Halcyon Aliens Dropship
1/72nd Scale

Page 6, cleaning up
Page Number

if it ain't one thing...it's another

Fiber Optics, Plasticard, Wiring Up
...And An 'Oh Bugger it!' Moment Thrown in For Good Measure

Greetings all and a hearty welcome back to the hellhole.
Right then, to quote Lord Farquhar of Shrek fame...

"Knights!, new plan!!"

After the last update, the client has a change of brain and asked if any lighting could be put in the APC bay.

Well after some thinking and a coffee or three, the nod of a yea persuasion was given and out with the fiber optic.
Now where the lights appear to be, that is to say in two rows of holes in the ceiling,
the back three in each row were the only really accessible ones.

Now I know the full size set thing and the model had some form of strip lighting running vertically up the back wall.
But to me that just looks a bit off for a military vehicle.
Plus there was no way to fit 'em due to the battery pack being wedged in where it is.
Well that's my excuse and i'm sticking with it.

Anyway, drilled a small hole in each of the light positions and got to it.
Four strands of FO each hole, each strand heat bent to 90 degrees and installed.
Excess chopped off and the aluminium foil tape applied.




So all fitted in neat like to make sure the top plate kit part still fitted and time for a test of sorts.




Ok so time for a looksee with the thing the proper way up.
Lights off then on sorta deal.








Well so far so good.
Not perfect but I really did not think that trying to chop the top forward parts off
to get at the rest of the light points was a good idea so it will have to suffice.
i'll fit them out with a disc of diffuse plastic just to even things out a bit.
Onward!
Next on the chopping block so to speak are the front door like things for the forward landing gear.
Here's a screen shot showing the said pieces with the lights in 'em.


So the parts don't exist as such in the kit for some unknown reason.
Never mind.
So out mit der plasticard and copy the shape of the pieces that the front landing gear is supposed to fit on to.
A close enough approximation with a hole in each to fit the FO lighting.




So a four strand FO bunch heat bent and fitted to each door and those then fitted to the landing gear plates.
A swift setup test...




Okedoke then, that done, some tidying up to do.
Well gap filling if you will.
Namely the sodding great big gap under the belly where the cockpit meets the rest.
Thankfully, Mr. Milliput to the rescue.
Also some plastic removed to better represent the forward gear bays and a suggestion of a door from the cockpit into the bay.
Also removed the raised round area on the centerline under the cockpit.
i'll replace that with a better detailed part, and also give it the off set from the centerline it actually has.










So gear doors in position and FO threaded through.


That lot left alone for a while, cleanup and make good to come later.

Now to that 'oh bugger it' moment I mentioned at the head of the page.
Now there was me thinking I was done with the lighting lark but not so.
Take a look at the pic below...yes you have seen it before...


Well it took a while but I eventually noticed the red and green marker lights on the outside of the weapons pods at the front.
Just never noticed the wee buggers before...
Ho-hum...
Out with the parts,
The drill,
The FO,
The filler,
The plasticard,
The prozac...








i'll treat those ends to some Tamiya clear colour and a spot of clear epoxy and that will sort them out.
So parts trimmed up and fitted.
All FO tidied up into one bundle and top plate fitted in a permanent fashion.






Time for a quick slap on of a temporary LED light source for a looksee.






As near sorted as dammit.
That done, so LED fitted proper.
Some of the engine parts fitted where they should be and battery pack, charging socket and switch bunged into place.
The socket and switch will be fairly well out of noticeable sight when the rear landing gear leg is fitted in and paintwork done.




And that's the lot for now people.
Battery pack is getting a nice trickle charge at this time and i'm in the midst of casting up all the replacement weapons.
More on that and related silliness next update.
You lot go easy now, see ya next time for more of the same nonsense!

Captain Slog: Additional...

Battery pack charged up nicely overnight and just a few quick pics to hold ya over 'till next time.














Page 6, cleaning up
Page Number