Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I was just musing over my grav tank design and I realized something: None of the rules regarding "floating" vehicles apply to any sort of repulsorlift system -- if the author says they don't. After all, any adverse or beneficial effects can be added in or removed by the author as they see ...

Bringing this across from rallymodeller 's thread on "Navy Hovertanks":- My take on this; A "tank" is a land vehicle, once it becomes a seagoing vessel it becomes a "ship" or "boat". Anti-gravitational devices basically make any such powered vehicle an aircra...

Rallymodeler, thanks for the clarification. I think you're correct, but with this caveat - at 300mph (or even 'kph') a 60+ tonne object will have very large turn radii, yes? Heh. Already thought of that. Sea-based grav vehicles can use something land-based ones cannot -- drag brakes. Picture it. Yo...

I suppose I should specify. I was actually thinking about grav-assist tanks used in a Navy fashion, not as ground-support but, as I said, as littoral warfare or riverine craft. Anti-shipping and so forth (after watching the anime "Tactical Roar" future Navy operations are kind of on my min...

As I was puttering around with my old, beat-up Cheetah gravpanzer (new engines, some new armament, scale change) I had a thought: A very efficient hovertank would be really useful for other than land-warfare uses. A fast, hovering vehicle with the armour and armament of a tank would be unbelievably ...

That's what I had intended in the first place: that it should provide some inspiration.

Well, the question is moot anyway -- the thing is currently undergoing a major rebuild/rethink.

Hey, you got a Dalek head mounted on there!

The tank is lookin' good...

I don't like to touch cones. They cost me two seconds each.


Yes, that's me in my old 280ZX.

Gave methanol a try today with PollyScale.

Red -- fantastic. Worked very well.

Green -- not so much. Got a little gooping. Gonna try washer fluid tomorrow and see haw that goes. If all else fails I can hit the art supply stores.

I'm about to take the plunge -- I'm getting rid of my enamel paints. Goodbye little tins of Humbrol! But I'm not really familiar with the ins and outs of acrylic paint. I've been reading all the threads I could about acrylic paint to get my head around a new (for me) finishing medium. So here's my q...

Got a weird one I'll throw in the ring for paint stripping, but bear in mind it comes with some caveats: Automotive brake fluid. The thing about brake fluid is that once the bottle is opened, it must be used right away or it is no longer good for putting in your brake system. You see, it's hydrophil...

OK. read through the entire thread and I have a question that was lightly touched on earlier but not really answered: I'm painting my current model with Xtracolor paints (enamel), will be doing a Future coat to seal, and 2 flat coats (one to allow for pastel weathering and one to seal it all up). No...

I've noticed that most of the designs, started and discussed, are using future tech/SF-ish technologies. If a 'hovertank' uses other technologies, such as ducted fans, air cushions, direct fan lift or rocket power, does it still qualify as a hovertank? I've got to ask you one question. Does it hove...

"Crazing" is where the paint gives the plastic a fine, alligator-skin-like appearance and texture. The solvent in the paint reacts badly to the styrene and lifts bits of it up. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture available so I can't illustrate, but it is a Bad Thing.

Depends on the kind of plastic, but generally Krylon will craze the plastic something awful unless a primer is used.

Oh what do you guys think of the main gun. Stole ot off some leftovers from an armored core kit. Was killing myself trying to think of an unrecognizable mantlet for it. Then it hit me. T-55! Just a canvas cover over the hole. Some out came the foil from a Dove chocolate easter rabbit and BANG canva...

Kylwell wrote:Needs stowage and grab handles. And lift rings. And no-slip sections. And....

Looking good man.

I agree with Robb. Tanks gotta be covered in crap. Otherwise they're chunky fighters.

Seriously, though -- wish mine looked that good. Might have to start again...

Awesome. I shall be contacting Ridout Plastics presently...

Sweet.

It's just the propulsors that don't work in a vacuum -- nothing to push against. The levitation parts work jut fine. If the tank had to operate in zero pressure, some sort of reaction jet system would be needed. I'm a big believer in the "nothing for free" idea when it comes to "magic...

According to my LHS it's the same story with Ambroid Pro-Weld.

Here's my take on hovertanks (or gravpanzers, as they're known in my "little world"). Take from it what you will: In my still-evolvong alternate universe/future history (I'll do something with it someday) there exists a device called a Ventnor-Rosskov Field Generator. The V-R Field Generat...

I know this violates the "no tank hull" rule, but I figured I'd post it anyway. I posted it a few years ago but here it is again: Cheetah C2A4 Another angle \ 1/35 Trumpeter S-103, scratchbuilt barrel, parts from everything from a 1/24 Votoms kit to 1/24 car shocks and mufflers. I really n...

Cool. Coming back on these forums has been good for me -- getting the ol' creative juices flowing again.

I have a couple of ideas -- but one of them is for a support vehicle. That gives me the out I was looking for.

Here's a trick I saw on How It's Made: Fill the tube with a mixture of soap and water (block the ends). Freeze it. That should allow you to bend the tube without kinking -- you just have to use a jig of some sort. Seems to be used a lot in the making of brass instruments.

Ahh. That's better. Thank you, Brother Kenny.

Sorry, Kenny -- didn't catch that. Could you phrase those instructions in the form of Biblical verse? Just not used to you giving Blessed Aves advice in plain English. :8) He was speaking to a troglodyte, so he had to water it down to my level. Forgive him.... Now Butters, don't be hard on yourself...

Sorry, Kenny -- didn't catch that. Could you phrase those instructions in the form of Biblical verse?

Just not used to you giving Blessed Aves advice in plain English.

Try auto-body supply stores. Several manufacturers make sanding pads for orbital sanders with a Velcro backing for auto-body repair use.

I think it is unbelievable that John not only did all that but the timeline was SO compressed! It was originally intended for a ONE WEEK build...

My little no-name single-piston compressor works pretty good, but there was a problem with pulsing. I got around that by adding a decent-sized (regulator and in-line water trap that seems to smooth out the pulses a bit.