by Steven Lee

This is a diorama of a downed Viper. I wanted to it to look like the Viper was exposed to the desert over a long time, and in that time scavengers stripped whatever they could from the carcass. The two colonial warriors stumble across it and decide to take a souvenier photograph.

The Viper is comprised of two Monogram 1/32 styrene Viper models with modifications. Raised panel lines were removed and rescribed. Some panels were cut out and internal detail were built up with acrylic tubing, styrene strip and sheet stock,foil, and detail bits from various donor kits. I added wiring detail with thin solder and braided line. I drilled out most of the instrumentation from the cockpit and installed brackets and mounting boxes in its place. Detail was added to show the seat has been removed. I wanted a deeper look to the engine cans, so I cut out the the kit parts and replaced them with a new set of rocket nozzles I cobbled together with some tank wheels and bits from a Star Wars Tank Droid kit.

The Viper was painted with Vallejo Model Color acrylics. Under coat is Vallejo alcohol-based Super Silver then a salt mask was applied to all the top surfaces. The base coat is various shades of warm grey--mostly Deck Tan and Buff, with German grey along the panel lines to show accumulated grime. I masked off and painted the red and gray marking remnants. After the salt mask is removed, I applied MIG weathering powders, Standard Rust and Industrial City Dirt, in vertical streaks for a further aged and weathered effect. I sealed everything with Dullcoat, and then I applied a pin wash of very dilute Testors Black Enamel to better highlight the panel lines and various detail. Finally I misted a thin layer of Vallejo Model Colors Sand Light and Off White to give the Viper an overall sun-bleached effect.

The base geography is carved from a chunk of 2" styrofoam insulation foam. The foam base was covered with Foam Coat and the rock outcropping was sculpted in as the Foam Coat set up. Coarse and Medium grade balllast from Woodland Scenics and smashed bits of dried Foam Coat was glued down into the low areas and crevices with Golden's matte medium to represent talus. It was painted with Golden's Artist acrylics.

The figures are two modified Millenia Models Viper Fighter Pilots. The male figure is stock except the head, which I swapped out with a better detailed head from a Preiser figure. The female Colonial Warrior is a reposed. Her hands were replaced with Preiser figure hands and her camera was built from bits of styrene stock. The figures were painted with Vallejo Model Colors acrylics.

Image: Now smile and say macaroni ....

Image: bROKEN

Image: Stripped for parts

Image: Brokeback

Image: From behind

Image: Other side

Image: Cockpit

Image: Other side