The Energon Pub

Captain Crooks wrote:Oddly enough, tanks are big, but not actually THAT big - i'm more concerned about the jet and helicopter, to be honest!

I think the Tank i have arriving in the mail soon is a slightly smaller model, - an American M60A1 - but still at 1/48 scale. I wanted a Leapord II, which is pretty close to what the original Brawl was, but i cant find one, and this tank was heaps cheap, so i'm going to give it a go. I'm about to buy that APC model too, so i can do a comparison straight away. The helicopter purchase has been put back another week or so, till next pay day, since it is in my local shop and there are several - no big hurry.

Still stuck for the jet - I REALLY want the Sukhoi S-47, but cant find a model ANYWHERE! Also, I can only find the Missile trucks i want on international ebay, which means i'll need to set up paypal or something....

Still, 3 pieces out of 5 arent bad at this stage...!

I don't know how accurate that design by TwV is, but aren't there small helicopters? Does that... "AH-1W Cobra" not actually fit in scale with what he drew? If there are no decent helicopters or jets that are small enough, one of them will have to either be converted into a land vehicle, or given an unrealistic scale. Personally, I think the jet as the torso is genius, since it forms the perfect chest-plate that potentially looks just like the G1 version.

^^^ I wont know if the jet is to scale until i get my hands on a 1:48 model - just looking at it now, the cockpit looks very big - but i'd need to compare them all together.

The only problem i can see with having the jet as a torso is possibly the fact that apart from the wingspan, there isn't always a lot of bulk to a plane - in terms of where everything attaches to, it could be a bit limiting (especially since i'm going to make each model transform into a robot seperately as well - it all becomes so complex!).

There ARE small combat helicopters; one which i did consider, the Hughes MD-500D, basically looks like an egg with rockets, and was in the film 'Fire Birds', which had Nicholas Cage in it. Despite the fact they are kinda cool, I reaaaaally dont want to try and make a robot out of one just yet - i'm still trying to de-chubbify Bumblebee, and this thing would look a bit silly, heh. Small helicopters have almost nothing to them at all - i need a bit of bulk!

I'll concentrate on getting a bunch of vehicles i like the look of together, and go through combinations afterwards - sometimes, you just have to try everything! Thanks for your continued interest RavageX-9!

If you can't find the russian jet how about one of the Harriers they're quite small compared to other jets and could help with your scale problem.

Nice idea.. I suggest digging through some military equipment related books or sites to be able to find the vehicles with the right dimensions.

I see someone brought up a ye ol' scribble of mine.

Also, getting the vehicular dimensions right is one thing, but you need to be able to get them to transform into proper robots ?nd decent body segments as well.
I really suggest using Blast Off as the torso, no matter which yet you're going with, because military fast jets are quite a bit larger than trucks and tanks.
Furthermore, with Blast Off being the torso, you could emulate Bruticus' winglike chestplate with ease.

Another bonus for this configuration is that it's relatively easy to get Swindle, Brawl and Onslaught theirs sizes in the same order.

Vortex is again a bit more difficult, but I'd suggest going for a relatively small, yet squarish model like the 0H-58 Kiowa Warrior.
You can get that chopper to brake up much like Cybertron Defense Hot Shot, so that'll make a good arm.

I mention CB Hot Shot, because his design makes for a perfect reimaging of Swindle, based on the larger ASV-150.
With the addition of a swiveling waist to CB Hot Shot's design, you could have a fully articulate arm mode.
The front of the chest is the shoulder connection, the thigh/hip swivel joints would be the elbow in vertical and horizontal movement.
Even the sword connection between his boots, could be the basis of a wrist connection.

And if Blast Off is the torso, he could carry underwing fuel tanks, which could double as hands for the combined mode.
Make the front (or rear) or them detachable and split open like Omega Supreme's claw and you have yourself some manipulators.

I have to disagree with you on making Blast-off the torso. Onslaught is still the best bet. Those Missile trucks are huge! definately bigger than most fighters, except the really big ones.

Some missle trucks are relatively huge, yes.
However, even those aren't a lot bigger than most contemporary supersonic fighters, if at all.
Only the large ICBM/IRBM/SCUD carriers would be big enough.
But then, what to do with Blast Off as a limb?
There aren't that many jets around that are as small as a tank or APC.

Hey T.V, nice sketch man! I must admit, I do like the look of the jet as a body in many ways, but i'm going to withhold all decision making on the process until i have all the pieces - THEN we'll see what can and can't be done....heh!

Your suggestions of vehicles have been noted - here is a pic of the OH-58 'Kiowa Warrior' helicopter:



An interesting design, it's a scout helicopter, and it keeps all the radar equipment etc in that funny ball thing on top of the rotor (the girl in 'Fire Birds' flies one of these i'm pretty sure - its been AGES since ive seen that film...). In appearance, it's not too dissimilar to the original Vortex either...

The ASV-150 is a nice vehicle too - I'm digging the turret a lot!



So, i'll add these to the list of potential parts - although i'm almost definitely going to buy the 8 wheeled APC I posted a pic of earlier in this thread - it's available on ebay, in the right scale, for an absolute bargain price!! Cheers for the suggestions T.V!


skids suggests an AV-8B Harrier jet for Blast-off - i have always loved this jet, and with it's VTOL capabilities, it gives a new relevance to the name 'Blast-off' too, which is always nice....




Once again, thanks for the ideas guys! I'm going to do a quick search on ebay for some of these things - especially that Harrier.....(even if I dont use it for this project, i just love the jet! )

A small update - I now have the tank i'm going to use for Brawl - it's an American tank, an M60A1, smaller than the Leopard II that Brawl is roughly based on, but the details are a little closer to the Cartoon variant, the style of which i will be using as a base for his transformation. I am using parts from a bionicle this tme, as well as whatever parts I think are suitable from my growing pile - I buy a cheap model kit of some kind whenever I can afford it, whether it be a gundam, or something else - you never know what parts will come in handy!

I also have the Helicopter for Vortex - the KA-50 'Hokum', a nasty piece of work, to be sure! Bristling with weapons, he will make a strong right arm for the big Brute....I won't start building him just yet though, as i want to make a start on Brawl, as well as continue my other projects.

Arriving in the post soon is the APC i'm using for Swindle - it has 8 wheels and a missile launcher on top - very cool! Bruticus will not be lacking in firepower....

So, 3 limbs located, and all in the same 1/48 scale! ....all i need is a suitable Blast-off and a model for Onslaught, and i can REALLY get started.....! Onslaught will still be, at this stage, the body of Bruticus, and i have my heart set on the SCUD missile launcher truck, as soon as I can afford it!

Still a bit stumped about Blast-off though....i'm bidding on a Harrier jet, but there is already a Transformer out there with that shell, if i recall - I REALLY want something different!! Any more ideas guys? Please!!

What about one of those Y wing jets? I can't think of the name of them at the moment.

Do you mean, one with it's wings on backwards HP?

I posted a pic of the Su-47 earlier in this post - THAT would be my first choice. However, ebay ain't turning up squat right now, and neither are any of the hobby stores in town...

Yup that's the one I mean! Been a while since I looked at the first page, I forgot that was there.

Hehe, no worries!


Man, I REALLY want that jet!!!!!!!!

You could always do a 1:18 scale and use the g.i.joe one!

I think a 1:18th scale Bruticus would be taller than me!!!!


Speaking of GIJoe, that reminds me - i saw the crossover GIJoe/Transformers comic today for the first time - i dunno if the story is any good, but the artwork was awesome, and the character designs were great!!!!

I was actually thinking about doing some WWII vehicle transformers, and now, there are awesome designs!!

Starscream as a WWII fighter plane.....drooooooooooooooooooool!!!!


If ANYONE has a good pic of the GIJoe/Transformers version of Bruticus, i'd be extra grateful if they could post it here - my search hasnt turned up much, and i only caught a brief glimpse in the comic....

Actually, ANY pics of Bruticus would be handy - either screenshots, or even artwork would be great!

I'm really excited about this project - i'm drawing some concept designs for Brawl and Vortex as we speak....

Captain Crooks wrote:Do you mean, one with it's wings on backwards HP?

I posted a pic of the Su-47 earlier in this post - THAT would be my first choice. However, ebay ain't turning up squat right now, and neither are any of the hobby stores in town...

The Su-37 Berkut is big. Really big.
Bigger than an F-15 by a considerable margin.

So, I reckon that you'll stick with the Harrier for the moment.
The one in the picture you've linked is a Brittish Harrier Gr. 3, which is no longer in service.
Currently, the RAF features the Harrier II Gr. 7(A) and Gr. 9(A)
The 9 is an avionics update of the 7 and the A version has an higher rated engine.

The US Marine Corps us Harriers Gr. 1's with US avionics as AV-8As.
The current versions are the AV-8B and AV-8B Plus.
Both are also based on the Harrier II redesign.

If you want to go with small fighter aircraft, I suggest the JAS-39C Gripen (Sweden, Chzech Republic, Hungary, South Africa) and Mirage 2000C or Mirage 2000N (nuclear bomb penetrator of the Armee de l'Air, French AF).

While the Mirage 2000 might already be too big at a little over 47 ft. in length, it has a shape that is reminiscent of the space shuttle design, with the delta wing design.

The Mirage 2000N would be particularly suitably coloured with it's dark earth tone coloring.



Want some WWII designs?
Those WWII GI Joe vs. TF designs are no good, but there are other possibilities for kitbashing.

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/411 ... ort%3Atime
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/411 ... ort%3Atime

Some rough BBee pencils I once did.
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/394 ... ort%3Atime
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/396 ... ort%3Atime

Those are some nice sketches you have there!!!

I really like that meg design, even though I'm not quite sure on him being a plane. Reminds me more of BW/BM Megs with the arm that way. Just can't think how HE would have gotten to WWII.

Thanks.

You mean the A-10 based Megatron?

That's more of an idea that developed based on the upcoming movie, when it was announced way back that he'd be a plane and not a tank.
The transformation is actually inspired by BW Megatron, since that's the most intuitive way to cut the A-10 up IMO and to be about as tall or a bit taller than a Freightliner Argosy COE based Optimus Prime.

I'd make WWII Megatron to be based of a larger railway gun platform or the Pzkpfw. IV Tiger tank.

Maybe something like the Gustav, but not as big.


Sorry for butting in the thread like that, CC.
Looking forward to the rest of the project.

No probs T.V, i love your sketches, so by all means, post away!

I'm about 15 mins away from winning a cheap 1:48 Sea Harrier on ebay - HOWEVER...... Now i've seen that pic of the Mirage 2000.......



I've also been searching for models of Drakens, Gripens and Viggens, because all of them are very nice designs....

I'm not too worried about the length now, as anything from between 30cm to 40cm can be worked with.....you just have to be creative, heh. The KA-50 helicopter is a very long, chunky model, but since I want my Bruticus to be big and chunky, this shouldn't be a problem!

I'm also toying with the idea of the 'plane wings being detachable, to put on the chest like they do in the Cartoon version of Bruticus, where the shuttle wings become part of the chest. That might solve a bit of the mass problem of the wings, if indeed, they ARE a problem.

Another solution i'm considering is making parts of the aeroplane into a massive close combat weapon - like a big claw, or at least a large blade of some kind. That would leave the helicopter arm with the hand that could hold whatever piece of artillery Bruticus ends up calling a handgun, heh...



Well, i'll be sure to keep you updated! Thanks for all the info T.V!

Keep up the good work CC

Always though that the railway gun would make a good Megs.

I'm not too familiar with military jets, but I'll throw out a couple more ideas.
What if you make blastoff an unmanned plane and onslaught is its launch vehicle?

Not sure if that's how this predator launches of if its dropped from another plane.

Other idea would be a vintage prop fighter like his pre-combaticon form (or was that vortex?). But that probably doesn't suit the name and would stand out from the other vehicles you have chosen.

The JAS-39 might look good as blast-off, but I don't know what the size is like scalewise.

that drone is actually fairly small and skinny though, so you'd have a bulky bruticus with a spindly arm...

^^^ Hmmm, dunno about spindly arm..... might look a little incongruous with the main concept, heh...

Still, the JAS-39 Gripen is an awesome looking 'plane - it's definitely on 'The List', heh...

With the G1 bruticus, quite a large portion of the arms were above the shoulder joint, so the problem of scale might not be as bad as you thought.

^^^ That's what i'm thinking, yeah - I've seen some great artwork where there are all kinds of pointy bits sticking up out of the shoulders - everything that makes him look large, intimidating, and bristling with nasty weaponry is good in my books!!