SS Battlestar....attempt II

[Titon]

It's lookin great sir!

Can't wait to see more!

[MonsieurTox]

That's sexy as hell Phil !!

Very clean work, all those details are pretty neat !

[dbhs]

Scanning indicates work is too precise to have been done by human hands. I suspect Phil may have Bionic fingers.

[LastBattlestar]

LOL Doug! It's either a Cylon or Predator scan, but the quality is still evident. Phil tells me his eyesight is going into the crapper, but he still manages to produce micro detailing like that!

Mike

[Wombat]

My eyesight is going ta shit and trust me there is plenty of blemishes with everything i touch. Pictures don't always tell the story.
No crate arrived Mike, there goes 12 years of ya life. I'd be on that phone, now!!

No bionic fingers but i could use some bionic eyes there Doug unless it makes things look like that anyway?

Seriously though, thanks ta all ya kind fellas for all your encouraging remarks once again with things. Blemishes and all i'm still pretty satisfied with how it's turning out. A loooong way to go with it still but bit by bit it's slowly coming together. Something i still find hard to believe at times.. A SS Battlestar, now theres a bloody sight!!!

[jedimaster]

I'm gonna have to stop reading this thread... It's making me cry.

[darkimmitator]

Top notch job on that neck top section , Phil . I am still avoiding that area , and only hope it comes out half as good as the job you have done , when I finally get the nerves to start the section of the build !!

[roboterkampf]

Very clean work, and a really really cool model!

[padawan-builder]

Wow,

Outstanding workmanship (as usual).

Question for you. One of the hardest things to figure on this beast sometimes is the correct thickness of the "islands" and the correct dia. of the "pipes". Can you share what size plastic coated wire or brass wire/tubing you used on the top of the neck??

Once again, VERY SHARP.

Mel

[Wombat]

You guys are too kind!! Thanks fellas!

Simon, hopefully if thats the case they will be tears of joy soon if all goes ta plan for you. Otherwise yeah, stop looking or stock up on tissues i guess? LOL

Ken, you'll be right mate, i wasn't looking forward to that area either. I'm pretty happy with the outcome really and you've shown you are more than capable of doing the same job. Get stuck into it there!

Mel, no worries at all. I don't know if things are correct or not infact the brass rod should be wire but i went the brass and neater look. Don't forget on the original those wire actually sag between the posts something i didn't follow. So for what i used then, the coated wire is Plastruct TB1 1.2mm. The brass rod is 0.5mm. As i said to me those rods should be wire. I also went 1.6mm for the rod that runs out to the 250/10 block. I'm not sure if that is correct, but it seemed in most of the pictures to look slightly thicker that most of the rest i thought.

[jedimaster]

Tears of Joy indeed Phil. Can't wait.

[Wombat]

I must admit i'm just a lil excitted about all this for you also. I really do look forward to seeing another one of these beasties getting underway from down here. They are such an impressive sight as you'll soon be seeing there for yourself, you'll just need to find a few years to throw at it which maybe the hardest part with the projects you already have in the works. I guess it'll come down to priority really..

Hopefully the builds around here will be inspiration enough to get it on the bench asap!!

[padawan-builder]

Hey Phil,
Hoping you can help me out with a part ID. I have attached a pic of your bottom. The parts in question do not show up on the map as a separate number. Can you help with these two directly under the turret?
By the way, how is your G coming. Haven't seen an update in a while....


THX,

Mel

[peza]

eh up buddy,lovin ya determination and patience also.this is gonna be a beautiful build just keep that in ya mind when it gettin on top of ya!!!!
top marks wombat...cheers peza

[Wombat]

Thanks peza..

Mel, nothing really in the way of much progress with things once again down here, how bout you? Them parts you'll find in the Hipper kit, they are on the common frame with the Prinz Eugen if you have that kit.

[padawan-builder]

Phil,

Thanks man. Have both kits and have already placed the parts. Things have been slow here lately, but making a little progress as I try to finish the neck bottom and coffin areas. Posted a few pics on my thread for you.

Thanks again,

Mel

[Wombat]

You're welcome Mel. Slow sounds better than ground to halt so that still means progress of some kind.

Hows those two kits compare? I only thought the common frame had the same parts but it appears that maybe some of the other parts are also the same and useable for the G builds. I don't have it but from a pretty average scan it appeared there was other parts also that were the same between the two kits.

[padawan-builder]

Hey Phil,
Have another parts query for you. See attached. I know I have seen this part before, but can't remember where.

THX,

Mel

[Mr. Wabac]

I think that is the intake manifold from the Chevy Van kit - you need a few of them so time to dust off your RTV and resin - unless you want to wait it out with that other slow builder !

(01-22-2013, 01:04 PM)padawan-builder Wrote: Hey Phil,
Have another parts query for you. See attached. I know I have seen this part before, but can't remember where.

THX,

Mel

[padawan-builder]

Hey Bill,
Thanks. I thought that looked familiar. I think I have actually already put that to rubber as it is used on quite a few spots. Will have to dust off the molds and see for sure.

Mel

[Wombat]

Mel the van manifold does get used plenty of times but the ones on the underside of the body came from the 25th anniversary corvette. I also was wondering which kit they came from as the van ones didn't match and Charles mentioned that the map on RI had been updated with that part.

Mr Wabac, i'm not sure there is such a thing when it comes to building one of these beasts. I think the time factor for some of you guys that have been on this subject for a decade or more is perhaps more to do with what has become available in recent years. To me i see Mike doing what he's done since i've known him mostly because of all the info that has come to light. If not for that he'd have finished it a few years ago. I don't blame him for doing it all either, i know how bad that bug can bite at times. This may be the case for a lot of you early period builders, be it physical or cg in Don's case but you'll all have outstanding results in the end.

At the end of the day the only person who needs to be satisfied is the builder themselves and i am one that is not that quite often with my work but i'm learning ta live with it..

[padawan-builder]

Hey Phil,
Thanks again on the MPC corvette ID. Another question for you. What thickness did you use for the styrene "plates" on the bottom of the belly? Did you use more than one thickness or all the same? I am thinking it would have to be fairly thin as some parts stradle surface area with plates and without, but at the same time it needs to be thick enough as to be noticed as being there. Yours looks right on.

THX,

Mel

[Wombat]

I'm not sure how right on it actually is but from memory i used both .020 and .015 for that plating.

No probs on that corvette ID i didn't know it either but thanks to someone making it public we do now. Be nice if there was more of it!!

[padawan-builder]

Hey Phil,
Any help on these two items; wing tip and what looks like a hatch of some kind?

Oh and while I'm here..... BUMP!

THX,

Mel

[Wombat]

Mel,
Not too much in the way of progress to show but i do plan on trying to work on it this weekend, motivation prevailing. I may even go back to an area i started a while back and do a little more since i found a part i had been looking for to add to that area.

As for the parts you asked about. The white wing tip looking parts i just made from styrene and beveled the edges to look like the ref.
The tan kit parts you'll find in your Hetzer kit.

[padawan-builder]

Hey Phil,
Thanks. I didn't look at that kit initially because mine isn't tan. Funny how they change the colors over the years. I was only looking thru my tan kits. I'll remember that for next time.

THANKS AGAIN,

Mel

[Wombat]

No worries, Mel.
Happy to help and it's how it should be in my book!

Yeah ya cant go go on the styrene colour that was injected for the parts as it can become misleading with some kits, especially if from a different period as you mentioned. That Hetzer kit donated some good pieces for the G and one of the last few that needs finding for the Movers also, perhaps other RTF's also.

It's good to read you are still on it there, keep chipping away!

[Wombat]

Things have slowed down a lot with it as they do with builds like this with everyone at times i guess. Couple of pics anyway on a tiny bit more progress since the neck lid i was playing with last.

Things could be a lot better with some areas but they are how they are and i just called it good enough in the end.

           

[darkimmitator]

Little update or not , it's still progress movin forward on your build . Nice update Phil !! If you don't mind me askin , what parts are used On the back wall of the nostrils in your bottom progress pic ?

[LastBattlestar]

That's looking really nice Phil. The underside rescribing turned out very well.

Ken, those parts are mainly Akagi, not quite sure what the long diagonal piece along the bottom edge is. Any progress with your build? I haven't touched mine since Christmas, the weather has been too nice to be inside much. I get burnt out from those major reworks on my model that seem to happen about once a year....

Phil donated a few parts that will help me complete the starboard body side, so we are praying for rain and crap weather!

Mike

[Wombat]

Thanks guys!!

Ken, on that back wall there are 2 parts from the Akagi, 2 parts from the Yamato and the 1 from the La Seine (Heller task force).

It was just the 2 Yamato parts not mapped already.

One is pt#43 used on both sides, the others are pts# 39 (stb) & 40 (port).

[darkimmitator]

Thanks mate , hugely appreciated !!!! Mike , same to you mate !!!

[MonsieurTox]

Wow the details are insane on the bottom !! Incredible work Phil, I love it !

[steve36uk]

Plenty of rain and crap weather here if you want it......

[Wombat]

(03-12-2013, 09:39 PM)darkimmitator Wrote: Thanks mate , hugely appreciated !!!! Mike , same to you mate !!!

You are welcome Ken.
I look forward to seeing an update from you sometime soon.

(03-14-2013, 05:02 AM)MonsieurTox Wrote: Wow the details are insane on the bottom !! Incredible work Phil, I love it !

To the man that just produces some of the most incredibly insane detailing out there i say, merci very much my friend.

(03-14-2013, 09:05 AM)steve36uk Wrote: Plenty of rain and crap weather here if you want it......

Nothins new there then..

[Wombat]

Got this bit done, it's sorta close to how it should be..

       

[darkimmitator]

That looks damn good to me .A buisy lookin bit of detail for such a minute area of this model . Sweet update Phil !!

[padawan-builder]

Hey Phil,
Looking good. Glad to see you are back on track. Now if you can just get Mike to get going again.

Got another part question for you on your underside. Can you ID parts A & B. Really curious about A as the only pic I have ever seen it in is one when the G is still under construction. It must have fallen off early on.

Thanks and keep them update pics coming.

Mel

[Wombat]

Thanks again fellas.

Hope to keep playing with it a bit more often than i have of late although things will be slow progress wise. Thats how i am but i'm finding some motivation again for it just the same. That pipping is a bugger to shape correctly or at lesast i find it that way as you can see from that eyebrow workings. I ended up calling it good enough once again (a couple of words that seem ta be creeping in more and more as i go with things).

Mel,

Part A i went with what is listed on the map. International Transtar F-4270.
I dont have a Transtar II but i think that was a cabover and if so i'd guess that the shroud is different to the F-4270?

Part B you'll find in the big Bandai King Tiger kit.

Hows your build coming along?

[padawan-builder]

Phil,

Thanks for the info. My build is still progressing, although rather slowly. I am trying to finish off the bottom of the neck. Hope to have some pics to post soon.

Can relate to you post about the pipes. I have been very reluctant to do any pipe, "acne", or plating detail for fear of messing it up. It is so hard to figure proper size. What diam pipe did you use on your eye? It looks like you have at least 2 different sizes, maybe 3.

Mel

[Wombat]

All us Battlestar builders seem to be dragging our arses just a tad so i wouldn't be worried about the progress being a lil slow. Its good to hear you are still plugging away though with things.

I have know idea how close i've gotten things in regards to the pipes, chips or platting. The more i build it the more i'm just learning to live with things even if i'm not entirely happy with the look. I think i'm just getting slack perhaps? Anyway, the pipes have all been either plastruct tb-1 or tb-2 that i've used along with that 0.5mm brass rod. Right or wrong thats what i've been using.

[LastBattlestar]

Mel, just go with what Phil does. He picks up details that I would normally miss. Hey, most of us are using his build as reference, so you can too!

Damn, his chips and plating are so neat and immaculate, it always blows me away when I see his work. My chips look like house bricks compared to his!

Mike

[Wombat]

I wouldn't be using my build for ya reference, the original is what you need to be looking at. I miss plenty of things or simply dont see things as they actually maybe not to mention some shody work at times. At the end of the day the original miniature and what pictures we have of it is all we can really work with.

[t2sides]

Heya Phil!! STUNNING!! Wow, you guys are doing such an amazing job on these Battlestars!! But your progress pics are just awesome!! You are really doing superb with this thing, and the guys are right, yours is a great reference in conjunction with the original.

It's so awesome to drop in here and see the comraderie and teamwork you all are doing together to help each other out!! It's always a pleasure to see the amazing progress and builds going on in here, but your continued dedication is an inspiration for sure!!

Keep up the great work, I look forward to seeing it continuing!!!

-Sean

[LastBattlestar]

Any progress Phil? I haven't caught up with you for about 3 months now, so might pop in on the weekend for a yarn!

Mike

[Wombat]

After a longish break from it all i feel it's nearly time to break out some CA again and see what damage i can do. A little inspiration from Ken's build, a stupid notion by Mike and some talking with some good people out there again has had me playing around with this a bit. I wanted to mock it up on a template first to see how things would lay out because of the symmetrical design. It's a little shorter this stb neck side compared to asymmetrical neck on the original. Anyway, parts wise things look like they are all gonna fit on the area i have, perhaps just a lil more crammed together.

Big challenge for me now is to start the transfer onto the build. It's been so long that it's gonna be like starting over again and i think, even fun perhaps. See how long that lasts but it's been some fun playing with this and there should hopefully be some CA running again soon..

   

[LastBattlestar]

GREAT to see you back on the build Phil! Don't worry, for something as mentally and physically demanding as this build, it's pretty normal to take a long burnout break. Welcome back from your first big break. I know: I've had MANY of them. I'm actually gradually restarting mine also, have done 3 or 4 hours over a couple of sessions, easing back into the groove...

I was thinking of breaking into your house one day while you were at work, swapping my Gal for yours under the sheet and hoping you'd never notice. But then I remembered the 'Red Heeler' brand alarm system in your house and the fact that you wouldn't be there to turn it off!

But it is great to see yourself, Charles and Ken slowly emerging out of the woodwork again. Just like old times!

Mike

[darkimmitator]

Atta boy Phil . Now the ca cap just turns counterclockwise to open , so you can get that ca flowin !! lol

[Wombat]

Thanks fellas!

You probably would have gotten away with it Mike, the alarm could have been snoozin, it's a bit of an old system these days. I've sprung it doing just that a couple of times that i've come home early. Of course ya never know and it'd be chance you'd have ta take..

Haven't checked my CA yet Ken but hopefully it hasn't gone off since i last had it out. Better check it as there may be nothing flowing from those bottles no more at all.

It does feel good to be just looking at it all and catching up with you guy's again. Plan to be gluing again real soon here.

[darkimmitator]

Glue them parts , glue them parts , gluethem parts !!! lol