Blackadder Thunderhawk Project, A Work in Progress

    Forward Bolters


    Well after much soul searching I finally conceded that front firing bolters are not redundant on Thunderhawk as the ball turrets sport turbolasers. So placement of the turret mounts is pretty much ordained by the 3D drawing as nestled up to the froward belt armour.


    http://i.imgur.com/ZtpGwX3.jpg


    Yeah Blackadder, you leave this thread hanging for months and you show up with one measly image.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Forward Bolters:


    Since my Thunderhawk is outsized I have elected to use Landraider sponsons.


    Cutting and placing these sponsons had best be left for the end of the detailing as they have to fit right in the proper position. I was lucky in that with virtually no planning on my part the sponson fit as if I HAD PLANNED IT ALL ALONG?


    After drilling the corner holes I used an Xacto keyhole saw to cut between the corner holes.


    http://i.imgur.com/YzZ9TrJ.jpg


    I then pared the excess styrene to the penciled lines and filed the hole carefully for a snug fit of the sponson inner flange....


    http://i.imgur.com/X1xZA6s.jpg


    The plugs fit snugly; better than I expected.


    http://i.imgur.com/rkPaVjT.jpg

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Plug In Weapons:


    At the risk of belaboring the obvious I offer my mechanism for quick change weapons. in the image below I have mounted my Bolter assembly with a sliding bolt lock assembly where you slide out the upper and lower bolts to remove the bolter mount. A simple yet effective solution.


    http://i.imgur.com/87Fey7N.jpg


    Below is the unit removed with one bolt in place and the other removed.


    http://i.imgur.com/GfwcBIL.jpg


    Pardon the blurred images please...........

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Plug In Weapons:


    At the risk of belaboring the obvious I offer my mechanism for quick change weapons. in the image below I have mounted my Bolter assembly with a sliding bolt lock assembly where you slide out the upper and lower bolts to remove the bolter mount. A simple yet effective solution.


    http://i.imgur.com/87Fey7N.jpg


    Below is the unit removed with one bolt in place and the other removed.


    http://i.imgur.com/GfwcBIL.jpg


    Pardon the blurred images please...........

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Forward Cargo Interior:


    One of the first things (in my optimism) I built for this model was the interior lo these many years ago so yesterday I began adapting the floor and walls to fit the amended exterior.


    http://i.imgur.com/nV9G0z8.jpg


    First I had to cut out the floor to accommodate the nose gear housing which worked out rather well as the front reinforcing stringers gave sufficient height to clear the majority of the housing.


    http://i.imgur.com/dGpclmx.jpg


    On further inspection of the interior it seems I have room for a few Space Marines on the upper level of the superstructure if the marines can stand and be suspended by a system of beams and hangers; wouldn't that be a rip


    Of course I will have the interior lighting to show off the upper gallery.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Space Marine Transport Rail


    I'm looking to add two rows side by side of Space marines to the interior of my T'hawk. I plan that they will be suspended standing upright from an overhead conveyor system as the most efficient system for transporting these soldiers seeing as they are virtually self-contained one man tanks. I seem to recall an image or sketch of such a device but cannot lay my hands on it. Does anyone have a copy or a source for this image?


    Below is what I have so far found which while sufficient for my purposes aren't quite what I have in mind:


    http://i.imgur.com/FDNN9TD.jpg


    I wish I had this image when I was building my T'hawk, it would have made my guesswork that much easier....


    http://i.imgur.com/OVnjuyo.jpg


    This image isn't actually 40K Space Marines but it does get the point across.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Einmal editiert, zuletzt von Blackadderz ()

    Cargo Ramp:


    I've finally addressed the issue of the front cargo ramp. this is a problem that has vexed me from day one of this project; how to cram a functioning mechanism into the tiny space available without compromising the exterior aspect of the model......


    http://i.imgur.com/zjEoCKR.jpg


    Above we see the model as she exists today with some of the exterior detail as yet to be installed.


    And here is the open maw of the beast with my new hinge assembly installed; Whoohoo! it works!


    http://i.imgur.com/STMLuiP.jpg


    Now to show the mechanics of the rather simple device......


    http://i.imgur.com/5r02hwx.jpg


    The piano-style hinge is 3/32 evergreen tubing cut into three pieces with two 0.060 by 0.250 inch tongue straps welded to the tubing and reinforced with 0.020 gussets.


    A brass wire provides the hinge pin.


    The assembly slides out for ease of maintenance and repair as the device may be quite flimsy....


    http://i.imgur.com/5r02hwx.jpg


    With the ramp entirely removed the detail of the hinge points is readily seen.


    http://i.imgur.com/usLHIG3.jpg


    Also note the cargo floor can be slid forward to facilitate reassembly.


    The underside of the floor showing the tongue receptacles.


    http://i.imgur.com/AtOIFyH.jpg


    Finally the flexibility of the hinges


    http://i.imgur.com/i8ChPiI.jpg

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Thank you,


    The Best Laid Plans


    Of mice and men ofttimes go awry. I had intended for this transport to have the capability to disgorge a Rhino but it seems the interior panels have taken up too much clearance


    http://i.imgur.com/8aJ8Wju.jpg


    Not to worry I have an alternate plan (A cunning plan mayhaps Mr. B?)


    http://i.imgur.com/vj7VHrx.jpg


    My initial intent was to have clam-shell doors à la C124 and assault ramp to accommodate the width of a slick Rhino but I put that aside until I had a good idea of the interior panels requirements. That project is still on the table.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Inside Out:


    Or how not to build an interior.


    My ambition has exceeded my good sense as when I started this project I gave little thought to so extravagant an interior. Now I am reaping the benefit of my lack of forethought.



    http://i.imgur.com/YmvRf7b.jpg


    Fortunately I have ample panels to access the interior for modification and upgrade


    BTW the image above shows the basic nascent Space Marine harness device to safe transport to the planet to be modularly installed into the upper gallery rectangular receptacles shown in the background. This would in fact be the whole length of the upper gallery but for my purposes just the front hanger will be seen.


    See, I'm not completely crazy................

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    There Is No Joy In Mudville:


    No, I've tried quite a few different pigments and airbrush combinations on various scrap and even on the T'hawk itself 'Horrors! ' and I have found nothing I like better than powdered Aluminum and powdered Graphite hand rubbed into Flat Black Primer so after much soul searching I'm committing to Gray Knights colour scheme and an all metal finish to my Hawk.


    after about fifteen minutes of of application I feel I made the correct decision, nothing brings out the detail of this model like hand rubbed Aluminium. Note the flat black front and tail still yet to have the aluminum applied.........


    http://i.imgur.com/zHWLfsR.jpg


    Of course there will be Gray Knights red accents and lots more colours


    http://i.imgur.com/278Y6Hz.jpg


    But this is the look I am going for so the next time you see this it will be completely pewter hued.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Pewter Thunderhawk: (Grey Knights colours still to come.)


    Oh Gawd, finally for the first time completely together after six years in the making, my very own scratchbuilt version of the Thunderhawk. At 26 inches long and fully articulated; weapons, wings, and landing gear; it's most gratifying to be able to present this effort.



    There are a few production glitches:



    All three gears need to be lock indexed to keep from swiveling.



    The rear shock struts need to be spring loaded to take the weight without collapsing.



    The rear floor of the forward cargo bay needs to be locked down.



    The interior is too sparsely furnished and needs to be finished, the rough poster board edges will never do.



    The ball turrets need mount brackets.



    and of course the interior lighting.


    The loading ramp needs an extension to make the disembark angle less extreme...........


    but all told a most gratifying moment to see this for the first time assembled in her full glory.


    Martini time; Skoal!

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Absolutely stunning! :love:


    I am waiting for this moment since you posted the first pictures and lines of text in this thread about three years ago ...! Congratulations for finishing it, and congratulations too for delivering such an unbelieveable detailed Masterpiece of scratchbuild work.

    I've been busy of late tiling my bath but I had to express a thanks for all the replies. I'll be doing some painting (on the model) today and with hope a proper update later this week.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Lipstick On A Pig:


    Ugly as a Warthog most definitely and I finally found my antique can of Krylon 'Rust' Primer this past week; now I can begin painting the detail.


    http://i.imgur.com/ieicdiW.jpg


    So with the masking tape removed it's a bit of a letdown


    http://i.imgur.com/PbRwGBh.jpg


    I plan to activate my airbrush later this weekend and see what I can do to perk these images up.


    http://i.imgur.com/24VkScj.jpg

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    The Assault Door Lacks Panache:


    It seems I've been too conservative embellishing the front door. Besides the ho-hum paint job the loading ramp is rather bleak so it's back to the drawing board to try to perk up this dismal effort; in point of fact the whole nose of this work is pretty bland.


    http://i.imgur.com/mz1DS4K.jpg


    Whom I kidding; I don't have a drawing board but instead....


    Eureka! I've found it while contemplating my next iteration of the loading ramp I've just thought of how I can extend the ramp to make the egress more user friendly.


    http://i.imgur.com/rCpQ0mj.jpg


    And the paint erosion needs to be toned down a tad as well.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."