Hey guys,
Time to introduce this project to the world.
Back in early 2008 i visited the Star Wars exhibit in Brussels, with the sole purpose of taking pics of the ANH Death Star Laser Turret, Turbo Laser, Gun Turret or whatever you want to call it. I was lucky and the miniature was placed directly next to the edge of the display case, and took nearly 200 pics. God knows how i made 200+ pics of something so (relatively) simple.
I bought kits, made molds, and did 2d and 3d cad work in AutoCAD and Rhino.
Last sumer i rekindled that project while working on the APC's. So as not to interfere with the latter, i spent very very little time on it, but was somewhat shocked that it progressed much faster than the APC's. Sure, the geomotery lends itself to it, but it was obvious i had much to learn.
Now here's the thing. I will produce and offer these as partial kits, but NOT the donor kitparts. Nearly all parts will be machined from styrene or abs, just like the original. I'll break up the model, and offer each section seperately when it's ready, so you can buy whatever you like, and not just the entire model. This also shortens the 'time-to-market' if i may call it that.
When the APC's start hitting the airmailwaves, i'll slowly start up producing the parts for this model. The APC's are simply first in line.
A pre-order list will be opened before that (probably this week), and when your parts are ready to ship, you'll receive a PM or email to cough up the dough. Very different from all earlier offerings, but this is simply the way it should be done. And shame on me for not doing so earlier.
Without much further ado, here's the pics.
Earlier 3d version. The inner rings covered in the T-strip are not present, neither are the kit donor parts, except for the Mig 21 engine barrels.
Some of the kitparts that i got. Man, don't you just love that 1/48 Panther G. It's everywhere. I did buy the wrong 1/24 Panther for the rear deck, though.. aaarghh. It should have been the Jagdpanther. Something i know now due to the talented Cwkwankoo.
Bottom of the pic shows the plastruct T-strip (#T6, 4.8mm x 4.8mm x 1.5mm thick ).
The bog rolls on the left are actually papercovered, roughcut plastruct tubing for the barrels. Slots still have to be machined on those.
The base of the turret. Made up of 5 sides of 4mm styrene. Slots on the front, each rear has machined chamfered edges so they fit together perfectly. The base of the real miniature was so close to the glass, that i could take some dims, so this is probably as close to the real deal as you will get it.
Sure, the engraved lines are machined, so straight, as compared to hand made and wobbly on the original.
This is the first kit part to go up for offer, and will be made identical.
Each side, and the top, is covered in 1mm rectangular pieces. All pieces are included, and numbered, with a guide included.
The 'blocks' that sit at the rear of the barrels. Not finished yet. At the bottom of the pic is that slanted block that's underneath the Sherman parts.
Before i got the plastruct T-strip, i modeled and machined them from styrene. What a waste of time. Alas...
Cheers,
Wasili
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