[WIP] 1/72 Battletech Mecha

[Quaralane]

Okay, here's my entry for the build:

Basically, I'm taking the Hasegawa 1/72 Super Battroid Valkyrie, and building it as a 'Mech from the Battletech Universe.
I'll either do her as a "Phoenix Hawk," or as one of my own, an "Accipitor"

And a couple of "craptacular" illustrations of the differences between the "Phoenix Hawk" and the "Accipitor"

"Accipitor"

"Phoenix Hawk"

Started the build tonight.
Going to wait until I'm finished building to actually start painting (especially since I have only a vague idea of the colors I'm going to use)

Youtube video:
Battletech Mecha Build Part 1

 

[Quaralane]

Thanks, Jingles.
Time permitting, I may add another to the mix using an old Revell kit and the armor bits from this one

 

[Quaralane]

Likely going to be doing this one as the Accipitor, then taking the Revell "Vexar" kit and the armor to do a variant Phoenix hawk I call the Renegade.
Biggest difference between it and the PXH is the lack of jump packs

 

[Quaralane]

More progress on the mech.
Upper torso and hip piece are now complete.

The video has more detail than the photo this time.
Battletech Mecha Build Part 2

 

[Grendels]

It is coming along nice. Are you going to leave the skull and crossbones on it?

 

[Quaralane]

@ Jingles,
Thanks. Don't really have a "Battletech" soundtrack to work from, so I improvised.

@ Grendels,
Definitely.
Otherwise, I'd have used the "plain" piece the kit came with.

Next step could be interesting to keep the parts straight on, though: The legs

 

[Quaralane]

Sorry it took so long to get these up.

Continuing work on the "Accipitor" build:

Basic construction complete:

The second kit for the build:
Using "Vexar" as the base for the "Renegade"

Armor pods built

Assembly continues, but I'm worried about the armor sizing now

Basic assembly complete:
However, the armor pods won't fit "Vexar." They're too big.
Going to have to improvise something.

Put the armor plates on the original model, converting it to a "Phoenix Hawk."
Then, I used the jump packs from a 1/100 scale Super Valkyrie to make "Vexar" into an "Accipitor."

Now, all they need is paint.

Video Part 3
Battletech Mecha Build Part 3

Video Part 4
Battletech Mecha Build Part 4

 

[Grendels]

This is coming along nice!!

 

[Quaralane]

I was actually surprised by the level of variance, Jingles.
I was just glad I could use that smaller kit for the "jump pack," otherwise I would have likely had to scratch-build one.

And Grendels?
Thanks ;P

 

[Quaralane]

Okay, after dealing with winds too high to risk trying to paint outside (don't have an indoor spray booth) for almost a week, I FINALLY got some initial paint on the two mecha.

Both were primered in basic grey primer, then given a coat of Walmart's "ColorPlace" "Fire Red" from rattlecan.
I see there are still some seams showing, but I can live with them.

The Phoenix Hawk

http://s432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/Battletech%20Mecha%20Build/Has-Ph-Ac-1-72-21jpg

The Accipitor
[img]http://s432.photobucket.com/albums/qq45/quaralane/Models/Battletech%20Mecha%20Build/Has-Ph-Ac-1-72-22.jpg

Youtube Video:
Battletech Mecha Build Part 5

 

[Dave The Chef]

Good stuff, keep 'em coming 8)

 

[Quaralane]

Thanks, Dave

 

[Quaralane]

No new pics as yet, but I did decide to use some of the kit-provided decals on both models.
Luckily, the Hasegawa kit gave me red markings as well as blue. So, I've gone and repainted the "Phoenix Hawk" in base black to use the red markings and left the "Accipitor" in red since the "Vexar" markings were mostly black and yellow.

Now, I'm just hoping that the Red decals are visible on the black coat

 

[Quaralane]

Okay, brilliant plan ran into a couple of MAJOR hiccups.
First, I was wrong about the Hasegawa decals. There's only the blue set, no red.
Second, the Vexar set may be too old to use for my purposes.
So, I've got some decal paper on the way so I can print red markings for the Phoenix Hawk and redo the Accipitor markings.
Decals will be a lot easier than trying to mask and paint at this stage

 

[Grendels]

That is a fear I have about a lot of older models, that the decals are bad. screamingsamurai suggested scanning the decals into the computer before you use them just in case you have to reprint them.

Keep us updated!

 

[Quaralane]

Definitely plan on scanning them.
May not even use the kit decals and just go with "reprints" from the scans.
Just waiting on my decal paper to arrive

 

[Quaralane]

Sorry for the lack of progress on these. Had a bad case of not wanting to do much for the last few days.
I do have the decals ready.
Just haven't felt like working on the models

 

[JMac]

That's ok man, normally you're a modelling machine. I can empathize.

 

[Quaralane]

Thanks for understanding, JMac.
Doesn't help that I come home from work wanting to do nothing but lie down and take a nap

 

[Grendels]

Must be something in the air, that has been me these last few days.