Imperial AT-TS

[Weaver]

I shall be going all Sci-Fi for this 1 Wk.GB, with an Imperial AT-TS. What's an AT-TS? Wait and see.....

[nev]

All Terrain - Tactical Scout?

Whatever, I know its gunna be awesome. 

[jcf]

All Terrain-Tea Service, after all, even Stormtroopers enjoy a cuppa.

[philp]

Will it be Imperial Roman?

[Weaver]

Okay, the obligatory "Yes I'm starting from scratch" components shot:



One crappy and inaccurate clockwork AT-ST kit (which, far from assembling to this stage, I've actually dis-assembled...), and one merely crappy C.C.Lee Leo 2A5 in 1/72nd.

There just may be a whacking great clue here......

[Weaver]

Okay, progress so far:



As you may have guessed, an AT-TS is an All Terrain - Tracked Scout, i.e. a two-fingered salute to bloody walking machines, which I loathe. Amazingly enough, the turret won't be supported on a blue box: I just havn't worked out it's turntable and support arm system yet.

I had intended to just widen the Leo chassis and stick the bits on it, but once I'd got it cut in half, a more interesting idea occurred to me:



The idea is that the left and right track units can pivot independently to conform to the ground, while the cab and turret are supported on a rigid centre beam. Of course in the "movie version" the beam would just stay horizontal by "magic technology", but I'm going to have to do something a bit more practical. Current thoughts are either hydraulic pistons front and back which can be locked in place when the model's in it's final pose (I'm going to try to put it on a simple diorama base if I have time),or umbilicals made of thick solder or wire which will have enough stiffness to hold it but enough flexibility to be re-positioned.

And lastly, if this model can justifed by nothing else, then at least it's given the crappy engine fronts in the Airfix Blenheim a purpose:

[nev]

Cool

[Taiidantomcat]

Bold 

[Weaver]

Slow.... 

[Weaver]

Progress  

Figured out the turret mount now (using a pop bottle top and another Bloodhound launcher) and discovered that I can make cool little spacers/friction retainers by cutting the end off some hydraulic pipe blanks which I errr found. Royally screwed up drilling out the main gun barrels but recovered nicely by sleeving them with ally tube, I've plated in pretty much everything that needs plating in and it's now sitting swathed in filler until the morrow.

No pics tonight because it's all jigged up unphotogenically.

To do:

Make turret arm
Make turret pivot axle plus mounting
Improve turret elevation pivots (too wobbly)
Make "radiator" for cockpit chin and box in
Decide on hull movement control and make it (pistons or umbilicals)
Detail turret
Detail hulls
Paint (simple overall grey with a few silver/gunmetal/black bits, new weathering spray (first test) plus a slogan)
Make diorama base (base came with tank, just needs a bit of rough ground on it to show off the hull movement)


Seems doable....(famous last words...)

[Taiidantomcat]

This is a very gutsy project! I promised myself I would only do OOB for this GB (In other words "wuss" out) and here you are scratchbuilding like a madman! 

[Weaver]

Cheers, but I'm just kitbashing: Overkiller is scratchbuilding! 

You know, I've just been looking at some pics of "real" AT-STs and this model really is a PoS. It's not just the compromises neccessary to make it walk by clockwork, it's basic details like the width of the cockpit and how many windows it's got. ALL the guns are ALL wrong, etc, etc.... I've probably done somebody a favour by chopping it up, honestly.....

[Weaver]

Monday nights are never a good time for me, but tonight, modelling had to take second place to fixing a radio that is almost as old as I am, that still sounds great, and which therefore deserves it.

[sotoolslinger]

That is some excellent bashin right there. Livin vicariously through you

[MiB]

Good idea, guy!! I'm a Star Wars saga fan.....from 1977!!!!!!