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Author Topic: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures  (Read 42174 times)

nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #84 on: January 31, 2014, 01:51:47 PM »

I'm actually just using Testor's acrylic.

Zenith27

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #85 on: January 31, 2014, 05:47:17 PM »

I'm actually just using Testor's acrylic.

I've found good results with their gloss acrylics. Black especially works well for touchups of old Joes. Most other colours need to be mixed which can be a pain though.
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nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #86 on: February 21, 2014, 01:00:12 PM »

I saw someone use the Swamp Viper head for Star Viper and I thought it looked cool so I copied the idea.  The helmet is a Raginspoon cast.






nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #87 on: November 06, 2014, 03:52:17 PM »

I had previously done an OG13 project.  I wasn't really happy with the 25th Short Fuze head though so I finally updated it.  The rest of the 25th set is in this thread including how Short Fuze looked before this mod.  I forgot to take pictures of the back to show the backpack, but the thread below shows it too.  It's just a Retaliation Lady J backpack. 
http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-joe-customs-finished-projects/394287-25th-anniversary-og13-project.html

Head looks a bit big in some pics, but it's just the angle the picture was taken.










nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #88 on: November 06, 2014, 03:55:00 PM »

My Slaughter's Renegades set is finally complete.  The last piece of the puzzle was Red Dog's belt and webgear and I finally got something that works now.

Group shots






Mercer:
Added a holster for him and gave him POC Hawk's backpack





Red Dog:
Modified a 25th Snake Eyes all black webgear, modified 25th Flint webgear and added Rockslide Dusty's backpack.  The legs are from a 25th Torch and the head is Airborne's.



Taurus:
Modified his neck so he's not always looking down.  Gave him Zanzibar's webgear and cut holes on the bottom of holsters so pistols sit lower.  Modified vintage backpack to fit on him and modified knees so he can stand straight.


nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #89 on: November 20, 2014, 12:32:24 PM »

I managed to get a 25th Tiger Rat coming to me in a trade.  Disappointed that Skystriker was not the pilot.  I decided to make my own.

I took some creative liberties due to what I had available.  If I ever manage to get his vintage helmet and headset, I will switch to those and will also change his feet so they are brown.  For now, this will do cause the cheapest TF Skystriker that has helmet and headset I can find is still $30.  At least when my Tiger Rat arrives, it'll have the correct pilot. 

The yellow helmet is a not to Wild Bill's as he'll be in the back, then it just brings cohesiveness in that they'll both have yellow helmets. (That's me trying to convince myself that it's ok not having the vintage helmet and headset)











nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #90 on: January 05, 2015, 12:30:11 PM »

I managed to get a mint complete Lightfoot for a really good deal so I modified the head and backpack onto the Blowtorch body.  Used the FSS TNT hands and a 25th Viper vest. 








With helmet off:



I finally managed to get a Blizzard backpack with handles that didn't cost me an arm and a leg.  The sled though looks weird as it's kinda small, but I found the vintage figure looked weird on the sled already.  I just wanted to keep his vintage gear.  I have his vintage rifle as well, but like this one better so that's why I gave him the one he has.





On sled:





With Iceberg:

latinjoe22

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #91 on: January 10, 2015, 12:00:53 AM »

Well, while I work your work is Genius piece of engineering in general, I'll concentrate my feedback on two of my all-time favorite characters that you just did there: LightFoot and Skystriker. Those guys are wicked! Unless you are happy with LightFoot, I'd suggest you break alittle from the old school replicating, and just give it a black neckpiece. His head will apear to be less floating.

Also, I don't know If you remember that I once did a moderna era tooling on a ROC figure to create Thunder. I took the driver of the panther, sorry can't remember his name, did like you, grabbed an accessory pack headset to Breaker and added the silencer tips of Mutt and Junkyard on each side. And it did a decent job. Anyway I'm sure you could come up with something interesting. You could try finding some nice hardplastic lego antennas that you could use.

All in all good job! I want to see more done on my personal faves if ever you revisit them, so I'll be on the lookout :-)
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nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #92 on: January 26, 2015, 02:14:48 PM »

Here's my latest.  I managed to get the vintage TF Skystriker helmet and updated him.  What do you think?








In the Tiger Rat cockpit:








This is what I wish Hasbro had released when they released the 25th Anniversary Tiger Rat:





nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #93 on: March 31, 2015, 12:47:41 PM »

Lately, I've been really into making non-functional holsters functional.  Here's my next one: Recondo.

I also wanted him to have short sleeves like the vintage but didn't have good bare hands so I went with the gloves.





These pictures were right after I finished the custom and didn't realize how far to the side the holster was but here they are anyways.  This was why I had to retake some pictures (the ones above) after adjusting the holster position.







The only other thing I didn't like about Recondo was that he had no machete but since the vintage one didn't have it either, I didn't want to really add anything, but I may change my mind later and find a way to attach a machete sheath on him. For now, the solution is to pair him up with Pathfinder for all his missions. :)


nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #94 on: May 01, 2015, 01:15:53 PM »

Blowtorch:

Blowtorch is my favorite Joe of all time.  No idea why, just really loved him as a kid.  However, the new Hasbro ones have their little shortcomings unfortunately.  I've finally finished everything I wanted to do with my Blowtorch now.  I used a 50th Blowtorch for this and I am considering whether I will give the upcoming green Blowtorch the same treatment.
Here's the list of mods:
Flamethrower stock is extendable/collapsible
Modified neck so he can look straight ahead
Swapped his lower legs so that his legs are the same length
Added holster to right thigh
Modified elbow area on both arms to enable two handed poses of holding his flamethrower and pistol.

Unfortunately, his helmet and gas mask connection point is still really hard to get to line up 100% but it's only really noticeable in pictures though.

Here's the pics:






Stock extended:


Stock retracted:


Unhelmeted shots:




Drawing pistol:



nighthawk

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Re: Nighthawk's modern updates on vintage Joe ARAH figures
« Reply #95 on: October 27, 2015, 01:43:28 PM »

The Ninja Force SS was my all time favorite SS in terms of the look.  I just hated the spring loaded gimmick.  Even when I had it as a kid, I cut off the tabs and drilled a hole in his back so he can put on the vintage Storm Shadow backpack.

When Hasbro released the DG one, I was so happy in that it was a perfect base for the Ninja Force one.  I just wish they added some stuff to give him some gold paint apps and stuff.

I had originally worked on this but everything was just taped on.  Last night, I pulled him out to take some parts off for my 50th Storm Shadow mods and decided to actually complete this one.

Mods:
Added some extra white paint spots
Glued on pad for him to put his ninja stars (which are removable)
Glued on grenade
Gave him backpack from the Retaliation 3 pack version

I wish I was able to give him the shoulder pad look, but this I think is a nice compromise.  I just wanted to get some gold in there.  Originally, I just used the black 25th Storm Shadow backpack cause it had a gold belt, but he just couldn't hold those swords.  Hope you like it.








So, before the Ninja Force Storm Shadow came out, this was my favorite version.  Namely because I couldn't get the 1984 one and I actually liked him as a Joe.

The only issues I had with him was that I never liked his red backpack and sword.  When I was able to, I put the 1984 backpack on my 1988 Storm Shadow.

This minor tweak is basically just that.  The waist belt was from AVACSlab.  The rope was from the 25th version of this Storm Shadow.  I also lowered his head a little.




« Last Edit: October 28, 2015, 01:12:49 PM by nighthawk »
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