A CHALLANGE to all of you Tread heads.

Modeling Subjects Armor
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Well, here it goes. Im sure you all know me, and you all know what my main genre of building is, Scifi. That being said I have never shyed away from trying atleast one kit from every genre that I have come accross. I have monster kits, figure kits, armor, aircraft (wwii and wwi), ship kits, spaceship kits, Anime figures and Mecha kits. I have kits ranging from 1/700 to 1/144 to 1/100 to 1/60 to 1/42 to 1/35 to 1/32nd to 1/25th to 1/12th and to non scale.

With all that said, I get to the point of this post.

Plain and simple, I want to see what you guys could do with a kit outside of your genre. So here is my challange, I am going to post a few links to kits that I feel are good starter kits in the mecha/scifi genre (non expensive too) as well as places to buy AM parts, places for reference and reviews, and anything else you would need. The challange is to use all of the skills and techniques you would to build your best armor kit, and apply it to something that is completly different.

I post this for a few reasons, one… how the heck many Hetzers has Karl built… I want to see something new from you guys. Thats one, the second one being that most people in scifi and mecha modeling circles dont use the same techniques as tread heads or fly boys. It is honestly a shame, and to be perfectly honest, I want to see what some of our masters in this forum could do with a genre they normally dont, or never do.

Now I know what some of you are saying ‘thats not my cup of tea’ ‘I only build what I am interested in’ I know and I hear you, but sometimes its good to branch out. What is the WORST that could happen? You spend a bit of money on a nice kit, make something really nice out of it, and have something to really suprise the judges at the next IPMS contest you enter.

Be honest, how many of you ever see anything really worth while in the scifi section other then a monotone battle star galatica kit, or Tie fighter. When I went to Mosquito con I was suprised with the amount, there were a lot of scifi, alot of it was really good, but it was NOTHING compared to even the auto or figure category, and alot of it was monotone ships.

With all that said, here are a few choices that I know are good kits and I think you all could do amazing jobs with. Some of these are cheaper then others, all come from very good quality makers, some I can attest to personally that they are amazing kits.

Super Dimensional Fortress Macross:
(Brief summary-Space ship crashes, is reverse engineered, aliens come, destroy earth, last survivors are on the reverse engineered ship)

1/72 VF-25G Messiah Valkyrie Michael Custom
http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1419
1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom
http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1317

Maschinen Krieger:

(This story was never a show, it was published in Hobby Japan magazine as a serial, using the models which were imagined and created just for the strip. The plot was earth was destroyed in a nuclear war, after time it became a complete jungle/forest paradice again and was recolonised, criminals also came back to escape jail, and a war broke out)

1/20 Luna Pawn
http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=863

1/20 AFS C.D. Type Polar Bear
http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1181

1/20 A.F.S. Archelon
http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1350

Dr. Who
(does this need any 'splainin?)

Daleks in Manhattan

http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1332

Mobile Suit Gundam

(A large group of space colonies declare independance from earth and drop a space colony on the planet starting a war using modified space construction vehichles as weapons)

Zaku Minelayer MS-06f 1/100th scale

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban953119.html

Ball ‘08th Ms Team version’ 1/100th scale

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/ban934096.html

Hazel Custom RX121-1 TR-1 1/144th scale

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/uncehacuirxt.html (one of the nicest kits in this scale I ever purchased)

For after market parts I suggest

http://www.mechaskunk.com/store.htm (all kinds of metal part, scratch building parts, and resin weapons)

http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/gumode.html (Gundam specific decals (alot can be cross used)

http://samueldecal.com/ (may load slow for some. Decal shop, all custom made, a relyable site, if you send him what you want he will also print up decals for you)

I doubt any of you will take me up on this challange, but I really hope you do.

For some inspiration, here is what some of our own modelers are working on in the scifi category with the types of kits I linked.

/forums/1130979/ShowPost.aspx

/forums/1089362/ShowPost.aspx

/forums/1126798/ShowPost.aspx

/forums/1127784/ShowPost.aspx

/forums/1124477/ShowPost.aspx

/forums/1111979/ShowPost.aspx

For references, you can look

http://www.maschinenkrueger.com/index.html

http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/index.htm

http://www.mahq.net/mecha/macross/macross.htm

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Are you supplying the kit?

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I’ve been building Warhammer and Warhammer 40K from the start, so… HAH! [8-]

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Well I’m scratching a 1/32 Horatio Phillips Steam-Powered Multiplane, and that is quite the straying from armor for me. I know it’s not in the mecha/scifi genre, but it shows I’m not a one trick pony.[;)] Here’s the link to the current WIP: /forums/1126385/ShowPost.aspx

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Smeagol - I feel your pain.

I will first say that many of us do stray to other areas at times. Karl is builds autos, I like heilos and Manny likes his women [(-D]

I know areas like space and sci-fi are very poorly attended, BUT…what makes this hobby is that everyone is different. I joke about my “Germaholic and Shemaholic” friends [:O], but everyone gets into a comfort zone. My zone is US artillery and AFVs which, in this forum is a very small minorty but I enjoy bringing these different builds to everyone and hopefully educating everyone a little.

It’s a great idea to have a challange but there are many who already “boldly go where no man has gone before”…there just in a different quadrent of space[;)]

Rounds Complete!!

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I’ve been building mecha ever since Revell released a bunch of non-related kits in their Robotech line in the early 80s. I’ve probably built every one of them they released as well as many of the original issued from their native Japanese lines.

About 5 years ago, I ran across the Evangelion line when I picked up a high quality kit for about $7 (originally was $40+). I watched many of the shows that were available on the local cable on demand channel (almost the whole series was free).

After armor, I probably build almost as many, if not more, sci-fi kits. I tend not to participate in sci-fi forums because of the plethora of online feuds that always erupt. Feuding sci-fi modelers will even track one another to various non-sci-fi modeling sites for the sole intention of continuing their flame war and make the intended target look bad in his non-sci-fi modeling world.

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I enjoy building Aircraft, armor and ships. I may at some point I may crack open a Star Trek kit as I have been a Trekker since a kid. While I appreciate your interests the Japanamation stuff just holds no interest to me (sort of like Autos).

Brian

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The reason I Didn’t mention thing like starwars and startrek kits is, well honestly, there seriously mainstreem in alot of circles and alot of them are just one color, and when there not there are decals for the camo patterns.

Doog did that spaceship not to long ago, while it came out looking great, it wasnt that… detailed, color wise or weathering wise

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Ok, then I should scratch the AMT U.S.S. Enterprise. A friend picked it up at a flea market for $2.00. I was thinking about a change of pace. But you’re right the only major color is white. [#toast]

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Welll, there’s a nice slap-in-the-face, for sure, Steven

“Wasn’t that detailed”?! Did you miss my entire reworking of the engine configuration? OR how about my scratchbuilt cockpit and drilled-out windows? Or what about the complete rework of the landing gear? Or the notoriously hard-to-paint “Rescue” stripes?

I’ll post some pics here for you to judge for yourself, people–and here’s the link to see the whole detailed build.

/forums/1/1094738/ShowPost.aspx#1094738

Yeah, you’re right, Steven–compared to YOUR builds, it ain’t much, but hey, everybody’s entitled to an opinion I guess…[sigh]

I’ve got a “challange” to you, Steven–finish a model that you start here in Armor.

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I dunno, doog old man, it looks pretty detailed, painted and weathered to me. I’ve done a few space ships now and again. The challange even with Federation Starships is to make them interesting with what you get. Subtle transition with the basic paint job is an art. The “aztec” pattern is a real challenge, even with pre-printed masks. I did a FineMolds Y-wing last year, real fun to weather, and a darn great fitting kit. Anyhoo, I think your Eagle is a darn great job. [#toast], ( more smiley thingys). and up to 71 posts now. I blame my wifey for hooking up my game only computer to a wireless web connection, so now I don’t have to wait for her to get off for me to connect. She is web and facebook addicted.

Doug

" Jane, get me off this crazy thing!"

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Karl,

Knowing what comes “in the box” (even though It must be some 30 years since I built one), I’d characterise your Eagle as “spectacular”. [tup]

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Well, like I alluded to in my post, do a mental google for “sci-fi geeks + social skills” and see what you can come up with.

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I built a tank once and look what happened to me. I dunno if i can take another life altering experience[:-^][;)]

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Besides armor, I’d like to think I’m a big sci-fi buff. Especially I like the '50’s movies. I’ve been looking for a decent project to start, but really can’t decide on just what it’ll take to devert my attention.

Those “The War of the Worlds” models by Pegasus look nice, but aren’t very detailed.

But, I’d like to find something from Star Trek or Space 1999 … without breaking the bank. [:D]

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Wow, way to blow things our of porportion doog, it is nice, you did a very nice job on it I never said you didn’t, but the majority of the darned thing is white and compared to the work you put into just painting and weathering some of your tanks that you finish in a week or so, its not the same. I did watch your build with great interest, you did a great job rebuilding thos parts, but the colorscheme is just I dunno, disapointing, after we see what you can do even with just your hetzer tutorials.

Once I get the cap of the paint bottle attachent for my AB cleaned out Ill beable to finish that halftrack, its sitting on my paint area just waiting.

I didnt link those panther just because there so simple, I saw one at mosquito con, its gorgeous, but its really just a 3 color metalic piece nothing really special.

to rob, your quite right about how people act on scifi only forums its why I came here to post my work, our scifi section is like our aircraft or armor sections, and we have a one or two on there are are close to the top of the field (Red Comet, though he doesnt really post much, for example)

I’m not doing this for ego or anything, its I know that you guys have alot to offer us, and we have alot to offer you. Once you get past the beginner level for mecha/scifi its almost a requirement to mod and use either Am or scratch build parts to make it work better. Hell, even prof competitions require any build thats set above beginner to use either scratch build/ after market metal, or resin parts. Or, for another example, Karl, your eagle, while it is a very very nice piece, the figures in the cockpit arent the most detailed, no offence, I doubt your used to working in that scale for figures, most of the gundam line kit come with atleast 2 figures of that scale if not more, and there superbly detailed.

Ya know, if it isnt your boat, it isnt, I get that, but never poopoo something till you try it. I have aircraft and naval kits just for the reason. Heck, you can get a good gundam kit for about 8$ and some of them can be as hard as the dickens to get nice.

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Smeagol

Are you kidding? I mean, ‘disappointing’?! Look, I hate to use a worn out analogy, but perhaps you are comparing apples to oranges here. Take a good, close look at doog’s build. Yes, it is primarily ‘white’, but look at how he has been able to give the white some depth and to vary it across the surface of the ship. Look at how the details pop out. Notice the engine nacelles and the burn pattern on them. Notice the color that is there (the red stripes in particular) and how the transition between them and the white has been blended in such a way that the stripes are not ‘glaring’ next to the white of the hull. They don’t jump off the page, but instead look ‘continuous’ with the paint on either side.

I’d argue that doog demonstrated more skill in this paintjob because he took something that could be very ‘vanilla’ and made it visually appealing. You can say a lot about this paintjob, but I don’t think ‘disappointing’ is one of them.

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I don’t think there is any greater difference in ‘requiring’ aftermarket in competitions in the armor/aircraft or sci-fi genres. I think that expectation is pretty standard.

And not that Karl needs me to defend him, but I think if you review his build of that kit, he mentioned that he was not too concerned about the figures since they are virtually invisibe in the cockpit. In fact, (and I could be wrong about this) if I recall, he did go so far as to modify one of the figs -maybe both- to represent specific characters from the show.

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Well, pray tell then, Steven–what would you have had me paint it in–a 3-color ambush scheme with chipping and maybe lots of rust streaks and chips?!

Seriously, I’m at a loss to comprehend you…I read through your post a while back about “Why is there not more respect for mecha modelers?” or something like that–well; I think that for a guy who professes to not even giving a hoot about the correct color of a halftrack, you’re the last one to sit in judgment about what constitutes “quality” or competence in a build–much less a paint scheme!

Sheeesh. [banghead]

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Look, Steven, just so you know, I am not trying to poo-poo your idea here. Hey, you want to drum up more action over in Sci-Fi, that is cool with me.

I am one that will fall into the ‘not participating’ category, not because it is not my cup of tea, but because I build relatively slowly, I have committed to several builds already (both armor and air) so I don’t want to bump anything out of the lineup. However, I think there are very few people who are truly ‘one-dimensional’ in their modeling. Doog has done everything from armor to air to cars to space. Manny does his armor, his figs, and (I think) he is really into ships. True, I think we all have a ‘comfort zone’ but I doubt it is a genre specific one for most.

I might suggest, however, that rallying support for your challenge might be easier if you don’t then pretty effectively dismiss the genre of the very same people who you are trying to recruit. The ‘a panther is just a hunk of metal with three colors’ approach might rub a few people in here the wrong way. Also singling out people who have done what you wanted (gone out of their comfort zone) and then trashing their build does not help your cause (why would I want to participate in a ‘challenge’ if I see you take one of the more accomplished builders in this forum and, in effect say, ‘Look, even when doog built something in Sci-fi, it sucked’). It seems like your underlying motivation may be to get people out of their so-called comfort zones so that you can then trash their efforts. Before you get defensive, please understand that I am talking about impressions - this is how you might be perceived, whether that is your intention or not.