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Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

Show off your work or ask a question about current or classic hobby model kits! Any subject as long as it's rendered in injection molded styrene--this is the place to be!

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overspray
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Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#1 Post by overspray »

Whew, what a build. I love the kit and subject matter (and can't afford the Forbidden Zone version), but I'm glad it's done. Lots of work, but worth it.

I enjoyed beating the kit up - it's been rare in my modeling career to be able to do things like oil stains, drips and chipped paint. (My earliest history as a model builder was to beat up models after they were built, but that's another subject :wink:). It was liberating to not have to worry if all of the paint was perfect. I may have gone a little overboard with the weathering, but I figured this thing has been in space for decades and I doubt they brought a lot of paint with them.

This 1/12 scale kit was produced by Halcyon in 1991 (I think) and the Power Loader was in the movie Aliens. I'm sure it's kits like these that make people hate styrene. If you're going to build this one, here's a few recommendations:
  • 1. If you buy one, make sure it hasn't been started. I made that mistake and the kit is made with several pivot points that are not glued so that you can align the various parts in final assembly. The one I bought had some of the pivots glued - major pain to correct.
    2. Study the instructions carefully. The parts to be glued and not glued are color coded (well, black and white coded) and it's easy to miss which is which. The instructions are all pictorial and some depictions are pretty small.
    3. Take some time to plan the build and do a lot of dry fitting - there are so many seams and gaps, but they can be minimized with some planning. Unfortunately many seams are in visible locations that are hard to get to.
    4. There is a decal sheet that has about 40 decals, and mine was garbage. Luckily some kind soul put a file on the web and I was able to print it out easily on decal paper. I can send anyone the file if you can't find it.
    5. Try to find a replacement head for Ripley - the one in the kit is awful. I found one on Ebay that was a huge improvement and fit perfectly. Unfortunately I'm not sure who sells it.
    6. There's some detail not included in the kit: the foot harnesses (which I added), some tubing on the mechanical feet and hoses that feed the welder/flamethrower (none of which I added). Also the light inside the beacon cover is silly - I replaced it with an old car headlight (a remnant of my earliest modeling history!), but I thought about putting a LED in there.
    7. Finally, don't let your dog chew on any parts. Sigh.

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tay666
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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#2 Post by tay666 »

Wow!
That looks great.

Seems finishing it was quite an accomplishment. Contrats on sticking to it, and seeing it through to the end.
Trevor Ylisaari

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To find your way back home."

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overspray
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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#3 Post by overspray »

Thanks Trevor!

Overall it was a good experience and I learned a lot that hopefully will come in handy on future builds.

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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#4 Post by spideydroogy »

That looks awesome. I don't think you overdid the weathering. Looks just right. Really like the scratches on the sides of the feet? shoes? Good job on the paint chipping as well.
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
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overspray
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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#5 Post by overspray »

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words! First time I've tried chipping paint. It was a little tedious and nerve wracking, but not as bad as I feared.

Tiger2
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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#6 Post by Tiger2 »

Fantastic build, a true piece of classic model building!

Cheers,
Paul

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overspray
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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#7 Post by overspray »

Tiger2 wrote:Fantastic build, a true piece of classic model building!
Thanks Paul! You're far too kind.

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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#8 Post by sparkvark007 »

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=D> =D> =D> =D>
Sample all kinds of plastic, resin & digital goodness at >>>https://sparkvark.deviantart.com/gallery/?catpath=/

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overspray
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Re: Behold, I give you Class II Power Loader with Ripley

#9 Post by overspray »

sparkvark007 wrote:Image

=D> =D> =D> =D>
I got a big laugh from that! Great way to start a new week. Thanks!

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