"toronto gosh!" said 3-P0 or "lets build an AT-AT"

[Chuffy70]

When I saw The Empire Strikes Back as a 10 year old, the main vehicle which stuck in my mind was the Imperial Walkers.
Their lumbering hulks thumping over the snow was truly mesmerising...

The All Terrain Armoured Transports currently ranks at number two in my Star Wars hardware of love, so I thought it was about time I had ago 'at' building one.

With three builds on the go already, I was trying to stop myself from starting another, but I'm weak!

Mindful I need to boost my Christmas build list for the scale model club table in December, this little chap should hopefully not take too long to construct - famous last words!!!

Instead of my normal A3 'big size' I'm going with smaller A4 on this one to see how it turns out - if I enjoy it, a larger more detailed version beckons next year.

10 sheets of parts


A closer look-see


Making a note of the fold lines


Parts for the head selected... and off we go!


Two frontal view ports are provided


I preferred the red one, but as we have two, I cut out the black and the red one...


...and slipped the red one behind to achieve a bit of depth - two top plates also constructed


Main head piece and back plate selected


Taking note of the lines, as this part is recessed


Main parts for the head are cut and creased - so far no problems


WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR TONIGHT, WITH MORE TO COME THIS WEEK

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Shunichi Makino's version is the best one available. It appears that you are off the a very good start!
I am looking forward to seeing how your build turns out.

 

[Revell-Fan]

Great start! I found nothing wrong with it when I built it as a Xmas present. Only the legs need to be glued together after posing and some weight inside the feet would be advisable, it topples easily due to the nature of the design. Have fun!

 

[Chuffy70]

View attachment 214001
Shunichi Makino's version is the best one available. It appears that you are off the a very good start!
I am looking forward to seeing how your build turns out.

...then I have indeed chosen wisely, so far its looks the part

Great start! I found nothing wrong with it when I built it as a Xmas present. Only the legs need to be glued together after posing and some weight inside the feet would be advisable, it topples easily due to the nature of the design. Have fun!

When modelling, I always have fun... until it all goes wrong!

Plus thanks for the heads up on the weight in the feet scenario, we don't need 'walker down!'

 

[mijob]

O thats a nice model, this one is on my todo list. Looking forward to see how this turns out.

 

[micahrogers]

Now seeing this build makes me want to try it, but 10 pages of parts YIKES! Biggest I've done so far is @Revell-Fan s Viper with 8 parts pages.
keep up the good work and I'll be watching!

 

[Chuffy70]

O thats a nice model, this one is on my todo list. Looking forward to see how this turns out.

It certainly has all the right bits in the right places... I just needed something 'easy' whilst grinding away on other builds

Now seeing this build makes me want to try it, but 10 pages of parts YIKES! Biggest I've done so far is @Revell-Fan s Viper with 8 parts pages.
keep up the good work and I'll be watching!

Well a lot of those parts are repetition, so don't be put off... little and often - It may be ten pages, but there's very few parts... go on try it!

 

[Chuffy70]

Continuing with the Transport....
The bottom of the head piece has the rear neck inwardly recessed, so be careful here...


Basic construction of the head is mainly just a box - sadly I didn't take any pictures of closing the head up.
So main head constructed with front fascia, and top two plates added.
The other walkers here are the tiny one is a Micro Machines & the larger came with a KFC meal.
Two of the Drivers are my childhood ones, and the third belonged to my brother.


Head additions started with two long boxes


They folded up nice, but they were to give me some pain later on!


More head additions


These pieces required laminating together


Roundy bits


This part sits under the chin and separates the main cannons


Quite a nice piece to build, but my happiness was about to be squashed!


As you can see here, I've inserted a large metal rod to help pull the floor up to meet the part.
Somewhere during the construction of the head, the bottom floor had become warped as was no longer flat - I also had to go in through the back plate too - luckily the areas of insertion will all be covered up.


The two side smaller guns next, fairly easy to construct, but these are very fragile - I will leave these off until the end.


These side guns are 'handed' left and right, so be careful and pay attention to the instructions.
The little dots help with the orientation.


Parts for the side guns - sorry no pics of the guns yet


Main firepower is mounted underneath


Parts 23 formed the the main cannon barrels - Forming them around wooden dowel, I was sure they were the correct diameter, sadly they came up short, so a bit of filler was bunged in and painted over - bit of a mess, but it will do.


Parts which make up the main cannons and one completed


THAT'S IT FOR ANOTHER SEESSION, MORE TOMORROW - HOPEFULLY!

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

You are making great progress on this project!

 

[mijob]

ce and quick work all looks realy good.

 

[Chuffy70]

You are making great progress on this project!

Thanks, its moving quite swiftly...

 

[Chuffy70]

ce and quick work all looks realy good.

cheers, its quite a lovely model, and yes progress is quite swift - hopefully it will be done by the weekend

 

[Revell-Fan]

My walker count so far:

3x mpc
3x Revell
1x Ertl Structor (wind-up)
1x Colossal Miniature
1x F-Toys 1:350
1x Shunichi's (at my friend's)

Erh, did I mention that this is my favourite Star Wars vehicle?

 

[Chuffy70]

My walker count so far:

3x mpc
3x Revell
1x Ertl Structor (wind-up)
1x Colossal Miniature
1x F-Toys 1:350
1x Shunichi's (at my friend's)

Erh, did I mention that this is my favourite Star Wars vehicle?

A fine & nice selection, I have the Bandai kit waiting in the stash and my old Palitoy/Kenner one at my mums house...

I'd love the Lego version too, but its at least a kidney or lung in price! - My brother made the MPC kit years ago, looked good then, not sure how it compares these days, but yes it is one of Star Wars finest designs

I'd like to see a pic of you AT-AT's some on your list I've not seen or heard of before

 

[Chuffy70]

Moving on from the last post, time to add the cannons...

The underside cannons fit onto the blank rectangles, although as you can see here behind those are where the guns recoil in the movies.


Wanting to replicate the recoil I placed the other cannon at the rear of the track - adding some paint over the original mounting point as I went.
Also note the side guns finished below my fat thumb!


With the main death dealers in place she was starting to look tasty.
However, the main crease lines have rather annoying dots and dashes which to me looked out of place, also there were a few nasties to hide - so it was time to get the paint out and hide those lines
As the colour was a shade darker, it was time to have a bit of fun and add a some weathering to her, although this will need to be replicated over the entire model.


Interested to see how she was fairing up to the real thing, I had remembered that on the 3rd of May 2017 a tour of the props from Star Wars was being held at the old Millennium Dome in London. Thus I had take a couple of photos of the real deal!
Shunichi Makino has done a fine job in replicating the Walker


Just as I had finished adding paint to the head section, I had found another Grey which was lighter and more subtle, but I'll use them both as I proceed - these are by Vallejo, not my favourite brand, but they seem to work better on card than plastic!


The neck section is comprised of a tube with two add-ons


These were all cut out, then rolled around a marker pen and secured with rubber hair bands. I'll leave these overnight to conform


Next up is the main body section


Lower underbelly plate


Pert 78 is just a large rectangular box, acting as a main spar or spine


There are no location marks for this being on the inside, so I roughly marked out its placement and added a generous amount of UHU and slid it around until I was happy


Main hull cut and creased


Stopping point for tonight


THANKS FOR STOPPING BY, AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL AGAIN TOMORROW FOR MORE WALKER ACTION...

 

[seraphim]

Moving on from the last post, time to add the cannons...

The underside cannons fit onto the blank rectangles, although as you can see here behind those are where the guns recoil in the movies.
View attachment 214026

Wanting to replicate the recoil I placed the other cannon at the rear of the track - adding some paint over the original mounting point as I went.
Also note the side guns finished below my fat thumb!
View attachment 214027

With the main death dealers in place she was starting to look tasty.
However, the main crease lines have rather annoying dots and dashes which to me looked out of place, also there were a few nasties to hide - so it was time to get the paint out and hide those lines
As the colour was a shade darker, it was time to have a bit of fun and add a some weathering to her, although this will need to be replicated over the entire model.
View attachment 214028

Interested to see how she was fairing up to the real thing, I had remembered that on the 3rd of May 2017 a tour of the props from Star Wars was being held at the old Millennium Dome in London. Thus I had take a couple of photos of the real deal!
Shunichi Makino has done a fine job in replicating the Walker
View attachment 214029

Just as I had finished adding paint to the head section, I had found another Grey which was lighter and more subtle, but I'll use them both as I proceed - these are by Vallejo, not my favourite brand, but they seem to work better on card than plastic!
View attachment 214031

The neck section is comprised of a tube with two add-ons
View attachment 214030

These were all cut out, then rolled around a marker pen and secured with rubber hair bands. I'll leave these overnight to conform
View attachment 214032

Next up is the main body section
View attachment 214033

Lower underbelly plate
View attachment 214034

Pert 78 is just a large rectangular box, acting as a main spar or spine
View attachment 214035

There are no location marks for this being on the inside, so I roughly marked out its placement and added a generous amount of UHU and slid it around until I was happy
View attachment 214036

Main hull cut and creased
View attachment 214037

Stopping point for tonight
View attachment 214038

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY, AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL AGAIN TOMORROW FOR MORE WALKER ACTION...

just finished this one, i must say yours is looking fantastic, cant wait to see the finished item

 

[mijob]

All looks so crisp and clear now I have to build this one.

 

[Chuffy70]

just finished this one, i must say yours is looking fantastic, cant wait to see the finished item

Thank you, and we'll have a small Imperial Army soon then... Would love to see a picture of yours @seraphim

All looks so crisp and clear now I have to build this one.

Cheers @mijob we need more for the ranks, get stuck in!

 

[Revell-Fan]

I considered the Bandai but it's so small...

(Says the man who is drooling over the F-Toys 1:350 minis..! )

 

[Chuffy70]

I considered the Bandai but it's so small...

(Says the man who is drooling over the F-Toys 1:350 minis..! )

I think you should reconsider, the Bandai is not that much smaller than the standard card model, and the detail on the kit parts is mind-blowing!