hey guys i am trying to figure out how to convert a special type of sci-fi tank using a commonly found model tank. only problem is i dont really know to much about tanks and have no idea what type of tank to use as a base. the tank i hope to convert is about 7-8 inches wide by 8-9 in long. here are some pictures of what i want the end product to be.




my questions are what tank would be a good basis for this and how hard do you think this would be. my modeling skills are not to bad but not amazing. people have told me to use 1/35th scale and one person reccomended the M1A2 tank model. what do you guys think. is this project doable. how would you go about doing it.? any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks a lot.

Sorry, no actual tank looks anything remotely like that one. The M1A2 wouldn't work either, it is low and wide. Your best bet is to look for a model of it. There are quite a few Warhammer 40 models. This looks like it could be one. Otherwise, it is a full scratch project.

Good luck.

it actually is a 40k model that is y im trying to make it.

Hi there Minky

Is this an idea for a "what if" tank or to do as a sci-fi build? If so, you could take bits of scrap tanks bought off e-bay to virtually any scale 1/72 up to 1/35 and even 1/24.

You can buy scrap kits and partial built with bits missing for very little cost. With a little imagination and lots of poaching of ideas from either the real things or sci-fi comics your sky's the limit. Saying that, you could poach bits from aircraft too such as missile systems, etc for really wacky weapons systems.

There are many "what if" and sc-fi categories at model competitions that allow you to push the boundaries of fact and fiction.

Good luck

Nige

well actually im trying to build it to use in warhammer 40k. i am beggining to play but the real thing costs like 95 dollars which is way out of my price range as im only 16.

Minky

E-bay route and scratchbuilding is the way to go. Invest in some good craft tools and make up a recycling system of bins of odds and sods of plastic, metal and old toys. It is amazing what I have in my shed. And almost half of it would have been thrown away as junk.

Everything from drinking straws and coffee stirers to broken up electrical appliances for gears, cogs and weird shaped bits of plastic. Computers with heaps of tiny motors that would have been junked because they are out of date. Great for making models animated.

Basic packaging for day to day goods has so much throw away plastic (clear or otherwise) that you could salvage for raw plastic parts to scratch build shapes. Some are so abundant that you could make up duplicate models easily from your imagination.

One thing about ski-fi - you will find it very hard for the "nut and bolt counters" to say that model was never produced in that colour scheme or with that weapons system. You can prototype your own fleet of tanks without fear of falling foul of the history checkers that tell you when and where that mark IV scud tank hunter, chassis number az hge200938547, was built and what the welder had for his lunch on the day it left the factory in Crieff.

Good luck

What scale is Warhammer anyways? that might help you on collecting parts for a scratch build. but like others have said it will have to be a scrach cause i dont know of a tank kit like that at all to work off. Good luck.

I understand your pain. Building a BaneBlade, is not going to be easy. Most of it will have to be scratch built, and spares from your "Bits" box. I am in my forties, and the price is out of my range, as well as the money ForgeWorld wants. You could use bits from a number of sherman kits to do the road wheels, but other than that you would be spending alot of money on kits, and by that time, have had the money to buy the GW kit. My advice is to save your money, and then get the GW kit. I have over 4500.00 in 40k armies, but no Imperial guard as of yet. Good luck. But I would save for the kit.
If I recall 40k is in the 25-28mm range.

Looks like a Rhino from 40 K - they are available - I would recommend getting one and using it as a guide to "upscale" a copy out of plastic sheet- there wont be to many (if any) compound curves so it would be a good project to get your feet wet scratchbuilding!

I wouldn't be too sure about that with 40K those guys know their codex.

Minky here's a link to a thread on The Waagh about scratchbuilding tanks

http://www.the-waaagh.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27569&st=0

The Waagh is Ork related but some of the posts in the Mek's Garage are very useful no matter what you build. (You will have to register to see some of the pics)