ATHENA - Steampunk Airship (45)

Happy 45th! :)
Wow, 45 posts just for the ATHENA.
In comparison, the ZEUS had "only" 33 for build and painting.

Well, I realized that I still had to add some rivets to the rear deck, so I did these last night.



And then I built the two AA-Autocannons for the rear deck.

Since I had most peices already prepared over the last view days, it was almost like building a kit :)

and I was done rather quick. (In the background you can see the first sample barrel for the Hydra)

Well, one item off the check list :)

Here's a sketch of the main items that need to be done:

As said, I will begin with the two Hydra turrets (I already prepped most pieces for the barrels) and then I will most likely see to the casting of the engines and the fins for them.

Following that will most likely be the balcony stuff - details and fun again.

Cheers

Klaus

ATHENA - Steampunk Airship (44)

With the rear deck mostly completed and armour plates in place, I realised that I wouldn't have the chance to access this area once it is mounted, so I had to paint it before.
Eventhough I'm still not sure about the final paint scheme, I decided to use Astonomican Grey as base color - this area is more or less interior, so it won't interfere too much with the final outer paint scheme.

To emphasize the steampunk topic even more, I decided to give some of the pieces a wooden surface.

Together with the brass, I think this looks pretty steampunk, doesn't it?

For the other pieces I kept the paint pattern of black base coat, drybrushed with Boltgun and some items painted in Tin Biz and Dwarf Bronze.

The plotting table painted.

I hope the greenish outline will give it a kind of holographic effect, while the wooden surface of the rim will maintain the steampunk feeling.

All pieces painted and in place.

And then I did some serious weathering.

"B", "E", and "O" stand for "Bridge", "Engineering", "Observer Deck" :)

So now it is time for another "fly-around" with all pieces in place:

And the pieces seperated :)

One last image:
Added the rivets for the rear structure

Cheers
Klaus

ATHENA - Steampunk Airship (43)

Hello, hello,
now that the rear structure is pretty much in place (though far from completed) I decided it was time to implement the first part of the main rudder.

As you can see it is functional too.

Mounted right under the rear deck

It covers the rear rotors pretty nicely

eventhough the whole thing is still flat at the bottom - there will be another piece to it, but as long as I still have so much to build, I will keep it flat, to the main body can rest better on the desk.

In addition I worked on the armour plating for the rear deck, again starting with the support beams,

and then added the plates - similar to the ones on the front deck.

So, why a rear periscope, what's all this for?

Well this rear station serves as an observation post for the bombings - so there will be a down looking sight, at the top of the rudder mechanism. But it also serves as a rear air defense platform, that's why it needs a periscope - so it can operate under fire - in addition to the two AA-guns.

Hopefully it will make some sense in the end.

Additionally I made a list of open items....and it is longer than I expected....there's work for plenty of long, cold winter evenings I suppose. So here it is:

• Plotting table in the observer room - I will add the 3D landscape here too
• Crew for observer room - 2 observer with binoculars, 1 operator at table
• Rear turret for Jump Deck - this will be a ground attack gun, maybe a Vanquisher
• 2 Side turrets for Jump Deck - these are the small turrets I also use on the ZEUS
• Hatch for Torpedo Launcher - the second one still needs a hatch for the open tube
• Rear exit ramp - there's an opening behind the Jump Deck, that was planned as a exit ramp...I have to decide what to do with it
• 2 rear AA-Guns - that's the two guns for the rear deck with the periscope. A copy of the 2 guns on the front deck
• Rear Hydra turret - I will build a Hydra to sit behind the command island
• 4 side engines and finns - the two central wings will receive an casted engine each, and completed with another fin. The master engine is built, so now I need to cast the other 3.
• Rear balcony on island - this will have a small gatling turret, some signal station, speaking pipes and a crew for it
• forward and side balcony on island - Observer station with periscopes, signal station, speaking pipes and two machine guns for the right side
• Forward Hydra turret - another Hydra to sit in front of the island, just before the forward deck starts
• Ammo lift and crane on main deck - between island and forward Hydra
• Quick launch ramp at forward end of launch deck - there is an image in one of the IA books
• Interceptor on quick launch ramp
• Ammo wagon and crew at the ammo lift
• Ground Attack aircraft and pilot raised on the main lift
• lower rudder fin
• Crew for rear deck - 2 Gunner, 1 Observer, 1 Plotter, 1 Comms, and maybe a Loader
• Crew for forward deck - 2 Gunner, 1 Crane operator, 1 Officer, 1 Loader
• Crew for main balcony - 2 MG Gunner, 2 Observer, 1 Signals NCO, some of the allready created officers, Inquisition liaison officer

That's just from the top of my head...knowing me, this list will most likely increase :)

Cheers
Klaus

ATHENA - Steampunk Airship (42)

Now that I have the stained glass window in place, and the window frame painted, I can continue with the build.

As you can see, the structure wasn't only for shows, but also serves as an extension to the landing deck.

And it will hold another small platform in the rear.

On this platform will be another two AA-weapons as close rear defense.

But it will also have an observer periscope...

in steampunk design...

The platform will also have another one of my plotting tables.

As you can see, it is smaller than the original table, but also contains a 3-D Landscape - I will try to make it look like a hologram in the end (hopefully).

There will be some ammo containers

and storage boxes.

And to emphasize the steampunk topic some more, I built some speaking tubes, or voice pipes for communication with the bridge, engineering, and the observation deck :)

Plus a kind of comms console

I think this will look rather cool in the end.

Feedback and comments as usualy quite welcome :)
Cheers

Klaus

Stained Glass Windows - Step-by-Step

I received several emails and messages in regards to the stained glass window I did last week for the command island.
So here's a step-by-step on how to do those stained glass windows.

For this I designed an Imperial Propaganda theme "Vade Retro Xenos" - "Begone Xenos!" depicting an Imperial Champion killing an Ork and showing the chopped head.
The window will be positioned at the rear end of my ATHENA airship, and provide light to the hangar, as well as it is to motivate the crew while working in the hangar (well, that's the fluff at least).
So here's the pencil freehand, with some additional symbols like the XIX division logo, a fleur-de-lil, templars cross ect.

Next I copied the image with a fine black pen onto a sheet of transparent paper.

Then I flipped the transparent paper over to its backside - this is where all the paining happens.

For stained glass one paints from front to back. Which means you must start with the highlights and shadows, as well as any details, and then do the main color.

So here I started with the red, using Blazing Orange for the highlights and Red Gore for the Shadows. Using it on all the background window tiles as well as the actual red items.

When flipped back to the front it looks like this.

Then the remaining red items are filled with Blood Red.

And from front you get the first impression on how this works out.

Next was green. Goblin Green for the highlights and Dark Green Ink for the shadows.

Filled with Green (I use my own mixture for Ork hide) it looks like this.

Next was Gold.

For this I used Sunburst Yellow for the highlights and Bubonic Brown for the shadows.

Filled with Golden Yellow it looks like a nice gold mix.

For the blue items I started with Ice Blue for the highlights and Midnight Blue for the shadows.

Enchanted Blue completes these items.

Then I continued this way with the details.

Finally I applied a layer of Chaos Black around the windows itself. And this completes the actual window work.

To mount the window I completed a part of the rear structure that will hold the window.

Since I'm not yet sure about the final paint scheme of the ATHENA itself, I limited the work to the actual window frame.

Then I glued the transparent paper from the backside to the frame.

To give it a more glassy apearance (and to cover some of the glue spills I produced) I gave the windows a glossy finish with 'Ard Coat.

Mounted on the ATHENA it will look like this :)

Well, I hope you find this little step-by-step useful and it helps you to create your own stained windows in your next project.

Cheers

Klaus

ATHENA - Steampunk Airship (41)

Hello, hello.
I'm back from the US - unfortunately I had a bad cold in the luggage and I'm currently struggling pretty bad. But I'm glad it's not a flue :)

Agreeing with your feedback on the airscrews, I took them apart again.

and cut the individual blades apart

Then I glued them onto the axle in a 45° angle

Looks much better now

And on the ATHENA it looks quite right

But the rear still looks rather "blank"

So it is time to build a nice structure for the rear, isn't it?

The plan is to have another nice painted window - the guys working in the hangar need some light and some morale inspiration :)

I want to have a folding door for the window, so I started to build some folding panels

Lots of pieces

But looking good

Unfortunately I couldn't get them to align properly (I use the cold as an excuse)

So I scratched the plan and revised it with two (non-functional) sliding doors

actually that doesn't look bad either :)

And it fits very well on the ATHENA

Doesn't it?

So much for today.

Tomorrow (or whenever I do the next post) I will do a step-by-step for the painted window.

Cheers

Klaus

ATHENA - Steampunk Airship (40)

Eventhough I'm on a business trip (and even in a workshop right now *yawn*), I promised to post my updates from the weekend.
Now that the lower rear section was pretty much completed, I began to work on the propulsion system. First I built the support for the propshafts.

As usual, I tried to create the "victorian" brass and iron industrial look for it.

Here are the supports and shafts in place

Next I started on the rotors or airscrews. For this I cut two rather large discs.

Then I drew the 8 blades and began cutting

Done :)

Then I mounted it on the shaft

both in place

Another side/rear shot

Current side view - and as you can see I already opened the side wall of the command island

Deck view

rear view with the rotors

close up - BTW, those two "noses" are actually caps from a superglue tube, and some skulls from the fantasy Vampires added.

and then it was time to start on the "Shrine" on the island.

As you can see, I played (for the very first time) with some LED's for this.

Next I did cut the gothic style walls for the shrine, as you can see, it will have two shutter doors.

The center part will be filled with the painted glas, for which I'm using transparent paper

The motive is like a Sister with angel wings and the slogan "Ultima Ratio Imperatus" (hopefully last resort of the Emperor). So strong Imperial mythology with a Cathedral look and feel to it.

I did a freehand with pencil first.

And then traced it with a black pen onto the transparent paper

Painting started with the highlights and shadows first, as it is painted on the back of the paper

But it really looks good form the front

red and blue next, again painting highlights and shdows first

more colors and details

and done!

In the window - just mounted by tape so far

Also the main front mounted

Then I worked on the door itself, decorated a bit

and fully operational :)

Both tape mounted on the island

Looking nice, isn't it?

I hope this updagte was worth the waiting.

Cheers

Klaus