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Scrambler Build, Part 1

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Before Devon Ardel became a hot shot pilot for the Federation Alliance, she was a pretty good Stellar Ranger pilot. The fighter she flew for the Rangers was the Scrambler. When I initially started writing the Ranger short stories I drew this picture of the Scrambler. The design was a bit of a throwback to Buck Rogers and to all metal fighters from the 1950s.

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When I decided to build this model I wanted to try something different. I wanted to start with an actual fighter plane, thinking if these were ever filmed, it might be easy to find a real plane and then alter it into a Scrambler. The fighter that I settled on just happened to be a 1950’s UK fighter the Hawker Hunter. The only kit I could find was a the Revell 1/32 version so I purchased it.

I hacked up the wings first, making the tips bend down by cutting them off and angling them. Then I hacked off nearly a third of the fuselage and installed a bottle cap to be the engine housing. I didn’t use the kit’s tail, but fashioned one in the same shape as the drawing and bingo, I was essentially done.

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The cockpit was built pretty much as the kit provided. I didn’t care how detailed it was, because I’d never get inside with my camera. So while it’s weathered, it’s pretty stock.

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The canopy was masked in using the usual tapes.

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Here are the tops of the wings with the downward bend and all the putty I used on them. It was ugly, but it worked.

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Here’s the finished body with wings. No stabilizers were used.

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The mount was made from RenShape with a standard threaded lock off.

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Rear shot showing the engine which was an electric toothbrush in another life.

 

Coming next: Putty and Sanding