Moonbase Alpha-Finished

Quaralane

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Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
11,258
New project on the workbench.
Going into my stash for an older kit. In this case, the AMT/Ertl Alpha Moonbase.
This one's the 1998 issue of the kit.

All right, for starters, I won't be using the kitt-supplied "base" due to both fit and inaccuracy issues.
Going to try and use this layout that I found on the net.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-00a-plan.jpg

And, hopefully, I'll wind up with something looking like this:
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-00b-pic.jpg

Rather than this:
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-00c-box.jpg

Looking at the kit's vacu-formed "base," it's easy to see why people don't use it.
That's going to be a nast seam, and the hole base isn't actually laid out on it.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-01.jpg

My basic layout will look something like this:
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-02.jpg
and will be mounted on a piece of foam craft board.

I did, however, actually find a use for the base.
I'm using it as a guide for the tubing I'll need to use to form the transport tubes that run throughout the base.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-03.jpg

Youtube link:
AMT Alpha Moonbase-Part 1
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

Very interesting project!! That base reminds me of the one that came with the sand worms from Dune...
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

Wow. This gives me flashbacks of the mess I made of this kit when I was a kid. I recall getting bored trying to brush paint the base so I just started dumping bottles of paint (the square Testors type) onto the base and tried smearing that around to achieve what I thought would look like a convincing lunar surface. It didn't work, don't try this method ;D
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

Thanks, guys.
Planning on spreading either some fine sand, or railroad flocking over the board to get something akin to the lunar surface. And maybe adding some small craters around the base.
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

Splashcoat said:
Wow. This gives me flashbacks of the mess I made of this kit when I was a kid. I recall getting bored trying to brush paint the base so I just started dumping bottles of paint (the square Testors type) onto the base and tried smearing that around to achieve what I thought would look like a convincing lunar surface. It didn't work, don't try this method ;D

LOL!! ;D
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

Picking up from where I left off.
Idecatned the mold for the extra landing pads, and it certainly looks useable.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-04.jpg

After a couple of batches of Alumalite plastic, I now have six spare pads. Should only really need two, but they could come in handy on other things.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-05.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-07.jpg

Started basework by taking the piece of foam craftboard and covering it with Future.
With the Future spread out, I covered the piece with some plain old dirt.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-06.jpg

After letting the Future dry, and shaking off the excess dirt, I gave the whole thing a coat of semi gloss to help seal it in.
Then I gave it a goat of grey primer, followed by flat white to better simulate the moon's surface.
I figure that the uneven surface could be explained away as caused by the excavation.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-08.jpg

Started in on the base pieces themselves by giving them a black basecoat, followed by flat white.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-09.jpg

Then I started laying the whole thing out on the base and adding the tubing I'd previously cut, along with new lengths to make up for the kit's deficiencies.
At this point, construction's actually almost done.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-10.jpg

Youtube link:
AMT Alpha Moonbase-Part 2
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

Looks good, If I didn't have so many models going at the moment, I would pull mine out of the stash and build along. You have been giving me ideas!!!
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

I got my inspiration from a much larger build over at Starship Modeler.
And most of the good versions I've seen junk the kit base and go from there.

@elend,
Actually, there's not really much to the kit itself. The "Main Mission Control" is actually where the work on this would come from. But the moonbase itself is relatively simple. Only REAL pain with doing it this way is lining up the base pieces and cutting the tubing.

@Grendels.
Know the feeling all too well. I'm already figuring that I may take the Eagle itself out to do next.
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

That last picture is perfection! I wish I could recommend this for a build/diorama contest. We have one every year at hobby link int. I hope to see more of this soon! Thanks for sharing.

~LC
 
Re: Moonbase Alpha-WIP

Thanks, Cutie, Scott
I'm figuring she's close to done.
Eagles and pads are about all I really have left, and then some framing for the baseplate to make for better presentation.
 
Final update on this one. She's finished as of today.

With the Eagles, I didn't want to lose the detail that the pieces had, so I took a different approach.
First, I base-coated them in black. Then I drybrushed white over that.
With that finished, I painted the red stripes on my "Rescue" Eagle.
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-11.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-14.jpg

For the landing pads, I painted the background disks in black, and then hand painted the crosses in red
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-12.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-13.jpg

With those done, I framed the baseplate in with some posterboard and glued a couple of logos I found online to act as nameplates.
The "Rescue Eagle" had a small hole drilled into its bottom, and a thin wire inserted to suspend it over the pad.
The crashed Eagle was glued down, and a light black wash painted in to indicate its slide path.
Finished pics:
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-15.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-16.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-17.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-18.jpg

Eagle detail pics:
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-19.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-20.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-21.jpg
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/AMT-Alpha-Moonbase/amt-alpha-22.jpg

Youtube link:
AMT Alpha Moonbase-Part 3-Finale
 

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