Thanks dudes! Yup he does look weird without a backpack, but it sure is nice to give him that full waist swivel. Not sure if I'll be able to maintain that on the finished version though, will post a small update with new thoughts soonish
Oh wow, Sam, this is a cool project! I'm really excited to see you doing this and I'm looking forward to watching your progress. It's amazing that you not only found a model kit that gives you some good parts, but that it's also the right size! Also interesting about the similarities between Bumblebee's alt mode and that flying sub design. Nice homage discovery! I've thought for a while that it would be cool if TT made a series of Cybertron mode Masterpiece figures, after the G1 crew is complete of course. Just the ones seen in the opening of MTMTE (and maybe an Orion Pax as well). This kitbash of yours will be the next best thing!
Definitely option 2, the wings look much better that way, more like in the cartoon. Will watch this thread @Sam, curious about the result.
Option 1 looks better too me because of how the top flows, but I do agree the wings in option 2 look more cartoon accurate.
Thanks for the feedback guys! I actually agree with both of you, but ultimately I feel the concave top is more important than the downward pointing angle, in particular because in later shots the downward angle is not particularly pronounced: Not hugely noticeable in the character model either I'll see how I feel as I'm making the first cuts, but that's my inclination at the moment.
This looks like a great start! I found one of those kits in a local comic shop a little while back and was tempted to pick it up for a project like this... But lack time and already have too many stalled projects. What do you think of the official one they are making?
Gonna be putting in an order with HLJ soon for the Hobby Base joints I'll need to connect pieces together (now I'm back in a country which Japan can ship to!) I'm waiting for this part to come back in stock though as I think it'll be perfect for the 'grill' at the front of the vehicle: Duct Nozzle (Renewal) Gonna order a hobby saw from HLJ too as I need something to make precision cuts in this model kit Bumps always appreciated, thanks pal I need all the reminders and encouragement I can get Thanks! That's it, though I think that one might be a bigger scale model kit based on the size of the box. I think the official one is fantastic! I'm hoping to steal some ideas from it. I'll probably pick up two copies, and if the scale works I may even use the exact pieces from it (particularly the windshield and roof). I was already planning to use Bee's chest as the front of the vehicle mode, though I plan to still have glass at the bottom of his chest in robot mode, and the grill in vehicle mode only somehow. Really great to see this vehicle finally getting a toy, but I'm still determined to make a Masterpiece version of it
Hello from Diaprowl! I like what you got going on here. Are you going to give him a rolling function? I ask because personally, I would remove all the wheels and fenders. Model kits can be surprisingly demanding in terms of space. I would even consider taking parts of the saucer and attaching them to the feet as new heel pieces.
I'm not gonna remove the fenders on his feet but I'm definitely removing the wheels. Will I make him roll? Only if I can somehow fit some G1 sized wheels up in there somehow, but it's not a priority. He does have wheels, as we see when a wheel goes flying off him when he takes damage, but I'm not too worried about making the underside toon accurate. Yup that's what I'm thinking, the saucer will be cut up and parts of it will be his heels, parts of it will be in his backpack. It's one of the things I love about MP-45, it already has kibble in those areas so my custom won't look out of place compared to the regular version! I won't let you down, master....
So thanks to the wonderful @WildBill I was able to secure a copy of Buzzworthy Origins Bumblebee from the US. Thanks so much Bill! Amazingly, Origins Bumblebee is almost exactly the same size as the model kit I was working with. Very pleasant surprise! I still believe I can make this work, and now I have the exact right shapes for the alt-mode so no compromises will need to be made. Fantastic! My only small problem with the Origins Bumblebee is the gaps in the windscreen, I'll try to fill them with putty but they won't be able to be translucent. Also while taking it apart a crack developed in the windshield, which is ok but I was expecting to buy at least two copies and am still on the look-out for another copy, if anyone else can help! So I think I can make the roof of vehicle mode work as a backpack, while hopefully still allowing waist articulation It will be possible to use MP-45's chest for the front of the vehicle mode, I'll just have to fill in the gap a little bit from the Origins parts I'll also be removing more material from that front panel closer to the windshield, since MP-45's chest is a lot taller than Origins Bumblebee's. Things line up quite nicely and I believe I'll be able to use the same forearm trick to form part of the back of the vehicle mode (the part that is formed with Origins Bumblebee's crotch). Overall I'm so amazed to have a real Cybertronian Bumblebee alt-mode, and I'm more motivated than ever to make it into a working Masterpiece! I think the MP-45 design is made for this. Certain parts will end up inside the chest in robot mode, and I'll happily put parts on the heels if I need to. I'm still not sure if I'll cover the headlights on the feet, since the regular robot mode for MP-45 also should have hidden them but didn't. I'll have to figure out a new waist articulation joint that also allows the pelvis to fold back into the body, because there's no way to get the angle of the chest correct and still have the pelvis directly under it. I'm in the process of choosing the Hobby Base parts I need to order from HLJ. Still no luck on a restock of the Duct Nozzle parts so I'll have to wait and see about that. So yeah, if anyone else has a lead on getting another copy of Origins Bumblebee sent to Ireland I'll be happy to pay
Hnnngggg I love this project so much. Origins Bee being the right size as well... It was meant to bee...
I'm curious to see how this plays out. The fact that you're fitting a smaller deluxe shell over a larger figure is already challenging as is. I'm sure you'll be able to pull it off though!
You can totally fill those gaps with clear plastic. Either file down some plexi sheet, or fill them with a clear epoxy, then use translucent blue paint. Or you could use resin, and they make blue tint for the catalyst.
