Cobra LAV Commander

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
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I plan on getting some sort of vehicle for my T.A.U. and thought it would need a dedicated person to pilot it, this is what I came up with.



I don't completely like the all black look, but that just goes with what they do.
I am open to suggestions.

And by the way, permanent markers are a lie. I tried coloring the joints on this guy using one just to see if I could get around joint rub. After moving the joints a few times, it wore right off. :mad:
 

Wild weasel

needs killer whale parts!
Jun 9, 2011
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Looks cool! I would have painted it though for better coverage. Whats the helmet from?
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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He is painted. :)
Except the joints.

I don't know the name of the guy the helmet is from, he came with a vehicle, but I can't remember it's name. :(
 

MAJOR BLOOD

Size matters
Staff member
Mar 13, 2011
13,592
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Would this be an urban trooper DS? If so maybe throw in some gray on a camo job to give him a lil' function in the concrete jungle. If environmental then perhaps touch it up with some elemental colors? I guess it depends on what use you have for him.

I do like the gear parts. The body armor and helmet look great together. The only way to deal with the joints is to either dremel them or sand them. That's why I have not made my "liquidators" out of the Volcano Vipers yet. It's a bit of a pain. So far, I like the direction you have gone gear wise. It just needs a little extra color unless it's some type of SWAT figure.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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He's supposed to be the driver of the LAV for the Cobra SWAT team, so urban yes, but he's mostly in the drivers seat OR in the upper turret.

I could RIT dye the joints, but I was looking for a way around that and the Dremel option. I've tried dremeling the joints on a few past figures, but I never seem to get it right.
 

Wild weasel

needs killer whale parts!
Jun 9, 2011
2,539
1
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He is painted. :)
Except the joints.

I don't know the name of the guy the helmet is from, he came with a vehicle, but I can't remember it's name. :(

Cool, I just read the permanent marker thing wrong. I only collect and customize O-ring figures(well and 1:18 figures) so they don't chip as much, but I use testors acryl(a mixture of enamel and acrylic paint, water soluable) flat clear with tamiya flat base(gives a duller finish) with plenty of water so it is applied very thinly and brush(may start airbrushing it though, makes an even stronger finish) and it gives a vERY durable and smooth finish. I never have any real problems with chipping.
 

pcsguy88

Deuce Deuce
Staff member
Mar 14, 2011
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KC
www.fighting118th.com
Looks good to me, but if you don't already have an LAV, you might be surprised at how skinny the hatch is. Only skinny legged figures without holsters or belts need apply.

Just watched Battle of LA and loved watching the LAVs smash thru shit.
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
31,266
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He's supposed to be the driver of the LAV for the Cobra SWAT team, so urban yes, but he's mostly in the drivers seat OR in the upper turret.

I could RIT dye the joints, but I was looking for a way around that and the Dremel option. I've tried dremeling the joints on a few past figures, but I never seem to get it right.


I'da used a Shock Trooper with the head/helmet combo and called it a day. That thing is near perfect for a cohesive army. From grunt all the way up to helicopter pilots, in my opinion. They just need different helmets/heads/accessories.

just dye the damn things, it would probably only take 10-15 minutes.;)
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
Helmet looks to be from "Tomahawk", which is a kitbash of essentially Lift-Ticket with Clutch's noggin.

http://www.yojoe.com/action/10/tomahawk.shtml

Also, what sorta paints are you using?

Yeah, that's the one! The only paint I've used so far is some black acrylic from Wal-Mart.

Looks good to me, but if you don't already have an LAV, you might be surprised at how skinny the hatch is. Only skinny legged figures without holsters or belts need apply.

Just watched Battle of LA and loved watching the LAVs smash thru shit.

Are we speaking of one particular LAV, or LAV's in general? I'm planning on getting the Capt. America version.

I have yet to watch BLA, I hear it has great action scenes, and I hope some of those LAV's smashed through some alien invaders.

I'da used a Shock Trooper with the head/helmet combo and called it a day. That thing is near perfect for a cohesive army. From grunt all the way up to helicopter pilots, in my opinion. They just need different helmets/heads/accessories.

just dye the damn things, it would probably only take 10-15 minutes.;)

I know, but variety is what I was trying for in using the desert ambush Ripcord body, plus I was trying to bulk up the unit without buying more ST's.

I will probably dye it in the next few days...assuming the acrylic paint doesn't retard the process, I only need the joints colored. I would have done that in the first place, but all the things I dye, the dye ends up bleeding through. In this case it wouldn't be so bad since the figure is all black.

Nothing I try works!
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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Unrelated, but i'm thinking a ST in OD needs to be done, and i think i'm the man to do it.
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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Go for it. I'd love to see it!! Dye or paint?

I'm thinking i can get away with paint. I could dye it green, but it definitely wouldn't come out olive drab.

But that's an interesting question: Could i mix yellow and green dye to get an olive drab-like color? It wouldn't work on an ST because they're so dark, but it would probably do well on RoC blue BDUs.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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I was speaking of the bbi LAV. Nobody in their right mind would want a Bravo Team LAV and I did not know Cpt America had one.

The C.A. LAV will need some work, but it's probably cheaper than the BBI.


when i look at the pic he looks green, which i like...not till i read the text did i realize he was black

Yeah, I just got the color balance off when I was tweaking it in photoshop. The body is black while the BPV is gray.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
I'm thinking i can get away with paint. I could dye it green, but it definitely wouldn't come out olive drab.

But that's an interesting question: Could i mix yellow and green dye to get an olive drab-like color? It wouldn't work on an ST because they're so dark, but it would probably do well on RoC blue BDUs.

Yellow and blue make green, but with the ROC BDU's being such a light blue, it probably wouldn't turn out how you like. Dying with black and then green would work, but as you stated, it would be a very dark green, more like black with a hint of green.

I would suggest dying it black and then dry brushing it O.D., but you'd run into the very problem I have!:eek:
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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I dyed a RoC blue BDU and the results were great.

I'm thinking the dye bath would need to be 80-20 yellow, and the figure would have to be lightly colored.

Paint where isn't such a big deal as long as the colors aren't too jarring. dark blue-gray spots on an OD ST wouldn't bother me, neither would dark green spots on OD.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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If you give it a try, please do post pictures.

I just went out and bought a bottle of black RIT dye...I'm a glutton for punishment. :(
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
31,266
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Ha, try using the powder! ;)

O grabbed another ST today, so i reckon i'll use him for this project. *breaks out pliers*
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
31,266
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I couldn't tell you. I imagine a bit more messy, anyhow.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Well, tried dieing him black, didn't work.

I also tried dieing a PITT commando black, that to didn't work. :mad:
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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Must have not have cooked him long enough. He won't be completely black, but black with grey camouflage.

Unless you strip the cam pattern off.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
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I left them both in for at least 5 minutes. Ripcord even got a double dip after I rinsed him with cold water and scrubbed him with a tooth brush.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
O.k., I left them in for 11 minutes this time, still not working....completely, although the knee joints on both look to have accepted the dye.

However, it also warpped them somewhat. The Pitt commando started seperating along the shoulder line and both developed weird pock marks on the back of the upper thighs. It looks like the spot is where an injection point was for both halves, and the heat somehow made them worse.
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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Sounds like the dye was too hot and/or the parts were left on the bottom f the pan. I know my Cobra Trooper warped quite a bit. Finally gave up the ghost on him.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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O.k., the dye was hot, but shouldn't that have helped the dye attach on more than just the knee joints?

And I will admit that I just dumped them into the pan without a barrier from the bottom, I figured I had the heat down enough that they wouldn't warp.

This is turning into a bigger fiasco than the Bay of Pigs.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Eddie, don't let this detour you. I've dyed many figures and this is the first time I've had this much trouble.
 

Bravestarr

Molon Labe!
Founder
Mar 15, 2011
1,890
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I plan on getting some sort of vehicle for my T.A.U. and thought it would need a dedicated person to pilot it, this is what I came up with.



I don't completely like the all black look, but that just goes with what they do.
I am open to suggestions.

And by the way, permanent markers are a lie. I tried coloring the joints on this guy using one just to see if I could get around joint rub. After moving the joints a few times, it wore right off. :mad:

I give you points for trying.

I am cursed with two left hands when it comes to painting or dying action figures.

Hopefully it works out for you.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
Like I told Eddie, most of them time dieing works fine except bleed-through. These two figures are being a real pain. My most recent remedy to the problem has been to take a Dremel to the joint discs. I have since painted them and left them alone overnight for the paint to properly dry.

I'll see later today if that worked.


If this doesn't work, I suppose I could undertake the massive task of replacing the joint discs with discs of appropriate color.

Is that even possible? I know it can be done with the knees, but what about the elbows and shoulders?
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
31,266
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I wouldn't recommend it. No matter what you do you're cutting a peg in the joint, and it'll never have the structural integrity again. Learned that the hard way on my OD ST.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
Yeah, probably more trouble than it's worth.

The good news, sanding down the discs and giving the paint plenty of time to dry seems to have done the trick. I gave them two coats of sealer and there's just a tiny bit of tackiness in a few areas.

I have a 25th Cobra trooper head on the PITT commando, he has that red cover over his mouth, I wonder if I should paint it black? He's also wearing a bronze Pitt commando helmet, should I paint it black also? And what role/position could he fill?
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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The LAV-25 uses a crew of 3, so i imagine driver or gunner. I'd paint the helmet black, but the mouth cover is a matter of personal taste.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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I thought that maybe he could be the unit commander, with the helmet and mouth cover setting him apart from the rest, but red and bronze is a bit much.

That's Dreadnok territory.

Helms going black.