The Hellblade pt. II

So, if you followed along last week, the model’s about 90% done at this point. Or it would be if you were using the template as is. Everything from this point on counts as an optional helpful hint. So here’s how to slap on some extra detail. A lot of this come right off that second set of templates I said to print out.

On the inside of the cockpit, I used the little chest-and-shoulders piece that comes with the Chaos vehicle sprue. It’s the one that would normally give you a head just peering out of a tank hatch. Here it makes a great pilot, especially with the Chaos Marine respirator-wearing head. You could also use a horned head and reposition the horns to look like cables running back from the helmet deeper into the cockpit. I glued the pilot in place on top of that horizontal card I added a few steps back.

The canopy gives you a few options, as I see it. You can cut it out, score it, and call it done. You can also cut the windows out of one of your two copies, then glue parts of the other one inside that frame you’ve made to create a two-level “glass” effect. You could also use clear plastic from a blister pack or flat-sided bottle for the windows, but then you need to put something inside the cockpit (which I’ve already done). I decided to cut out the windows but leave them open (it is just a model after all).

Helpful Hint-- This is one of those cases where size really does matter. The stanchions of the canopy are so thin it’s very hard to get the folds right. Alas, this is a precise piece and if the folds aren’t just right you’ll never get the canopy to fit on the cockpit. What I finally ended up doing was (very carefully) cutting the whole canopy apart and gluing each panel in place seperately. It’s more work, but quicker and cleaner in the long run.

Take the extra upper fuselage template and sketch in a line about 1/4” from the edge. My little diagram is not to scale. Your own personal chaotic taste may say to make it a little less or more. Cut off the “barbs” at the front of the wings, too. Now cut along that line you added, remove the center (try to make clean cuts), and you’ve got a section of trim that should line up perfectly with the wing. You could add a few chaotic points to the trim as well, if you’re into that sort of thing. Glue this in place and use some clothespins to hold it. There may be a little tweaking involved as you go, so start at one end and work your way down, clamping as you go. If you managed to get the whole center section out in one clean piece, you can cut off the narrow end, shift that piece down onto the trim, and now it’s a bit more detail.

You can repeat this trim on the bottom fuselage if you want more detail down there, but I don’t think you really need it. Even with a flier, how often do you see the bottom of a 40K vehicle? I did it on this one to demonstrate, but it may not happen on the next one.

Helpful Hint-- I wrapped each wing in wax paper and set them Under The Dome for a while after all this, just to make sure they were straight and solid. One of the biggest problems with Paperhammer models (in my experience) is things can tweak and warp as the glue dries. The more layers (and glue) you add to something, the more chance it’s going to start bowing and twisting--expecially when it’s something flat like this. Don’t rush this stage and let things dry as long as they need to dry. I did the wings just before going to bed so they had all night to sit.

I did this trick in reverse with the spare cockpit. I sketched the lines and made the cuts, but I used the inside section for the triangular panels on the front of the cockpit. Extra detail and it bulks that up a bit more.

I doubled up the VTOL thrusters on the Hellblade’s bottom by using the forms from both sets of templates. It just gives this engine detail a bit more solidity. A couple circles from a standard 1/4” hole punch gives a touch more detail, as well.

The autocannons are just some doubled-up thin tubing (you could probably use straws) with gargoyles from one of the Chaos vehicle sprues. After much thought about how to attach them to this very angular section of the cockpit, I broke down and used two blobs of green stuff and a drop of superglue. I used two spare autocannon ammo drums from the Imperial Guard heavy weapons set to add a bit more detail. Again, remember that plastic needs to be superglued onto the cardboard.

The lower stabilizers went on now, too. I glued down a thin strip of cardboard on each side first. This gave the stabilizers a bit more to lean on and made it easier to line them up. Plus, it’s just a bit more texture when the model’s done.

This is a bit short, I know, and it’s silly that what’s really a simple model is going to take three posts to explain. Alas, I’m swamped with a few other things right now and I’d rather take a little longer and do it right. After all, I’m theoretically doing this as an example, so rushing stuff doesn’t help anyone.

Next time I’ll show you how to build a ridiculously easy engine for this thing, plus a last few gubbins for detail.

By the way, if you haven’t seen it already, check out Paperhammer 40K. It’s got templates, a forum, and a bunch of other resources for folks trying to learn about origami Necrons and similar fun card constucts.