Done @p.2 +++ 1:72 'Chelydra' hovertank from/for the Dougram universe

[Dizzyfugu]

Oh? I was not aware that the new Max Factory kits are 1:72, but it makes sense sibnce all other Dougram mecha from the company is in this scale, too. Expensive, though... 

Nevertheless, more or less final status beforepainting starts. The color still has not been settled yet.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[philp]

I might be able to be talked out of one of my two, PM me.

I like the look of the skinny turret. I put the sponsons for the rocket launchers on and they just kind of mess with the flow.  Thought about trying to expand the turret sides to bring them in but I am a kit basher at best.  Still will fettle with it.  Really just want to finish the camo and put it with a Mech.

[Dizzyfugu]

Thank you for the offer, but I have enough stuff in the stash for years to come, even mecha material... 

[Dizzyfugu]

No real progress yet, but I settled for the uniform, dark greenish blue option for the Chelydra's  livery.

[Dizzyfugu]

Finally I was able to paint the Chelydra this weekend, and from this ponit on things made good progress yesterday. I think the petrol blue was a good choice, it looks like an anime vehicle now without being either too colorful nor wacky. Even though I find the tone disturbingly Soviet/Russian?

Markings are minimal - I just gave it typical orange squadron markings (for the Deloyer government), a tactical code number and some white stencils. The Dougram robots normally do not carry more, too. In order to stay in the anime style, all other things remained simple - the skirt became black, as well as the propellers, the only concession to dramatic styling is some dry-painting in order to simulate some wear and emphasize details.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Final coat of varnish and some details like headlights are still pending, but I think I'll get it finished today- even though final pics might take a couple more days.

[Rick Lowe]

Cool, that's made something really nice from a selection of bits-box parts. 

[PR19_Kit]

That's very impressive Thomas, the 'rubber' finish on the skirt is exceptional! 

[zenrat]

That's very impressive Thomas, the 'rubber' finish on the skirt is exceptional! 

I agree.  Are you sure that you didn't cut up a bicycle inner tube to make that?

Your Petrol Blue looks green to my eyes on my monitor.  But then we've had this "colour" discussion a few times in the past...

[Dizzyfugu]

Well, the original tone is called "Hercules Blue" from a company called Montana 94 (they offer a very wide range of tones in various color palettes, primarily for grafitti artists) - but for the shading/dry-brushing process I've used RLM 73 and Revell 48 Seegrün, which are both rather bluish green than petrol blue. The tones blend together well, though.

The good result on the skirts is accidental - I've started with a flat black base, and later I added acrylic Revell 05 and 06 (Matt black and Tar Black) with a soft, flat brush, applied vertically, and finally a streaky mix of 06 and 77 (Basaltgrau) what creates this separator powder/sunbleached look. I was sceptical first that it was toomuch effect, but your reactions confirm that "more" is in this case "better". 

[PR19_Kit]

The good result on the skirts is accidental - I've started with a flat black base, and later I added acrylic Revell 05 and 06 (Matt black and Tar Black) with a soft, flat brush, applied vertically, and finally a streaky mix of 06 and 77 (Basaltgrau) what creates this separator powder/sunbleached look. I was sceptical first that it was toomuch effect, but your reactions confirm that "more" is in this case "better". 

I've made a note of that for when I eventually build my SRN4 Super 4 hovercraft, it looks SO real. 

[Dizzyfugu]

(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Well, my plans for today to go to training went sour, so I used the time for a few beauty pics - not too many, since the perspectives are pretty limited and the special effects (the virtual spray coulds... ) caused some serious headaches, since I am not a CG expert. But the pics look pretty convincing:


Some Background:
Fang of the Sun Dougram (太陽の牙ダグラム Taiyō no Kiba Daguramu) is a 75-episode anime television series, created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Sunrise, and aired in Japan from October 23, 1981 to March 25, 1983 on TV Tokyo.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The series begins in a desert on the colony planet Deloyer, where the remains of a destroyed robot are resting as a red-haired woman is standing in front of it. The woman hallucinates what appears to be a group of armed soldiers alongside the robot in a non-destroyed state. A man named Rocky appears, leading to the woman running into his embrace where she cries tears of joy. After this, the series flashes back to an earlier time, in order to explain the circumstances leading up to the first episode.

Malcontents on the Deloyer colony agitate for the independence of their world from the Earth Federation. In an unexpected coup, the elected Governor declares martial law and sets himself up as absolute dictator. With the approval of the Federation, he rules the planet with an iron fist. In reaction, a ragtag group (including the governor's estranged son) rises in open rebellion, using a powerful prototype Combat Armor: the Dougram. Their goal is the end of the dictatorship and total independence from the Federation's influence.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The story follows the actions of the guerilla freedom fighters known as "The Deloyer 7." The war is fought across the planet Deloyer as the Federation vigorously pursues the rebels. The series is noted for its realistic use of not just the combat armors and support vehicles, but also military tactics. The series also followed a wide range of characters and political intrigue, with many shady characters switching sides throughout the series.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Crinn Cashim is the show's main character. Son of Governor Donan Cashim, he becomes trained in piloting the Soltic H8 "Roundfacer" standard army robot by Jacky Zaltsev, a Federation Ace, because of his father's political connections. When his father appears to be overthrown by a coup led by Colonel Von Stein, he pilots a Roundfacer while Federation forces battle Garcia's forces. He is stunned to learn that his father has actually sided with Von Stein in a secret plan, and eventually becomes angry at his father's forces in how they deal with the rebellion following the coup.
Following a meeting with Dr. David Samalin, who introduces him to a combat armor he has designed, the Dougram, Cashim and his friends form The Fang of the Sun and join the rebellion against the Federation.




(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


It's small, it's simple - but turned out better and more anime-esque in the orginal series' spririt as expected! 

[PR19_Kit]

Looks even better in the beauty pics. 

How did you do the 'hovering' pics, you can see clean through underneath the tank? 

[jalles]

Pics are awesome as always, it's hard to pick a favorite.  Awesome job 

[Dizzyfugu]

Looks even better in the beauty pics. 

How did you do the 'hovering' pics, you can see clean through underneath the tank? 

Sssh, that's photo editing... 

Anyway, all pics you see are (as always) taken "as is", with the kit on a base and with a poster background. In flying scenes the holder is edited away, and the landing gear.

In the case of the hovercraft I have used a newly bought, printed sea cardboard base, with a layer of shrink warp on top for reflections and some hardware waves. The model was then placed on top of an eraser(!; next best thing I could find), so that it "hovers" 3-4 mm above the surface. It was later edited away. The spray is artificial and one of the few occassions that I add something to a pic - I have a dust cloud visual with a transparent background. After some mods (changing color etc.) it started looking like white spray, and then I transplanted several pieces from it into the scenes, also working with different transparency levels. Fiddly, but I could not find any other way to simulate the typical, fine hovercraft spray with real life means in 1:72. Looks good, though, and adds a lot of dynamics to the pics. 

[NARSES2]

Must admit I was wondering what this was going to turn out like, and boy, it looks fantastic 

Very Soviet looking to me, although that might be the colour