Possible re-tooling of the Republic Gunship?

[Ando]

[FONT=Courier New]Very nice, Bar! Those wings look REALLY thin!!![/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New]I assume you'll probably be getting the Lucky Lekku WM Gunship?[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New]I am hoping to get 2-3 of them, but if I can find paint to match the body and therefore get rid of the individualized paint job making it a generic ship, I will get more.[/FONT]

[Bar]

[FONT=Courier New]Very nice, Bar! Those wings look REALLY thin!!![/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New]I TOTALLY removed the lower half, and skinned the top half to remove all the screw recievers and framework.[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Then i skinned the bottom with styrene and rebuilt the lower frames.[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]I still have to fabricate the cupolas that frame the lower part of the ball turrets on the wings, and do all the scribing/panelling work.[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]I am currently out of the hardener for the sillicone i use, but when more arrives, i will mix up a batch and cast the forward doorways. Then i will use the first casting to super-detail, cut out the windows, and scribe the panels.[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]I will post pics here when the first castings are done.[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New]I assume you'll probably be getting the Lucky Lekku WM Gunship?[/FONT]

Surprisingly, probably not...
If the tooling hasn't changed, i won't need it...(Unless the Lucky Lekku decal is seperate...)
And even then, if anyone here gets the new Gunship and could scan the decal for me, i could reproduce it that way... If not, i will just use this image.

[FONT=Courier New]

I am hoping to get 2-3 of them, but if I can find paint to match the body and therefore get rid of the individualized paint job making it a generic ship, I will get more.

[/FONT]

I will be mixing up some paint to get the base colour, and i will be making two variants:
An AOTC version(Only the back doors and it will have two properly scaled bubble turrets), and
Lucky Lekku TCWM version(With no front doorways, and the new front hatch doors too).
But the beauty of these builds is that i could do one paint scheme, take a lot of pics, and then re-paint it. Because most of my "colleagues" are abroad and will never see the actual model, the pics are the most important part for me! If i save the images, then the model can last forever in the images!
Bar.

[SplFrcsCWO]

Are you going to offer any parts for sale?

[Bar]

Well i am not sure about that.
I certainly don't want to step on Hasbro's toes.
But surely if they DON'T intend to produce upgrade parts, and only release the Gunship "as is", i can't be doing aything that bad by making a few sets for collectors.
I'd leave that up to you guys to decide on the legality of it.
What say you?
Bar.

[Ando]

[FONT=Courier New]These 2 guys don't seem to have a problem...[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]I think as long as you say "custom" and say something to the effect that you're not affiliated with LFL or Hasbro, you should be okay.[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]http://cgi.ebay.com/Star-Wars-Republic-Gunship-turrets-1-pair_W0QQitemZ160278379915QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 160278379915&_trkparms=72%3A1143%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A3 %7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]http://cgi.ebay.com/Star-Wars-Custom-Clone-Republic-Gunship-Turrets_W0QQitemZ180284772962QQcmdZViewItem?hash=i tem180284772962&_trkparms=72%3A1143%7C39%3A1%7C66% 3A3%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14[/FONT]

[Bar]

Okay.
I see what you're saying(God, the size of those turrets just goes to show how NOT 1/18 the Gunship really is!!!)
That's cool.
I will not be ebaying these panels though.
If i DID make a few, it would just be done to whoever wanted them here.
I wouldn't make any money, just cover my costs.
But i will not guaratee these will go on sale. When i have done a job on them that i consider them GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME, they will probably satisfy you guys!!!
One thing i will say right now, is that the front doorway covers will probably not cantilever open like the back ones(It would be so difficult to engineer, i'd need to take apart each Gunship to do it!!!). I am working on a system where it can be held closed, or open, but there will be no mechanism for opening it with a hinge...
I am looking into the best system for attaching the pieces, of course. I am thinking a few well-placed magnets might be in order.
If that's the best way, i will get a supply of them and offer them with the pieces.
Bar.

[Phantom-like Menace]

I saw this at Wal-Mart and was planning to get it. Fifty bucks for a gunship I didn't need, but I was a sap for the customizable decals.

Well, they're not customizable. The Twi'ilek female on the nose is painted on, and you can't opt for another design nor use the spare decal for another gunship. So for fifty bucks, I really can't make myself buy it, despite how cool the nose art looks.

But on the plus side, for about as much money, I can get the Conquest and Rattler from Target, and I probably will.

[SplFrcsCWO]

I broke down and bought one anyway. I only have the first version, for comparison, but the paint job really stands out.

[Bar]

Feel free to post pics, dude.
I'd love to see them.
Bar.

[Val Da Car]

(Hands Up)

I am in for a couple...if you end up with a few spares!!!

Okay.
I see what you're saying(God, the size of those turrets just goes to show how NOT 1/18 the Gunship really is!!!)
That's cool.
I will not be ebaying these panels though.
If i DID make a few, it would just be done to whoever wanted them here.
I wouldn't make any money, just cover my costs.
But i will not guaratee these will go on sale. When i have done a job on them that i consider them GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME, they will probably satisfy you guys!!!
One thing i will say right now, is that the front doorway covers will probably not cantilever open like the back ones(It would be so difficult to engineer, i'd need to take apart each Gunship to do it!!!). I am working on a system where it can be held closed, or open, but there will be no mechanism for opening it with a hinge...
I am looking into the best system for attaching the pieces, of course. I am thinking a few well-placed magnets might be in order.
If that's the best way, i will get a supply of them and offer them with the pieces.
Bar.