discussion Steve's 1/32 Revell Terracruzer with MACE missile

[minitnkr]

Shaping up nicely.

 

[papa 695]

Great work so far Steve,

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

So here is the latest update. I have managed another full day on the build and completed the trailer / rocket carrier. This was a bit of a technical challenge as all the hinges and pistons that you can see in the pictures are moving parts. With over 74 parts to this section of the build getting everything to stay in place until the last chassis brace went on to stiffen it all up was a challenge. I had bits of tape and string pulling bits together because mechanisms just kept popping out. Anyway its now done.

so from this

To this

And you end up with this




And here are some of the full model now loosely assembled


The good new is that I have gone as far as I can go now and there are no parts missing from the kit which is a relief. Everything is now built up ready for painting but there is a little bit of filling and sanding to do on some of the parts. I still have things like wing mirrors and lights to attach but they will go on at the end.
In terms of the paint job. I do not like the blue of the vehicle and the orange MACE missile which I believe were test missiles. I am tempted to go for a traditional army green for the vehicle and maybe aluminium for the rocket. I would be interested to here your opinions on this.
I have to say this model is growing on me. Revell have done a great job in terms of the fitting of the pieces and quality of the plastic. Apart from the lack of clear plastic for the cab glass windows I have no criticism whatsoever of the quality of this kit.

 

[scottie3158]

It is an interesting kit and you are making a great job of it.

 

[papa 695]

tempted to go for a traditional army green for the vehicle and maybe aluminium for the rocket.

I think that’s the way to go Steve.

 

[Richard48]

Wow sorry i missed this.What a whopper.Certainly different but eyecatching.Great stuff.
Richard

 

[Ernie]

Excellent work! The model looks great, and it is encouraging that it is decently detailed and goes together so well. I am enjoying your build and it is getting me interested in digging mine out of the stash and taking a bash at it.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

I haven't gone to sleep on this I promise. Progress has been slow due to other commitments but I have still managed to prepare and prime the model, not worth posting photos as there is not much to look at, and have just started with the paint. As stated earlier I have binned off the Airforce Blue and Orange MACE missile and have gone for something more pleasing to the eye which is Drab Olive for the vehicle and Aluminium with Olive nose cone for the missile. I will get some photos up shortly when some significant progress has been made.

 

[boatman]

YES Steve im enjoyin your build as i see this model in a model shop in NORWICH a the missle was a bright orange
i'll be watchin now
chrisb

 

[Ian M]

A most interesting subject of which I have never heard of It looks a bit Gerry Anderson to me but thats not a bad thing.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

So here is the latest. Regarding the MACE missile. The kit instructions tell you not to glue in place the missile wings. There are 4 lugs that are moulded into the underside of the wing that slot into 4 holes on the missile fuzz. This means you can either display the model with the wings in the open, ready for flight scenario, or in a folded up and fixed to the missile fuzz in a transportation mode. I didn't like this idea as with the wings fixed in the ready for flight mode you would have these 4 holes in the missile sides showing and 4 bits of plastic showing under the wing.
With that in mind I have decided to glue the wings into position and fill the holes in the missile fuzz and remove the plastic lugs.
Here is the missile with wings now fixed and lugs sanded back

Here are the holes in the fuzz where the lugs would have located.

I have used some sprue to fill the holes using normal plastic cement When dry they will be trimmed down, sanded and filled.

Next onto the painting. The auxilery rocket motors that attach to the MACE missile were often painted red so to add a bit of colour I have gone with that option. I think it goes well with the drab olive of the vehicle.


And just a few pics of the vehicle parts now painted in drab olive.


The Olive colour has highlighted some more seam work to tidy up that hasn't shown earlier so I will be on with that and then getting the trailer painted. Still plenty to do.

 

[scottie3158]

Looking good Steve.

 

[Steven000]

Nice progress Steve, good idea to glue the wings in place and fill up the holes. The new paintscheme will make it more interesting indeed. Have fun

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Thanks Paul

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Thanks Steve.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Latest update. So the MACE Missile on this kit is a large model in itself. The missile alone is 16 inches long with a wing span of 9 inches. Having ditched the idea of the orange test missile I went for the more conventional aluminium operational missile. However having painted it aluminium it just looked too darn boring.


Even though it has decals to go on I just felt it needed ramping up a bit. So whilst I know it will upset some purists among the group I decided to give it a bit of a face lift by adding a darker tone of metalic finish onto certain parts of the missile namely the top side and wings. I used a mix of Revell Met90 darkened with Revell Met 53.


This is the result. Personally I think it has improved the appearance without destroying the overall effect of the aluminium. With the decals on I think it will look quite a beast if not totally authentic. Also went for the painted black warhead that often made an appearance on the operational missiles I believe.


Other work completed are wheels now primed and painted with Revell Matt 9, all wheel axels now fitted in place together with vehicle tool boxes that sit behind the cab. Decals have been put on trailer and on the cab. Reason I have put them on before the model is completed is that I will be fitting some windows into the cab. I didn't want to be masking off and spraying varnishes etc when they were fitted so t just seemed easier to get the decals on and sealed in and then fit the cab out and just stick the roof on to complete. Thats the plan.
Here are just a couple more of this giant of a kit which comes in at 22 inches when assembled. Thanks for looking.

 

[Jim R]

Well I like the variation in metallic finish. Looking great and the decals will make it even better.

 

[Steven000]

Nice progress Steve, I like the new color scheme, makes it more interesting indeed

 

[Andy T]

Wow, that's a size and a half!

Looking great so far.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Started with the decals today. I am assuming that this kit is old although its hard to establish if it was an original moulding from 1982 as it is marked or if its been manufactured later. The box was showing signs of serious ageing so its hard to tell just how old the decals are. Reason I mention this is they have gone on a treat, no dramas whatsoever. Got the main ones on and going to let these dry properly before sticking on the remaining thin black stripes that go along the missile fuzz.


I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now and should have this bad boy finished this week. I need move it on as it takes up all my workbench. Unlike some of you lucky chaps I have limited model space and this is the largest model I have put together. Below you can see what little space is left when this thing is on the table. Thanks for looking.