OK, L.E., here is the concept: I had mentioned to Tamer some time ago that I wanted to make an ATIC "all terrain ion cannon" like as shown from this kenner proto of an unproduced toy from the early 80s.
The fodder for this project was to be an atat walker and the cannon from the old vintage death star playset. The barrel of the cannon on the proto looks different but the body of the gun looks about the same.
To make the beast, I found an old chair mount from that gun and Tamer bought and sent me several partial guns found on ebay and his first walker. "he has several but this is his first so it must be special"
I barely started on this project back in May and then got busy with work and put it on the back burner as Tamer had told me that I could take as long as I wanted. Since I am layed off now, I figure I could start working on it again and If I get done early enough, it could qualify as my entry into the military ground vehicle competition.
Most of the beginning of this project is chronicled around page 50 of what is now my custom figures thread.
I started by making a couple of sketches just to get a visual feel for the project.
I knew that their would be some size and positioning issues with the gun and wanted to try to work em out in my head.
After some discussion, I had decided to alter the project a bit to include the sides and back of the walker that could close up to look like a normal walker and protect the crew or open out to reveal the ion cannnon when the walker had reached its firing position on the field of battle. I don't yet have a drawing depicting this as such but have it visualized in my head. To allow for stowage of the gun while the walker is in it's closed up configuration, I had the idea that the gun could ride a rail or recessed groove in the floor of the troop compartment and be slid forward in the walkers body to allow the barrel to clear the back and allow for closing up of the beast.
As shown by these pictures, the gunner's chair on the gun mount was too large to allow for the gun to fit properly into the troop compartment and allow the gun to rotate. The t-handle for the control of the walker's head is also in the way for the slide forward feature that I plan to implement. Tamer has told me that I may gut the beast to my fancy so I will cut it out of the way. I will make a bulkhead there, at the front end of the troop compartment with some kind of door detail. If there's room, I plan to mount a control panel or two twards the front on one side of the troop compartment with standing or sitting positions for a fire control person to track and repel targets from and perhaps to control the hydhrolic pumps with. Yes, I also plan on fabbing some articulated simulated hydrolic pumps, rams, and attachments which will move with the side and back panels of the beast that fold down or up to close up the walker. I drew some thumnail sketches to demonstrate this and to troubleshoot ideas for it.
All I have accomplished, thus far, is to take the walker apart and to make a couple of size saving cuts on the main body of the ion cannon. I am probably opening a can of worms here but you guys talked me into it.
I will break the parts out tomorrow and have a go at it again.
Bugger, I seem to have missplaced those hydro system designs. I will try to dig em out tomorrow.
