by Duane King

“ASP's
Very deadly
We go FIRST” - Motto of the Black Adders

The Black Adders, are the first line of defense for the Battlestar Olympia, from the home world of Aquaria. The Adders fly two seat ASP (Attack Strike Picket) fighters, a craft built for one thing, taking the fight to the Cylons and their BaseStars. Armed with interchangeable weapons (such as Sharks, Gnats, and Dragonflies) attached to pylons, guns pods and ECM pods, these fighters are tough, durable and loved by their crews. The ASP was developed in secret and was indigenous only to the Aquaria home world. Given the duration of the conflict, maintenance was becoming an issue for painting, and unit markings soon wore off, but the units always made sure the wing tanks had their names intact.

Black Adder humor :A Destroyed Cylon Raider is an ASP Can
Let's go dumpster diving is the battle cry when attacking a Cylon Raider wing

The model is the 1/32 scale Monogram Viper converted to a two-seater. I added .187 to the forward section to better accommodate the two F-16C seats, which are True Detail resin seats.

The canopy forward piece is from the kit original and I added a scratchbuilt back section. This was detailed using Chartpack line tape. I added a disc to the front scoop to close up the gap.

The engines intakes are covered with stainless steel screen and the upper nacelle has a scratchbuilt panel to cover over the wide open gap inherent to the model. The engines have a reflective disc to help the three LED's (one each engine). I have made a battery holder in the bottom, and an access hole (and panel) to allow replacement of the battery, and to get at the on/off slide switch.

The LEDs are mounted internally with an adapter ring around the LED for fit purposes. It is a simple Series LED circuit with a limiting resistor, battery (12V) and slide switch. All components from Radio Shack.

The lower side weapons include two 1/48 scale gunpods from a Hasagawa detail set and two non-descript ECM pods from a 1/48 scale A-10 kit. The nacelle mounted weapons are a mixed bag, all mounted on 1/72 pylons from a F/A- 18. The Shark missiles are 1/72 scale Tomahawks from the Revell B-2 Stealth Bomber (the giant boomerang-shaped one). The Gnats are 1/72 Sidewinders, and the Dragonflies are 1/48 scale HARM missiles. The kit turbo Cannons are installed with their muzzles drilled out. Below the weapons pylons attached to the wing roots are tanks bearing the Unit Name (Black Adders) - thse were microscale decals.

The model is hand painted with acrylics. The fuselage was painted using Aluminum, Dk Gull Grey and Gunship Grey. The worn/beaten affect was achieved in three different manners: the salt method (vertical stabilizer), using liquid frisket masking (rear section) and brush-only forward section. The seats were painted in color appropriate for the F-16. The cockpit instruments were painted similar to ones found in an F-16 et al. The engine exhausts are painted in Jet Exhaust. The Shark faces were hand painted.

Image: Underneath

Image: Cockpit

Image: Detail

Image: Left/rear

Image: Rear view

Image: Top/rear

Image: Right/rear

Image: Top