Orbit Gas Station - Scratchbuilt breakdown

[KD47]

HAPPY NEW YEAR.   Since we're all gonna party hard tomorrow, be hung over the next day, and lift heavy weights for a month thereafter, I better post this tonight to get at least some mileage out of this post.

Every post-apocalyptic game is eventually going to need some kind of gas station as an objective or a place for heroes to hole up in.   I had an old kit years ago that I turned into a Poseidon gas station ala Fallout 1.   Yeah, you read it right, the first Fallout game.  Yeah, I'm old.    Anyhow, I don't have that one anymore so I decided to build a new gas station.

There are a couple of ORBIT gas stations in my area, and the retro design just can't be beat.   Perfect mid-century look that would work in a Fallout themed game as well as zombies, straight post-apocalyptic, etc.   Here's a link to help you fall in love with ORBIT:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=orbit+gas+station&va=b&t=hr&ia=images&iax=images

Since nobody makes a kit of this, it had to be scratchbuilt.   To make the 50's star shaped pitched roof, I had to build a frame that would let me bend the thermoplastic accurately without punching a hole in said expensive plastic.  I then used a heat gun to soften the plastic and bend the thing into shape.    I then cut the walls out of foam board (the classic way of making buildings), glued them together, and gave them a slight texture of fleck stone so I get that eventual stucco look.   If you're going to be doing anything with thermoplastics and a heat gun, be sure to wear leather work gloves.  This way you can hand-form the plastic without burning yourself.  It'll give you more control over the forming process and the end result.  See 1st pic

I then painted, weathered and completed the model with paint, washes, chalks, dry brushing etc.    Hero Clix made a gas station accessory set some time ago so I used this for most of the bits.   See 2nd pic

For the inside, I might use some of the Mantic convenience store set pieces, but I couldn't find any convenience store drink coolers!    Well, Oshiro models who posts on this board has you covered if you need those, as well as just about anything else you may need for this kind of project.   Oshiro, feel free to post your links here.

The last pic is of the finished product, weathered just enough to fit into a variety for down and dumpy post apocalyptic games.

Enjoy!

[OSHIROmodels]

I like that 

[mikedemana]

Wow! I don't have the confidence in my abilities to attempt to reshape plastic so ambitiously!

Mike Demana

[commissarmoody]

That looks great!

[Dr Mathias]

I enjoy seeing solutions to complicated shapes like this

[marianas_gamer]

Great build! The roof is very impressive.

[has.been]

It is ALL very impressive & will be a great bit of in game scenery.
My favourite bit are the fluorescent tube under the eaves at the front.

[Pattus Magnus]

I’ll echo the others - that’s a great build! The concept and execution are excellent and I can see it fitting into all sorts of games. I appreciate the WIP pics.

[Ragnar]

Awesome build, love it!

[Bullshott]

That looks great. Cudos for your fabrication of the roof   

[Grumpy Gnome]

Stellar work! 🚀

[Major_Gilbear]

Extremely impressive! 

[KD47]

If you want some fun signage, you can download a lot from the internet, or use the ones I did.

[zrunelord]

Great build.
Kudos.

Z

[Braz]

Awesome build.