Hive Tyrant insect wings?

[Evil Eye]

I have a metal Hive Tyrant I'm in the process of converting up at the moment. I wanted to give him insect wings, as A: it frees up the other pair of arms (insect wings are muscled extensions of an insect's carapace rather than actual limbs, so if you apply that biology principle it doesn't break the Tyranid 6-limb rule), B: it would set him apart from the plastic winged Hive Tyrant, and C: insect wings are cool. However, I have a bit of a problem, notably I have no idea where I might get suitably sized wings.

 

I'm going for a Japanese beetle look for my Tyrant, complete with curving "horns" protruding from the carapace in much the same way as some beetles have horns on their thorax, and protective wing cases made from Trygon head plates. Now I could in theory use the larger wings from the Plague Drone kit, as they're nicely shaped and not too Chaotic. However, I'm not sure whether they'd be big enough for him as I've never actually handled the bitz; obviously they don't have to be as large compared to the body as "limb" wings do due to the way they work, but if they're too small it'll look absolutely comical. I'm in the process of sculpting some gribbly insectile wings from putty over plasticard but it's not going terribly well and I'm almost out of Apoxie Sculpt. I had considered using the wings from an old broken bootleg Transformer-thing that turned into a dragonfly, but it was chucked out long ago unfortunately.

 

So anyway, what should I do for his wings? I've got three ideas I think might work-

 

1: Use Plague Drone wings (assuming they're big enough, any size comparisons would be appreciated)

2: Scratchbuild my own (advice on how to do so would be appreciated as quite frankly the ones I'd trying to make at the moment are a complete disaster)

3: Use wings from a toy/cheap model insect (note that I'd rather avoid actual "third party" bitz if only to preserve the ability to use it in stores)

4: Use actual preserved insect wings (I have seen this done before and it looked amazing, but A: I imagine they're quite fragile even when preserved, B: they're probably quite expensive, C: I'm not sure there's anything with wings big enough that I could source the parts from without contributing to some rather shady enterprises, and D: I have a feeling even the most lenient store owner might take exception to actual dead animal bits on a model).

 

Alternatively I could just use my plastic winged Hive Tyrant and make this metal one into a Swarmlord... but where's the fun in that?

 

Anyway, any recommendations would be much appreciated.

 

(I assume it's OK to post this in this forum given the new allowance of Xenos on the B&C, but if not please move to the Tyranid subforum.)

[Kierdale]

As a child I saw a diorama in which some fantasy elves rode huge dragonflies.

Real ones.

Hence I was going to suggest what you then put as option 4 :D

 

Here in Japan you can find dead insects in parks everywhere at the end of summer but you're back in Blighty, right? Not a lot of big bugs there :(

[Marqol]

I think the Plague Drones will be your best bet as they are plastic so easier to model into the right place etc, though I can't provide a scale I'm afraid. With regards to using toy wings, talk to your local GW manager. Most are on the idea of if most the model is GW, it's fine. Especially something from not even a competitor, just a random toy company I'm sure would be fine.

[Evil Eye]

Aye, I live in Ye Olde England so no readily available massive insect corpses here. :( You can get rather large beetles on eBay but A: they're very expensive (£50 and up), B: they're sealed in display cases, and C: it seems a bit of a shame to vandalize a hand-prepared display piece like that.

 

With regards to actual insects, I'm thinking a cicada might be a better source of wings. For one, they're much more common than properly sized beetles, so should be much cheaper to acquire a dead one, and also they look pretty niddy. On top of that, they're pests in some parts AFAIK, so there's less of an ethical qualm with looting their mortal remains than with a big beetle.

 

With regards to toys, I have had an idea- fellow Transformers fans may remember during the 90s Beast Wars era, they made a fair few well-detailed insect-formers, including one that turned into a cicada. Those wings would be absolutely perfect. Unfortunately all the ones on eBay are either in too good condition to consider ransacking, or are missing the wings. Botheration! I could in theory buy one and cast up the wings in resin, thereby keeping the wings undamaged and making replicas for modelling purposes, but casting is pretty tricky.

 

Semi related, I once saw an absolutely colossal (live) dragonfly in a garden, which was so big the wings might have looked a bit large on a Tyrant. Of course I was about 7 at the time, long before I joined this hobby, and I like insects far too much to murder them for modelling materials (though looting corpses is A-OK in my book, they'd only go to waste otherwise!).

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Check out how this guy made some insect wings for a huge Korpus Festerheart model (Nurgle flies, not on the guy himself). 

[Isolia]

I have just made a couple of plague drones and converted some to wimgless beasts. Apart from the relative thickness of the wings they could work well. I'll be home in a few days, if you live in Europe I can mail you a pair or two , overseas will probably be expensive though.

 

They are planar though, i.e. they are absolutely flat .

 

Oh I've seen you're in the UK that could work :) drop me a PM if you need those wings

Edited July 18, 2017 by Isolia

[Evil Eye]

Sorry to dredge up this ancient thread, but I have good news! On a trip to a local garden centre I found a damaged dragonfly garden ornament, and was able to get it for the discounted price of £1.50. Whilst it required some cutting to get the wings as I needed them, and gluing them was a pain, they look quite magnificent.

 

Within the spoiler are some rather large pictures of the beasty. The greenstuffed tongue is a holdover from 7th edition's thorax swarm upgrade, whilst the horns protruding from his carapace are inspired by things like the Atlas Beetle, which has similar horns jutting from its thorax armour.

http://i.cubeupload.com/fBGWue.jpghttp://i.cubeupload.com/ifhFaK.jpghttp://i.cubeupload.com/6XVWwI.jpghttp://i.cubeupload.com/ap6pkt.jpghttp://i.cubeupload.com/de74RI.jpg

Obviously the wings will be painted over, and will not be pink and sparkly on the final product.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the advice and support!

[Xenith]

Those are some immaculate Seacons you have there, jealous!

[Evil Eye]

Heh heh. They're the reissues unfortunately, and as such they are a bit wibbly wobbly in combined mode, but thanks! They're just so goofy and 80s and I love 'em. I'd love to use their colour schemes as inspiration for a model but I'm not sure what. Some of my Daemons perhaps?

[Isolia]

Nice wings ! A bit too neat in design I guess for tyranids but I gather the paintjob will take care of that :) curious to see the finished result ! Edited August 3, 2017 by Isolia