I blame Gunbird! (Crimson Skies 1:72)

[Modhail]

There I was, cheerfully working on my first building for my City Project, and he goes and posts this!

This was especially fiendish of him:

Something quite different compared to my recent output, I know, but made it cause I know teher are some Crimson Skies fans outthere and I want to use this as a personal motivator for Modhail to kickstart his Crimson Skies interests again, and show it is possible to game this in 1/72 as well

He knew I just had to bite....1/72nd CS has been an old dream of mine.

And so I did:

Can anyone guess what it is/will become yet?

(Yes Gunbird, this is the second one I'm building... Oh, and could I borrow one of those Armaments in Miniature flight stands from you one of these days? I'd like to prep my planes for those bases as well.)

[Daeothar]

Hughes P21 Devastator!! WOOT!

That's cool. Is that a complete scratchbuild, or are those the remnants of a Corsair I see being used?

Now, you know it has to be red when it get's painted, right?

[dijit]

You've got to love the crimson skies planes even more so in 1/72 scale.
Duncan

[Modhail]

Daeothar, close, but no (flying) cigar...
It's Fairchild's F6II model, just like his older brother in the background right:

Better known as the Brigand.
And yes, made from a Corsair, an old Revell one. (raised panel lines and all....)

But, as you can see in the back left, I've got a Devastator too.
(The lines are just a bit off though on that one. I'd like to redo it someday, but using another plane's fuselage. I've seen a rather nice one on the web, made from a Sea Fury)

[Daeothar]

Ah, I see now. Great looking Brigand in the back for sure. The engine cowling and lack of prop cone threw me off there, but that's a great start.

Oh, and because of the lightness of the plastic, just for a moment when seeing the pic for the first time, I thought you had scratchbuilt the whole thing with plasticard...

[Gunbird]

Hey Erik,

I'll drop by tonight with a flightstand and some plugs for you, and a good look at those Brigands. You know I need a few in Texas colours 

[Modhail]

Oh, and because of the lightness of the plastic, just for a moment when seeing the pic for the first time, I thought you had scratchbuilt the whole thing with plasticard...

Heh, I'm crazy, but not that crazy... 


Johan, great, thanks! 
Texas? Looking at the background, I'd have thought the ISA would be the more obvious choice. Seeing how they already have fairly close diplomatic/economic ties with Germany.

[Gunbird]

True, but in CS, I'm a Texan by heart and can find plenty of good reasons for a bash

Plus painting the ISA logo on each plane would drive me utterly mad.....

[Parriah]

Wouldn't it be sweet if you could find JUST the right canopy to glaze the rear turret?

(Sighs gustily)

[Gunbird]

On second thought, how does going Tribal sound? I still have a few MiG-3's lying around just crying to be converted into Desert Foxes. I can always add a Brigand to that and tribal markings can be varied (that or I will just use some old Space Wolf decals)

[Modhail]

Tribal sounds good! I'd like to see where you'd go with that.

[Modhail]

The main structure of the second Brigand is done. 
Here they are together:


All that's left to do now is add their underwing ordnance and figure out a colour scheme (any suggestions?). I'm thinking about doing something bold and colourful, befitting Crimson Skies.

Oh, and Johan: What magnets did you use inside your plugs?
(At the moment I haven't started drilling the holes for those plugs yet. Out of curiosity I just glued one of my 6x1.5mm rare earth magnets to the bottom of the oldest Brigand and it seems to hold everything in place rather solidly on its own.)

[Gunbird]

Magnets for the hole don't need to be big, they are there for extra support. Using just a magnet will get you into trouble with bigger models or with offcentered holes due to droptanks and what not, the magnet will alow the aircraft to slide and ruin that picture perfect pose. Plus now you can use a block of wood with nails sticking out to store your models more efficiently (from the wall even).

I stopped using just magnets when I started Reals technique, I only do that for the 1/600 stuff and nothing else. Too much of a risk one popping off eventually, bringing your well converted and painted stuff down to earth.

[dijit]

They look real nice!
Duncan

[Benny]

Looking very nice. I was thinking of doing something similar for a club open day some time soon.

As for colour scheme, maybe base it off one of the pirate or privateer groups from Crimson Skies? Maybe the Raging Cajuns or Fortune hunters, a few different colours on there planes and nice a bright too.