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Studio Scale Viper in Launch Tube

Colonial Viper from BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. This is one of the coolest ships ever made as far as I am concerned. I have taken the Studio Scale Resin kit from Monsters in Motion and created my own custom, scratch built launch tube. I ordered an additional base from MIM, making it three sections long. Then I created the round openings where the viper slides through out of sheet styrene. I used several freeze frames from the DVD for accuracy. I then made a small back 'wall' also out of sheet styrene. I didn't want this to be too large so you could look straight down on the viper, but you still get the effect. I then used some spare parts from tanks, citadel scenery and even a Chevy 350 engine kit to make the raised surface details. I used brass rod tubing for the pipes. Overall, I think the effect came out pretty well. This is a large and impressive kit.

Various Pictures of Viper build up

PLEASE CLICK ALL IMAGES TO ENLARGE

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Comparison of Monogram and Studio Scale kits.

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Comparison of Monogram and Studio Scale kits.

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Wide shot of Viper in the "Launch Tube".

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Rear shot looking down the 'tube'.

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Close up of Viper in the tube.

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Oblique shot.

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Cleared for Launch!.

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Another nice close up.

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Slightly wider view.

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This shows the size of the Studio Scale kit as compared to the Monogram Kit.

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Another shot of the Studio kit as compared to the Monogram Kit.

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A nice side view of the Viper.

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Looking towards the cockpit.

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A nice overhead view.

UPDATE: 11/02/2002 - Added a few more pictures on the left.

This is a really nice Kit. It was very neatly packed, safely in lots of bubble wrap. First impression was, "wow, this thing is big! It came in 6 large pieces, the nose/fuselage, the center engine section and the rear engine section, the two wings and stabilzer. It also had the laser cannons separate. The molding quality of the Viper itself was a little poor. Lots of flash to be cleaned up and most of the panel lines needed to be rescribed. A bit of light sanding overall also smoothed out the body. I also had to grind down the engine section that mated to the fuselage to get a good fit, but it was pretty easy.

The kit also had two pieces for the base, and another piece that the viper rests on for the launch rail. I purchased another piece to make the base longer. Then I constructed the 'tube' from many freeze frames of the DVD.

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This page created and maintained by Sean W. Sides © 2002
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