Kallisti Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 (edited) I haven't been posting much in the way of builds for a few months so I thought I'd make up for it with this quick build I started last week. I didn't originally intend to do a build thread so I didn't take any photos early on, so you'll just have to make do with these First off the box: As usual with Imai models they were intended as toys, so always have inappropriate working parts, eg the Spectrum Passenger jet with missiles! This is no exception, with spring loaded missiles - well actually the missile pods themselves being fired out of the front of the engines, chunky big wheels and an opening rear bulkhead which gave access to a compartment to store a miniature Mobile and Straker's car! Sigh! So here is a sprue shot showing the bits I'm NOT using: and here is the instruction sheet that gives an idea how poor this kit really is: The first thing that is immediately obvious is that there is no cockpit detail and no Captain Carlin to fly it! So I started looking around to see what I had that would allow me to scratch build a cockpit. I came upon one of the remainders of this kit in my stash from which last year I stole the missile fins for the Alien Dropship pod torpedoes: My first though was that I coulb rob this of the pilot seat and instrument panel and then I had a closer look at the cockpit: Hmm that looks an interesting size... so I measure it up and bugger me if it didn't fit the cockpit glass and the cockput bulge in the fuselage almost perfectly!! It did mean chopping it up quite drastically, but I had bought 4 of these kits for £5 each last year just to get the missile fins! I've already given 2 of them away as they are a great little starter kit, very simple but looks fantastic: (scuse the flash washing everything out!) so I wasn't all that worried about doing some drastic surgery. I found a resin figure in the spares box, also left over from the Aliens Dropship build, who had a suitable helmet and close enough jacket and with some careful painting this was the result: which is close enough to this considering the scale. So what of the rest of the kit? well the fairing on the underside is totally misshapen. The kit has it with a rectangular cross section whereas the original has a rhomboid shape and the front section has a metallic grille: So this has had to be completely rebuilt! In addition the rocket pods in the kit were designed to be spring loaded and were a terrible shape: Instead, I've replaced them with the front part of rocket pods from a 1:32 scale Hawker Hunter... the one that acts as my avatar (and which STILL isn't finished ) and you can see the result in that photo. The nose cone also needed work - in the original, it had a grille inside whereas the kit only has a sort of cross-like pattern engraved in the plastic. So this had some brass mesh added: and so did the front part of the underside fairing: Here you can also see the colour that will be used as the base colour. Its Ford Oyster Gold Metallic paint from Halfords. I'll try to put some panel variation in to give it more interest. Finally, here is where I am as of this evening: I've drilled out the cannon barrels that stick out. The panel "lines" are the usual trenches that Imai uses, but I'm not going to do anything about that. You can see from the previous pics that I've started spraying the nose cone. The very front appears to be dark silver. I started with some Metallic Grey, but I think it needs to be darker,so next I'll add some Gun Metal. I've left the nose off so I can insert the cockpit later and save having to mask the windows. Edited June 18, 2013 by Kallisti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triumphfan Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I had heard this kit was bad but, sheesh !! Great work on the kit bashing so far, looks like you may end up with a good looking rendition of the Skydiver. Looking forward to following the progress. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natter Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Now that looks interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 HI, Kallisti, That is looking rather nice,could be tempted by this myself,....excellent work..imho cheers Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaelvk Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 That is way cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Thanks guys Be warned Don, its a bugger of a kit - LOTS Of filler and lots of inaccuracies. I've also got the Imai Shado Mobile but its even worse - cast tracks, silly motorised wheels and the back pops open to reveal a tiny Sky 1 to fly out! WTF!!! At least I have a Product Enterprise Shado Mobile to play with display on the shelf... ahem! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 You're a brave man. Looking forward to the end result. BTW, looking at the instructions, The vehicles, There seems to be room inside for a 3 point turn? They go in forwards, & come out forwards too! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 There must be a turntable in there as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 I used to love UFO, I will be watching this one with interest. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Bit more progress... Its down to painting now, basic colour is Ford Oyster Gold Metallic but lots of panel shading will be done plus various other black or silver strips and panels. Main thing that done is the base: It had to be done The base is an old picture frame with a scrap bit of MDF stuck on one side which supports the holes for the acrylic rods. it was then painted dark blue and layers of clear bathroom sealant were spread over it to build up the body of the water, with some thinned transparent blue sprayed between layers to give the colour depth. Highlights dry brushed with white artist acrylic paint and cotton wool glues around the acrylic rods to represent the exhausts. This one shows more of the paint job on Sky 1 The nose is just dry fitted in this shot - havn't put the cockpit in yet as too much paint spraying going on! More panel lines and white, black and red lines to go on... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 HI,K,that looks stunning,love the silicone,and shading,excellent job,worthy of a magazine build article easy,ive seen a similar diorama,but can honestly say,yours looks the best..imho...cheers Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Thanks Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 That base is very effective, not an easy thing to do and get right I'll bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triumphfan Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 That base is awesome!! Is that clear bathroom sealant? The stuff that smells REALLY, REALLY bad? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Oh yes - thank god I now have the shed to work in, even then I had to put it in the outside lean-too to dry so that it didn't stink the whole shed out. At one point my eyes were watering from the stinck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I've also got the Imai Shado Mobile but its even worse - cast tracks, silly motorised wheels and the back pops open to reveal a tiny Sky 1 to fly out! WTF!!! So...the Sky 1 kit has a miniature Shado Mobile inside, and the Mobile kit has a miniature Sky 1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Makes total sense doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowler0000 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Nice work as usual so far, Kal! Would usually say "I'll be following this one with interest", but by the time i write this, it'll be finished & you'll be onto an IMAI "Joe 90" flying car! (& that one is a REAL turd....!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 I've got one of those in the stash - I thought it looked quite reasonable from the plastic - well reasonable for an Imai kit that is 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 (edited) Small update this afternoon... more painting, this time individual panels and stripes. This is after adding silver, white black and Tamiya Gold strips and panels. The nose is still just dry fitted as yet, cockpit still need to be added after all the spray painting is done. No weathering yet and I had tried to doing a red line around the silver for the lower intake but that went horribly wrong so had to be oversprayed with Ford Oyster Gold and re-masked for the red line. That is currently drying in the shed. There are some thinner white and red lines that should be applied, but I think I'll do those from spare decals. Bought some 1:72 aircraft decals one with white lettering and other with Tornado decals to get various stencils, warning placards and assorted bits to decorate it with. Still need to do a silver square behind the cannon barrels, but that can wait until the cockpit is in and the nose can be joined properly. I'n not sure whether I should add a red line on the nose intake in front of the black one - some photos seem to show it others don't. It might be one of the discrepancies between the various sized studio models. Edited June 23, 2013 by Kallisti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 How very jolly interesting! The panel lines are quite wide aren't they? I do like the base though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 Lines? You mean trenches Par for the course for an Imai kit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 You've done great work on that kit! Don't know if you've seen this? http://www.eagletransporter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4569&page=13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 Yup seen it - that is one of my inspirations (and one of the sources of the "red stripe around the nose" question) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Great stuff, you seem to be whipping the kit into shape and the base is fantastic. When did IMAI get good - I've only made the Mole (which was fantastic) but it sounds like that's the only good one from your description of most of the others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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