Ricks' Ramblings

[PR19_Kit]

That looks very smart Rick, and the new nose improves the Hudson no end!   

[Old Wombat]

Looks great, Rick!

Especially for a "two steps forward, one step back" build.  

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, fellas. 

Kit - yes, the Hudson's nose  looks like it ran into a hangar wall - or someone's fist...

Guy - yeah, a lot of the problems were of my own making; but 'twas ever thus, and I'm used to it. Liking it, however, is a different story... 

[NARSES2]

That looks really good   

[zenrat]

Nice job mate.   

[Rick Lowe]

Eye Than Kew.. 

[Rick Lowe]

Moonbase Alpha Defense Tank 1/72 **Sci Fi**

After the Moon was blasted from Earths' orbit, the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha found their voyage through the universe at large was at times fraught, with attacks coming frequently from outside sources (sometimes it almost seemed like they came every week).

There was an adequate Base air defense element provided by armed Eagle Transporters and point defense Laser/Missile batteries located at strategic spots; however, it was seen that there was a need for a mobile reserve force to cover any concentrated attacks that overwhelmed defenses in any given area, and to temporarily replace any defenses destroyed until they could be repaired or replaced.

There had been design studies under previous Administrations, so it was a case of dusting these off, updating them and putting the improved design into production under the limited manufacturing facilities of the Base, to supplement the former S.H.A.D.O. vehicles still remaining.

The designs were a mixed bag utilizing what vehicles were available, but mostly they were based on a standard tracked cargo/general purpose chassis, fitted with a semi-armoured cab salvaged from the 'beak' of a damaged/cannibalized Eagle transporter and carrying the usual crew of two. The mid-section carried two operators for overseeing the automated tracking and control of the armament, which consisted of a heavy-duty Particle Beam weapon and two multiple-shot missile pods.

Once the missiles were expended, the mount swiveled to the vertical so the racks could be replenished with reload packs carried under the turret base; the disadvantage to this being that the Beam weapon was off-line until the racks were refilled. For this reason, the vehicles worked in pairs.

The rear section housed the fusion reactor and associated equipment.

Operating in pairs, employing passive sensors and remaining under Em-Con (emission control) until opening fire and then using 'Shoot-and-Scoot' tactics, these vehicles proved to be effective, albeit quite 'thin-skinned' once they were located and engaged. Assignment to them was, therefore disliked by the older inhabitants, but was seen as a 'coming of age' rite of passage amongst those subsequently born at the Moonbase.

The model depicts the vehicle nicknamed 'Proud Mary'; her usual partner was 'Bad Moon Rising'.*

The model is based on a Revell 1/72 M1 Abrams lower hull and rear hull top; scratch 'beak' and Airfix T-34 hull for the turret base. The turret is based on a GW slottabase, a cheap hose fitting and bits box details.
I didn't think a stark White vehicle was an example of good camouflage, so the scheme is a spraybomb Black and splotches of brushed GW Grey acrylics.

*And now you've got CCR running in your head. You're Welcome. 

[Rick Lowe]

And let's have some Completed pics again.

(Yes, the missile boxes and the beam weapon are misaligned; they're tracking different targets.)

[NARSES2]

Very nice      Also puts the brain into "Nostalgia Mode" ready for the weekend 

[Rick Lowe]

Happy to help, good sir. 

[Rick Lowe]

1/72 P-38 Lightning **What If**

Late in WW2 the USAAF chose the P-51 Mustang as their standard Air Superiority fighter.
This meant other designs, such as the P-38 Lightning were to cease production.
Lockheed proposed a development of the Lightning airframe as a lower-cost two-seat Night-Fighter version, to supplement the Northrop P-61 Black Widow.

The aircraft modelled is from a Night-Fighter unit, hence the wing-mounted radar pod; re-tasked for twilight attack and armed with DiFu-80 'Thomas' rocket-assist guided bombs, which necessitated a second crew member for direction of the weapon.

Idea came from, IIRC, a discussion thread here on the Lightning.

Kit is the HobbyBoss item. A nice kit, and the parts breakdown eliminates the worry over aligning pod, booms and wings.
Modified and extended cockpit, with a lengthened nose.
The front engine is from a Hasegawa Lightning, and the rear is an old Airfix Hurricane nose with sprue intakes; kit props and spinners.
The exhausts were from an Airfix Ju-88.
The former engine areas are now gun positions, with 4X 20mm cannon in each.
Inner wing leading edge radiator slots per the Mosquito, I left off the boom radiators and filled the spots where they were to attach.
Lower fin/prop protector from sheet.
Canopy cobbled up from spares, but if I can find something one-piece it will be replaced.

GW paints and kit/spares box markings.

[Rick Lowe]

And the beauty pics:

[Rick Lowe]

1/72 QR-19 Reconnaissance Drone **What If**

Q= Radio Controlled, R= Reconnaissance.
Used either on a pre-programmed mission, or with a manned aircraft acting as the controller, for increased photographic coverage.

So after modifying the P-38 I had a few spare bits from a Hasegawa kit.

I'd seen the drone someone here had made, and decided it was a good way to use the spare boom.

Both outer wings glued to the boom, the formerly inner side had to have the wing root modified a bit.
Fixed landing gear, based on paper clips for the main struts and the kit unit for the nose, kit wheels. Main legs had card fairings added.
Contra-prop is made from both kit props with a modified and extended spinner.
Kit drop tanks; one for fuel and the other, with a couple of windows added, becomes the camera pod.

Painted with generic acrylic colours; but as they were medium-to-high altitude vehicles, I figured the underside would be a deeper blue to help blend in with the upper atmosphere and the upper surfaces a lighter grey to merge with clouds and haze.

Kit markings, such as they are.

[Pellson]

That's plenty cool!

[NARSES2]

They're nice Rick, particularly like the P-38