GMK

Thanks. Never heard the term before, must be a UK thing.

@Sgt.Squarehead by “downgrip” do you mean vertical fore grip?

Roger that on the NATO stuff...though both Australia & NZ use STANAGS and comply with QSTAGS regularly to maximise NATO interoperability.

Wouldn’t it be a NATO calling name starting with “F”? Any nominations? Firecracker? Flenser? Fishhook?

Just wait until missiles & mortar bombs are delivered with a highly polished, mirror finish...

Data sheet on the Hunter Class from the Department of Defence: http://www.defence.gov.au/casg/Multimedia/HunterClassFFGFactSheet-9-9233.pdf High points: Global Combat Ship - Australia is the basis for the Hunter Class. All to be built in South Australia. Design contract to be signed this year.

With different radars (CEA - Australian), combat system (AEGIS - US), and combat interface (SAAB 9LV - Swedish/Australian), 5” gun (Mk 45/44 - US), and all nine being built in Australian shipyards - the Hunter class is more of a cousin to the Type 26 class. http://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/australia_18-26.pdf

Martin, Most (all?) modern US vehicles are painted in Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) paints that conform to Federal Standard colours. So what? The base colour should be “CARC sand” or “US armor [sic] sand”. I use SMS paints (CARC sand, CARC green, CARC Brown) for US colours. HTH https://www.scalemodeller.com.au/index.php/

This is the failed print, before clean up & after priming.

I’m seeing what I can to to improve the model. Will probably start from scratch.

Thanks - print failed! Right arm failed due to the support not printing cleanly. Can’t print onto thin air! Trying a different model.

About a year ago, I backed a crowd-funded 3D printer/laser cutter/CNC mill on a crowdfunding website. Mine arrived on Saturday and I’ve been learning how to make the 3D printer work. The test print? A Space Marine! Thanks to Thingiverse, I was able to find a suitable candidate & scale it. Progress so far: Only a 30-hour print!

Exceptional work on an exceptional type. Well done!

Work travel has somewhat interfered with progress.... That said, I was able to call in a favour to get artwork for decals done for “Cersei”, with printing being done by another mate. Decals tested on the Combat Identification Panels (please excuse the dust):

These were trialled head-to-head with the MOWAG Eagle (4 or 5, can’t recall) in Australia, as well as against the EMD (iirc?) JLTV prototypes in right-hand drive in 2011/12. They finished absolutely dead last in the trial. Least comfortable to ride and drive, least reliable, least payload, least protection, and highest cost. This was from the guy supervising the trial. Definitely an interesting design, but pretty average, sadly.