Moscato 1/72 XV Commanchero Gunship

[electric indigo]

Can you use the seats from the Hind?

If you can get the Zvezda/Revell Hind for cheap, it has some excellent pilots.

[Mintox]

1 hour ago, electric indigo said:

Can you use the seats from the Hind?

If you can get the Zvezda/Revell Hind for cheap, it has some excellent pilots.

Aye I did eye those off but they're like 50 quid down under so they'll be expensive pilots. 

[Mintox]

The Zvedza Hind came today and the pilots didn't disappoint. The actual kit itself is ok, for a 1/72 aircraft kit, but the pilots are something else. Not the normal blobs you normally get in most 1/72 kits, the pilots actually have really defined faces and hands, something sorely missing from the Hasegawa 1/72 kits. 

The photos below are of the rear pilot. I've used bluetack to help position the pilot and get the arms into the pose I wanted. Much easier than putting it in the cockpit and trying to glue things. Check out the face on the pilot. HE. HAS. A. FACE. In 1/72!

 

 

 

 

[derex3592]

Wow! That's a REALLY good looking pilot for 1/72! 

[MechTech]

That DOES look cool! He actually looks like he's doing something. - MT

[Darth Mingus]

Wow, that is fantastic.  I am so used to the blobs of plastic from Bandai.  That looks better than some third party resin kits.

[Mintox]

Minor progress. Trying to shoehorn the pilots, seats and cockpit dashes was more challenging than I thought it was going to be. These are rough tests of how things will sit. I still need to sand a little here, grind a little off there, but so far they all fit.

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Mintox

[derex3592]

very cool! 

[sierra-ii7]

Looking so good!

[Bolt]

Loving it !

[electric indigo]

Good job on the canopies. And the pilots bring it to another level.

[MechTech]

The pilots DO add realism to it. Looking good! - MT

[Mintox]

A question, what sort of weapons do people think would look good on the wing pylons? The kit ones are accurate to the line art but are all the same weapon, rocket pods. Im wanting to add some flare to it and have tried some of the Russian weapons from the Hinds. What about something like US Navy or Apache weapons? Should I stick to Hasegawa's 1/72 VF weapons for a more authentic Macross look? 

[sketchley]

51 minutes ago, Mintox said:

A question, what sort of weapons do people think would look good on the wing pylons? The kit ones are accurate to the line art but are all the same weapon, rocket pods. Im wanting to add some flare to it and have tried some of the Russian weapons from the Hinds. What about something like US Navy or Apache weapons? Should I stick to Hasegawa's 1/72 VF weapons for a more authentic Macross look? 

Books like Variable Fighter Master File claim that the Unified Forces only used NATO weapons.  So, if you want to be 'authentic', there's that guideline.

However, I'd go with your gut instinct on what makes the Commanchero look more lethal.  There's been no material that said the Commanchero wasn't used by the Anti Unification Alliance—not to mention that the Unified Forces have a history of using Anti Unification Alliance weaponry—so anything goes.

[Mintox]

On 8/21/2021 at 9:37 AM, sketchley said:

Books like Variable Fighter Master File claim that the Unified Forces only used NATO weapons.  So, if you want to be 'authentic', there's that guideline.

However, I'd go with your gut instinct on what makes the Commanchero look more lethal.  There's been no material that said the Commanchero wasn't used by the Anti Unification Alliance—not to mention that the Unified Forces have a history of using Anti Unification Alliance weaponry—so anything goes.

good advice. I have some 1/72 Bandai VF weapons winging their way to me so I'll do some fit outs and see what I think.

Update: Testing the custom stand the client has sent me to mount the Commanchero. This was a bit tricky because of the bomb bays being displayed opened I had little choice of places to mount the stand. Ideally in the exact center (inside the bomb bay) is the exact middle but since that is out I had two choices, immediately forward of the bomb bay or immediately aft of it. I chose aft as the weight tends to nose the model down looking more aggressive. Forward and it would want to tilt back. I may need to use super glue on the stand to set the angle as the weight of the model out strips the resistance of the ball joint on the top of the stand. 

In this photo the whole model has been sprayed Tamiya Surface Primer Fine. 

[derex3592]

Cool looking stand!!! 

[coronadlux]

Great work so far. The stand is nice too. 

 

[Mintox]

Final shots of the bird before I start painting it. The AGM racks are fitted and glued on as is the bomb bay doors. 

 

[Bolt]

She's looking great !

[derex3592]

Very nice!

[Mintox]

Its been awhile since my last update but work and life in general have been taking priority. Now the weather is a little warmer Ive been able to start the painting. Here Im adding some shading on all the panel joins. Im using Mr Hobby Tire Black, a very dark grey colour but which looks black. Once this dries I'll start with the lighter grey colour, something similar to the US Marine Corp colours they use on their choppers. The customer has asked for the tail (vertical stabiliser) to be painted black with Skull Squadron livery. 

 

[lochness]

This is looking great! Can’t wait to see it finished.

[MechTech]

Looking good! - MT

[pengbuzz]

Nice job!

*Pengbuzz scribbles down yet another model to scratch up after the ES-11S*

[coronadlux]

Do you have macross heads for the pilots?

 

[Mintox]

On 10/3/2021 at 12:46 PM, coronadlux said:

Do you have macross heads for the pilots?

 

I do but Im not sure theyd look 'right' on these pilots. Plus Ive discovered 1/72 is a loose scale for figures. 

[coronadlux]

On 10/3/2021 at 9:54 PM, Mintox said:

I do but Im not sure theyd look 'right' on these pilots. Plus Ive discovered 1/72 is a loose scale for figures. 

I do have a 3d printer and a DYRL pilot I can print the helmet of.

[Mintox]

19 hours ago, coronadlux said:

I do have a 3d printer and a DYRL pilot I can print the helmet of.

Thanks for the offer. Ill need to check with the customer to see what they say before I commit. 

[coronadlux]

4 hours ago, Mintox said:

Thanks for the offer. Ill need to check with the customer to see what they say before I commit. 

I forgot that it was a commission. I can see why you are tasked to get it done.

[Mintox]

ok now weather isnt sucking so much in sunny Western Australia Ive been able to get out in to the workshop to continue painting. Here I putting on the final coat (gloss) of a light grey. Weathering and decals etc to come next. The panel shading looks very light but it is darker and more defined than what the images shows.

 

[Mintox]

Making some progress again. Cockpit completed. Nothing here is glued. Ive also started the decal process and once completed Ill move on to weathering. 

 

[derex3592]

WOW! Those consoles really POP! Looking fantastic so far! 

[MechTech]

I LOVE the LCD displays! Nice touch! - MT

[Mintox]

Pilots now finished. Im just messing around here seeing how they look and trying to get them seated right before I put the consoles in. 

[derex3592]

Those pilots look great! I suck at figure painting, especially faces.