[shakka85]

Nice figures, and nice photos! Always a worthwhile time checking out this thread!

-Todd
Shakka85

[HissHissFangFan]

1983 collection 2020, almost done...


PhotoGrid_1594525548860~3 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

[shakka85]

Nice group shot of the “1983” recruits in their updated appearances! The dark filter makes them seem a little... ominous, for lack of a better word.

-Todd
Shakka85

[HissHissFangFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakka85

Nice group shot of the “1983” recruits in their updated appearances! The dark filter makes them seem a little... ominous, for lack of a better word.

-Todd
Shakka85

I'll take my standard lighting group photo after I've finished each individual figure and photos. This was an early shot to check for closeout items, like Doc's eyeglass color, Snowjob's hood fitting and kibble coloring and hood peek a boos, and other little bits.

Didn't want to give everything away now before the final so went with shadowy single overhead light. Surprisingly it gave the 1983 class a presence usually not associated with this eclectic group.

Below's one with a little more light, albeit deep new wave neon light--a failed attempt to add a bit of front uplifting to the front figures faces--processed into I don't know what. Was tempted to paint in Doc's eyeglasses, but I limit my post stuff to overall filters and tone adjustments. Upcoming photos will be back to normal stuff, in the next week or so.


2020-07-12_11-03-50 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

[Mr Hebime]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HissHissFangFan

1983 collection 2020, almost done...


PhotoGrid_1594525548860~3 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

This pic right here would make for an excellent poster.

[HissHissFangFan]

ACE (25th Classic Style)


2020-07-18_11-14-03 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

PARTS:
Torso, legs, feet: 2009 ROC Wild Bill v15
Upper arms: 2008 25th Cpt Ace v2 (3-Pack)
Lower arms, hands: 50th HEAT Viper v4
Upper webgear, Parachute pack, lower harness: 2015 50th Ace v8
Head: 2010 POC White Out 2010 (w/ hot glue)
Helmet: 2008 25th Cpt Ace v1 (2-Pack)

PAINTS:
Vallejo Offwhite, Reaper Pearl White (helmet, webgear), Citadel Leadbelcher (dark silver), Citadel Khorne Red


2020-07-18_11-15-04 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

NOTES:
This figure was an attempt to keep the original 25th Ace design for the most part, but update parts to fix some proportions and weight of the overall figure. This was also a slow burner, as I wasn’t sure if it was all going to work well—plus lots of paint problems including smudging of reds onto the whites.

I think most have pretty much abandoned the design concept of the original 83 vintage figure and its corresponding 25th first remake. The original was a little too sci-fi astronaut for older collector’s tastes these days. The v1 25th version tried to blend in in more fighter pilot aspects with the flight suit (vs padding), but was just a proportional mess. I really like where they’d gone with later 30th and 50th Ace designs, but really wanted to vintage classic inspired design to stand with the rest of my 83 class—and really wanted to keep a lot of the 25th v1 concepts like the flight suit, helmet, and webgear.


2020-07-18_11-14-45 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

Early ideas were to mainly use the 50th Ace, but with the classic red and white (maybe light silver or metallic white), but I felt that the lower legs were too short and that this version really didn’t want armored arms. My reworked Airborne and Wild Bill are pretty tall, as was my Cover Girl at the time, so I needed at least the height of the original 25th figure for the new build.

The arms were switched out to be less smooth, somewhat bulkier, and longer (more proportionate to the torso). The lower legs from ROC Wild Bill were used to get more bulk on the original skinnier legs yet retain the flight suit look that I liked from the original 25th figure. The parachute pack and lower harness were borrowed from the 50th version helped balance out the original figure’s top heavy webgear. The webgear’s side straps had to be cut and slide on the chest pads to allow the arms to rest straighter and more naturally to the body (below you may notice clear rubber bands on two figures trying to keep the assemblies tight before gluing). The red colors were unified to one hue, because the original two hues were bothersome.


2020-07-18_11-13-25 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

[The figure on the left above is actually the 25th Slipstream body with the 25th 3-Pack Ace Head (or maybe ROC Grand Slam). Slipstream’s bod used here because my 25th green 3-pack Ace was fodderized for Wild Weasel’s 4-pocket chest look. But I wanted to get that body build in the pic for comparison. Also the center vintage figure is from Flash or Steeler, and was swapped for my vintage Breaker]

I used the White Out head because I didn’t want him to have a similar head to my OG13 Flash, even though I am equally use to this head for both Flash and Ace. This White Out head was originally going to be used for an OG13 figure (Grand Slam or Steeler), but didn’t work with the smaller helmet with visors. This is a very good head sculpt that has been in my fodder bin for way too long, so I was very determined for use it here for Ace. This figure’s neck peg is super short, making it a pain in the ass to get the parts to work, while also allowing the goofy helmet to still fit securely. For some reason, I became obsessed with making that B2 dome helmet work—which actually took a lot of time.


2020-07-18_11-35-20 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

This Ace was a pain to close out (both parts and painting), but I’m really happy with it, as it fills an important spot on my shelf. Honestly I hate the original 25th figure’s execution, but its design intent was sound, and its concept updates to the 83 vintage figure provided a nice bridge between that vintage figure and this tweaked updated version.

In the future, I’d still like to make a few more Ace figures for my collection, such as more fighter pilot look either based on the 25th 3-pack, or the new sculpt era. But right now I’m knee-deep in classic 83 and 86 figures, and thoroughly enjoying it.

[nighthawk]

Looks very nice!

[Jinx723]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HissHissFangFan

ACE (25th Classic Style).

Oh My GOD!!!
This Ace is perfect. I love it.

[46 Zone]

Ace is sweet.

[Hit & Run]

Mirror the above comments, I LOVE this Ace! You did such a great job on the paint job, the white and red / maroon pop so well off each other. Always fun to see how you make figures the way Hasbro could have done them for us.