Martian Peoples Front ADAAV (Air Defence Amphibious Armoured Vehicle) - Arsia Mons 2323

[zenrat]

By 2323 the terraforming of Mars was completed and those who could afford to were leaving an overheated and overcrowded Earth and grabbing vast tracts of land on which their families could live far from the plebeian throng.  This didn't go down too well with the descendants of the original convict settlers - those who's blood sweat and tears had, along with the efforts of the preceding six generations, made Mars suitable for human life.
Amphibiflakpanzer 006 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
The first few protests were slapped down viciously by EarthSecPol riot troops and Company mercenaries.  This forced upon The Martians, as they took to calling themselves, the realisation that the only answer was all out war.
Amphibiflakpanzer 007 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
The manufactories that had turned out terraforming equipment such as atmosphere processors and carbon cracking stills were turned to war production and a range of weapons and equipment specifically tailored to Martian conditions was soon being made.
The ADAAV is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle operated by a crew of five.  Power is provided by a carbon/magnesium fuel cell plasma matrix fusion engine operating through quad magneto fluid torsiodynamic transmissions.  Twin high flow annular vortex water jets provide aquatic propulsion. 
Amphibiflakpanzer 004 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
The Denier (as it is known by it's crews) is constructed from woven carbon buckytubes overlaid with alternating layers of adamantium and unobtanium sealed in a matrix of low temperature superconducting resin.  This material provides excellent resistance against both kinetic weapons and CREWS (Coherent Radiation Emitting Weapons Systems - lasers, masers, light sabres etc) and can be easilly and quickly produced and repaired.
The Deniers main weapon is a turret mounted 120mm 4 barrelled gatling cannon.  Developed from a heavy duty bolt gun originally designed for tunnelling robots this gun has a variable rate of fire up to a maximum of 9000 rounds per minute.  Expended cases are fed back into the turret and are ejected from a pair of rear mounted ports.
Amphibiflakpanzer 014 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Amphibiflakpanzer 011 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Amphibiflakpanzer 012 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

So, what is it made from?
The hull is basically an Airfix 1/76 Buffalo IV.  I decked over the cargo area with styrene sheet and a piece of a weapons rack from a 1/144 Gundam weapons set.  The side armour is just bits off styrene offcuts glued together (and a ladder from a Heyford - got to have a piece of Heyford in the mix).
The turret is the "extra" kit included in the 1/1000 Bandai Space Battleship Yamato.
Amphibiflakpanzer 002 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
The gun is a 1/144 Gundam Beam Gatling from the aforementioned weapons set and the guidance and tracking equipment are a bipod and hand grip from the same source.

[PR19_Kit]

20Dixi%20007_zpsgse7sr5o.jpg[/img][/URL]
Power is provided by a carbon/magnesium fuel cell plasma matrix fusion engine operating through quad magneto fluid torsiodynamic transmissions.  Twin high flow annular vortex water jets provide aquatic propulsion.  

The Denier (as it is known by it's crews) is constructed from woven carbon buckytubes overlaid with alternating layers of adamantium and unobtanium sealed in a matrix of low temperature superconducting resin.  This material provides excellent resistance against both kinetic weapons and CREWS (Coherent Radiation Emitting Weapons Systems - lasers, masers, light sabres etc) and can be easilly and quickly produced and repaired.

Well yes, how about telling stuff that we DON'T know about, all that's pretty obvious after all. How do the crew make their toast when they're aboard???

Joking apart, that's TERRIFIC Fred! An Airfix  Buffalo is the only AFV I've ever made so I know how small it is, but I thought it was least 1/35 looking at your pics. And the backstory is magnificent, especially the '.....Power is provided by a carbon/magnesium fuel cell plasma matrix fusion engine operating through quad magneto fluid torsiodynamic transmissions....' 

[Rheged]

The vehicle is obviously equipped with a large capacity boiling vessel using waste heat from the fusion engine.  The difference in atmospheric density meant that, until crew compartment pressurisation was installed, it was impossible to make a really good cup of tea. Toast was made on a radiant plate installed within the BV insulation.

The "Martians" were fortunate to find large quantities of the mineral "Spackmanite" (probably meteor derived from deep space in aeons past)  from which unobtainium could be refined.

A very impressive piece of work---especially at 1/72-----and a superb back-story offering all sorts of ideas to fellow Whiffers.

[NARSES2]

I'm stunned that's 1/72 

[PR19_Kit]

You've got me thinking now, I'm sure my Buffalo is still around somewhere, I'll have to see if I can find it.

[DogfighterZen]

I like this whiff, very cool build and great backstory! 

[Weaver]

That is great - I had it pegged as 1/35th from the "leaked" pic too.

[buzzbomb]

That is nice, well constructed and interesting paint job.

[Old Wombat]

Very nice!

The detail work on the "turret" is, I think, what gives it that "large-medium" scale look.

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.
Pretty much all of the surface texture detail on the turret is moulded on it.  Which is what made it perfect.  As soon as I looked at the space carrier sprues I thought "Ooooooohh, that'll make a good turret.
I did add some strip to the front of the hull to add some texture and that was also the reason I used evergreen siding to make the side armour.
I forgot to say that the rolled tarps are toilet paper rolled round cocktail sticks soaked in diluted PVA.
The reason I chose Mars is that looking at the finished build I thought the tracks were too narrow.  That wouldn't be an issue on Mars given surface gravity is 0.375g.
And the toast - see the slots between the barrels of the cannon?  Slide a few slices in there and fire off a few rounds.  Don't be stingy with the marmalade...

[Captain Canada]

You forgot phazers in between lasers and mazers 

Lovely stuff. I can't believe it's that small either ! Shame to think that we'll be fighting the Martians instead of living in peace though   

[PR19_Kit]

And the toast - see the slots between the barrels of the cannon?  Slide a few slices in there and fire off a few rounds.  Don't be stingy with the marmalade...

Hehehe, so THAT'S what the slots are for! 

[Mossie]

Didn't see this the first time, nice bit  of kit. 

I read Red Mars some years back, gave me a basic overview of how the lower gravity and thinner atmosphere affected engineering & physics.  I hadn't thought about projectiles though, they're going to pack a bigger punch.

[zenrat]

Thanks Mossie.

By 2323 terraforming was complete so the atmospheric pressure was much closer to that at Earth sea level.  Which fact, combined with the lower gravity would mean aircraft wouldn't need very much wing area.  Ornithopters would also be more practical*.
It's been a while since I read Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy but IIRC he had people using wingsuits to fly unaided.


*I have plans to revisit this timeline and build one.

[Mossie]

Ornithopters would also be more practical*.
It's been a while since I read Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy but IIRC he had people using wing suits to fly unaided.


*I have plans to revisit this timeline and build one.

I do like an ornitphopter.  Can't remember the wingsuits, but I do remember a glider being used.