What If Modelers Sci Fi Theme Build

The What If Modelers' forum has decided to run a Sci Fi theme build starting Oct. 1st 2011. Since I'm in a Sci Fi building mood, I'll be taking part and posting work in progress shots of my projects over there, including a 15mm smuggler's ship built from a dust buster which I have just started.

Apparently, the Theme Build part of the forum is off limits to non-members, so you'll just have to join, won't you?

The What If Modeler Forum Sci Fi Theme Build.

15mm Fortnight: Shuttle.

Many people view scratch building with a mixture of awe and terror. Sure, scratch building is harder than putting together the latest tamigawa shake'n'bake kit, but it's really not all that hard. It's just a matter of getting to grips with a few basic principals. Once you know how to use the materials, and you know what can be done, you can apply the same techniques to more and more advanced projects and produce more and more complex shapes.

A good place to start is a nice, large project. Not a huge project - save those for when you have more time and confidence, and not a small project because those can be fiddly and require greater precision. Start with something fairly big so you can get the hang of things without getting the hang of eyestrain!

The 15mm shuttle to go along with our space port is a perfect place to start. It's a very simple shape, it's a nice size, and it doesn't require too much by the way of special materials. All you will need is two sheets of 1mm plasticard, a sheet or so of some other stuff (you won't use all of it), some large I Beam, two hose adaptors (cheap from a $2 shop) and a Hasegawa Panzer IV. Why a Hasegawa Panzer IV? Well, it's a brilliant donor kit - it's got almost two kits worth of parts in it! There will be plenty left for other projects.

Once you have all the materials and your staring at them on the modeling bench, your sure to think to yourself 'How hard can this be?'

Well, Jeremy Clarkson might not be able to do it, but a Hippo can!

What did I tell you? It's easy!

The trick here is that the sides of the inner hull parts go on the outsides of the top and bottom plates, while the top and bottom plates of the outer hull plating go outside the side pieces. This means you don't have to compensate for material thickness (something I am REALLY bad at doing and remembering!)

Here are the plans for the hull and plating. The detailing is up to you!

I started work on this at 8:00am, and finished it by 8:00pm... okay I am on holidays, but I also spent about two and a half hours watching DVDs, and a lot of time staring vacantly into space, so the whole project can be done in about eight modelling hours!

Stay tuned for the next instalment of 15mm Fortnight - since I can't get the figures to paint until Friday, it's going to be a surprise instalment!

15mm Fortnight: Space Port in action!

Here are some pics of the Radium Falls Mining Co. security team and Radium Falls Militia defending the space port against the Ghost Legion mercenary company. Everything from the two parts of the 15mm Space Port project is in use, as is the re-painted Tiny Tuna Tower and a scratch built hover tanker I made while waiting for my first 15mm SF figures to arrive from the UK.

As you can see, the space port can take up a fair amount of space, even when, like here, it's been set up fairly tightly to facilitate photography.

Shady Zeke's Import - Export warehouse features a printed sign (plus some billboards round the other side) and the front end of a heavy truck. Only the front was built, and it's not very detailed since you cannot see much of it, but it adds a lot to the visual appeal of the building.

You get a better look at the billboards on Shady Zeke's from here.

As you can see, the Terminal has plenty of space for units; here it's garrisoned by two heavy MG specialists and a full size squad of RFMC Security, while Militia forces try to make the best of their more exposed position.

Ishoo Firty-Ate: 15mm Space Port Part Two

Welcome back 15mm Hippo fans!

Last Ishoo we looked at building some hangers and fuel tanks for a 15mm space port. This ishoo we'll be finishing the project off with large warehouses and a terminal building. These buildings are a bit larger, and in the case of the terminal, more involved, but they really are just as simple! How simple? I expect you've worked out the pattern by now.

PART ONE: WARHOUSES:

PART TWO: TERMINAL BUILDING

And there you have it! A complete small space port without breaking the bank or breaking too much of a sweat! I'll post some photos of the complete set along with figures later on.

Meanwhile, hang out for the next installment of 15mm Fortnight - Modelling For Hippos Ishoo Too: 15mm Shuttle - and remember to buy a Hasegawa 1/72 Panzer IV for donor parts! See you then!

UPDATE:

Here are the warehouse plans. They are at 1:1 scale so you can even print them and take measurements!