Large project revelation

Here's the big chap you saw a little part of earlier. For a sense of scale, the wee dark figure you can see amidships is a metal Catachan.



I was surprised, looking back through my records, to discover that I started work on this ship almost two years ago! But after cutting out the upper and lower hulls, the main gun turrets, bridge tower and the funnels, work stalled. So a few pieces are missing. You see I've somehow lost one of the funnels as well as a few of the gun barrels. Those I haven't lost have broken loose at one point or another. So I have some repair work to do as well as the new work. I do have definite plans to get her finished this time. And quickly!

For those interested in the armament, it's as follows.

Main guns: 3 triple-Medusa turrets
Secondary and AA armament: 4 twin-linked AA Lascannon (2 either side of the superstructure amidships), 3 Manticore AA turrets

The Manticore AA turrets may be degraded to firing merely AA-capable HK Missiles, since the missile models are much smaller than the Manticore missiles.

Large project teaser

My third and final Shadowsword arrived today, but I have been - and aim to continue for a bit - working on a large project. No proper photos as yet, but here is a teaser.

Stormsword #1:Lego again

Another shape of turret one can make with Lego. Again, it's pretty obvious what I've done here. She's received rivets since this was taken, and I carefully drilled out gas escape holes around the gun's mouth. Later I had a look over some pictures of the FW Stormsword and realised that I haven't made this gun long enough! So I shall end up hiding them when I extend it. Shucks!

Lascannon: scratch your own

When you're building a large number of superheavy vehicles, as I am, then you will probably need a large number of lascannons. Where to get them? Well, you can use leftovers from previous builds, or buy new ones or you can do what I've been doing this afternoon: making my own. I used just a saw, some glue, a knife and two diameters of plasticard tube: 4.0 and 5.5 mm. I cut an inch long piece of the 4.0mm tube, three small slivers of the 5.5mm tube to form what I assume is a radiator common to all lascannon, and then a flash suppressor from 5.5mm tube. Mine is 3/8" long from the top of the front to the back, and 1/8"at the bottom. I used a saw at a 45 degree angle to cut the flash suppressors, as I'm terrible at doing it properly with a knife! Conversely, the saw was too inaccurate to cut the slivers I needed to make the radiator, so I carefully scored them myself. I've made 8 so far, and have the same number to complete.