engines
top side2
top side
top
nose
structure bottom
structure top
nude side
nude top
This was supposed to be the second Rag-Tag Fleet ship. Early on I tried to figure how to mate the two vacuformed main components together, but I was uncomfortable with how they fit. It wasn't until I was almost finished two other ships that I got these components together for a distinctive shape.
Detailing started aft. The two pipes were the same diameter as the things I used as Star Wars prequel-esque legs, so on they went, purpose to be decided much later. I could have kept the nose round, but I thought the points would be more interesting. The top was added to cover the shape that was already vacuformed there. The main engine was a little unusual for me, but the two main components were found together in the same parts box, so I permanently mated them. How romantic!
There was nothing romantic about the rest of the build. It seemed to be equal parts "Cover the side seam" and "Detail the flat parts". Overall, the detailling is a bit fussy, and not particularly vintage RTF, for all the time it took.
Painting started as gray primer. Then I sprayed all the detail bits and hidden parts black so that anything I missed with the main colors would have some artificial depth. I also pre-shaded the top and bottom, which looked real good under the yellow, but which disappeared under the red and green. The red is pretty-much Insignia Red, but the green should have been equally standard green instead of SAC Bomber Green. Live and learn.
The decals are JTGraphics', commisioned back in November '03. Unlike RTF1, I didn't spray the whole ship black-ink-in-Future, just the bottom-third of the ship and the original pre-shading lines. And, unlike the plucked chicken, I splurged on a whole can of Testor's Flat lacquer instead of a little Krylon Flat enamel.
