Plastic Thunderhawk Gunship

[Brother Christopher]

Photo update:

 

S-foil mounts (I will fill the gaps on the edges with putty later):

 

 

Rear landing gear feet:

 

 

Thingies at the tips of main wings and tail stabilisers:

 

 

And WIP photo of the S-foils themselves:

 

 

As you might notice, I cut some corners and didn't do the proper lascannon battery pack on the underside of the wings; I figured they won't be that visible.

[StratoKhan]

This is a truly remarkable project. The amount of effort involved is mind-boggling. You probably know this already, but you're doing an amazing job.

 

I'm also not surprised you're feeling burnt out. So much of the detail work tends to progress you towards the final goal, but the visual impact vs. effort involved can sometimes seem underwhelming.

I think you already received a lot of great advice about burnout so I won't add anything, but I do hope that you manage to feel revitalised somehow, best of luck with that.

 

The s-foils and lascannons + battery packs look great by the way.

[Brother Christopher]

Thank you StratoKhan! I'm glad you like what you're seeing.

 

It is also my pleasure to report that I have regained my Templary zeal and after taking a break this weekend, I have recommenced 1. working on the model and 2. enjoying doing this. Progress is slow that's why I decided to make it even slower and I've been working lately on minute details here and there, including implementation of my own 'ideas' that are additions to the original design such as targeters for the Lascannons. The resin Lascannons themselves are also already properly encased in plasticard. As of the moment of typing this post, I am literally 16 tiny pieces of plasticard away from finishing the s-foils.

 

Now I just need to figure out a way to attach the auxiliary wings to the Thunderhawk's hull/fuselage.

[Brother Christopher]

Oooooooookay. It's been a rough week, both life- and hobby-wise. But the auxiliary wings are mostly done. I must admit that I'm not that happy with a couple of things and I will be forced to use putty (I've been doing my best to avoid this solution) to fill in the gaps, but the overall result is pretty awesome. The funny thing is that I kind of see how these things take shape as I go and am sometimes surprised by what I'm capable of. A silly feeling.

 

Top view:

 

Bottom view (note the shortcuts I took, e.g. the lack of battery cells):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Targeters/scopes, a touch from myself (As if there wasn't enough work to do on these!):

 

 

 

 

 

I really hope you'll appreciate this update. The s-foils / aux wings have been quite an experience, not always good, but overall the semi-final result is something.

[space wolf]

MAN! The amount of meticulous detail is crazy! I'm excited to see in when its done. You are a brave man!

[Naryn]

Absolutely glorious detailing. Every update blows me away!

[Brother Christopher]

Thank you for leaving a comment! These parts were really something and I'm looking forward to seeing them painted. I hope that the places I've messed up with overflowing glue and what not won't be as obvious once a layer of paint is added AND, in a way, I can't wait to explore my own work - colour and washes will hopefully make all the details pop.

 

The end-of-the-year deadline seems feasible!

 

I also will probably change my plans regarding the final assembly. Initially, I wanted to prime the parts, plaint them and only then put them together. Now I'm leaking more and more towards first getting "everything" (decided into 5 major secrions: rear hull + tail + cannon as one big part, s-foils, main wings) assembled and then moving onto painting.

[Marshal Reinhard]

Keep holding my breath for when you eventually blast us with a fully assembled monstrosity

[Ryltar Thamior]

I am not sure what I am more amazed by - 

That somebody would come up with an idea to do something like this ... or the quality of your efforts thus far in *actually doing it* ! Well done ! 

And I know what you mean about both the change in one's mental and emotive ability to 'engage' (or, for that matter, 'disengage') - and the consequent fear that if it's left aside for too long, it gets subsumed down into the morass of 'to-be-completed' which never comes. Although I have also noticed, down the years, that if a project is cool enough, it exerts an almost gravitational force - and will not, almost *cannot* be left idle from one's hands for too long :P .. we get drawn back to it when we are ready and able, even if that might be an unforeseen degree of distance into the intermediate-grade future. [although it can be a bit of a thing, picking up where we left off , to be sure] 

I also admire that you're able to give yourself deadlines and work to complete to them like that as a potential antidote - and more especially that you manage such attention to detail and consistency of output rather than that turning them into 'rush jobs'. 

You evidently hold yourself to high standards. We all benefit from the results. 

[Brother Christopher]

Keep holding my breath for when you eventually blast us with a fully assembled monstrosity

 

So I shall do my best not to keep you waiting for too long!

 

I am not sure what I am more amazed by - 

 

That somebody would come up with an idea to do something like this ... or the quality of your efforts thus far in *actually doing it* ! Well done ! 

 

And I know what you mean about both the change in one's mental and emotive ability to 'engage' (or, for that matter, 'disengage') - and the consequent fear that if it's left aside for too long, it gets subsumed down into the morass of 'to-be-completed' which never comes. Although I have also noticed, down the years, that if a project is cool enough, it exerts an almost gravitational force - and will not, almost *cannot* be left idle from one's hands for too long .. we get drawn back to it when we are ready and able, even if that might be an unforeseen degree of distance into the intermediate-grade future. [although it can be a bit of a thing, picking up where we left off , to be sure] 

 

I also admire that you're able to give yourself deadlines and work to complete to them like that as a potential antidote - and more especially that you manage such attention to detail and consistency of output rather than that turning them into 'rush jobs'. 

 

You evidently hold yourself to high standards. We all benefit from the results. 

Thanks mate! I'm so happy to see that you perfectly understand the struggles a hobbyist goes through while working on such a project! I really wanted to abandon the build and I almost did - after all, it isn't a "practical' model. I doubt it will ever see the tabletop, it's also difficult to display and store due to it's size. And if it weren't for covid, the project would have been dead. Luckily, it got revived and keeps me occupied, hobby-wise, through thick and thin. After all, Thunderhawks are so iconic SM vehicles that having one as a centrepiece of a collection must feel great.

 

It also has helped me to change my optics on scratch building in general - I have started to thoroughly enjoy the time I "waste" on the model and not regret doing so (well, minus it's impact on my back!). I used to regret starting it because incidentally, the project was the thing that 'ruined' progress on things that 'matter' in 40K, i.e. painting models that one can actually use in games. But well, who cares? ;)

 

As such, I also see my TH as a true passion project and don't care about time and effort. I just hope to have it finished by the end of the year, that's all. If I fail to meet that deadline, so be it.

 

I must confess that I am tempted to rush it, believe me. But I know that given the time already invested in it, the extra 5-10% of effort will pay off in the future - when I look at the thing and know that everything is done the way I intended. I want the quality of the model to be as close to what FW and GW used to do (let's be honest, I can't compete with the quality of the latests kits from the manufacturers, which are detail-heavy and what not) so that at first -- and preferably at second! -- glance one can't tell the difference between my model and an "original" kit. I also rushed my scratch built Land Raider and I know that I regret that; after some time, I'm not satisfied with some of the parts, which I intend to redo after I finish the TH and paint some Marines, when I inevitably come to miss scratch building. And with the time already involved, I want to avoid this nasty feeling of being dissatisfied by one thing or another. That's why I intend to keep as focused and diligent as I have so far.

[Brother Christopher]

What you need to get straight lines is: a cutting mat, a metal ruler and a knife. With plasticard, it's key not to cut all the way through the material - in most cases this is a messy way of doing things which is also pretty straining on your wrists. Take a sheet of plastic, place a ruler on top of it and use your knife to cut a shallow line, applying relatively little pressure, as if you were just sketching the line on the surface of the plastic. Use the ruler to guide the knife. Once you have the initial cut, take the part in your hands (off the surface of the table) and just apply some pressure with one hand on one side of the part, while holding the rest of the plastic sheet firmly in your other hand. It should snap off nicely, giving you a neat line which follows the cut you made.

[Brother Christopher]

You're welcome! I agree, don't make the mistake I've made ;) Remember to keep to smaller, more realistic projects!

 

The project is moving into the final stages! With a few exceptions, all major sub-assemblies are almost ready for the finishing touches such as minor details here and there. The exceptions are: rear and front land gear, heavy bolters and main cannon mantlet. However, I think I've reached a point where I should be able to tick off the remaining points on the to-do list after 1-2 days of work, which should provide the much needed momentum and motivation!

 

As a note, I will refer to parts as being "complete"; this means that I finished with plasticard and glue, but I might be needing to do further minor work on them, such as adding rivets, filling gaps with putty or adding press-moulded parts.

 

To prove my point, I managed to update and "complete" the central engine exhaust nozzle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While recently I've been very content with my output, I kind of am not happy with these. In retrospect, I'm not sure that I like the idea I had to go with different nozzles for the wing-mounted and central engines and with doing the detailing on the central-engine nozzle asymmetrical. Further, I can't really put my finger on it, but it seems to me that I messed something up with the shape of the central nozzle. It's seems crooked or something. However, with the time and effort invested into it, I think I'll have to live with it and hope for the best, i.e. that the defects (if any) won't show once the nozzle is attached to the hull or that the entirety of the build will provide enough distraction for people, including me, not to notice it.

[Elzender]

Well, I have been following this thread for a while, and I realised a few weeks ago that for some reason I never comented on it.

And honestly, it is mostly because I feel there is not much that I can add or bring to the topic, other than a pool of drool at the pics of your proggress :D. This project right here is hobby at its peak, and despite your own doubts and setbacks, the fact that you're actually making it happen is just breath-taking. The dedication to scratchbuilding almost every single bit and to go into the same detail level to the actual sculpt (and even adding or enhancing some of them) is awe-inspiring, brother. I cannot hope to replicate a fraction of what you've done here, but it might help me finally give a shot to some small stuff with styrene and plasticard that I tend to leave aside (mostly because I have two left feet for hands :D).

 

As a summary of the wall of text above: absolutely amazing work so far, stay strong on this final push because it will be absolutely worth it, and I look forward to further updates!

Edited October 27, 2020 by Elzender

[Brother Christopher]

@Elzender, thanks! I appreciate you following this thread and dropping a comment. The sense that there are people interested in my progress makes me feel as if you were involved in the process itself. Working on a vehicle so large alone can be mentally challenging, as you've gathered from my complaints here and there. That's why feedback from the community is so important to me - it helps me overcome the inevitable setbacks.

Once the parts are properly finished, I intend to also pay more attention to the photos I take. The one I upload are rushed and stricken with wrong exposures making it sometimes hard to see what's in them.

 

I cannot hope to replicate a fraction of what you've done here, but it might help me finally give a shot to some small stuff with styrene and plasticard that I tend to leave aside (mostly because I have two left feet for hands ).
 

Oh, you should try it out! It's not as difficult as it might appear to be. You really just need polystyrene cement (i.e. plastic glue, don't use super glue!), a paper/hobby knife, a metal ruler and a cutting mat. The rest is in your head!

 

But remember - please, do start with small stuff and keep to it! I've stared with this 8 years ago and it wreaked havoc on my hobby as a whole, resulting in an incredible painting backlog ;) Still, I don't have too many regrets about that :D I just know that with today's approach to life and time management, I wouldn't have taken up scratch building on such a scale.

[Brother Christopher]

I am happy to report that another stage is completed. I am basically finished with the Thunderhawk Cannon / Turbo Laser housing and barrel. Apparently, it took me almost two weeks to do what I did, but this stage required some imagination and designing on my part - things I'm not very good at and things that are the more time-consuming. The extent of deviation from the original and simplification of the templates I'm using caught me off guard and I had to come up with ways to remedy the issues, which also unfortunately involved me undoing some of my earlier progress. Still, the final result is worth it!

 

The whole Turbo Laser housing:

 

 

And some details:

 

Thingies at the back:

 

 

Updated vents:

 

Close-ups on the front:

 

 

Some new detailing on the cannon:

 

The cannon is removable:

 

 

Some new details on the part of the top fuselage nearer the front:

 

 

And the whole thing, i.e. Turbo Laser housing plus the top part of the rear fuselage:

 

 

[War of the Eagle]

*puts tracks under it and completes JpazE100 project*

[Brother Christopher]

Exactly what I've been thinking! I am even considering magnetising the cannon housing and using it as a turret for one of my custom tanks. I also love how silly 40K is - such a cannon is the perfect weapon for a flyer, isn't it? :D

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Impressive work.

[apologist]

Lovely to see this tracking along; and losing none of the keen attention to detail that's made the project such a treat to watch.

[Triszin]

Crazy good work

[Nostromo]

Oh damn... why, oh why did I have to look in this thread?

This is just amazing.

 

I know so well how hard it it to stay on such long term projects. And I need to say: your results are worth the time.

I am jealous :-)

[Brother Christopher]

Excellent work, as always!

 

I've had an idea;

 

Do you have experience with recasting? Because if you'd get some casting silicone and liquid resin, you could multiply the parts while the gunship is still in large pieces, and get a potentially unlimited number of Thunderhawks in a matter of days, whole squadrons of them - a collection theoretically more expensive than a house, counting by FW's 585 EUR / model price tag, and mind you, that only gets you the new, not quite as good-looking version. - At the cost of a round of grocery shopping.

 

Oh man, I have absolutely no experience in doing this. And if I were to try, I think this might be the thing that'd push me over the edge into proper insanity ;) I mean, the thought crossed my mind on a couple of occasions - to have a source of relatively cheap custom Thunderhawks is a very appealing idea. However, in the end I'd really be worried about my mental state if I were to do it. I think I want to finish the build, paint the model and "forget about it" - i.e. focus on other things. Also, there's the hypothetical problem with storing them.

 

On a more down-to-earth level, there's the problem with making the casts itself. The process doesn't appear to be easy. My friend, who at the time had had access to professional-grade equipment and materials, managed to produce casts of very hit-and-miss quality; the casts often suffered from bubbles and warpage. His experience pretty much discouraged me from doing this myself, especially with parts this big.

 

Also, thanks a lot for one of the most important things to me - that you're one of those (apparently) few people who prefer the old look of the Thunderhawk, to the new re-invisioned kit!

 

 

Lovely to see this tracking along; and losing none of the keen attention to detail that's made the project such a treat to watch.

 

Thanks! I want to keep on track and not take the easy route so close to the finish. Even though I'm tempted to cut some corners, I'm determined not to! For the glory of Omnissiah.

 

Crazy good work

 

Thanks mate!

 

Oh damn... why, oh why did I have to look in this thread?

This is just amazing.

 

I know so well how hard it it to stay on such long term projects. And I need to say: your results are worth the time.

I am jealous :-)

 

Thank you for browsing through my entire thread! I'm also a fan of your halo-inspired IG stuff and am so happy that you recommenced your efforts! And this goes from one scratch-builder to another!

 

***

 

Over the weekend, I worked on the tail. I figured that I really should delay my progress as much as possible and magnetise bits and pieces of the flyer for easier storage and transport. Since I still haven't learnt to design parts proficiently, I sank a lot of time to make the magnets work. The final result was immensely satisfying - the way the horizontal stabiliser slides into place and attaches to the vertical part of the tail is as good as it could be - you've gotta believe me.

 

Since the tail was almost assembled already, after I managed to prepare the mount for the magnet (i.e. the part which connects the vertical part of the vertical stabiliser with the horizontal parts of the vertical stabiliser to form the "T" shape), I basically only added some minor details here and there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next thing on the to-do list is a big one - I need to deal with the magnets which connect the main wings with the fuselage. I've been dreading and postponing this for a long time. I'm worried that the wings and fuselage will form a strange angle or the powerful magnets I reserved for this joint won't be strong enough to bear the weight of the wings or that the magnets will be too strong and will break or warp the plastic they're attached to. Long story short, there's a lot that can go wrong with this.

 

However, the Emperor protects!

[Nostromo]

Looks like you do the surface structure the same way I do - just with plasticard where i use paper. Works fine!

 

Your problem with the wing angle is something I saw coming as well and wondered how you would solve that.

What do you think about a groove and tonge approach? with a tongue on the cylinder on the wing and one or more grooves (depending on how many positions you want the wings to take) on the inner side of the housing.

Downside: the wings won‘t be able to swing freely any more and will need pulling out a few mm for repositioning.

Do you see what i mean?

Additional magnets might work as well, but groove&tongues sound like a more stable solution to me.

Or... a combination of both, but that might be complicated to build and might do too much damage.

 

A mechanical locking mechanism surely is way over the top.

 

If you have sufficient space, you can still stack your magnets if two are not strong enough

[Brother Christopher]

Yup, I've fixed the attack wings using magnets, but will probably be redoing it the way you suggested. It seemed to be like quite a hassle, considering my ability to design and execute my ideas, but, to be frank, it's the right way of doing it.

 

In the meanwhile, I managed to 1. finish the sides of the rear fuselage, 2. build the landing gear housing and 3. attach the magnets used to fix the main wings to the fuselage. The last bit was very time-consuming; there was something wrong with some of the parts and the wings were at an odd angle. I spent too much time trying to figure out what that was, but in the end I suppose I found the culprit(s) and managed to come up with and implement a workaround. To my eye, the wings are pretty even.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was unplanned, but it's great that it turned out this way - as you can see, the magnets are aligned in a way which allows me to stick both sides of the rear fuselage together - this was very useful when it came to adjusting the wings.

 

 

[Brother Carpenter]

Looking increadible!

I can remember the trouble I had when I stil built WW2 airplanes, getting the wings alligned properly. That were models from the factory and not scratch built.

You've made them al by yourself.

 

The emperor has truly blessed your hands and mind!

 

Can't wait to see it painted!

Edited November 19, 2020 by Brother Carpenter