The Sultan's Elephant (Finished Pictures)

[Skrapwelder]

The first project for my upcoming Ottoman VSF army proves to be the biggest. Inspired by the huge animatronic marionette created by Royal de Luxe.


I started out with a GW Mumak for Lord of the Rings. It will eventually have a balcony on either side for riflemen, a top deck for the commander and his navigation crew and inside a cannon that will fire out from under the head.

The first batch of progress shots:


A side view showing one of the balconies.


The head. The trunk was cut into sections and articulated on wire separated by short pieces of plastic tube. The lower set of tusks were removed. The holes in the tusks will be part of the machines defenses, spraying steam into attackers.


The side with the balcony mounted. You can see the muzzle of the cannon.


If you look close you can see the crew manning the belly gun.

More later as progress is made.

[Sinewgrab]

That is just absolutely covered in awesome with a side of coolness.

[Tsune]

Nice project!! 

[Svennn]

Very nice indeed. I can see that stumbling across my panda in the Burmese jungles.

I really like the "fencing" - where is that from?

[gamer Mac]

WOW
Love the idea?
The build looks as if it is coming on very well.
Some cracking details

[Malamute]

Looking excellent already, can't wait to see the finsihed article.

[General Roos]

Awesome! 

[OSHIROmodels]

Wey-hey, insane project that sounds like it wouldn't work but you've proved that wrong 

Looking forward to this one developing.

cheers

James

[Ray Rivers]

Holly Molly... 

You are Insane!   

In a good way.   

Spectacular project which I will be following with great interest.

[Westfalia Chris]

Aw great! Here I was planning to do a similar thing in the new year, but more along the traditional lines of Vernes "La Maison à Vapeur" for a Indian Mutiny style VSF force, but you beat me to it!

May have to fall back on those Martians, I guess.

That approach is looking positively spectactular, and the ironworked railings are very, very pretty. The gun position is hilarious, too.

I would have preferred a "wheelhouse" howdah, but the deck makes it so much more gameable.

[Dewbakuk]

Absolutely superb! I was in London when that happened, but I didn't know until I got home 

[argsilverson]

Superb!
Can't wait to see it finished,

[sukhe_bator]

That is an insanely awesome Olifaunt project - good on you!
Might I hesitate to suggest sun awnings (shamiana) that are a popular feature of Indian/Ottoman architecture? Its going to get beastly hot in that thing without shade and ventilation... particularly if there's black powder floating about.
I sincerely hope there's not also a 'stern chaser' cannon planned for that thing. That would be a very unpopular post!
FYI - You may already have seen this beastie. A more conventional but nonetheless whimsical creation in 1:1 scale but has some nice features you might use

[Admiral Benbow]

Excellent project. Hope to see some progress pics soon ... 

[Chairface]

I think that "awe inspiring" sums it up well.