KuhnGlobal TOS SS Colonial Viper

[Hand Solo]

Here it is. The beginnings of CDR Cain's viper from Galactica Classic. This is the MIM ( Monsters In Motion ) resin kit.

I've gotten the fuselage sections pinned and glued. I'm in the process of fixing the underside by building it up so that all heights are uniform. I've removed all the molded-in T-channel and will be replacing it with Evergreen T.

If you look closely, you'll see the canopy frame has rivets in it. Those were done with white glue and a toothpick.

 

[Hand Solo]

Well, I got the bottom rebuilt and got the ship in gray and black primer...

 

[IFA]

I'm really impatient to see the ending of this making :love

FRED

 

[Apophis]

Looks good Bob, im building the same kit for a client, and i have to rebuild the "t" rails too.

 

[RKW]

If Kuhn was a kind man he would have binned that POS and saved you the hassel.

I don't think there is one detail that doesn't require re-doing on the MIM kit. The worst part is the gap at the top after the engines are joined to the middle section because some of the detail has been sliced off.

If you hold the intakes upto the light you will probably find huge pockets of trapped air.

 

[Hand Solo]

I alleviated that gap somewhat by squaring up both sections on a belt sander and the intakes on this one were actually free of air bubbles and voids that I could see.

And Kurt IS a kind man, no doubt about it. Besides, once you've had one of those DeSanto Vipers in your hands ( that was done by whats-his-face here last year ), you'll never look askance at THIS kit again.... I've definitely seen worse.

 

[Kuhn Global]

Excellent! Thank you Bob!

I must admit, this Viper was purchased WELL before I met our own Jesse Meyers or Jim Key. I will be adding one of Jesse's Vipers to the list eventually... probably done in the Standard SS Galactica Viper scheme.

With this build, Bob is putting his well known creative nature to work with his rendition of Ol' CDR Cain's beastie bird from the Pegasus. It was his idea and I think it a GREAT one! I love to see variations from time to time.

As usual, I know it will be AWESOME!! And, between myself and all of his new clients, his plate is filling fast... if not overflowing already! LOLOLOLOLOL As everyone here knows,.. this always happens with the creative builders! LOLOLOLOL Fantastic! cool:thumbsup

GREAT WORK BOB! You have me chomping at the bit!

 

[PHArchivist]

For whatever short-comings it has, this kit builds up nicely. I'm a firm believer that what comes first and last is the paint job (especially for "normal" folks, not nuts like us!). And I KNOW Bob's paint-up on this will be stunning. I can't wait to see it.

So not to derail the thread, Kurt and Bob, PM me if you'd like to see mine take on this kit.

 

[Hand Solo]

^ Rob, no need to PM you. Post it up!

 

[Hand Solo]

Meanwhile.... I've applied the base color, a custom color of my own recipe.

The photos don't show the masking for the markings yet. I got to that stage tonight.

 

[DarthElvis]

I have had my eyes peeled for an Icons SS Viper....however, after seeing this one I am intrigued. So far, my collecting has been limited to prop replicas and busts. I would really like to add some nice studio scale models too. Most notably, they TOS Viper and the Buck Rogers Thunderfighter.

Obviously, I am very new to this, so how would I go about finding a nice studio scale kit and then commissioning the build? I don't want to hijack this thread, so please let me know if I need to open a new one. Any help would be appreciated.

John (DarthElvis)

 

[Kuhn Global]

I am a smiling man!

I just LOVE to view these pieces coming to life!

Viewing Bob's progress on this beastie, my excitement stirs, and I may end up calling Jesse in order to get a few more to do a sqaudron for display like we did with the X-Wings.

Thoughts?

 

[Hand Solo]

Thoughts?

Well, you know I'm all for that. We could even do Purple and Orange Squadrons.... ( Purple and Orange Squadrons? But sir... we don't have Purple and Orange Squadrons! ) lovelol

 

[Kuhn Global]

LOLOLOLOL... That is a great scene!

It would probably just a partial of the Blue Squadron. My thoughts are Apollo, Boomer, Jolly, Greenbean, and possibly even Zack. It's too bad they weren't defnitive in their markings with the studio models. I guess you'd just have to make some of your own to define them, eh? Like what you are doing with this Cdr. Cain build!

 

[Hand Solo]

Well, Zac will be pretty easy. I only need to scorch the high engine and vertical stab.

( Where can I find a... woman like that... )

 

[PHArchivist]

Here are some shots of my nearly completed MiM Viper. i think my fully complete "Hero" shots are on the other hard drive...

 

[Kuhn Global]

Very nice Rob! cool:thumbsup

 

[Apophis]

Here are some pics of the studio scale "starbuck" viper:

 

[PHArchivist]

Very nice Rob! cool:thumbsup

Thanks Kurt! I'm sure Bob will do better! But as mentioned earlier, the kit builds up nice. And can you tell the studio shots Apophis posted are in my reference collection!?

I chose to go particularly heavy on the weathering on mine - especially on the panel lines. I did so considering that what we viewed on TV was diminished by studio lighting, perhaps not the best of video/film technology, etcetera. Up close, (within three feet of the model) my weathering looks a tad too much. But from five feet or more, it looks just right - like what we saw on TV as snot-nosed pre-pubescent 12 and 13 year olds!

 

[PHArchivist]

Couple more comments on mine FWIW... I elected to do the "heavier weathering on the leading edge of a panel, fading as it trails" technique simply because I think it looks cool! But it doesn't seem to exist on the original models.

Also, I (clearly) used the Harrier pilot, as seen in the model shown in the sci-fi modeling book "Famous Ships of Fact and Fantasy"...

Finally, I toyed with doing the rust-colored mounting port cover just forward of the nose, but ultimately oped not to.