PW turns M3 Stuart into mech.

[puddingwrestler]

I've been nosing around for a project, and I think I've found it.
I'm returning to my fascination with turning WW2 AFVs into mechs, similar to things from the Junk Tank Rock and Dust universes.
I've found the ideal donor kit; an academy M3 Stuart I bought long ago intending to turn it into something resembling the anglo alliance light tanks in Batallian Wars II, but never got round to. I'm thinking it'll keep some styling elements from the Anglo Alliance tank (like the truck style grille!), but stride mightily on two legs. I also intend to fit some sort of death ray in place of the normal gun, going for a sort of Diesel punk pulp magazine look. And it might be crewed by gorillas, becase nothing says pulp magazine to me like gorillas with brain transplants, or cyberneticaly enhanced gorillas.
I need to do some more planning work first, but it will definately have two legs, and most likely have the 'hip' joints at the front.
No back story yet, no nothing. I'll keep you posted anyway.
And the great thing is the Academy kit comes with lots of interior detail stuff, so I could do it up with open hatches etc. for diorama purposes, or just score LOADS of nifty looking gubbins for the bitz box.

[puddingwrestler]

Okay, it's now DEFINATELY crewed by apes!



And thus the Primate Wars started...

[NARSES2]

The Meerkats had better waych out then..."Eeeeeks" 

[GTX]

I forget, are the apes on the Penguin's side or not?

Regards,

Greg

[puddingwrestler]

Behold; photographic evidence of the Ook Walker (Light) Mark 1 (Or OWL-1):


The M3 turret looked to small and upright, so I've added a bustle to it. The backpack sorta thing is the rear deck, sliced off and glued on vertically with a few additions.
I'm going for ye olde traditional Anime over-armed look, so it'll have all three machineguns fitted, plus the energy weapon in the turret, and most likely some sort of pintel mounted weapon on the hatch as well.

[Cobra]

Looking Good kinda Reminds me of stuff from 'Gear Krieg' by DP9! Can't wait to see more! :cheers:Dan

[philp]

I like it.  Want to do a Sherman walker sometime so will be watching for inspiration.

[arkon]

will the apes have glass domed heads with brains showin?

[puddingwrestler]

I like it.  Want to do a Sherman walker sometime so will be watching for inspiration.

As I recall from our last conversation about this yours was to be a much more human shaped mech.
However I do plan further Ook Walkers, and I hope to do medium or heavy machines using larger tanks. Dunno what yet as I don't have anything in the stash. Sherman might happen, but I dunno.

I have started work on the legs, and the main gun is almost ready for installation.
Now I just need a 1/35 gorilla...

[nev]

This is gunna be good

[puddingwrestler]

I'll get some pics up later tonight of the progress on the legs and weapons.

[philp]

Really looking forward to how you did the legs.

[puddingwrestler]

Okay, picture update time.

First off, behold the fearsome energy weapons of the main turret and the fearsome and numerous machinegun secondary armament.

Secondly, behold the fearsome backpack and exhausts.

And now the bit you've all be waiting for, the basic leg assemblies!



There's a lot more work to be done on the legs, not to mention building the feet.
I've added some more detail and the axel mounts for the lower leg joints since these pics, but nothing else really.

[Weaver]

Wow - does it shoot a green wriggly beam from one muzzle and a red one from the other, Mars Attacks style? 

I'm watching the leg construction closely: did you fabricate all that from sheet/rod?

[puddingwrestler]

Mostly 1mm sheet. The upper legs have 8mm or so square tube down the middle, lower legs have rectangular tube cores. The wheels are from the M3 kit - it comes with both early adn late production versions which I glued back to back to make them thicker. There's some 1.5mm or so rod for massive rivet heads - these need to be sanded back so they're all even.