Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Hrothgar on March 19, 2010, 05:48:05 PM
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While making my rounds on campus (I work at a college), I discovered a nice little gem at student government rummage sale. For only $2 I picked up a fully built AMT/Ertl Rio Grande runabout shuttle. The model is over 13 inches long and will fit well with my 28mm forces, and I intend to repaint and modify it so that it can be a generic military dropship/shuttle.
Since I have found the model, I have been mulling over how to make this model look less like a Star Trek vehicle and more like some generic midtech military shuttle So I thought I would post some GIS pics of the model completed as intended by the maker and ask for some suggestions from the learned and skilled modellers on the forum:
(http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/RUNABOUT%20MAIN.jpg)
(http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/RUNABOUT%20HIGH%20ANGLE.jpg)
(http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/RUNABOUT%20REAR.jpg)
(http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/RUNABOUT%20SIDE.jpg)
I was thinking of giving it some sort of earth tone paint scheme, perhaps with shades of OD, adding more conventional engine nozzles to the engine pods, landing struts, perhaps a gun turret or two, and maybe some multidirectional thrusters at various points. Any suggestions for me on how to make this ship look more the tired old military landing shuttle and less Star Trek ultra-high tech?
Thanks in advance!
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Besides the things you already mentioned painting the panels on the front and back in a blue or green glass scheme should help immensely the change the perception of scale.
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I'd go with the military paint scheme and a couple of turrets for starters and see how it looks then.
Not too many turrets, and not too big.
Possibly put in a couple of dents or bumps, or just paintwork scratches to make it look more "jeep" and less "ferrari".
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I would like to see a canopy at the front, maybe with pilots inside?
Maybe some hatches for entrance, A big drop ramp at the back for rapid assaults?
Its the nacells that case some problems, they are so iconically Star Trek, Maybe squaring them off and adding a landing strut up front?
Perhaps also pop the bit of the top and mount it under the nose, minus its little wings, like an intake?
Any chance of a 28mm fig for scale, really struggling to get a bead on the size?
Might need another model for parts depending on your bits box!
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Great ideas so far, everyone-thanks!
Will post some pics of my own with figures for scale when I get home tonight.
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lose the nacelles completely... maybe some kind of missile pod? or do some major work and some kind of VTOL engine in their place... def ramp at the back and lose the top section, maybe a turret up there...
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Maybe add some "Lifting Body" wings with upswept tips, such as on the Marietta X-24 or that big shuttle from the "Avatar" movie (http://www.feoamante.com/Movies/A/Avatar/Avatarshuttle.jpg)? Replacing the nacelles with those and reworking the cockpit area would go a long way "de-trekifying" that model.
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All the above and a futuristic looking chain gun and missile launcher on the roll bar!!!
And "rust" it up a little bit too.
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how wide is the existing cockpit area? you could have a canopy one side and a chain gun position on the other... or a forward troop hatch...
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A few pics of the model with 28mm troopers to provide scale:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4446633294_5a5348b2cd.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2735/4446637064_abdcd8b0ec.jpg)
By the way...
For those more knowledgeable about such things, wasn't there a Traveller ship design that was very similar to this shuttle? It has been a long time and all my Traveller aides have been long sold off.
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This might be strange but how about making the front the back and the back the front?
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Which is which? ???
If the 'pointy' end is the back, I'd use that for the front of the ship. With some thrusters on the back and a dirty & rusty paint job, it would look like something out of Firefly.
This might be strange but how about making the front the back and the back the front?
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The roll bar looks like it would be easy to make into a rack type rocket launcher- a more mid-tech, enclosed version of this but probably with only one row of rockets:
(http://www.danburymint.com/secure/Content/ImagesProducts/320-06_z.jpg)
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I've been hunting that model for quite some time on E-bay and various spots....always just a tad too expensive, and it escapes my grasp.....
I've been wanting one for the same exact purpose a small dropship for my Sci Fi Alpha Forge crew....
On the Rezolution forums, a fellow named Chris Passeno did a very good job of kitbashing his....
Here's the thread:
http://rezolutiondt.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=2268
But unfortunately, the pics are not there anymore....>I'll see if I can get him to post the pics back up!
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Perhaps raising the craft off the ground would offer some possibilities, a nice set of heavy duty landing gear would allow clearance beneath for small turrets or even a dedicated 'bomb bay'.
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Was there ever any finished progress made on this project? Looks like and interesting one with some possibilities and I was curious if anyone else has had better progress made.
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Landing gear for sure. Also a big drop hatch on the back, as mentioned. Maybe keep the nacelles as engines, but tart them up to look more like turbines or anything less obviously "Trek" than those warp nacelles.
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Just sent Hrothgar a PM; he seems to lurk, but hasn't posted since last August.
RE: Traveller, could pass for several, but the bow very reminiscent of a system defense boat. Have just been asking if anyone had suggestions for an SDB proxy, but much smaller scale.
Had I seen this previously, I would have mirrored the
This might be strange but how about making the front the back and the back the front?
save, I always thought the front would be a fine small shuttle, and the back a reversed dropship.
Never did figure anything for covering the gaping holes other than big ass engine clusters...
Doug
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This topic made me think of the Jupiter 2 from the movie and how that might look like a Aslan shuttle, with a little work
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Funny this popped up- I picked up this model recently and just received it , In Traveller terms my plan is to convert to - to a 40 Ton Pinnacle in 28mm
I'm doing it up like a drop ship cutting out the back section to a drop down ramp in rear, and I plan modeling out the interior, I probably wont do much to "de trek" it
other then add some chunky bits and I think something need to be done with the front view ports so they extend out instead of the stock recess
I'll probably do something to the engines to make it fit the CT theme. not sure what yet.looking forward to tinkering with it...Ill post up some photos when I get something happening.
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Please do!
I still have one or two about, and somebody else's inspiration is what I need to shanghai capable hands for them. :D
Doug
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Hey all, thanks for the interest. I dropped the complex conversion scheme and went instead with a grittier, non-Star Trek paint scheme. Pics to follow. :D
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(http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cwRJgCLZrKw/Uv7-77VmcDI/AAAAAAAAAqg/ZFVpbq9OkOQ/s1600/image-2.jpeg)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/-e4JCQPlA2lU/Uv7-9eppkWI/AAAAAAAAAqo/21IZxmsZbG0/s1600/image.jpeg)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rmkSHQUcr9o/Uv7--1ccYVI/AAAAAAAAAqw/_oi8fY6_4HI/s1600/image-4.jpeg)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cyN2bNFPxto/Uv7_ATPuu7I/AAAAAAAAAq4/hHqYFXB30zc/s1600/image-3.jpeg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3lYYgL7fiLY/Uv7_B0Wi1fI/AAAAAAAAArA/lYQ8kFGKqWk/s1600/image-6.jpeg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2H9gR7A-Jvg/Uv7_C4XuD8I/AAAAAAAAArI/w76d9Gw9YhY/s1600/image-5.jpeg)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LlagPgCVZjE/Uv7_EaUjFOI/AAAAAAAAArQ/AjyL8C89bSQ/s1600/image-7.jpeg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l3VZkxUIvE8/Uv7_Fkirr1I/AAAAAAAAArY/8fHSV0tk7Kw/s1600/image-8.jpeg)
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Looks like a win to me! ;)
Thanks for the views of the terrain, as well. Have several of the mini-crates, and a few full size I could spare, waiting similar treatment.
One can go a long way on the simplest starts, no?
Old Coast, don't think we're not seeing what you do :D
Doug
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Aw, missed my opportunity to advise on this one. If anyone else wants to use one of these... my advice is to turn it UPSIDE DOWN. Lose the drive thingy on top and make the "cockpit" area into a chin egress hatch and ramp instead. Add chunky landing gear and a cockpit on top and ta-da!
Anyway, nice work, sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go too :)
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Great work on colours for the shuttle Hrothgar, now it does look like some thing a group of space mercenaries could use, looks great for 28mm.
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:o
Wonderful!
:-* :-*
And those piccies show the art of 'Junk-Modelling' at its finest.
8) 8) 8)
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Excellent!
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Great work. I like the ship a lot.
Great terrain and figures too. :-*
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Aw, missed my opportunity to advise on this one. If anyone else wants to use one of these... my advice is to turn it UPSIDE DOWN. Lose the drive thingy on top and make the "cockpit" area into a chin egress hatch and ramp instead. Add chunky landing gear and a cockpit on top and ta-da!
Anyway, nice work, sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go too :)
I like, as well! Only issue, if there is one, is the nacelles on top might say 'Star Trek' even more. However, if I recall, you could even leave those off. Bit of fill and greeble might be required...
Piece on top is an add-on; I don't recall seeing it in the show, but if so, wasn't how the shuttle was originally shown. If I recall, the kit called it a sensor pod. First recollection was it was a weapons pod. Probably thinking of the Reliant.
I really think this kit had a lot more potential than people gave it credit originally. Sort of like the Maquis ship; I recall some really interesting things done for 15mm.
Doug
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This looks so cool, it's turned out really well. The paintjob really does remove it from the Star Trek universe. The scenery is stellar too, I want to play on this table! Excellent stuff.
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Geez, thanks everyone! I really appreciate all your feedback about the shuttle, terrain,and figures.it is easy for me to wind up investing way too much time in scratch building projects, even though they can be great fun. I thought I would take the quick way out with this one, & I think it's paid off. This shuttle is a nice model, and I recommend it heartily. It was pretty easy to paint because the detail was so crisp and clear. With a little imagination and the will to do some remodeling and scratch building(that I wasn't willing to do), I am sure you guys could turn this into something really awesome! :-)
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...it is easy for me to wind up investing way too much time in scratch building projects, even though they can be great fun...
Important point: if it's 'great fun', how can it be 'investing...too much'? Isn't fun the point? ;)
Heck, I never finish ANYTHING, but just making piles of pieces and envisioning possibilities gives me as much pleasure as I get elsewhere in this world. Down side, no piccies to share, of course. And, a possible embarrassing appearance on a hoarder reality show...
Plenty of modelers build, then leave it sitting on the shelf; you get to DOUBLE the fun!
And, share with us; TREBLED!
Sorry, not the advice you sought.
Doug
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And, a possible embarrassing appearance on a hoarder reality show...
Having been aggressively scratchbuilding for over a decade, this rings far too true.
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Having been aggressively scratchbuilding for over a decade, this rings far too true.
Bah, I've seen your work. You have something to show for it. AND, only a decade or two?!? lol
Doug