I really pleased with the outcome of the CHARON - Tiger Taxi - diorama. And even on CMoN the rating isn't too bad:
http://coolminiornot.com/258304
Currently a solid 8.
Well, as I mentioned, I already have my next project "up the sleeve". Over the last few weeks, while completing the CHARON, I spent considerable time thinking over this project. I made a lot of mental plans, tweaked some ideas, made some sketches.
So now that the CHARON is completed, I immediately started on the new project - Codename NIGHTHAWK.
Don't be mistaken, the work in this post was made over the last 3 days (well rather nights). So I'm really not as fast as it may look.
Anyhow, lets get started, shall we?
So what's this?
These are the first two pieces and the basis of the NIGHTHAWK...
... still no idea what it could be?
And if you look at these pieces?
... Yes, another cockpit.
As usual I have to paint it, before I can incorporate it into the model.
But this time I only painted the basic frame, not the seats and stuff - I can include these later and I don't want to loose momentum by painting :)
Then I started to fit the cockpit into the first base piece...
...and then the second.
The side walls.
This was the first nights work.
The next day I added the bottom piece.
I'm sure you already guessed what the NIGHTHAWK will be, right?
So I'm using Tommyguns method ( http://www.warseer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4852594&postcount=1311 ) to build the fan for the central engine.
And while the blades cured, I also made a simpler second turbine thingie for the underside.
Which looks like this mounted.
The main, upper fan in place.
Then I worked some more on the lower nose section,
as well as the lower tail section. Both sections required considerable amounts of putty...
...an tape :)
Here you can see the first pieces of the rotor housing and upper nose in place.
Last night I did a lot of sanding and grinding,
smoothing the lines.
But it really comes along nicely.
The last action yesterday was to rework the forward nose and fill the gaps with putty - so some more sanding ahead of me.
But this time I only painted the basic frame, not the seats and stuff - I can include these later and I don't want to loose momentum by painting :)
Then I started to fit the cockpit into the first base piece...
...and then the second.
The side walls.
This was the first nights work.
The next day I added the bottom piece.
I'm sure you already guessed what the NIGHTHAWK will be, right?
It will be an ATHENA based VTOL Interceptor/Destroyer.
The overall design will be (very) loosely based on the BF/ME 110 ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110 ). But as a true carrier plane it will have folding wings - and as a VTOL it will have a huge central fan for the "vertical work" in addition to the two forward engines.
So I'm using Tommyguns method ( http://www.warseer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4852594&postcount=1311 ) to build the fan for the central engine.
And while the blades cured, I also made a simpler second turbine thingie for the underside.
Which looks like this mounted.
The main, upper fan in place.
Then I worked some more on the lower nose section,
as well as the lower tail section. Both sections required considerable amounts of putty...
...an tape :)
Here you can see the first pieces of the rotor housing and upper nose in place.
Last night I did a lot of sanding and grinding,
smoothing the lines.
But it really comes along nicely.
The last action yesterday was to rework the forward nose and fill the gaps with putty - so some more sanding ahead of me.
As said, it is very loosely based on the ME110, but other than the Messerschmidt, it will be "leveled" while on its landing gear, not "tail down".
So for this it will have a wheel in the nose as well as the two wheels under the engines. Its armament will most likely consist of:
- 4-6 AA-Hunter-Killer Missiles - or bombs, depending on the mission
- 4 Machine Guns in the nose
- 2 Punisher Cannons under the engines
:)
Considerable firepower, isn't it?
The project idea is to have two of them. The first one will be on the elevator of the ATHENA, with the wings folded up, canopy open and Pilot and Navigator beside it. The second NIGHTHAWK will be on the forward landing platform of the ATHENA just taking off - so it will be on a transparent fly base in the air.
The current project name NIGHTHAWK is only a WIP name. If you have any ideas for a real (Greek) name, let me know, and I will put up some votes again :)
Let me know what you think of the project and my plans.
Cheers
Klaus
