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Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Predatorpt on January 28, 2013, 04:30:41 PM

Title: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on January 28, 2013, 04:30:41 PM
So, after this thread (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=49240.0) I went and bought a Airfix 1/48 Harrier. While doing the planning on the conversion, my brother remembered there was a fighter just like that in the Tomorrow's War rulebook. It's an digital illustration, not a real model, but does anyone know who did it?

I'm asking here because there were some fellow LAFers who helped make the book and I can't find that information on the book itself (there's captions on most of the miniatures pictures with their authors/brands, but not on the illustrations). I would like to contact the author and see if he did more versions of that particular "model".

Barring that, does anyone know any good conversion of a 1/48 Harrier into a sci-fi model? I'm thinking about getting rid of the tail and adding 2 more VTOL engines, one on each wing. But for that I'll need to find some B52 engines, maybe in 1/72 scale...
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Daeothar on January 28, 2013, 08:08:44 PM
Page 131 has one, which looks like a kitbash of a Lancaster fuselage, A-10 Engines on the tail, a Sea Stallion fuselage wrapped around the Lancaster and the engine pods look like they might have come from a Valkyrie plane. And there are a great many parts I do no recognise too.

A pretty involved build. I believe the creator now goes under the name of Wayswatcher here on LAF.

The artwork on page 136 looks like an amalgam of a Harrier, a Buccaneer(or SU-25) and an Osprey. The nose is not easily linked to an existing airframe though, but the missiles are Mavericks at any rate...
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 28, 2013, 08:16:38 PM
Page 131 has one, which looks like a kitbash of a Lancaster fuselage, A-10 Engines on the tail, a Sea Stallion fuselage wrapped around the Lancaster and the engine pods look like they might have come from a Valkyrie plane. And there are a great many parts I do no recognise too.

A pretty involved build. I believe the creator now goes under the name of Wayswatcher here on LAF.

The artwork on page 136 looks like an amalgam of a Harrier, a Buccaneer(or SU-25) and an Osprey. The nose is not easily linked to an existing airframe though, but the missiles are Mavericks at any rate...

I was talking about the second one, it's a nice piece of art. The first one I remember from here:

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=25425.0

As you mentioned, that nose is totally new, but the rest is more or less "realistic".
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Sgt. Scream on January 28, 2013, 09:18:29 PM
Check your book, page 242. I think the pic was made by Richard Chasemore. I can go and ask Shawn Carpenter of AAG if you need more info.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Gunbird on January 28, 2013, 10:08:27 PM
The Gunbird is mine (actually made from a inverted 1/32 Apache, 1/48 A-10 Engine pods, a Ju-86 nose for the nose and the Vtol engines are the exhaust nacelles on a Apache glued side to side...I used 2 1/32 kits for that. Got all of the parts second hand or from the bargain bin so she set me back 30 euros and a lot of grey hairs) but thats not what you are after.

For a 1/48 conversion of the Harrier you could always extend the nose a bit with Milliput and stick the original nose to that, then work back the lower half with the gap you see in the pics. A chaingun off a 1/72 Apache should work, and the engine pods could be made from 1/72 Me-262 which can be had pretty cheaply. Looks like they also moved the tailfin further forward-ish.  Should not cost you more then 25 euros if you are not afraid to buy scrap kits or have some of the basic parts in your collection.

Been looking at converting a 1/100 Il-28 Beagle for use with my Chinese myself. Just a simple one for a change, inverting the wings so the engine pods are on top, further back on the fuselage. Or mate the front part to a 1/72 Ho-229, they only cost about 10 euros here. But models for 1/72 Crimson Skies are a bit higher on the priority list right now.

If you need more ideas, visit this treasure trove: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=be4053e3723bcf40d6d961ef8f64d753&action=forum
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 28, 2013, 10:22:55 PM
Check your book, page 242. I think the pic was made by Richard Chasemore. I can go and ask Shawn Carpenter of AAG if you need more info.

You know... it's the first time I see that page. I've searched the beggining of the book, not the end (and being tucked before the cards doesn't help, lol)  :o Yes, its author is Richard Chasemore, lol. Thanks! I'll try and contact him for more info!
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 28, 2013, 10:29:05 PM
The Gunbird is mine (actually made from a inverted 1/32 Apache, 1/48 A-10 Engine pods, a Ju-86 nose for the nose and the Vtol engines are the exhaust nacelles on a Apache glued side to side...I used 2 1/32 kits for that. Got all of the parts second hand or from the bargain bin so she set me back 30 euros and a lot of grey hairs) but thats not what you are after.

For a 1/48 conversion of the Harrier you could always extend the nose a bit with Milliput and stick the original nose to that, then work back the lower half with the gap you see in the pics. A chaingun off a 1/72 Apache should work, and the engine pods could be made from 1/72 Me-262 which can be had pretty cheaply. Looks like they also moved the tailfin further forward-ish.  Should not cost you more then 25 euros if you are not afraid to buy scrap kits or have some of the basic parts in your collection.

Been looking at converting a 1/100 Il-28 Beagle for use with my Chinese myself. Just a simple one for a change, inverting the wings so the engine pods are on top, further back on the fuselage. Or mate the front part to a 1/72 Ho-229, they only cost about 10 euros here. But models for 1/72 Crimson Skies are a bit higher on the priority list right now.

If you need more ideas, visit this treasure trove: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=be4053e3723bcf40d6d961ef8f64d753&action=forum

Your Gunbird is a real inspiration for any kitbash! I've got lots of models to convert, but not a single one with engines that I can use on the Harrier. Never thought about the Me-262 ones   ;)

I've already combed the What-If forum for ideas, but no luck so far. Just a lot of Harriers in various countries colours (including a French Foreign Legion one, for CAS)

My thanks to everyone who replied!
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Smith on January 29, 2013, 08:26:53 AM
Morning all,

As I was the guilty party responsible for commissioning the Tomorrow's War artwork, I'll drop Richard a line and see if he has any comments. If memory serves, it started out as a Harrier build, then the additional features were added manually.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Inso on January 29, 2013, 10:08:10 AM
If you don't own the rulebook, this thread is useless without pix :(

I want to see the VTOL now... :'(
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 29, 2013, 01:31:14 PM
If you don't own the rulebook, this thread is useless without pix :(

I want to see the VTOL now... :'(

I know, but it's ilegal to post scans/take pictures of the content of a book  ;) That's why I also asked for other Harrier conversions  :)
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 29, 2013, 01:34:27 PM
Morning all,

As I was the guilty party responsible for commissioning the Tomorrow's War artwork, I'll drop Richard a line and see if he has any comments. If memory serves, it started out as a Harrier build, then the additional features were added manually.

That would be great, thanks! I was going to send him an email (there's a contact on his site) but now I'll wait. i really like that pictures because when you look at it you can really see it started as a Harrier! I'm going to try and emulate that in my conversion.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Smith on January 29, 2013, 03:19:12 PM
If you don't own the rulebook, this thread is useless without pix :(

I want to see the VTOL now... :'(

Just as well it's not illegal for me! Quality isn't the greatest, I'm afraid – I nabbed it out of the pdf, rather than converting the high-resolution original.

Courtesy of Osprey Publishing, Ambush Alley and Richard Chasemore:

(http://imageshack.us/a/img826/7083/towvtol.jpg)
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 29, 2013, 03:29:04 PM
Just as well it's not illegal for me! Quality isn't the greatest, I'm afraid – I nabbed it out of the pdf, rather than converting the high-resolution original.

Thanks once again!

One of the problems that I'm seeing in my conversion plan (and in the picture) is that the wings don't seem to be strong/thick enough to support the VTOL engines on their tips. I'll have to change the wings or reinforce the normal Harrier ones.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Smith on January 29, 2013, 03:40:39 PM
I tend to go with "it's science fiction" and make up what I need as I go along. The join of engine to wing is conveniently obscured on the artwork in any case.

Perhaps the engines could be against a wider/broader/bulkier wing tip e.g.:

(http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080828094138/resistancefallofman/images/d/d8/VTOL_plane.jpg)

You'd need some sort of component to bridge from the wing to the engine. I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to suggest along those lines, though!
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Gunbird on January 29, 2013, 03:42:13 PM
sandwich 0.5mm to 1.0mm plasticcard in between the top and bottom wing part (if they are seperate pieces) for extra ruggedness or add a saddle on the wingtip.

Edit: Like what Smith just posted, wingtips.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Smith on January 29, 2013, 04:50:54 PM
Just heard from Richard – there's a touch of the Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot in there, but it was more a work of imagination than a composite of existing aircraft.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 29, 2013, 05:42:07 PM
Smith: thanks once again (and my thanks to Richard for the reply)! Glad to know that I don't need to buy more kits to kitbash.

After looking at the model again, I'll try a mix of both your technics - I'll try and build some thicker supports on the wingtips and put the engines there.

I'm a bit disappointed with the Airfix kit to be honest - lots of flash; the 2 halves of the main body doesn't match in some parts (I'll have to use some plastic bands to force them together after gluing) -  but the price (15€) was very good.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Gunbird on January 29, 2013, 09:17:28 PM
Well, Milliput and the old sanding stick are a scratchbuilders best friends. That and a scribing tool, a never ending stock of parts, a even bigger never ending stack of money, etc.....
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 29, 2013, 09:41:39 PM
Well, Milliput and the old sanding stick are a scratchbuilders best friends. That and a scribing tool, a never ending stock of parts, a even bigger never ending stack of money, etc.....

Now that you mention it...can you recommend a scribing tool? My local stores sells some Trumpeter ones but I don't know if they are any good.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Gunbird on January 29, 2013, 09:56:15 PM
I use any and all I can find, and that's not much at all. The ones I got from the expensive not so local hobbyshop were from Tamiyya IIRC, but I'd reckon any old type will do. Just be gentle with them while scribing, its all too easy to use too much pressure and ruin something, especially on curved surfaces.
Title: Re: VTOL figther in Tomorrow's War rulebook?
Post by: Predatorpt on January 29, 2013, 10:01:11 PM
Ok, thanks for the tip  ;)

Everyone: Keep an eye on this thread, I'll start to work on the Harrier next week (I hope...)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on February 25, 2013, 05:02:30 PM
So...after careful thought I decided it would be better to pass this project to the hands of someone with a bit more experience than me. I contacted a friend in a scale modelling forum here in Portugal and asked if he was willing to try his magic on my models. He gladly accepted and he's now working on my Harrier model...or at least on its wings, lol. I sent him 2 Mil Mi-24 (1/48 scale) besides the Harrier and this is first result:

(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj93/predatorpt/Forums/hind5_zpsc7764926.jpg)

I know it doesn't look like much right now, but I have great expectations on his work. After all, he's a true artist who can turn a computer mouse into this:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mamarracho/mam-041_zpsa5e1e238.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mamarracho/mam-042_zps69935306.jpg)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: pocoloco on February 25, 2013, 06:39:08 PM
Quite obviously your VTOL project is in good hands, can´t wait to see what he comes up with.
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on February 25, 2013, 06:50:55 PM
Quite obviously your VTOL project is in good hands, can´t wait to see what he comes up with.

It may take a little while, right now he's working on another project:

Turning this:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Ironside/Ironside-001_zps804d905a.jpg)

into this:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Ironside/Ironside-028_zps0f11ee93.jpg)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: zizi666 on February 25, 2013, 06:57:09 PM
 :o those are wicked cool !!!
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: pocoloco on February 26, 2013, 06:58:21 AM
:o those are wicked cool !!!

x2  :o

Funny as I was eyeing yesterday the iron back home :D
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Gun bunny on February 26, 2013, 10:37:50 AM
Those look great,things of beauty!  :)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: The_Beast on February 26, 2013, 06:34:41 PM
All of us who are ten-thumbed challenged should be so lucky to have such friends!  :o

Do pass on our admiration!

Doug

Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on March 05, 2013, 11:41:00 PM
Some of the interiors are now being painted:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-019.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-020.jpg)

And the pilots seem rather happy:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-024.jpg)

My friend made some extra holes in the fuselage for the new VTOL engines:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-004.jpg)

The new engines:
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-010.jpg)

Assorted bits:
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-006.jpg)
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-007.jpg

The tail configuration:
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-015.jpg)

More next week (right now my friend is the in Putty-sanding-putty phase )
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Doomsdave on March 06, 2013, 03:16:26 AM
This is getting exciting.   :o
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: zizi666 on March 06, 2013, 03:27:22 AM
I like where this is going !
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on April 07, 2013, 01:58:06 AM
Sorry for the lack of updates, my friend was working on other projects. But here's some new photos (and I'll update the links for the previous photos, he moved them to another folder):

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-042.jpg)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-043.jpg)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Blackwolf on April 07, 2013, 02:00:56 AM
That is fantastic! Beautiful work,it really looks the part :-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on April 07, 2013, 02:13:56 AM
That is fantastic! Beautiful work,it really looks the part :-* :-* :-*

Thanks, I'll pass the compliments to my friend!

Some photos of the landing gear (it's made from plasticard and 1/35 T34 wheels):

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-032.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-037.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-040.jpg)

Before painting:
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-035.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-036.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-039.jpg)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on April 08, 2013, 02:05:27 AM
The camo is coming along:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-044.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-045.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-046.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-048.jpg)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Bergil on April 08, 2013, 03:55:03 AM
 :-*

That is all.
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: FramFramson on April 08, 2013, 09:13:54 AM
She's-a-verra nice!  :D
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Doomsdave on April 08, 2013, 01:20:43 PM
Wow.  I'm very excited about this.  Looking great so far.  Wish I had friends like yours.
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on April 08, 2013, 01:40:35 PM
Yep, sometimes it pays to have friends who like to do some scale modelling ;)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: Predatorpt on April 10, 2013, 12:01:33 PM
Decals and washes applied, the bird is ready (now my friend just needs to send it across the country, to me):

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-061.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-062.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-063.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-064.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-065.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-066.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/Mil%20Mi-4200/DevilsRain-067.jpg)

As soon as I have it with me, I'll take some pictures with my AT-43 walkers ;)
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: zizi666 on April 10, 2013, 12:31:17 PM
That is One cool Bird.  :-*
Title: Re: VTOL figther
Post by: The_Beast on April 10, 2013, 03:05:16 PM
That is One cool Bird.  :-*

Wicked kewl, and from the other examples, I don't think even his greatest stretch.  lol

Pred is ONE LUCKY GAMER!

Doug