"The 'young Roger' didn't make it!"The "Rodger Young" — a space cruiser from the sci-fi movie "Starship Troopers"...
Here is a resin figure from the early 2000s that, apparently, looks a lot like a bootleg copy—even though it was bought for a high price at the time...
Right off the bat, we notice major casting defects and numerous air bubbles...
Whole bunches will end up in the trash... Useless!...
Initial edits and cuts, with many flaws removed...
We use the film's documentation to improve the overall project...
Even the editing script—which is already brief—hasn't even been photocopied in its entirety!
The upper side fins—which are far too thick—will be remade out of plastic card. The originals will end up in the trash...
The details are then added...
Anyway, after a few hours of sanding, assembling, and adding photo-etched parts to make up for it, this is the result...
Another view; liquid sealant has been applied to all the joints...
Three scale-accurate cruiser turrets are added to the main dome. The other guns are all remade from stretched plastic...
A coat of white primer was sprayed on to check for any remaining visible imperfections...
Another view...
Painting
Before painting, we start by securing—after drilling holes in what will become the background of the diorama—the ship's hull using threaded rods, nuts, and washers...
This will make it easier to paint the subject and avoid tricky maneuvers...
First base coats: Tamiya acrylics—black in the recesses and XP72 brown...
Next, we'll use XF75 gray, applying it in a halo effect on the flat surfaces...
Then light gray 51 from Hobby Color...
24 hours after it has dried completely, apply a mixture of 70% black and a little chocolate (Humbrol or another oil) to the entire surface, wiping it off as you go. Let it dry again for 24 hours...
We finish with a light gray oil-based drybrush, lightened with white depending on the lighting...
24 hours later, apply a wash of umber with a fine brush around the details and in the recesses...
The gun barrels are painted steel black, and the reactors are bluish...
The Setting
In the movie, the heroes come to exterminate the alien insects on their planet using enormous cruisers that drop shuttles. The insects fight back by launching plasma bombs from their world...
A preliminary sketch will serve as a guide for the future set design, featuring a planet in space on the left and the aliens' world on the right...
The "Rodger Young"—along with other ships—comes into view of the planet to land its troops...
The backdrop measures 80 cm by 34 cm...
It is painted with acrylics on a primed wooden panel...
(Just for the record, the planet on the left is actually one of Jupiter's moons, Io...)
The base of the model. A square strip is glued in place with wood glue. The painted model will then be glued to this base...
Gluing the scenery onto the base. You can see the holes that will be used to attach the spacecraft...
Setting up the "Rodger Young." The diorama is finished...
Since then, a black background has been added to the panel in the foreground...
