Flight of the Foxbat

[Sunray]

Well the bargain basement MiG 25 Revell 1/144 from Jadlam arrived this morning, its an easy build - a little bland on detail compared with some 1/144 I have built - but at £2.80 including postage - I am not complaining.

The scenery of the airstrip, hanger, and control tower is finished. Its just across the river from the Dropzone style city.

My daughter is juxtaposing Use Me rules with BKC.   Various figures and vehicles in various stages of finish.

I need a modern pilot figure. Is there anything out there compatible to Pendraken??  If stuck I will graft a head in a modern pilot helmet/ or something close (Minifigs door gunner?)-  to a figure in overalls.   I have the tea drinking tankers in mind for the body - any helmet come close?

I ask this because with the advent of Korea, the overrun of airfields offers a neat scenario.   Games like hold the bridge while we get these aircraft fuelled up and airborne...

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

New SciFi marines would be a fair match?

[Techno]

Good thought, Will.

If it's any help James....The sci-fi marines were, yet again, made using the same sized dollies as the Falkland's troops.....If you can find a suitable torso........

Cheers - Phil

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hello James/Sunray

It depends how much you want to pay .

Ozmods, FoxOne and Brengun all make 1/144 modern pilots but not cheap .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OzMods-1-144-MODERN-PILOTS-SEATED-/361319432927



http://www.brengun.cz/e-shop/1-144-accessories-19/u-s-modern-pilot-(2-pcs-)-939



https://hlj.com/product/FXNB007



CheersGrumpyOldMan

[Sunray]

My sincere thanks to Will, Phil and the ever resourceful Vic.

Yes, I had looked at Brengun and Oz offerings but for the quality and quantity balked at paying £2 per figure for resin cast mediocre sculpts. Shows what the modelling fraternity are prepared to pay for what is  "must have" items.

I met one such modeller last week and he was amazed at the quality we get from Pendraken at around 16.5 pence per figure.

Now I am never going to buy a platoon of modern aircrew figures standing with helmet, but for Pendraken quality - and how they match other figures  -  would be prepared to pay a higher price for  specialist packs.

It would also open up the Pendraken range to a whole new cash rich customer demographic.  I like the way the  little card and product description makes the Oz Model figures Model Shop friendly.   I would add the website address and direct them to the shop window.

Meantime, back to the spares box, the scalpel  and the superglue .....    I found an Airfix Folland Ghat pilot who is way under scale - so its off with his head.    He will join the Bitsa  legion headed up by Harry Palmer secret agent figure who is Bits a this and bits a that..... Must be nice to buy figures "ready made" as opposed to building composites.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hello

The only other option is the Preiser 1/144 NATO pilots and ground crew but they'd probably be slimmer than Pendraken stuff.

https://www.preiser-figuren.de/preiser-77100-1:144-bw-+-nato-piloten-und-bodenpersonal-unbemalt-18-st.-preiser-77100,art-18347



I'll have a look at shapeways  too

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[Sunray]

Jeeze Vic, they look positively anorexic !  But thanks anyway for sourcing the info.

To give you a sit rep, I sourced the old Airfix pilot from the 1/72 Gnat kit.  Yes it is seriously  undersized - way below 1/100  I have sanded the helmet down and it now fits with Pendraken heads whilst retaining the goggles detail, which - as Techno will tell you - sculptors exaggerate to enhance the optics. 

Now all I need is a suitable torso - overalls or similar mono - that can be painted up like an early G suit with a green stuff flotation
device.  Is it too late to order a si -fi marine ?  Otherwise its the dismounted tank crew

My son picked up a 1/144 Dragon IDF Kfir x2 kit.  The pilots were in the ejector seats according to the box photo.  But on finding them on the spru , they are blobs - like 1/200 figures.

[pierre the shy]

What about these chaps Sunray?

http://www.miniaturefigurines.co.uk/images/catalogue/MI101.jpg

10/12mm minifigs british modern ground crew - chap in the right with the screwdriver purhaps?

A bit bulkier than some of the other suggestions, but they come in packs of 18 so you could use others to be servicing the Firefox in readiness for flight?

[Sunray]

What about these chaps Sunray?

http://www.miniaturefigurines.co.uk/images/catalogue/MI101.jpg

10/12mm minifigs british modern ground crew - chap in the right with the screwdriver purhaps?

A bit bulkier than some of the other suggestions, but they come in packs of 18 so you could use others to be servicing the Firefox in readiness for flight?

Thanks Pierre - they are already "on the job".  I purchased them some years ago as a REME LAD outfit .  Poor sculpts compared what Phil serves up, but with a careful paint job they are passable.

I had a shift through the spares box and found  BR130 crewman - He is built like Robbie Coltraine so I am dubbing him Valentine Zukovski - but he is wearing a MayWest and with a little filing and padding I have my pilot !  

Will put Valentine under the knife tonight on the kitchen table with wee drop of Black Bushmills to steady my hand. 

[fsn]

The figure (Valentine Zukovski as he is built like Robbie Coltrane) in pilot's gear started life as a Pendraken naval gunner (BR130).  The head came from an Airfix figure which I sanded down to close to 1/150 (still looks a bit like a Dixon)

Beside him, now in a white coat is a Minifigs ground crew figure converted to a boffin Dr Semelovski

And making up the party is "Harry Palmer" my budget version secret agent while awaiting  a proper CIA man in a trenchcoat  and is again a Minifigs conversion.

The £2.80 Revell MiG25 is awaiting transfers and fine paint detail.

In the background is a very crisp Trabant from Rallyman 1/144 being kitted out as an Eastern European police car.

Now these are crude and basic conversions, but they allowed a family participation role play game, and shows what can be done in 10mm.  It was a lot of fun and allowed me to share my hobby with nearest and dearest.  They get it !

[fsn]

Oh no! I've just noticed that post has come out as FSN!

It was me, Sunray that posted.

Leoonnn! It's happened again!

FSN has made a sensible forum member post as him!



Actually, photo was posted on behalf of Sunray.

Thank you Gentlemen.

[Sunray]

Oh no! I've just noticed that post has come out as FSN!

It was me, Sunray that posted.

Leoonnn! It's happened again!

FSN has made a sensible forum member post as him!

Many thanks Stewart aka FSN and to all on the Forum for the tips, advice, and encouragement in getting this project this far.

James aka Sunray

[fred.]

That was confusing!!    

Glad that 10mm skirmish worked to get your family into understanding gaming.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Just got the Zukovski reference!
Great work

[Sunray]

Just got the Zukovski reference!
Great work

Rough cut conversions compared to Pendraken current level of excellence !  But I have to say Zukovski  is turning into quite a character - he got kidnapped on Christmas Day and featured on several board games including Monopoly !  He is still based to a penny pending me getting to the hardware store for some washers !

And yes, a Berlin Cold War participation game is anticipated. Rumour Control will soon have to launch a campaign for Soviet and East German infantry !

If you want to get family involvement (and cash investment ) in wargames its worth considering a role play game.  The man in the trench coat will be along presently.  He is a key player in the Cold War.