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Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => Topic started by: Black Cavalier on 07 November 2009, 09:58:06 AM

Title: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: Black Cavalier on 07 November 2009, 09:58:06 AM
I've pretty much completed painting the 'thopter.  Pretty plain, but wanted it generic to be used by many powers.

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/Black_Cavalier_Photos/Wargaming/VSF%20Stuff/25mm/ornothopter/100_0198.jpg)

More pictures here:
http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/Black_Cavalier_Photos/Wargaming/VSF%20Stuff/25mm/ornothopter/

Only thing left is to do a Magic Wash on it to get some more shading.  & I like Sir Maximum's idea so will be mounting a flagpole to indicate variable nationality.  & the Redoubt ground crew will be reporting for duty shortly.

It's very tipsy on it's 3 wheels so would like to have both a landed & flying base. I was thinking about using a CD as the base, but not sure how to mount a post to it.

Comments & suggestions welcome & appreciated.

Pro Rege et Regnum

---------------------
I've just about completed the construction of a new ornothopter

(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/Black_Cavalier_Photos/Wargaming/VSF%20Stuff/25mm/ornothopter/100_0192.jpg)

More pictures here:
http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd255/Black_Cavalier_Photos/Wargaming/VSF%20Stuff/25mm/ornothopter/

It's a combination of a Ral Partha Dwarf Ornithopter
(#2-040 shown here https://www.connectstores.com/ralpartha/sp_30501.html)

plus the seated gunner from RAFM's Riel Rebellion Gatling Gun
(http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF06732&Category_Code=RR)

with a Hotchkiss MG from Lyzard's Grin mounted on the front.


Now I'm debating what color the wings should be.  I'm thinking fabric wouldn't stand up to all the flapping with it's weight.  So probably some metal?
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Thunderchicken on 07 November 2009, 10:08:28 AM
Lovely creation BC!  :)

You've inspired me to dig out my ornithopter. Saying that I'll probably stare at it, scratch my head a bit then quietly put it away.  ;)

I wouldn't rule out fabric wings, just depends what it's made of.
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 07 November 2009, 10:14:23 AM
An absolutely spiffing conversion, and so "non-complex" at the same time.

Now I'm debating what color the wings should be.  I'm thinking fabric wouldn't stand up to all the flapping with it's weight.  So probably some metal?

For pure cliché factor, just paint national colours spread over the fabric parts. If it´s British? Union Jack. If it´s French? Tricolore. German? Battleship grey or red with Iron Crosses. Italian? See French, suitably coloured. I´d be stumped, though, how to do Russians apart from a Romanov eagle, but that wouldn´t scream out "Russia" the very instant you see it.

As for the fabric thing, I wouldn´t think it to be unsuitable. Maybe some ingenious new material, consisting of canvas soaked in a durable solution (which has a terrible, but as of now unknown vulnerability to fire/water/dinosaur vomit).
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: gamer Mac on 07 November 2009, 12:17:26 PM
WOW a day for VSF flyers :-* :-* :-*
Great stuff.
I think metalic wings would look strange.
Stick with fabric. Flag colour is a good idea.
Looking forward to seeing it painted
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: former user on 07 November 2009, 01:53:42 PM
why not submitting to the Building competition?
it is a transport after all  ;)
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Gluteus Maximus on 07 November 2009, 01:54:52 PM
WOW a day for VSF flyers :-* :-* :-*
Great stuff.
I think metalic wings would look strange.
Stick with fabric. Flag colour is a good idea.
Looking forward to seeing it painted

Or, as an alternative something like this colour scheme, but with small Union Flags on the wings instead of the more usually seen WWI style roundels :

(http://www.pioneerflightmuseum.org/images/bleriot1.jpg)

However you paint it, it's a fantastic model and an inspirational idea.

Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Gluteus Maximus on 07 November 2009, 01:55:23 PM
why not submitting to the Building competition?
it is a transport after all  ;)

Definitely a very good idea!
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Plynkes on 07 November 2009, 02:01:37 PM
I think the Union flag is the way to go rather than a roundel. A roundel is too '20th Century' for VSF. The RFC used flags early on, the roundel was adopted because the Union Flag was mistaken for a German cross at long range and there were friendly fire incidents.
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: former user on 07 November 2009, 02:19:43 PM
interesting to know...
I would have assumed the roundel to be reminiscent of cockades.
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Plynkes on 07 November 2009, 02:29:31 PM
Of course, that is where the symbol comes from, the idea of national cockades. But the British didn't use that method to begin with, they went with the flag idea, only to change their mind and use a cockade like the French and others after the Union Flag proved to be not a very clear recognition symbol at a distance.
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Ray Rivers on 07 November 2009, 02:40:14 PM
 :-*

Very cool.

Can't wait to see it painted!
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Skrapwelder on 07 November 2009, 03:57:09 PM
Very nice piece of work.
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: former user on 07 November 2009, 04:59:17 PM
aha
on the other hand interesting that the germans apparantly changed their mind from cockade to iron cross....
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Bullshott on 09 November 2009, 07:36:59 PM
Very nice. It looks like November is becoming the Month of the Ornithopter  :D
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: pnweerar on 10 November 2009, 02:47:27 AM
Pretty cool! Wonder how it would look painted, ::wink, wink::
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Black Cavalier on 10 November 2009, 05:04:47 AM
Alright!  Alright!  I get the idea.  I'll start painting it forthwith.  Luckily I also have some of Redoubt's Steam Tank crew that will make a spiffy ground crew.

But, I think I'm going to leave off any national colors to make it generic enough to be used by any force.

(Thanks for all the very kind comments & encouragement BTW).
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Gluteus Maximus on 12 November 2009, 09:59:43 AM
Alright!  Alright!  I get the idea.  I'll start painting it forthwith.  Luckily I also have some of Redoubt's Steam Tank crew that will make a spiffy ground crew.

But, I think I'm going to leave off any national colors to make it generic enough to be used by any force.

(Thanks for all the very kind comments & encouragement BTW).

Good idea. If you are really clever, you could make a dismountable flag pole attachment and then add a small flag of your choice to show it's nationality and change it whenever needed.
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: sukhe_bator on 12 November 2009, 12:35:49 PM
You could also add streamers. Many WWI sqdn leaders flew pennants and streamers from struts or tail skids. A good way of identifying flight leaders etc....
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Viper on 13 November 2009, 09:27:02 AM
I love it.
I've always been a huge fan of ornithopters ever since playing the Dune II RTS as a kid, though those are more streamline scifi ones the love has grown to encompass all types...through no little help from this wee guy.
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2009/05/31/ornithopter_1.jpg)

Never played MtG much mostly just collected them for the art when I was younger.
 :)
Title: Re: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: Black Cavalier on 16 November 2009, 05:04:58 AM
See painted version in original 1st post.
Title: Re: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: Gluteus Maximus on 16 November 2009, 09:34:33 AM
Very good!  If I had any of these, it's exactly how I'd like mine to look  :D
Title: Re: Chocks Away!
Post by: Argonor on 27 November 2009, 09:16:59 AM
interesting to know...
I would have assumed the roundel to be reminiscent of cockades.

Did the ever use cockades on planes? I'm asking, because I've never seen that, not because I do not believe it.
Title: Re: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: Svennn on 27 November 2009, 10:01:28 AM
That works a treat.
Title: Re: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: richarDISNEY on 30 November 2009, 03:23:48 PM
Looking good Nils!
Title: Re: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: XCIV on 13 April 2012, 05:11:29 AM
I know this project is probably dead and gone for years now, but I have been delving around here, mining for gold.

For the Russians, rather than a difficult Romanov eagle, you could do a white saltire on light blue background - their naval ensign, I believe.

For Germans, a tricolour of red, white, and black.

I have a pair of these ornithopters sitting about collecting dust, though I think mine are a different scale.

What would any of you suggest for a French  :o pilot on one of these? I don't want to go pith helmet - too iconically British or German to me.
Title: Re: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: Bullshott on 13 April 2012, 04:48:56 PM
What would any of you suggest for a French  :o pilot on one of these? I don't want to go pith helmet - too iconically British or German to me.

Find any suitable figure that fits, then replace the head with a flying helmet and greenstuff the tunic into a longer double-breasted coat - think along the lines of Bleriot and other early aviators.
Title: Re: Chocks Away! - New & Improved with Paint!
Post by: XCIV on 13 April 2012, 05:39:34 PM
I like the longer coat idea.

Oh, and a scarf. Gotta have a scarf. It gives that certain - I don't know - panache?