Peaks of Cato Neimodia, 1/144

S

Solander

Active Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2010
Messages
1,407
Hi, folks!

While working on my Gustav build in the SecretSanta thread I've decided to do a second project - something small that I can work on at the same time with the main goal.
The idea is in increasing my building efficiency: I just thought that building a model is a series of different stages: assembling, lighting, priming, painting, weathering if speaking simply. So I want to try working in each of the stages on two or three models instead of one, waiting to complete the stage for each of the projects before moving further, assuming that it is going to be overall faster then working on each of the models separately. Plus that helps to keep interestin each of the projects for the longer periods because of the posibility to rest from each of them while turning for a while to another one. I can say that each of the assumptions proved to be correct so far.

So, the project I would like to present you, guys, now is a small vingete I called "Peaks of Cato Neimodia".
The idea started with two little kits: the Eta-2 jedi starfighters from F-Toys I had randomly got while being in Japan the last time and the Revells ARC-170 fighter I have bought afterwards to accompany the first kit - both are about 1/144 scale.



I want to depict these fighters flying over the Cato Neimodia - the Trade Federation's headquaters world in the last days of the Clone Wars. This planet can be seen in one of the scenes of Ep. III showing a dogfight around the planets briges-cities and the execution of the order 66. It was also shown later in the Force Unleashed II videogame. Bellow are some of the reference pictures I've been using for inspiration:









And here is what I've found on my table after a couple of evenings of working with various scratch :)









And with the model fighters in their places:







Thanks for looking, folks! ;)
 
Cool project !


Too bad the wires are that thick. It's as big as the Eta-fighters...
 
That looks like ma fun little distraction.
Those are good every once in a while. I like your "assembly line" approach. Soon, you will be able to crank out hundreds, if not thousands of models a year!
;D ;D
 
That will be a cool diorama Sol! ;)

The fighter are perhaps too close from the tower as I see here...
 
Very cool dio idea, can't wait to see your progress.
 
I love it. Simple, but well-detailed (and those F-toys make the best dio pieces).

That's gonna be a great display piece.
 
Hi, guys!
Looks like I haven't updated in this topic for ages - had a tough time actually finding it through the forum.
But that is about to change :)

First of all, thank you everyone for your kind words. It really pleases me that such a kind of "side" project still reaches good marks ))

Dark Kyp said:
That will be a cool diorama Sol! ;)

The fighter are perhaps too close from the tower as I see here...
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this one, Kyp. After a critic lookover, I considered them being too close even for the jedi-pilots as well. So I've bent the holding wires to locate them on a longer distance from the tower.

I however took a long thought on if to keep the wires as they are or change on something.. And finally decided to stay with what I have now. First, because I like how the change between the tower's hull and the wires looks, and second 'cause I enjoy the possibility of changing the position of the fighters and turning them any side any time thanks to the ball joints installed in those holders.

Here are some pics of the progress.
Since the last update I have:
- Completed the ARC-170 assembly
- Placed a scratchbuilt R2 unit into it's socket
- Postshaded all the fighters, applied the decals on the Etas and gave them all a slight silver drybrushing to imitate wear.
- Painted the base, and gave it several coats of various shades acrylic filters.

IMG_4255.jpg

IMG_4256.jpg

IMG_4257.jpg

IMG_4258.jpg

IMG_4259.jpg

Next I am going to start applying the washes along with my Mk.VII Viper, so it feels to me that the next update won't take that long ;)
 
this look nice! Congratulations!

Really looks better with your modifications on the tubes! ;)
 
It's gorgeous.

Too bad you haven't keep the clear cockpit on the ARC-170. But I can understand the choice since the Jedi Starfighters have their canopy black and all... :D
 
I'll say it again, this is an awesome piece and such a great idea.

In case anyone's curious, the Eta Interceptors technically have their canopies tinted a smoke color and are just slightly transparent. There's even a small cockpit underneath.
 
Thank you so very much for the positive comments, guys!
To tell the truth, it was initialy a side project to acompany the acidently gained Etas (I've bought them in Japan the way they are intented to be selled - i.e. not knowing whats in the pocket and with the chewing-gum included :)) and the pocket-ARC I've been prized with on a local convension. + to get rid of the broken and cracked spare parts I had after my unsuccesfull project of turning the Star Trek Kazon ship into the Hammerhead-class cruiser from KotOR during the 2012 BSC.
So, it went pretty rought for the majority of the building-process, and till almost the very end I was not sure I would complete it at all.
But the replies of reccomendations and appriciation you all have been giving me here really helped this work going on a lot! So the completion of this dio is fully yours, fellow addicts, to be thanked for.
It is almost done now, and thanks to you, keeping me working on it, I had reached a point of being quite sattisfied with the result.
I think that the final pics would be ready in a couple of days or so, and I hope that you would enjoy the result as I did, as it is whole your merit, folks! ;)
 

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