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Practical1:72 Taiidan Interceptor (Homeworld)

PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
edited April 2011 in Work in Progress #1
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Like many gamers and science fiction fans, I loved Homeworld when it first came out. With designs clearly inspired by two of my favourite SF Illustrators - Peter Elson and Chris Foss, there were a lot of ships which looked 'the business'. And as a modeller (practical + 3D), I always knew I wanted to scratchbuild one, the problem was which one?

I settled on the Taiidan Interceptor. I like the idea that the ship was designed like an medieval night, lopsided with a big whopping weapon on one side, like a jouster's lance. The crazy colour scheme would really stick out nicely too from the drab greys that so many other unimaginative SF subjects seem to stick to.

What I also really liked about the Homeworld ship designs was they had a certain heft and weight to them - they really looked like they could be spaceships, with plenty of room for thrusters, fuel etc. Unlike the dinky little things in, say, Battlestar Galactica, which are designed tiny so the 1:1 props fit on a sound stage for shooting. In a 3D virtual environment, there's no such restriction.

A big shout out to Jon Aaron Kambeitz who I believe designed this. This is my favourite design from the first Homeworld. I had hoped to work on Homeworld 2... sadly it all happened a bit too quickly before I could get organised. However I can still get some consolation from building some of the ships to hold in my hands!

So here's my interpretation so far in styrene, epoxy and polyester putty, with a few bits and pieces from old kits.

While it's far from finished, I thought some of you might enjoy seeing the progress. I'll post updates hopefully on a weekly basis now.

Thanks for looking!

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PS: Been around for awhile... but I've never felt I had the time to contribute until now. Great to see such a fantastic community develop. Look for my WIPs in the appropriate 3d forums soon. Almost finished my Taiidan Scout in 3DS Max!
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Post edited by PetarB on
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  • HelotHelot391 Posts: 164Member
    I'd say you are off to a great start! You guys who do 'real 3D' a very inspiring. I have to agree, Homeworld is a great topic and those ships take me back. Good luck on the project (both :) ).
  • Klavs81Klavs81224 Posts: 197Member
    That is epic! I started this project myself a half dozen times, first in wood, then in styrene. The latest half-try was to get it printed in 3D. Sigh, so little time in the day. Good luck, I want one when you're done!
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    Had some time for some more work over the weekend.
    I finished the fuselage, which included top bulkheads and the bottom intake. Big relief to finalise that, as I'm keen to start detailing and scribing:

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    Next up, I started work on the cockpit area. I built the shape out of sheet styrene. But once I did I realised it would be way too flimsy without filling it somehow. Here the styrene mold being peeled off the 'bondo' (car filler) I put in it.

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    Then, after some drilling and hollowing:

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    And finally, after a bit of milling, and knifework, it was ready for fitting:

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    In the last picture you can see the first big mistake I made, in not securing the fuselage properly, the mill skipped its track and went over, damaging the area just outside and under the canopy. Not a huge fix, or fatal, but still annoying. That'll take around half an hour to fix, I'm thinking. It could have been a lot worse!

    I'm pleased with the weekends progress. Next weekend will be the detailing which should be a lot of fun. Thanks for looking!
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    Started detailing. But a coat of primer revealed a lot of extra putty between seams that I will have to take care of as well. Not a huge amount of progress over the weekend, but I'm getting there..

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    Matters were not helped by one of my children stepping on this while it dried outside. Don't ask how that could have happened!
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    Updates this weekend include detailing around the canopy, intake scoop underneath the fuselage, general detailing and paneling all over, and finally the connection points for the little winglets. I had hoped to get them on this weekend, but didn't quite get there...

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  • Klavs81Klavs81224 Posts: 197Member
    Can't believe no one else is commenting on this, Petar! Amazing, awesome work, it's so cool to see your scratchbuilding in progress, thanks for explaining all your techniques, and I love the extra details you're adding, like the loop around the cannon muzzle. Keep it up!
  • tobiasrichtertobiasrichter333 Posts: 0Member
    Awesome, indeed. Love homeworld and love "real" models as well - so IA’ll be watching this. Do you plan to make just one or a kit?
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    Thanks for the kind words from all of you.

    This is a one-off, no kit I'm afraid.

    Anyway, tonite I'll take a shot at the little winglets... and hope to put some paint on it next weekend, we'll see how we go!
  • Wow I was just looking through some old Homeworld concept art and found this through a Google search. Didn't even realize it was here! I absolutely LOVE the game and the art style, and this is really astounding, I love it. Please please finish it, that would be amazing. :)
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    Didn't get a chance to take pics this weekend sorry. Huge update next weekend though!
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    Time for an update.

    I missed last weekend. I had hoped to have more done in terms of painting but... I forgot what a pain yellow is in terms of coverage. It just doesn't seem to go over any sort of undercoat well, regardless of the type of paint. I've experimented on the wings, which you can see on the final pics.

    The the very last pic is the engines which I've found from Adler's Nest, they are awesome pieces of turned aluminium. I actually had a turn at putting them in, but I wont post pics yet... it was embarrassing! I hope to have them in next update.

    This is the last we will see the interior of the cockpit for some time - in the final pics you can see it sealed up - it will be sealed until the piece it finished, it will be the last thing to be uncovered due to the paint routine.

    The first pic shows some homebrew photo-etch.

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    You can see from the base colour of the wings that I've decided to go with the default yellow red. I think it's for the best. I can't wait to have the entire thing yellow, but next update should have red and yellow all blocked in. The masking job for the paint will probably be the most complex I've ever done, but I'm looking forwards to the challenge...

    Thanks for looking!
  • backsteptbackstept2018 Posts: 918Member
    dude . . . this is awesome
  • OzylotOzylot332 Posts: 0Member
    Gotta say, I'm not usually into this kind of modeling, but this is cool!!
  • JBJHJMJBJHJM0 Posts: 0Member
    Yeah! I love that design. And even more your model. Memories are brought back... but please don't do these red/yellow stripes!!!
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    JBJHJM wrote: »
    but please don't do these red/yellow stripes!!!
    Oh noes! Too late, sorry about that. In fact I felt this way exactly immediately after I removed the first masking session, detailed below.

    After I put the dark grey on, however, things looked a lot better!

    And suddenly - colour everywhere!

    There was a couple of accidents with overspray you can see, however, some judicious use of decals should cover them quite nicely!

    Matters were NOT helped by the masking tape being the same colour as the first colour paint layer!
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  • DannageDannage236 Posts: 634Member
    Been following the thread since August... Still looking for words to use.....
  • ChanurChanur191 53.33° N / 10.00° EPosts: 305Member
    Klavs81 wrote: »
    Can't believe no one else is commenting on this, Petar!

    I think, the people just sit with open mouths in front of their monitors, scrolling forward and backward through the pictures, unable to say anything :D

    Man, this is AWESOME!!!!
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    This weekend's update is the second last one... next weekend this little baby will be finished. I needed only a couple more hours this weekend that I didn't have. But with what I did have, I did all the decaling, and except for the top of the tail, finalised all the masking as well. All thats left to do is assembly, some light weathering, finish the twin canopies and install the engines. Here's my weekend's progress, starting with the last 'real' masking job, and the decals... the decals, my god, the decals! I think in the final pics (not yet) it will be clear they are everwhere. Some are custom made, some are 'assembled' from other decals, and others are just from spare decal sheets. Enjoy...

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  • MephMeph331 Posts: 0Member
    Good lord! That's an awesome, awesome build. Are you going to weather it?
  • salsasalsa171 Posts: 0Member
    *searches for jaw on floor*

    Nice.

    Although I do hope that the wing attachments are sturdier than they look.
  • JRL3001JRL3001331 Posts: 0Member
    Oh fricken WOW!! :o
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    salsa wrote: »
    Although I do hope that the wing attachments are sturdier than they look.
    The wing attachments are brass tubing (female) and aluminium rod (male) - and they go into both parts a couple of centimetres. It was planned from the beginning that they had to be sturdy... it was a big concern of mine, believe me! In the original, the wings are not attached, they just 'float', but that's a level of detail issue in the low--poly model.
  • salsasalsa171 Posts: 0Member
    Okay. My concerns are put to ease. Oh and I found my jaw, now it's just waiting for the next update.
  • TovetteTovette5 Posts: 13Member
    Of all that awesome and epic, that's great talent there. :O
  • japetusjapetus2937 SeattlePosts: 1,397Member
    AAAkk so awesome!!! I love the homeworld games...
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    This took out first prize in the StarShip Modeler 'StarFighters' competition a couple of days ago. I couldn't post finished pics previously because of this.

    Anyway, here are some final pics.

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    Thanks for looking!
  • japetusjapetus2937 SeattlePosts: 1,397Member
    Wow!! That turned out great! Congrats, that's a beautiful model! I love the little rocket engines in the back and the pliots and cockpit details. Too cool!
  • MephMeph331 Posts: 0Member
    Wow dude! That looks very, very amazing. Congratulations on a deserved win!

    Y'know, if you take some photo's with moody lighting, you could make jaw-dropping compositions in Photoshop...
    Hmmm, but since you've already shot him in front of a green screen.... eeenteresting...
  • PetarBPetarB0 Posts: 0Member
    You know, that's something I planned to do, but if anyone else feels the urge, go right ahead!
  • SyklonSyklon0 Posts: 0Member
    That's awesome dude, love all the little decals.
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