rocket interceptor

[DaFROG]

2009 one week GB prize, secret santa zero egg and airfix vigilante drop tank

[Weaver]

You're just starting now? 

Impressive - 

[DaFROG]

hopefully i can get it done in time.

been using clothes pegs on the fuselage to give a guide for scribing.

I might just make it some kinda flying bomb/cruise missile, I don't have a canopy, i was going to use a bit of clothes peg and put a tarp over it we'll see

[DaFROG]

hmmm desert war '46 (or possibly an unseasonably warm european summer, it is a whiff after all)

[nev]

Nice to see the AVRE being put to use

[Weaver]

Nice  - and that AVRE's just shown me some bits I could have used (tapered girders). Too late for the 1Wk.GB now, but worth bearing in mind for the future. 

[DaFROG]

i have been neglecting posting cat pictures. This is simcard sitting on my modelling chair (for once i didn't actually need to use it at the time)



pretty much done just needs some paint

[puddingwrestler]

The rocket interceptor is exactly the shade of crappy khaki which crappy toy soldiers always seemed to come in in my youth...
Apart from the Australians, who were red for some obscure reason.

[nev]

I like this idea.  I like it a lot

[DaFROG]

Here we go all finished up:












small last minute heart attack when the flat varnish decided to frost in places. luckily it was mostly the launch rail (which i left) some areas of the tank (which i painted different colours) and some bits on the plane which i left as it doesn't look too bad.

I decided to go with a manned interceptor but as mentioned before didn't have a clear canopy so i decided to carve on from a clothes peg and cover with a tarp (keeps the sun off not to mention stopping the canopy getting sand blasted).

[Weaver]

Excellent! 

So that's an AVREAA now is it? 

[Tuck]

Looks like a totally possible and practical weapons system!

[DaFROG]

[pathetic attempt at back story]
squadron leader smith stood on top of the A.V.R.E.-L and gazed into the desert heat haze. Although if he spotted any aircraft he would scarcely have time to dive under the curchills armoured hull what with the new nazi ground attack aircraft flying at at close to 600 mph. Smith was not overly worried about ground attack aircraft and there was noting he could do about them anyway. His convoy of vehicles had been moving at night and keeping well away from other troop concentrations which was just as well as there had been no time, or available paint to cover the european theatre camouflage still sported by a number of the vehicles. At least the coating of dust did something blend the vehicles in with the landscape. What most occupied smiths thoughts was unlikely to be seen from ground level and if he saw it would mean that probably too late. Intelligence reports indicated that the Germans were preparing to deploy radiological weapons similar to those which had proved so effective in the lead up to sealion II. Such weapons would likely be delivered by bombers operating at extremely high altitude and steering as much as possible over the deep desert to avoid interception and the possibility of jettisoning the weapon or crashing on their own troop concentrations. This was why the convoy had been sent deep into the desert where it was hoped they would be positioned on the bombers route and that their radar set would be able to track incoming bombers with sufficient warning to allow one of the new Vickers rocket interceptors to be launched. With a rate of climb of over 500 feet per second he would be upon the bombers extremely quickly however it would take at least 10 minutes to load the extremely reactive fuels which could only be done before launch, the boffins were working on the problems something to do with temperature soak and oxidizing agents. At least the fuelling window meant he did not have to stand at cockpit readiness in the extremely heavy, extremely uncomfortable and extremely hot diving suit contraption required to survive the altitudes at which interception would likely take place and the less than friendly propellants.

[pathetic attempt at backstory\]

I was originally going to add hastily applied desert camo for the tank and some kind of distributed production, no two parts the same colour/material/even painted at all for the interceptor by the ready availability of a can of green spray paint got the better of me.
Unfortunately i was suffering from lack of motivation/having to work/call of duty: world at war online multiplayer as i have a gun tractor thingee (it's where squadron leader smith same from, although he needed emergency rhinoplastic surgery as when scaled up the afore mentioned schnoze would have been about 6" long) which could have been used to make more of the support vehicles (radar, LOX tanker etc) for a diorama.

[Green Dragon]

Great job!  Wasn't sure you could finish this on time starting late and all (I know I couldn't!) but that is excellent. What matt varnish did you use that frosted? I used a rattle can of Games Workshop stuff and it frosted my Me262.

Paul Harrison

[DaFROG]

the varnish was Mr matt colour UV cut or some such it only frosted on thin bits and it was cold outside (like ~10C and dark) when I did it it which probably had something to do with it.
The frosting was actually a pretty solid white. I repainted all the supports on the launcher as they were most affected if you look at the top view of the tail it's solid white either side of the fuselage it looks OK sort of weathered.
As for starting late I think I actually spent more time playing COD than on the build , I even cleaned up the house (the epic nature of this task is best illustrated by the fact that I was surprised to discover I actually have carpet)