Moebius - Raider NG

[olcabour]

The Cylon Raider from the reimagined serie is not really a design that I like, I much prefer the older version (which I look forward to its new incarnation from Moebius, significantly larger than its venerable Monogram cousin).
So it will be a quick installation: no researches of accuracies, no lighting (no no, not even the red eye), just a few cosmetic improvements. I'm going to concentrate on painting.





This studio raider (virtual or 1/1 set) appears really rough on screen while the kit is rather smooth. So I can not mindlessly apply the Alclad, as it would give him a look of a Naboo skiff!
I have not clear ideas, but maybe I will try the Alclad Stainless steel (which is duller than her friends) and metallic acrylic spots for a rough rendering.

In the meantime, we made a little tour of the property:
- This is a kit with the big parts in the style of the years 70/80, far from japanese standards for example.
- Without a close look (and I do not seek to do so) it seems pretty faithful to the model.
- some part cuts are curiously positioned and generate lot's of work and filling...
- Cylon emblem is embossed and not decals!! so I quickly acquired the replacement decals on Starshipmodeler

[olcabour]

The assembly is started quickly by removing molding seams on the head.

before

After



Nozzles are massive, so the edges are slightly rounded and extended inward the petals.
Before | After



The mouths of the guns are hollowed.



Arms gluing and filling of the horrible seam.











Curiously, in other parts of the wing, the cut is well placed (along the trailing edge) and the work is easer.



The cylon emblem is sanded

first with coarse sandstick



then fine



The rest of the assembling does not present significant difficulties.
I do not glue the ventral part, otherwise it would oblige me to install now the guns and engines, but I want to paint them quietly apart.

[olcabour]

On french forum ArtMovieFan, I was pointed on some flashing LED reflectors to quickly made the eye. I opened the reflector and get the device.











The part in the Raider head is too tight and the available space is too narrow to plug the circuit+LED+battery inside as is, it needs some additional work.








Initially, I intended to glue the head after painting, but it now need to remain removable. I use the pins to install screws. Magnets will be glued at the opposite into the body, which will keep the head in place.





You can see the screw by one of the pins (the magnet is not set up to it on one side).





The two sides facing the head and the main body are hollowed to install the electric components.














Dry test to check if the holes are not viewable once in place.







LEDs and the small metal tabs enclosing cells are detached from the circuit, and will be replaced by wires

The LEDs are mounted on a part of a tube, cut to be install in the head.

[Wombat]

It's not a subject that really does anything for me either but thats still some really nice mods you've done there.

[JAWS]

Great start & good thread.
I haven't got my head around the new series yet.
But the ships are kool & some were even designed by members on this board.
Your really getting some work done on this & sharing it well in this thread which is great.
Nice move on the bike light.
Easy solution & cheap batteries power it.
I'll have to remember that one.
Keep up the good work.

[olcabour]

Thank you

(11-16-2013, 06:20 AM)JAWS Wrote: some were even designed by members on this board.

Really ?!! I would like to hear more on this.
Which ships ?


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After having received a coat of primer, I tried to make the foundry raw look. Searching on military model website, it seems that the simplest method is to brush a mix putty and acetone on the model.

As it was a first time for me, I think I did it a little too light.














A new thin layer of primer






Everything is covered with gloss black, which is the base color for Alclad metallic paints.










I started by completely painted it with Alclad Stainless Steel, which is a rather dull alclad, with the idea of completing the raw look.










I realize clearer panel in Alclad Duraluinium.










And then, surprise, the Stainless steel did not accept masking tape!






So I covered it again with quick and thin coat of Alclad Steel, that I know to be stronger, as I use it since a long time.





Some slightly dark panels with a mix of jet exhaust + magnesium






Dark panels, in jet exhaust






Some panel's corners are post-shaded with Aluminium, to break the patchwork effect and give more texture to the whole model






Some pale burnt metal panel to give some color to this beast








It is already rather nice like that, even if the fondry raw effect does not see too much.

[Red III]

I think it looks fantastic! I still have trouble with those "Metal" Paints, I can never get it look right. I think the texturing works well at that scale.

[Cylon-Knight]

olcabour your paint is PERFECTION.
I love, love, love all the subtle metals. You've done that Raider proud!

[olcabour]

Thank you.

There, it is too clean. The weathering is coming soon.

[JAWS]

Yeah nice job on the metalics.
Charles Adams designed the new Shuttle & LeeS worked on the show in various forms I believe.

[olcabour]

In fact more than the raw aspect, it is ultimately a weathered metal effect (oxidation, burning...) that seemed interesting to replicate on this kit.
For this, I took an old brush, and I thrumed a first panel with Gunze Steel,
And then I had a moment of stress, as I felt like I messed up the panneling. Messed up for messed up, I continued, and it began to look like to something and I start tweaking in varying color regularly.
So there Steel, metalic grey, silver, chrome, Burnt iron, Gun metal, and a bit of copper, mainly on pale burnt panels.

Some panel edge effects are done along Tamiya tape.

I'm pretty happy with the result
















At the end of this torturing episode for him, the brush now looks like a flower.



A black wash in the recessed panel lines completed the painting step.

[Cylon-Knight]

Amazing work!

Are you making a generic Raider, or are you going to further weather this guy to be "Scar?"

[olcabour]

Thank you Cylon knight

It will be a generic raider.
Well, I did not check the difference with Scar's raider. Is there a lot of differences ?

[dbhs]

Amazing work. I love all the various colors and how well they work together in the end. Masking all of the curves on this one is very difficult and tedious.

[Cylon-Knight]

@olcabour

Scar is the only "named" nuBSG Raider - and has an episode named after it as well - "Scar." (Season 2 Episode 15)
Scar is a super bad @$$ Raider with a creepy personality, and grudge against the Colonials having been in many combat missions against them yet not shot down/killed.

About "him:"
http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Scar_(Raider)

About the episode:
http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Scar

And a photo - he differes from other Raiders with VERY VERY heavy weathering and a distinctive cut on his "head" area (i.e. a big scar). The weathering he has is way more than other Raiders has he is a long term survivor of the armed conflict with the Colonials.
http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=...2&id=12548

Standard, or Scar - your Raider rocks!

[SusieQ]

Great job with the metallic paints! I will use this as a guide when I get around to doing mine. Outstanding work!

[olcabour]

Here is the final step on this WIP, where I had to install the LED Reflector circuit inside the raider.

I thread the wires inside and solder them to the circuit card.







It still works



For cons, I had underestimated the space needed for the wires, and it is no longer going in the remaining spaces.
So I had to enlarge the openings. This has resulted in the removal of the central pin, the head is now less well maintained, and the magnets suddenly become absolutely necessary. And I thought that tape surrounding the metal tabs and batteries with be enough, but it is too light, So I had to enlarge the openings. This has resulted in the removal of the central pin, the head is now less well maintained, and the magnets suddenly become absolutely necessary. And I thought that tape surrounding the metal tabs and batteries with be enough, but it is too light, so I quickly made a little support using plastic strips.






There some light leak under the chin. I suspected this because these parts are not glued together here.




A small plastic cap is done and stuck with hot glue (easy to remove if I will have to work on the electic circuit).
The plastic model part is very thick and holds heat rather well. I would not try it on a Hasegawa or FineMolds kit !
The glue is covered with black paint to hide the latest leaks (cooled hot glue is still transparent)




The magnets are also held in place with hot glue.




I forgot to install the visor, and while trying to glue it, it slipped inside the head. @@#%€£¥$%#!
So, I experimented removing the cap+hot glue. And this was rather easy, so the idea was good.





It was only remaining to apply cylon insignia decals, weathered with lightgray marks, and covered with clear coat.

[olcabour]

Some images in front of a starry background (from my rag tag fleet diorama).

























a little video with the working eye :
http://youtu.be/qN39JHeK12s

I think to redo some pictures on a lighter background to better appreciate the painting of this little beast.

[JAWS]

Wow nice work.
The paint looks awesome.
Thanks for sharing this.