[Blackadder]

Would that there were an actual model.

Anyway after a great deal of studing of that which I do have, I've made an extensive revamping of the rear elevation.

After a week of work there appears to be very little difference visually but that belies the actual fact I assure you.

I tackled the quarter galleries once again this time from the top down which while difficult gives the structure more subsatnce.

http://imgur.com/F8HWBGh

The lower deck which I deemed "Engineering" now seems to have purpose.

http://imgur.com/xj1uSt4

I've only done one side of the quarter gallery but it appears to be the correct way to go since all the holes line up surprisingly.

http://imgur.com/2IOJdsH

I finally feel confident enough to apply surface skin to the central Keep and the roof as well.

http://imgur.com/U4cJ0JJ

 

[Blackadder]

The Skin Is In

Beginning to be installed that is. A major step forward for the long suffering Blackadder. I have finally reached a point where I am confident to commence applying a surface to the framework.

http://imgur.com/XDkhfwP

Henceforth the bewildering maze of framing material will start looking like a Titan body instead of a hodgepodge of waffle grids.

http://imgur.com/GPx1OKi

 

[Blackadder]

Only An Eighth of an Inch:

This past week I spent dozens of hours installing the skin on the many facets of the quarter panels.

When all was said and done there is an eighth of an inch discrepancy over the back of the model. (0.3175 cm).

Close enough for government work I keep telling myself.....

http://imgur.com/kpB4udI

This morning I'll put the two remaining panels on the quarters.and turn the deck right side up again.

http://imgur.com/uSBD8Db

Then I may attempt putting the whole of the top hamper on the legs and pelvis for an overall view of the complete model so far.
It's very heavy and difficult for one person to assemble without incident.

 

[Blackadder]

Hells Reach a Homage:

Having watched Helsreach for the dozenth time to get a feel for the next area of construction it was a good time to assemble the model again.

As stated previously; I need a perspective on the courtyard in front of the 'Keep'.

I want to have a staircase leading up to the entry flanked by the enormous statues but also bearing in mind the 2+ meter bore cannon that also will occupy that area as well.

http://imgur.com/P6N64rJ

It's also worthy of note that the pelvis, knees and ankles can be posed without toppling the entire structure so my concerns that the legs would not bear the mass of the structure were allayed.

http://imgur.com/wEpFA8h

You can see in the above image there is not a lot of room for my grandiose plans, especially a portico under the huge Volcano Cannon.

http://imgur.com/qn1gUSS

Another feature of which the casual reader may not be aware is that 'Invigilatus' (yes he now has a name) is fully articulated; almost as much as 'Leutus Vexant', my Warlord Titan.

He can be posed in almost any reasonable configuration; here seen stepping forward with his right leg.

http://imgur.com/Z2sN7me

.

My Obsessive attention to detail dictates all my projects have fully movable joints which gave me concerns about the strength of the joints.

But even with eight extra pounds of sand bags applied this morning, the joints remained viable.

I do still have to stabilize the ankle joints which is why he is propped against the bookcase.

This was the cause of the recent toppling's and I am working on a solution.

http://imgur.com/L3kDYwG

Rear elevations coming soon.....

 

[Old Man78]

Splendid, splendid, work, that pose really suites the beast, as if something has suddenly piqued its interest and will soon be obliterated by cleansing plasma fire! Good to see you the wuflu didn't get you, keep safe

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the reply Old Man78 Glad to see you're still around...

Whoops again!

It looks like I promised but didn't deliver.... Why doesn't someone tell me these things......

When last I posted I promised some rear views of the superstructure but forgot to post them. Not only that but I didn't even copy them to the Imgur site as well.

So here are the prodigal promised images starting with the current side view:

http://imgur.com/0fjgJdw

The only thing wrong is that one of the corner balustrades is a bit tilted which is fine because nothing is glued yet and I may have to make some changes when I make the crenulations.

The Rear view shown here also presents a problem because it appears the legs are too short (to my eye at least and I might have to lengthen the thigh sections a couple of inches or about 5 Centimeters.

http://imgur.com/d50lgVD

I had this problem with my Warlord as well and it took me a few tries to get the legs to the proper proportions.

Again the quarter view shows the legs look too short but until the top-hamper is relatively complete I'll just have to back burner the fix.... It's no big deal structure wise to remedy the defect if is in fact an actual problem.

http://imgur.com/ZqYoaYf

It may be that the massive white edifice presents an optical illusion and the legs are sufficiently long.

Hey! Who wouldn't like to be a couple of inches taller?

 

[Blackadder]

Just Winging It Now

I'm just winging it now because there aren't any details of the inner courtyard or the façade of the central Keep.

What little I can glean from the HelsReach video shows the roof of the Keep and two Pillars where I have the full statues but more and more I don't think I can work them into the architecture.

http://imgur.com/BGpYXu6

There's supposed to be a humongous Cannon under the gabled roof which I will allow for but the statues will have to go.

I also need two more pillars further forward flanking the cannon muzzle.

http://imgur.com/cY1gj6A

I also need two more pillars further forward flanking the cannon muzzle.

http://imgur.com/cY1gj6A

Some Stained Glass windows flanking the gable might work.

I can't wait to start detailing this monster.

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the reply and welcome aboard...

Subject To Change:

On the third or fourth go around for this area I've decided to scrap the interior courtyard and replace the central area with the Volcano cannon housing.

http://imgur.com/FlY0Nex

The two central compartments will now be connected by a nave and an apse at the other end.

http://imgur.com/MxUksnH

Some of the upper deck will have to be amended to accommodate these new additions

http://imgur.com/BNbqHAr

Fun and Games.....

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the replies;

Christmas Holiday

A bit of doldrums over the Christmas Holiday so yesterday I sheathed the surface of the towers on either side of the cannon enclosure and fabricated the square spires topping them. I hate making spires, the work is slow and tedious and the Emperor Titan has dozens of them in various sizes.

http://imgur.com/uHWTStO

These are rather robust but the four corner compartments have eight spires each and the Keep roof has four as well and the nave roof have four as well.

http://imgur.com/E5XFlCN

Just hunkering down and getting the job done is what it'll take.

But first the roof of the Volcano cannon enclosure. That'll be the fun part of this week's project.

 

[Blackadder]

Something New:

I'm trying something new on the Volcano Cannon housing.

We'll see if I can bring it off....

This first image after much trial shows the peaked housing of the cannon and the truncated upper works of the roof.

http://imgur.com/v2z98c7

Next the sides....

http://imgur.com/Sox0OaW

http://imgur.com/cHGxVFN

Finally the installation of the reinforcing strips that will allow the curved roof corner joints some stability.

http://imgur.com/EjXax4I

 

[Blackadder]

A Rainy Day:

I'm beginning to think I could effect a cure for a rainy day. This roof has exceeded my expectations and now I am wishing I took more pains with the preliminaries.

http://imgur.com/EA58kHV

Aside from some excess amounts of glue that partially dissolved the surface (which I can rationalize as; "battle damage") the curved roof panels will be sufficient for my purposes.

http://imgur.com/UzTljqY

Here is seen how the panels are held in place whilst the glue is drying.

http://imgur.com/jRKdUwf

This building will be the first that receives the finishing details.

 

[Old Man78]

A volcano cannon, why monsieur, you are spoiling us!!

 

[Blackadder]

The volcano cannon was always on the schedule. It was just a matter of scale and work time. And thanks for the reply.

Meanwhile:

Central Dome:

The Central Dome will occupy the middle of the superstructure in this model seen here in a top view image

http://imgur.com/0GHdunT

And in the rough placement on the upper deck:

http://imgur.com/KDpqBJS

Now I need to find the Aquila template from my old Warlord work????

 

[Blackadder]

Here come the eagles....

No not the 'Lords of the Ring' eagles but the 40K Imperial eagles.

It took me the better part of this week to make 4 of these plus a paper and plastic template for future use.

http://imgur.com/Frac3Yr

http://imgur.com/1TwZD4w

It hardly looks like a week's production but it's most gratifying to get these done.

http://imgur.com/rL798Pc

Now it remains to glue the pieces to a sheet of 0.010 styrene (seen below with the bodies already glued in place.

And trim to size for the Dome structure previously shown.

 

[Blackadder]

Two Weeks in the Making:

At this rate it's going to take decades to finish this thing. Hardly the project for someone who's reluctant to purchase green bananas.

But Hey; the fun is in the building and I did have fun creating these eagles.... Not! It was an arduous task principally because I hate repetition.

So here's the result and I'm pretty pleased with it.

http://imgur.com/HxySykF

All four sides have the same Aquila but each is an individual and I had to chose which one looked best on each side

http://imgur.com/lRliuPl

but for all my angst they all look pretty much the same.

http://imgur.com/TJVj8Jb

The bird's eye view(groan) shows them off the best.

Martini time,

Skoal.

 

[Blackadder]

Two Weeks in the Making:

At this rate it's going to take decades to finish this thing. Hardly the project for someone who's reluctant to purchase green bananas.

But Hey; the fun is in the building and I did have fun creating these eagles.... Not! It was an arduous task principally because I hate repetition.

So here's the result and I'm pretty pleased with it.

http://imgur.com/HxySykF

All four sides have the same Aquila but each is an individual and I had to chose which one looked best on each side

http://imgur.com/lRliuPl

but for all my angst they all look pretty much the same.

http://imgur.com/TJVj8Jb

The bird's eye view(groan) shows them off the best.

Martini time,

Skoal.

 

[Blackadder]

Eohippus:

A horse is a horse of course, of course....

Yesterday my better half said this looked like a dinosaur.

Today she said it looked like an Eohippus.... Huh! What do women know.

I think it looks like a stylized Aquila and I like it.

http://imgur.com/ca4jaQZ

And birds descended from Dinosaurs so I'm on the right track anyway.

You wouldn't believe how much work went into this decoration:

http://imgur.com/x2PKJsi

Of course I also had to deal with a foot of snow in three separate storms this past week which is a lot for my area anyway.

So I tacked the work temporarily to the center edifice and it looks pretty good.

http://imgur.com/Dm2bIaj

I'm going with it.

 

[Old Man78]

It looks great to me old boy, and if it keeps you from hanging around on street corners, it can't be bad

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks for posting.

Everything Is Roses:

Even the mistakes are working out; almost as if they were planned.

The 100.00 caliber (2,54 meter) quake cannon emplacement is coming along and should allow for a 45° elevation when completed. The two stylized Aquila fit the trunnion covers exactly and allow for the side sheathing. I fortunately did not cut of the outer edge.

http://imgur.com/gAvY7Ef

The forward façade has the look of a helmeted face which was purely unintentional.

http://imgur.com/rClPAc8

And the aerial view works as well.

 

[Old Man78]

I know it's still far from complete, but have you thought of a paint scheme? Will it be the metal dust you used before or something different because it's the boss titan