Future Battlefield Drone Command Vehicle - Done

[buzzbomb]

First vehicle.. so here are the thoughts.

For a Future Battlefield Drone Control vehicle that contains both the Command and Control and also a launch platform for drones. No doubt somebody here will tell me it already exists somewhere, it is bound to, on a Stryker platform or similar, but I am going for a more Sci Fi look
This is not the Drones that lug missiles and bombs, but Recce drones. Think something like this but a bit more ruggedized and militaryish

A drone that has camera/s, sensor package, Laser Comms gear for real point to point control, maybe even via a more sophisticated Relay drone in the Battlespace area. My inspiration is based on the Big Eye drones described in John Birmingham's Weapons of Choice (Axis of Time Alt History series). These drone hovered at 30,000+ feet and kept a geosynchronised position directly above the host ship.

My Vision is more based on the immediate battlespace zone bubble of [insert some dimension  ] type area

Enough of the babble.
I have two options readily available and depending on a Mod Nod  it might be the from the stash cheapish Hobbyboss kit of a Chinese IFV as a base


Or the partially started Fuchs hull that was going to be something else at some time but clearly never made it.

So.. here we go.

[buzzbomb]

And were back.

Kicked into action on this using the Hobbyboss kit.

Reference shot ... Before


After... Engine moved forward for more space. two Drone elevators/hangars/landing/takeoff pads. Tracking/Comms gear module as well

[zenrat]

Hmmm, this has me thinking about something doing the same job but built from a 1/600 Airfix Forrestal scaleoramaed into 1/72 mounted on two or four tank hulls...

[buzzbomb]

Lockdown plus ordinary weather led to being on a bit of roll here

All together and beginning the detailing and practical feel of the vehicle


Whipped up a Drone in the launch/recovery station. These are elevators which can retract the drone back into the vehicle for servicing/charging. All under armour.
Bit more detail to go on the drone. At least this sort of looks like what the voices in my head said it should.

[Old Wombat]

 

[buzzbomb]

took me a bit to find the thread 

That is about it for adding stuff


I am sure sometime in the past I said no more digital camo.. well, maybe one more

[zenrat]

I think you stopped adding stuff at just about the right point.

[NARSES2]

Regarding that digital cammo and to quote Mr Kipling  "Your a better man than I am Gunga Din" 

And no Zenrat the quotes from the poet and author not the cake maker,

[buzzbomb]

Thanks team.
My posting of pix is lagging behind actual work on the model. It is now sitting at the "good as it is going to get stage"
Not totally happy with the way the colour scheme came out, but other than a full strip and repaint it is, what it is

My take is the the drones are semi autonomous, able to self home and land on the pads, which are specially marked for that purpose in some sort of IFF pattern. Well that's my story anyway






As a kit, the Hobbyboss offering is benign. Everything fits, sensible parts breakdown (i.e. no Broncoish, lets make each suspension unit into 30 parts) and very workable plastic.

And now.... I have a spare IFV Turret for a future projects.

[Old Wombat]

Painting has brought that together really well, BT!

[Dizzyfugu]

Very nice. 

[zenrat]

Very good BB.

Regarding that digital cammo and to quote Mr Kipling  "Your a better man than I am Gunga Din" 

And no Zenrat the quotes from the poet and author not the cake maker,

Ah yes, the Gunga Din frosted sponge finger.  One of the Mr Kipling Imperial assortment.

[NARSES2]

That's come out really well, especially like the digital camo 

[NARSES2]

Regarding that digital cammo and to quote Mr Kipling  "Your a better man than I am Gunga Din" 

And no Zenrat the quotes from the poet and author not the cake maker,

Ah yes, the Gunga Din frosted sponge finger.  One of the Mr Kipling Imperial assortment.