"Battle For Skira" modern PLA vs. USMC

[Sgt. Scream]

Based upon the Operation Flashpoint "Dragon Rising" pc game I have started to collect two forces: USMC and PLA in 20mm (1/72). I want to play that campaign using miniatures and will use Battlefield Evolution and Force On Force rules, depending on how many figures are going to be used in the scenario.

I have started this project a long time ago and it was planned to be finished in 2010. Its 2013 now and I have not been through even 20% of what is planned. Anyway, here is some progress on Star Force 21 (who knows where the call sign is from?  ) - a conversion of an Italeri UH-1N Twin Huey into a UH-1Y Venom.

After months of stompy robots and acid-blooded Aliens here is for a change a little bit of progress on my 1/72 scale UH-1Y Venom:


FLIR turret added, laser sensors, antennas and wire cutters, chaff and flare dispensers and landing gear


changed the side of rear rotor and replaced the 2-bladed one with 4 blades. The little "wings" on the rear beam have been moved further to the back. Main rotor assembly changed from 2-bladed to 4 rotor blades.


Still needs some sanding here and there (exhaust ports) and the doors and weapon payload is still missing, but its finally showing the shape of an UH-1Y.


The pride of my work on this conversion: the new rotor dome which was sculpted with green stuff. It will look a lot better once it has been sprayed with primer - that's going to blend everything together. 


You can find more "Battle For Skira" here:
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.de/search/label/Battle%20For%20Skira

[Westfalia Chris]

Excellent progress, cannot wait to see it painted. One thing though, although you'll most likely already have noticed - better fix that air intake on the front face of the transmission cowling. That mismatch will haunt you forever if you don't, I'll bet, especially considering the excellent work on the rest.

[Sgt. Scream]

@Chris: Yeah, that's true.  Will be fixed before painting.

[Sgt. Scream]

Payload added:



.50cal machine gun and 70mm Hydra rockets


M134 minigun and 70mm Hydra rockets

That leaves me with putting black primer on the last areas and then I can finally paint this baby!

[Sgt. Scream]

First layers of paint added - starts to look like a proper helicopter now. :-)

[Westfalia Chris]

Excellent work, and a very interesting paint scheme. Do you paint it by hand? I'd be mortified at the risk of messing up those canopy windows.

[Sgt. Scream]

Yes, I paint by hand. I don't have an airbrush. The scheme is not finished. When the weathering is done, the blue-grey will more look like a faded dark grey. 

[Westfalia Chris]

Yes, I paint by hand. I don't have an airbrush. The scheme is not finished. When the weathering is done, the blue-grey will more look like a faded dark grey.  

I assumed so. It's a USMC low visibility scheme, or something like that, isn't it? Not too fit on post-1980 camouflage, I must admit. Quite interesting that you go for such a harsh contrast for the start, is that an actual blue or a grey blue that came out darker in the pics? I'd possibly have chosen an ocean grey over medium or light grey, but of course there's the risk that it would be too weak for the small scale (surface area-dependent reflection rate and all).

Very suitable for commando choppers in any case, I'd say. I really need to finish my "not-Rhodesian" Cheetah.

[Sgt. Scream]

Its a blue-grey, not an actual blue. And since the pics were taken late night with only a small light bulp for lighting, it appears to be darker. In bright daylight its still a strong contrast, but it will help to apply the Dark Gull Grey in the proper areas, since these are already shaded by the blue-grey. 

Its the low-visibilty scheme, yes. Commando-chopper is the right word to say - Star Force 21 is going to transport my "Team Razor" USMC Force Recon troopers.

http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.de/2010/04/team-razor-in-detail.html
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.de/2010/04/team-razor-pc-game-arma-2-characters-in.html

[Sgt. Scream]

Low-Visibility scheme layer #2 added. Ready for weathering and details now. 

[Sgt. Scream]

The weathering of my USMC UH-1Y "Venom", call-sign "Star Force 21" has been completed over the weekend.

The decals have been added, the details painted and then I went crazy with the oil paints. :-)

I let the pictures speak for themselves. I have to be honest, I am not completely satisfied with my painting skills. The colours are too thick in some places. Well, every project is helping to learn and improve though!








More pictures with close-ups and from different angles can be found here:
http://smallscaleoperations.blogspot.de/2013/10/battle-for-skira-usmc-star-force-21-wip_15.html

[Westfalia Chris]

I think it looks great, nay, excellent. Only point of contention, although I don't mind it that much, is that the panel and recess shading comes off a bit strong, although it may be due to the pics. Just a bit too heavy for the small scale, but, again, I strongly suspect it may be due to the pics.

Apart from that, the colour combination looks spot-on and the decal weathering appears extremely effective and realistic.

I'll be quite curious to see how it looks on its base. You wrote on your blog that you intend to use a GW Flyer Base - that'll be robust, obviously, but aren't you worried that it might be too voluminous for such a finely-detailed model? I don't even like the look of those with GW's flying bricks, but for solidity, they are one of the best solutions I have ever come across.

[Sgt. Scream]

Done!!! 
Today I have finished the base for my Huey conversion. I took an Italeri 1/72 scale Twin Huey and converted it into the latest UH-1Y "Venom" (Super Huey) by using parts of a Revell AH-1W Cobra, an Olimp Models Resin Whisky Cobra Upgrade Set and an Italeri Bell 412 as well as a Kitech AH-1Z Viper. The Low-Viz decals were part of the Olimp set.

The base itself is a flat oval one from Gripping Beast, with the clear plastic flyer rod coming from GW. I have used standard materiel: flock from Busch, Clump Foliage (summer) from Gale Force 9 and summer grass tufts from Noch. Colours used were black for primer, Tamiya Flat Earth followed by drybrushing with Vallejo Iraqi Sand.

There is a whole "work in progress" run of posts on my blog.

Anyway, on to some pictures of the finished Venom, call-sign "Star Force 21":


"Star Force 21" dropping off USMC Force Recon "Team Razor" (all from ARMA II)


ready for a gun run with M134 minigun and Hydra rockets (SHQ Vietnam chopper door gunner)


GAU-21 heavy MG and Hydra rockets (and another SHQ door gunner)

Pictures from all angles of "Star Force 21". --> H E R E

[Westfalia Chris]

Well paint me pink and call me "Cookie"!    

Works like a charm. The reverse angle appears well-suited to the "helicopter" concept and somewhat suggests a "reluctant approach" vs. a high-speed attack run.

[Doomsdave]

I think it's beautiful.  I would be proud to put that on the table for a game!  Well done.