Avatar-inspired gunship

[Westfalia Chris]

Hi folks,

I got two of the Dragonfly Gunships recently released by Pardulon, which I originally had scheduled both for conversion for an "Avatar" project. I plan on building a compact version of the Dragon, though, and since this will have enough firepower, I'll probably build the second one from the box, but as a kind of more futuristic "Blue Thunder" police chopper.

I also got a bunch of EM-4 (ex Grenadier) future warriors which will serve as RDA mercenaries, although I'm not yet decided on how to make the masks - I'm leaning towards using a pressure-shaped piece of clear plastic, similar to the visors of the Mongoose SST plastic infantry; if that doesn't work out, I'll probably sculpt something.

First some shots of the "Scorpion C"gunship. It's still missing the ordnance for the wing/pylons, and is obviously only "inspired" rather than a faithful replica, but I wanted to keep those parts of the Pardulon kit which I really liked (read, chin turret and triple legs).

[Dewbakuk]

That looks great. Good idea for the rotor housing. Are you going to paint the rotors in?

[Commander Vyper]

Nice but no troop capacity.

I've thought about this and something akin to a mix of Apache and blackhawk with the VTOL turbines would be my personal choice.

Just realised what the rotors are, very clever indeed.

The Commander

[Westfalia Chris]

That looks great. Good idea for the rotor housing. Are you going to paint the rotors in?

That usually doesn't look too good (at least if I try it). The current "milky" plastic discs look okay for my taste and will probably look better once I get a flying base done (but it turned out rather heavy, what with resin and hose clips...).

Nice but no troop capacity.

I've thought about this and something akin to a mix of Apache and blackhawk with the VTOL turbines would be my personal choice.

I don't quite get your point... for troop carrying, they've got the Samsons and the Dragon, and the Scorpion is obviously more of a dedicated attack gunship, thus, I used the Pardulon kit for the Scorpion-like one, since both are in the same vein...

[Dewbakuk]

Is the scorpion not the one that carries them around in the film? Assuming it is then it carries at least 6 people in the body and has side gunners.

Not that it necesarily matters for this.

[Westfalia Chris]

Is the scorpion not the one that carries them around in the film? Assuming it is then it carries at least 6 people in the body and has side gunners.

Not that it necesarily matters for this.

No, that one's called the "Samson" (the one that looks like a "hueyfied" Blackhawk with skids). The "Scorpion" is the smaller (one or two crew) attack helicopter, and is primarily used in the attack against the Home Tree and the final assault on the Spirit Tree. The "Dragon" is the huge (50 metres long), "Spectre"-like gunship with the four rotor pods, two cockpits and shedload of missile racks.

First thing I did when I returned to the UK after the holidays was getting the artbook at my local Waterstone's. An absolutely splendid piece, well worth the 20 pounds, although there could have been some more "hardware" pics (although the ones it DOES contain are superb and very, very useful).

Commander Vyper
Unless I am a million miles out ...they are jubilee clips. Excellent idea guy!

I spent TWO WEEKS looking for something suitable that wouldn't take several hours each to scratchbuild. Originally, I was looking for napkin rings, but couldn't find properly-sized ones. Then I took a walk to my local B&Q, almost resigning myself to scratchbuilding them, when I found those. I originally planned to remove the strips from the gears (which wasn't possible, they seem to be welded on), but then found them actually rather useful, since they have both a large glueing surface and look a bit like transmission casings.

[Commander Vyper]

No, that one's called the "Samson" (the one that looks like a "hueyfied" Blackhawk with skids). The "Scorpion" is the smaller (one or two crew) attack helicopter, and is primarily used in the attack against the Home Tree and the final assault on the Spirit Tree. The "Dragon" is the huge (50 metres long), "Spectre"-like gunship with the four rotor pods, two cockpits and shedload of missile racks.

First thing I did when I returned to the UK after the holidays was getting the artbook at my local Waterstone's. An absolutely splendid piece, well worth the 20 pounds, although there could have been some more "hardware" pics (although the ones it DOES contain are superb and very, very useful).

Have to look out for that, got the Terminator Salvation one when it came out and that has been extremely helpful. Good call.

[Westfalia Chris]

Have to look out for that, got the Terminator Salvation one when it came out and that has been extremely helpful. Good call.

I'd advise against the "Activists Guide", though (which is a paperback - the Artbook is a landscape format hardback). That one got mostly boring 3D render pictures and fluff text that reads a bit uninspired. The artbook is great, especially the parts on the Na'vi and the creatures of Pandora (although they don't explain why the Na'vi only have four [visible] limbs...).

[Commander Vyper]

That usually doesn't look too good (at least if I try it). The current "milky" plastic discs look okay for my taste and will probably look better once I get a flying base done (but it turned out rather heavy, what with resin and hose clips...).

I don't quite get your point... for troop carrying, they've got the Samsons and the Dragon, and the Scorpion is obviously more of a dedicated attack gunship, thus, I used the Pardulon kit for the Scorpion-like one, since both are in the same vein...

Point taken on the scorpion front, I was just too much in awe seeing all that hardware in flight that it's all got a little mixed! Although I see that the toys are out in the states $24.99 on ebay for a scorpion translates to £42 for one in the uk from a 'specialist' toy seller... price hike!!!

Anyway the samson is what I was referring to and my fav as it evokes all things from apocalypse now to platoon to we were soldiers, up to black hawk down and beyond!

[Commander Vyper]

I'd advise against the "Activists Guide", though (which is a paperback - the Artbook is a landscape format hardback). That one got mostly boring 3D render pictures and fluff text that reads a bit uninspired. The artbook is great, especially the parts on the Na'vi and the creatures of Pandora (although they don't explain why the Na'vi only have four [visible] limbs...).

Ditto on the Terminator artwork book, hardback and landscape. I'll have to look out for it.

[Bako]

Perhaps for the RDA troops you could use these heads as a basis? Just fill in the little grill at the bottom and have a little tube connect to a small pack on the back and Bob's your uncle. They definitely look the part when you're thinking of the ones that fit nicely into helmets on the mercenaries.

What'd you use for the helipods? I can't place their source.

[Westfalia Chris]

Perhaps for the RDA troops you could use these heads as a basis? Just fill in the little grill at the bottom and have a little tube connect to a small pack on the back and Bob's your uncle. They definitely look the part when you're thinking of the ones that fit nicely into helmets on the mercenaries.

I actually cannot remember the mercs wearing helmets in the movie! Somehow I only remember them bareheaded wearing the exopacks, or forage caps... and I'm afraid that the Pig Iron heads are too large to work with the ex Grenadier Future warriors, but thank you very much for the hint. I may just be buying a pack before I make a final decision.

What'd you use for the helipods? I can't place their source.

Garden hose clips from a local DIY/Hardware store. 35-45mm diameter ones, to be precise.

[Bako]

I actually cannot remember the mercs wearing helmets in the movie! Somehow I only remember them bareheaded wearing the exopacks, or forage caps... and I'm afraid that the Pig Iron heads are too large to work with the ex Grenadier Future warriors, but thank you very much for the hint. I may just be buying a pack before I make a final decision.

It was a brief cameo appearance, but some of them had special-fitting helmets in the infantry mass bearing in towards the tree of souls. Not that their helmets helped against those burly arrows. Sorry to hear about the size difference, I've not gotten me some Pig Iron figures yet. (Though I am planning too, don't you worry. )

Garden hose clips from a local DIY/Hardware store. 35-45mm diameter ones, to be precise.

Ah thank you.

[Westfalia Chris]

It was a brief cameo appearance, but some of them had special-fitting helmets in the infantry mass bearing in towards the tree of souls. Not that their helmets helped against those burly arrows. Sorry to hear about the size difference, I've not gotten me some Pig Iron figures yet. (Though I am planning too, don't you worry. )

No, I'm really grateful for any suggestion, but I have a set of the Heavy Infantry, and they are considerably bulkier than the Copplestone sculpts (of course, there's more than 10 years between them and the corresponding changes in figure style), so I am a bit skeptical.

I really have to go see the movie a second time before cinemas drop it.

[Bako]

T'is the only movie I've ever went to the theatre more than once for. Even if we didn't have that fancy-pants 3D and Imax stuff.