Saur's big bunch o' Stuff - now featuring more than ships! Black Eagle/Harrier!

Brian da Basher · April 27, 2009, 01:19:54 PM

I really like your Tomcat, Saur! The camo pattern works well with the markings and isn't something you normally see on an F-14. Speaking of the markings, your skills at hand-painting roundels are always getting better and better!

Brian da Basher

Sauragnmon · April 27, 2009, 02:10:40 PM

Thanks Brian, I pulled the camo ref right off the IRIAF Tomcats, GTX or one of the boys posted some refs for me, she's a little austere for the fixings when it comes to markings, but I gave her the roundels and the fin flashes and she's good to me. I guess when it comes to hand-painting my roundels, practice makes perfect. I hate decals, so it works for me All I do is concentric rings, starting at the core and working out, a final bit of the camo paint to trim in the outer edge, it generally gives me the clean lines.

Sauragnmon · May 03, 2009, 08:07:19 PM

Alright, I told you boys I was working on a Kongo, here's a few preliminary pics - I've left some of the deck stuff intact for various reasons like detail, but I wanted to show some of the extensive nature of my refits so far. I just slapped on the coat, and I'm not sure if I want the deck colour this dark. I might go for my Neutral gray, as seen on my USN warships. The flight deck is going to be turned into a missile battery with a handful of VLS cells, the shielded 25mm mounts are going to be adapted into a CIWS platform with new guns and some sensors on them. The main guns are going to stay put. Aft structure will likely be replaced, rebuilt, along with the stacks, into a new low-RCS stack behind the bridge, a hangar and helipad. The old 5" positions will be converted to the new 155mm 55cal artillery system. There's going to be ostensibly Mk13 GMLS positions fore of the aft CIWS on deck mounts, using some of the 14cm magazine space for the missile storage. I might, if the hangar is big enough, put in a SAM system on a pedestal mount like the Sea Sparrow. Anyways, so far, the Pictures!

Questions, comments, queries and Rude Remarks are welcome.

ChernayaAkula · May 04, 2009, 04:00:45 AM

This boat's going to rock!

Seriously!

Sauragnmon · May 04, 2009, 11:31:56 AM

Thanks Moritz, the missile launchers are in place, 167 cells Vertical Launch System with only marginal interference by the X turret. I'm thinking I'll mount a SAM platform on the B and Y turrets, possibly something like my Super RAM mount concept. I'll use the AA platforms for the turrets, with a reshaped platform to support the single central launcher. I might also put another lightweight SAM on the hangar structure.

Sauragnmon · May 21, 2009, 08:21:18 PM

Alright, I've been a busy little bugger over the last few days - I've been feeling productive and so here are the rewards of my productivity - pictures!

First up, the Kongo - I installed, puttied, and mounted the Four 155mm/55cal Secondary Guns - I figure the Oto turret has more than enough space to operate an autoloader in there. I've built up the helipad, put in the walls, painted it. Missile deck loaded. Mk 13 GMLS bases are in place. Built the second main turret, including AA platform, Mk29 launcher mounted in place. Bridge tower expanded, forward AA deck altered, shortened to support Mk29 launcher on B turret - Directors replaced with small Radomes or Satcom. Not sure which just yet. Pics!

That's that, out of the way. Now on to the next insanity:

Here we have the Japagripen as I'm calling it - I've modified it, unwittingly, into a Gripen NG in ways - F-414 engine has been modified to fit the housing. Nektarios is to blame, for my choice of colours - he said High Vis is rare, I thought Japanese, I went Have Glass Japanese, and here we are now - Blue on Blue, Modified. I took the light blue, Vallejo 841, Andrea Blue - and mixed with 864 - Natural Steel - in equal parts. This is constant across the ENTIRE aircraft. The Dark blue is 839 - Ultramarine. The underside view shows very nicely the effect of the Steel/Andrea mix - it has a very Have Glass style effect, as with the light at the right angle, it goes very metallic shine, Even on the top side - as I sit here right now, there's the curve along the engine bay just sitting right, and it's got a whitish shine to it. Pics!

I Promise, that's ALL THE SAME COLOUR.

Questions, comments, queries and rude remarks are, as always, welcome.

chrisonord · May 22, 2009, 02:13:13 AM

Looking good Simon,
She will be one impressive bird when she is done that is for sure.
Chris.

Sauragnmon · May 22, 2009, 03:19:46 AM

Thanks, Chris - I had the colours stuck in my head for a while, just needed to find a good aircraft to put them on. I wonder if Gary had any idea this would happen to the Gripen he had in his stash...

sequoiaranger · May 22, 2009, 07:36:44 AM

I like your concern over crew recreation, putting up a large handball court amidships!

Sauragnmon · May 22, 2009, 11:00:09 AM

Not Quite, Craig - that's the helipad, the wall being the hangar door, I simply haven't gotten to the stage of scratchbuilding the remainder of the hangar walls, plus the Stack positions, on the Modernized Kongo.

Sauragnmon · May 31, 2009, 06:43:02 PM

Well, she's been built under wraps, since Wednesday, but here she is now - my modified take on a Shirane DDH of the now Republic of Japan Navy. As you can see, modifications include VLS cells - 90 of them - forward of the bridge. The Main turrets have been replaced with modified 2x5/50 turrets with longer barrels in them. The CIWS is changed, the same new stuff. Her Sea Sparrow rack is replaced with ESSM launcher. Main director radars are likely to be changed from the original ASROC radars, to accomodate her multirole layout now. All in all, I think she looks quite different and quite interesting. Pictures!

Questions, Comments, Queries, Rude Remarks welcome.

Sauragnmon · June 11, 2009, 10:10:15 PM

Alright, as promised, here are the pictures of the latest work on the ROJN Ships. First up, Sawakaze - you can see in the pictures her structure, new torpedo racks, and her 138 cells of VLS, as well as the new standard CIWS:

Now, Shirane, with her small progress:

Finally, the Abukumas - Oyodo and Sendai. Oyodo first, showing off her twin 10cm gun - yes, the barrels are bulky and heavy, water-cooled guns are like that.

Now Sendai showing off her torpedo launchers - I was going to show her gun, but the camera card got full.

So, there we go - Questions, comments, rude remarks are welcome.

Sauragnmon · June 13, 2009, 08:19:39 PM

Well, no comments? No worries, we have other concepts!

Now for a slight change of pace - I've had this little one on the shelf for a bit, and dusted her off last night - I had to putty the nose (the weight kinda caused her nose to scrunch - don't use putty for nose ballast) and smooth her out, but that said, the paint's the new piece, all done today. The plan, as you might guess, is to do her in RCN Colours - this pretty little scooter's going to be a Bonnie Bird, the way they should have been (damn beancounters). PICS!

chrisonord · June 14, 2009, 02:04:18 PM

Keep up the good work Simon, this scooter is certainly not looking run of the mill.
Chris.

Captain Canada · June 14, 2009, 07:48:52 PM

Now there's a beauty ! The Skyhwak is an awesome little plane to begin with....but when you dress them up in RCN colours ? Superb ! And to right that's what should have happened....

I had built an Airfix Skyhawk a few years back, and I ended up drawing some panel lines on her with a pencil. I also drew the canopy frame, which really improved the look.

Cheers !