Room YouTube channel's challenge. With a combination of crayon storage boxes, salvaged toy parts, and a 3D printed head, this little kitbash droid has been a joy to pull together.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation proposed the design and production of a more modern fighter. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which, in its earlier variants, had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the RAF as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). Production of the P-51B/C began at North American's Inglewood California plant in June 1943 and P-51s started to become available to the 8th and 9th Air Forces in the winter of 1943–1944. The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, allowing the aircraft to compete with the Luftwaffe's fighters. Among the almost 4.000 Mustangs of this variant built a quarter was supplied under Lend-Lease to the RAF as the Mustang Mk III. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the two-speed, two-stage-supercharged Merlin 66, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns.
The P-51 offered an excellent performance, but North American kept trying to improve, and developed a number of lightweight versions. The lightweight Mustangs had a new wing design and airfoils designed to give less drag than the previous NAA/NACA 45-100. In addition, the planform was a simple trapezoid, with no leading-edge extension at the root.
In 1943, North American submitted a proposal to redesign the P-51D as model NA-104, from an enquiry by the USAAF as to why British aircraft were lighter than American ones. NAA engineers had examined the various components and equipment fitted to Spitfires, and through thorough inspection of airframes and construction plans NAA found that British load factors were less than American ones, and working to the lower load factors helped the design team reduce structural weight wherever possible. Exploiting the structural potential and lightening or reducing other equipment, the NA-104’s revised design was in total some 1,600 lb (730 kg) lighter than the P-51D. Modifications to save weight and improve performance included a thinner laminar flow wing, streamlining changes to the cowling, a simplified undercarriage with smaller wheels and disc brakes (necessitated by the thinner wings), a different canopy, and an armament of only four 0.5” Brownings, even though the ammunition supply was changed to 400 rounds per gun.
The lightweight NA-104 was powered by the new V-1650-9 engine, a redesigned "slimline" version of the Merlin 100-series. The engine’s design was modified to decrease frontal area to a minimum and was the first Merlin series to use down-draught induction systems. The coolant pump was moved from the bottom of the engine to the starboard side, and the engine featured a two-speed, two-stage supercharger and an S.U. injection carburetor. The V-1650-9 not only delivered an increased constant output of 1,380 hp (1,030 kW), it also featured a water-methanol injection that could temporarily boost the engine’s emergency power to 2,218 hp (1.655 kW). The exhaust arrangement was revised, too, exploiting the engine’s residual thrust to gain even more speed. An “uncuffed” three-blade Aeroproducts propeller unit with deeper blades was fitted, to better cope with the higher power output and the higher blade speeds
.
Unlike later lightweight Mustang versions/prototypes the NA-104‘s ventral radiator fairing remained the same shape and size, just as the main landing gear and its covers, both were, despite improved designs on the prototyoe workbench, retained to promote a quick production introduction. The former V-1650-7’s carburetor chin intake was relocated into the right wing’s root, and the cowling was modified and streamlined. The modified nose section was slightly longer than on previous Mustang versions, and to compensate for a resulting slight center of gravity shift forward the rear fuselage was slightly extended with a plug in the rear fuselage, just front of the tail surfaces, what increased the NA-104’s overall length by ~10 inch. As a side effect the longitudinal stability improved, so that the NA-104 did not require the stabilizing fin fillet that had been introduced on the P-51D and some late production P-51B/Cs, too.
In test flights, the NA-104, with optimized fuel load and a highly polished finish, achieved 491 mph (790 km/h) at 21,000 ft (6,400 m). In September 1944 the NA-104 was accepted by the USAAF as a high-performance interceptor under the designation P-51E. 500 aircraft were ordered, primarily for operations in Europe, specifically for the 8th and 9th Air Force, to protect the Allied airfields in Great Britain and as long-range escort fighters for Allied bomber raids against Germany. An option for 1.000 more was signed, too, to be delivered from August 1945.
The first P-51Es arrived in Great Britain in January 1945. However, large-scale combat between 8th Fighter Command and the Luftwaffe interceptor force had become virtually nonexistent after 28 May 1944 but, in August, contact had been made for the first time with both rocket-propelled and jet-propelled interceptors. While themselves a harbinger of a tactical change by the Luftwaffe, the contacts also indicated that the Germans were husbanding their fighter aircraft for sporadic reaction against Allied bomber attacks.
Operational tasks for the USAAFs P-51Es included the support of bomber attacks against German ground transportation during the Allied counter-offensive in the Ardennes in early 1945, strafing ground targets daily. However, on 14 January, strategic bombing resumed with attacks on oil installations near Berlin, and Mustangs were frequently tasked with protecting B-17s, employing a variation of the escort tactic called the "Zemke Fan", designed to lure in interceptors.
The Luftwaffe’s Jagdverbände, severely depleted, turned to jet interceptions beginning 9 February 1945 in an attempt to stop the onslaught of Allied heavy bombers. The Allies countered by flying combat air patrol missions over German airfields, intercepting Me 262s and Ar 234s as they took off and landed, the moment when these fast aircraft were most vulnerable. The tactic resulted in increasing numbers of jets shot down and controlled the dangerous situation, particularly as the amount of German-controlled territory shrank daily.
Another threat was the V-1 flying bomb attacks that had begun in mid-June 1944. The only aircraft with the low-altitude speed to be effective against it was the Hawker Tempest, but by that time fewer than 30 Tempests were available, assigned to No. 150 Wing RAF. Early attempts to intercept and destroy V-1s often failed, but improved techniques soon emerged. These included using the airflow over an interceptor's wing to raise one wing of the V-1, by sliding the wingtip to within 6 in (15 cm) of the lower surface of the V-1's wing. If properly executed, this maneuver would tip the V-1's wing up, over-riding the gyro and sending the V-1 into an out-of-control dive. At least sixteen V-1s were destroyed this way, the first by a P-51 piloted by Major R. E. Turner of 356th Fighter Squadron on 18 June 1944. Once available, the USAAF’s P-51Es were frequently assigned to V-1 interception duties over the Channel and the southern coast of England, alleviating RAF units.
However, with the end of hostilities in Europe in May 1945 the P-51E contract was cancelled, as well as the option for more aircraft. Altogether only 363 lightweight P-51Es were completed and reached frontline units, exclusively operating with the 8th and 9th Fighter Command.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 33 ft 3 in (10,15 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11,28 m)
Height: 13 ft 4½ in (4,08 m)
Wing area: 234 sq ft (21,81 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 66(2)-215
Empty weight: 5,792 lb (2.630 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,268 lb (3.300 kg)
Max. take-off weight: 9,559 lb (4.340 kg)
Maximum fuel capacity: 419 US gal (349 imp gal; 1,590 l)
Powerplant:
1× Packard V-1650-9 liquid-cooled V-12 with 2-stage intercooled supercharger,
delivering 1,380 hp (1,030 kW), 2,218 hp (1,655 kW) WEP with Water methanol injection,
driving a Hamilton Standard constant-speed, variable-pitch three blade propeller with
a 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) diameter
Performance:
Maximum speed: 472 mph (760 km/h; 410 kn) at 21,200 ft (6,500 m)
Cruise speed: 362 mph (315 kn, 580 km/h)
Stall speed: 100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)
Range: 1,650 mi (1,434 nmi, 2,755 km) with external tanks
Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)
Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s)
Wing loading: 39 lb/sqft (192 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg)
Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6
Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament:
4× 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 400 RPG
A pair of underwing hardpoints for a pair of drop tanks
or bombs of 100 lb (45 kg), 250 lb (113 kg) or 500 lb (226 kg) caliber
The kit and its assembly:
A project that was more complex than obvious at first glance. The plan was to create a “missing link” between the WWII P-51D and its lightweight sibling P-51H, which came too late in WWII to take seriously part in any combat. There actually were some “interim” designs, which paved the way (the F, G and J models), with lightweight hulls or different engines. My plan was to adopt some details of these aircraft to create the fictional P-51E.
For a look that subtly differs from the well-known P-51D I decided light-headedly to bash two Academy models together: a P-51D hull, mixed with the wings and tail from a P-51B/C kit, plus some inter-kit and external donors. What sounds simple turned out to be a major surgery task, though, because both kits are totally different, produced with individual moulds and few interchangeable parts! Even details which you’d expect to me identical (e. g. wing tip and tail shape) differ markedly.
For the P-51E kitbash the fuselage with cockpit, engine and radiator bath was taken from the P-51D, while the tail and the wings were taken from the P-51B/C, because they were slightly bigger, “edgier”, lacked the fin fillet and featured only four machine guns in the wings. Mating these parts called for many adaptations and massive PSR, though. To change the look further I removed the small wing leading edge extensions, for a completely straight edge, and the cowling was changed to look like a mix of the P-51F and J prototypes. The carburetor intake disappeared and a part of the P-51D spinner was used to extend the fuselage a little. A completely new three-blade propeller was scratched, using a Yokosuka D4Y spinner, a piece from an ESCI Ka-34 Hokum main rotor, and clipped blades from a Hasegawa F5U. A styrene tube was added to hold the propeller’s new metal axis. To compensate for the longer nose the rear fuselage a 2mm section of the P-51D hull was retained in front of the transplanted P-51B/C tail (which is a separate hull section, the -D has an integral tail).
The original exhausts were replaced with resin aftermarket pieces for P-400 Airacobra from Quickboost - for which the nose extension paid out, because the V-1710 exhaust arrangement is longer than the Merlin's.
Painting and markings:
I wanted a typical, potentially colorful USAAF livery from early 1945 for this what-if aircraft model. This meant that the aircraft would have a NMF livery, and Invasion Stripes or other ID markings were already removed or not applied to new aircraft anymore. Camouflage had been omitted from 1945, too. As squadron markings I went for the 357th FG red-and-yellow nose markings; these came with Academy’s P-51B/C kit, but I replaced them with decals from a Mistercraft/Intech kit from The Stash™ because their shape was simpler and would (probably) better match the modified lower nose. Searching for later P-51Ds of this group revealed that the aircraft hardly carried any other colorful marking, though – just the tactical code, and maybe some personal markings.
To keep in style I adapted this basis, using a tone called “White Aluminum (RAL 9006)” from a Duplicolor rattle can as an overall basis, but added a thin red edge to the olive drab (Revell 46) anti-glare panel, created with generic decal stripes. The rudder as well as the wing tips were painted in red, an official 363rd FS ID marking, as a counterbalance to the prominent nose, too.
The propeller spinner was painted free-handedly, in an attempt to match the checker decal's colors. Some hull panels were painted in a darker shade of aluminum to make the model look mo0re lively, and some post-shading with Humbrol Matt Aluminum Metallizer was done to improve that effect, too. Cockpit and landing gear wells were painted in a bright green zinc chromate primer tone.
Decals and markings were puzzled together from various sources. Finding a suitable 'B6' code fpr the 363rd FS was tough, but I was eventually able to scratch it from 'P9' codes from two Academy P-47D kits/sheets! BTW, the horizontal bar above the aircraft's individual letter was a real world marking for a second aircraft that bore this tactical code within the unit. The nose art/tag was also donated from an Academy P-47, the yellow font matches the rest of the unit colors well.
The anti glare panel and the propeller blades received a matt varnish coat, while the rest of the hull was covered with a mix of matt and a little semi-gloss varnish - contemporary Mustang photos from 1945 suggest that, despite being bare metal, the aircraft were not polished or shiny at all, yet the aluminum would have some reflections. I think that the final overall finish looks quite good. As a final step I added some light soot stains behind the exhausts and the machine gun orifices, and dry-brushed some silver on edges/areas where paint could have flaked in real life. Not much, but it adds to the overall impression of a used aircraft.
A more demanding project than meets the eye. Bashing the two Mustang kits for a fictional new one might have been a smart idea, but it turned out to be a nightmare because the two 1:72 Mustand Academy kits are totally incompatible. Additionally, the mods I made are VERY subtle, it takes a keen eye to recognize the lengthened hull, the modfied cowling and the cleaner tail. The three-blade prop is the most obvious thing, and with it, from certain angles, the P-51E reminds somewhat of a Yak-9? Probably due to the intake-less cowling and the (for a Mustang) unusual prop? The livery looks plausible and colorful, though. :D
Inspired by Capcom's 'Devil May Cry 3' videogame: Dante's twin brother, Vergil.
Haven't a clue how I'm going to make the hair...
This was a down-and-dirty mockup of the G.I. Joe/Batman custom that I'm going to make. In this quick prototype the gloves and shorts are just black electrical tape, the belt is from my Mego "Fly Away Batman," and the head is from a 1989 Batman candy dispenser!
This build had many first. First time, airbrushing, kitbashing (kinda), and 3D printing/modelling (for gunpla), first use of decal solutions too.
I built the MG Dynames exactly a year ago planning to do this, but before starting the main customising, I had a Gunpla break (to focus on studies). I'm glad I did though, as that gave me more time to watch videos and observe how people do things.
Airbrushing was a pain. Found it hard to get a good consistency of paint and it kept coming out weird at times. I bought a cheap brush/compressor off Ebay and used Revel acrylic white for the base and Citadel Sybarite Green and Lahmian Medium for the green. Handpainted a few small details too. Probably will airbush again in the future with better results.
3D modelled some adaptors using Blender, for the thrusters to attach to the GN Drive and for the holster to back skirt attachment. Actually used some fake/3D printed Lego for the joint. First use of plastic cement too.
The Sword I found off Thingyverse and just scaled it up. Was this one: www.thingiverse.com/thing:2828010 if interested.
The decals are some Sazabi Ver.Ka + a few MG Dynames ones I bought of Aliexpress. The microsol.set is a godsend, I used just water on a few kits before hand and the decals are kinda flakey even with a topcoat.
In universe I see this as a close combat variation of the Dynames. The shields now act as bits/funnels. And in the knee are shotgun rounds so he can knee opponents and fire (similar to Kimaris Vidars Drill knees). The Grenades in the front skirt now have some smoke flares too for enemy distraction. Sword is GN powered and takes the best of the Exias real blade and a beam blade. It can be powered without connection, but it better if so. The pistols still the same and the head mounted site is more of a general different wavelength camera. I see this as my current Build Fighter/Diver suit.
I know his hair is WAYYYY to long to be a marine, but it's the only Aaron Eckhart sculpt out there, I'm still very happy with how this figure turned out, I put alot of work into it, it's not 100% accurate to the movie, but it's good enough until hot toys gets the licenses (fingers crossed)
Not based on a real car, i just thought it was a cool idea to build a 1 bay hopper. It just needs some touching up with paint and some sanding.
Collaboration project. Kitbashing and construction by frenzyrumble.com painting done by Sabrina Ng.
More of my work can be seen at www.frenzyrumble.com
More of Sabrina's work can be seen at
This Devastator custom will be on ebay for a 10-day stretch auction, beginning tomorrow (04.23.09)
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The EKW (Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette) D-44 was a Swiss, single-seat low-wing monoplane fighter and attack aircraft. It used a twin boom fuselage with a pusher engine, giving the aircraft an unusual, almost jet-like appearance. Its design started in 1943 when the former Federal Constructions Works became a separate unit of the Swiss Armed Forces at Emmen, after the Swiss government’s decision to embark on a major expansion program in preparation for the possibility of being drawn into the Second World War. The project was designated D-44 and was constructed around a single German Daimler-Benz DB 605B engine that was positioned to the rear of the fuselage nacelle, directly behind the pilot, and drove a pusher propeller. This arrangement allowed guns to be carried in the aircraft's nose while providing the pilot with good visibility, and it concentrated the aircraft’s major masses into the airframe’s center of gravity, so that the aircraft would be more agile than a conventional design. To enable the pilot to bail out without hitting the propeller behind him, the design also adopted an ejection seat, operated with pressurized air.
The Swiss Air Force ordered two prototype D-44 fighters on 31 May 1944, and if the prototypes were successful, it planned to order five pre-production models and sixty-five production aircraft. The aircraft was intended to be fitted with four 20-millimeter (0.8 in) MG 151 autocannon in the nose and in the twin-booms and was supposed to be able to carry 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) of ordnance under the wings. The fuel was stowed between the cockpit and the engine, together with a pair of self-sealing tanks inside of the inner wings, and a radiator for the inline engine was placed in a shallow trough under the rear fuselage. The tricycle landing gear – another novel design feature – was fully retractable and was stowed in the forward fuselage as well as in the sleek twin booms under the slightly swept wings.
However, soon major design changes had to be made. Due to the worsening situation for Germany, the favored DB 605B engine was not available for export or license production, just as the guns and other aircraft components. F+W’s designers wanted to use a British Rolls-Royce Griffon engine instead, but it proved to be too difficult to obtain, either. As an alternative, a Hispano-Suiza 12Z was temporarily envisioned, which was built by EKW at that time, leading to the project designation D-4401. But this engine was still too immature to be used, and there were doubts about the D-44’s performance with a powerplant that would have an output of around 1.500 hp when the D-44 required an engine with 1.800 hp and more to be competitive. These fundamental procurement problems could not be overcome until the end of hostilities in Continental Europe in mid-1945.
Eventually, EKW’s engineers were able to acquire a batch of British Napier Sabre II H-24 piston engines which had powered the Hawker Typhoon and were overstock material now, after production had ended and the RAF had retired the type by October 1945. The Sabre II promised high reliability and an output of 2,200 hp and more, resulting in an estimated top speed of 750 km/h (470 mph, 400 kn) at 8,700 m (28,500 ft). Since the Sabre’s cylinders were opposed, the motion in one was balanced by the motion on the opposing side, eliminating both first order and second order vibration. EKW hoped to use air cooling on the Sabre (as Napier originally had planned), but in service, the rear cylinders proved to be impossible to cool properly, which made the engines unreliable, and so the D-44 adopted water cooling.
To accommodate the bigger and heavier engine, the D-44’s fuselage had to be modified with different and stronger engine bearings. The radiator had to be enlarged, too, and its deeper fairing was also used to replace a prominent scoop on the left side of the fuselage that originally provided the engine with air, so that the overall frontal area did not increase much. A six-bladed contraprop was fitted, together with the respective reduction gearbox, to effectively exploit the Sabre’s high output and to accommodate enough propeller disc area in the confined space between the tail booms. As a side benefit, the contraprop countered the engine’s massive torque that would have affected handling with a simple propeller, esp. at slow speed. In this new guise the aircraft was re-designated D-4402 and cleared for production.
Only the first D-4402 prototype was intended to be fitted with guns, so the second prototype was completed first, beginning taxiing tests in December 1946. Test pilot Guillaume Fournier attempted to make the first flight on 13 January 1946. Further high-speed taxiing trials were made in February with promising results, but the elevator had to be enlarged from an area of 1.75 to 2.6 m² (18.8 to 28.0 sq ft) before the D-4402 could make its maiden flight on 1 April. After some more modifications, including a modified main armament which consisted now of four indigenous Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, all mounted in the lower nose, modified fins (extended downwards and outfitted with small, fixed wheels to protect the tail booms), elevators and landing gear doors, D-4402 #02 made its next flight on 21 April. Its configuration set the standard for the following serial production aircraft.
Flight tests lasted for more than a year, and during this period the initial ejection seat, which had been powered by compressed air, was changed to a simpler and lighter model that used a gunpowder charge inside a telescoping tube attached to the seat. A total of five prototypes were built as planned – including a static airframe and two pre-production aircraft that already incorporated some modifications that had been tested on the prototypes #1 and #2.
The first example from the first serial production batch of thirty aircraft was delivered to the Swiss Air Force on 1 December 1947. Construction was at EKW’s main plant in Emmen, and deliveries of this model ran until 5 December 1948, when deliveries of a second batch totaled thirty more D-4402s. A potential third order was cancelled, prior to the production line ending in 1950.
The D-4402 showed good performance and turned out to be a very stable weapon platform, even though its performance fell a little short the projected estimates. Despite the original intention for the type to be principally used in air defense roles, in service, the D-4402 was utilized mainly in the light bomber and attack role. Its active career did not last long, though: within less than four years some squadrons were already being re-equipped with a new generation of jet fighters capable of far greater speed, such as the de Havilland Vampire. The D-4402 was used only by the Swiss Air Force and due to the quick advances of jet propulsion the D-4402’s frontline career already ended in 1958. The type was completely retired by 1965, after being used as advanced trainers and as instructional airframes.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 11.88 m (38 ft 11 in)
Wingspan: 11.14 m (36 ft 6 in)
Height:
Wing area: 23.1 m2 (221 sq ft)
Empty weight: 3,645 kg (8,036 lb)
Gross weight: 4,928 kg (10,864 lb)
Gross weight: 7,261 kg (16,008 lb)
Fuel capacity: 1,413-litre (311 imp gal; 373 US gal) internally
Powerplant:
1× Napier Sabre II water-cooled H-24 piston engine, 1,680 kW (2,250 hp),
driving a 6-bladed contra-rotating propeller with 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) diameter
Performance:
Maximum speed: 730 km/h (450 mph, 390 kn) at 8,500 m (27,900 ft)
Cruise speed: 422 km/h (262 mph, 228 kn) at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
Range: 852 km (529 mi, 460 nmi) with internal fuel
Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,000 ft)
Time to altitude: 8,000 m (26,000 ft) in 10 minutes 40 seconds
Wing loading: 240.4 kg/m2 (49.2 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 3.1 kg/kW (5.1 lb/hp)
Armament:
4× 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon autocannon with 200 RPG in the lower nose
Underwing hardpoints for bombs, unguided missiles or drop tanks for a
total external ordnance of 1.000 kg (2,200 lb)
The kit and its assembly:
This major kitbashing project was spawned from the idea: “What if the Kyushu J7W Shinden had had a more conventional layout, as a twin boom pusher?”. The overall proportions of a Hasegawa kit in The Stash™ looked promising, and I also had a Heller J21 kit that appeared appropriate to donate its tail booms and maybe other stuff, too.
On this vague basis I started to let the saw sing. Work started with the tail, because the J21’s elevator span would define the distance between the booms and their location on the J7W’s wings. Since the J21’s fins appeared a bit small and to change the overall look I replaced them with the swept fins from the J7W, what required some serious PSR and a new location for the elevator.
In parallel I started with the fuselage, which would be heavily modified. Before hardware work even started, I decided that the J7W’s radial engine would be replaced by a liquid-cooled in-line alternative, and I found the nose section of a Matchbox Hawker Tempest in the donor bank that had very good dimensions to make it fit in/onto the J7W’s rear fuselage. However, the exhaust stubs were missing, as well as the prop (which would have been much too big for the small space between the booms and for the ground clearance, anyway) – these were replaced with donors from a Special Hobby kit for late, Griffon-powered Spitfires. The respective contraprop was built with reversed blades, mounted on a metal axis (together with a matching adapter inside the Tempest’s Sabre engine), and received a tapered “plug” to bridge the different diameters between the engine and the smaller spinner. However, the contraprop was just small enough to fit between the booms, so that it was a very plausible solution.
Since the Sabre was a liquid-cooled engine a radiator had to be mounted, and the J7W’s original colling air intakes became superfluous. In a major stunt I decided to get completely rid of them and cut the respective fuselage walls behind the cockpit out and re-arranged and PSRed them into a slimmer shape that would blend directly into the Sabre section. Lots of work, but IMHO it paid out. The Tempest’s massive chin radiator turned out to be unusable for the build, so I replaced it with a shallower alternative, mounted under the fuselage between the tail booms, partially covering the J7W’s original landing gear well, which were filled because the landing gear would now retract into the tail booms, using the J21 parts.
Another major change was the nose section, which could only be tackled after the wings and the tail booms had been combined with the hull – the nose had to be shortened dramatically, but without knowing the proportions of the “new aircraft” any earlier attempt would have been very risky.
I eventually found a surprisingly good match (diameter and shape were almost perfect!) in a leftover nose section from an Airfix F-80 Shooting Star. However, one major problem persisted: the front landing gear and its respective well. Through the shorter nose it had to retract backwards, and the front leg’s considerable length would make the well reach deep under the cockpit floor (taken over OOB from the J7W kit, just with a new seat, and the canopy was used, too, even though cut into three sections to present the model with an open cockpit). I was eventually able to implant the J7W’s well, together with as much steel beads as possible, into the nose, so that there was actually a front landing gear well with full interior. Once the main landing gear struts had been mounted I decided to use the J7W’s stalky front wheel strut.
Painting and markings:
This was quite a challenge, because I initially was not certain who the manufacturer and operator of this fictional aircraft should be? Japan and Sweden were initial choices, but since there had been some indigenous and quite exotic designs after WWII I eventually settled for Switzerland. Another reason for this choice was the fact that I had wanted to apply the rather unique “layered” camouflage on a model, and this was great opportunity.
I have no information about the colors/tones that had been used, e. g. on some Doflug D-3801/03 fighters or one or two EFW P.16 prototypes. But apparently some darker shades, including dark green and earth brown (and probably more!) were applied with broad brushes or even a mop over a grey uniform basis, probably the same light tone that was used for the undersides. From the poor b/w pics I’d say that every aircraft received an individual pattern, and I used a color picture of a P.16 (which offered a good view on the upper surfaces, even though in a very weathered state) as benchmark and tried to replicate the look.
Things started with an overall coat with Humbrol 165 (RAF Medium Sea Grey). Then I used thinned acrylic paint to layer wavy lines with Revell 45 (Farngrau, close to RLM02) and 82 (Earth), both tones offered only little contrast to the underlying grey. Then came more wiggles with 42 (Gelboliv, RAL 6014) and finally with 84 (Lederbraun, RAL 8027) – resulting in a very disruptive pattern that really breaks up the airframe’s outlines and hides almost all surface details. Disturbingly effective!
The cockpit was painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the landing gear as well as the respective wells in a mix of Humbrol 11 and 165, for a dull metallic grey.
After that the model received an overall black ink washing as well as some post-shading on the lower surfaces – a futile task on the upper camouflage, because of its cluttered character!
Markings became minimal, just with Swiss roundels procured from an F-5E sheet for the fins and from a generic markings sheet from TL Modellbau for the bigger wing markings. The tactical code was adapted from a Swiss BAe Hawk trainer (U-1257, the U was turned into a J with a cutter knife…). To add some color I painted the spinner red and added fictional unit markings to the nose, as well as some red warning markings, stencils and fake louvres around the engine.
My newest project, the Daemon Primarch Angron and his bodyguard of 12 Bloodthirsters. For the 2nd, a kitbash with bits from the classic Bloodthirster model, the Forge/Maulerfiend, and the Daemon Prince.
Find out more at khornate.blogspot.co.uk/