Veynom

Thank you! For the detailed list of non-Lego part, just expand the "Reveal hidden content" in the original post. :)

A project that was sitting since too long on my bench: a German "Natter" on its launch ramp. The Bachem Ba 349 Natter (Viper) is a rocket-powered interceptor developed by Germany from late 1944. It is a rather small aircraft measuring 6m by 4m, built mostly from wood except for the armored cockpit. It was launched vertically from a ramp designed to be basic. Armement of 24 rockets was installed in the nose and designed to target allied bombers. The Natter never entered into operational services. Its first piloted flight ended tragically with the dead of the test pilot and crash of the prototype aircraft. No allied airplane was ever shot down by a Natter. However, at the end of WW2, allies showed a lot of interested into German late-war technologies and attempts to grab and study everything they could. Ultimately, the Natter generated more"what-if" stories during the post-war years than any result in the airs. Because the Natter was never deployed on large scale, I only put simple markings on it: 2 Balkenkreutz (black cross) and simple technical writings next to the cockpit hood; but no swastika on the tail. View from the sky, with the rockets in the nose. Quite a nice and unusual view for airplanes. I also quickly assembled a small trailer to transport equipment. Based on official models, of course. When taking black and white photos, it almost look like photos form back-then. I really enjoy them. As an amusing coincidence, only a couple of days before finalising the layout, I stumbled across the picture below depicting a very similar scenery: the Natter on the light launching ramp made of wood. But this photo shows american soldiers analysing the place before taking a Natter away. Small game: Can you identify the non-LEGO element of this MOC ? There are some but in very limited quantity. (click below to reveal the hidden content and discover the details) If you like this MOC, I would appreciate you to also like this Instagram post. By doing so, you would boost my participation to an online contest https://www.instagram.com/p/DMsQpPxowGA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Thank you! As a conclusion: I truly enjoyed building this MOC. While the aircraft itself sat on my bench for 6 months before I finally completed the layout, I quite like the end result. The trees are nice as well. And the layout is not too fragile. No glue was used. :)

Thank you, both! Glad you appreciate it.

Here is a Messerschmitt bf109 directly inspired from a real model from WW2. All bricks are genuine Lego. Messerschmitt Bf109 G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr Messerschmitt Bf109 G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr This is a G-6 sub-version as piloted by Gruppenkommandeur Friedrich-Karl "Nasen" Müller". Nasen was a nightfighter pilot who survived the war with over 30 confirmed victories. My model depicts his G-6 from Summer 1944. Here is below a comparison between a real drawing from his fighter and my creation. Btw, the G version was nicknamed Gustav. You may detect 2 differences between the above pictures and the below ones ... answer at the end. Messerschmitt Bf109 G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr I had to make hard choices for the color section but ultimately, I decided to use LBG, DBG, dark green (I would have preferred a dark dark green) and black for the underside. Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/As by Veynom, on Flickr Decals are custom and come from AIMS for 1/32 scale models, except for the propeller nose where I cut some Lego sticker sheet. Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/As by Veynom, on Flickr Here are a few shots from the field: Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 by Veynom, on Flickr I had started with the idea of an all black bf109 but as I could not get the corresponding decals for the exact marking, I progressively moved to this camo version. Doing nice camo with bricks remains a challenge, particularly dependant on available colors and shape. But I've hope for the future as TLC just released a part matching perfectly the bf109 nose ... About the 2 differences: The G version has no support for the rear wings ... I had incorrectly mounted 2 antennas like in the E version (Emil). In my final version, I made the canopy longer by 1 stud. The top bars are therefore 5-stud long (from cut hoses), instead of 4. It better match the pictures. The comparative picture still have the 4-stud long canopy. Hope you like it ...

Behind the barbarian name of Sd.Kfz. 250 mit 5cm PAK 38 hides a very rare variant of a WW2 German half-track. Sd.Kfz. 250 mit 5cm PAK38 by Veynom, on Flickr While the standard version was designed for troop transport, there were many variants fulfilling many purposes, just like its longer cousin the Sd.Kfz. 251. Sd.Kfz. 250 mit 5cm PAK38 by Veynom, on Flickr This model represents a 5-cm anti-tank gun (PAK) mounted on a modified Sd.Kfz. 250. It includes the side storage boxes and has a longer frame on the rear to provide more space to the gun servants. Sd.Kfz. 250 mit 5cm PAK38 by Veynom, on Flickr This variant was seen in Yugoslavia in at least 2 different models. One of them is exhibited at the war museum of Belgrade. It is unfortunately not in good condition with many missing components. Sd.Kfz. 250 mit 5cm PAK38 by Veynom, on Flickr I've decided to apply a winter color scheme, which was done by hastily splash covering the vehicle with some white color easy to remove. This explain why the grey is still visible at the bottom of the vehicle. This type of color scheme is likely to match a German unit fighting in Yugoslavia during the first months of 1945. Sd.Kfz. 250 mit 5cm PAK38 by Veynom, on Flickr My model is loosely based on the old 2014 BrickMania version. It is however recolored, rebuilt, detailed, and globally improved as the kit was rather old and no more matching today's standards. I think my version is a bit better. Decals come from my stash of old 1/35 scale models: license plates, black cross, red numbers. The front engine service door sticker is an official lego sticker, or rather, this is the cut-around of an official sticker. It had the right shape and color (LBG). This is a first try for me but I like the results. I will reuse this trick when I need to add more panel hatches or so. Minifigs are mixing multiple sources, from custom to official. Say "Hi!" to Dengar when you recognize his head. Sd.Kfz. 250 mit 5cm PAK38 by Veynom, on Flickr For fans that read until the end: Sd. Kfz. = Sonderkraftfahrzeug (special purpose véhiclel)This page gives many details about this specific Sd.Kfz. 250 variant.

Instructions are now available on Rebrickable! https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-186187/Veynom/tie-separator

I never made instructions for this one ... but I could, this is a good idea.

Multiple brick shows and conventions in Belgium this year. We will go abroad in 2025, probably France again, and Germany.

Adding also some pictures from last weekend: Upgraded base entrance by Veynom, on Flickr Upgraded base entrance by Veynom, on Flickr Upgraded base entrance by Veynom, on Flickr Upgraded base entrance by Veynom, on Flickr

That was a given for us. While I love the work done by some MOCers on ballast, for Star Wars, it had to be integrated. It can be a pain sometimes but it works fine and it is visually attractive. Thank you! We try and we still have many ideas. Only transportation and setup time become the main limiting factors.

Thanks! And I agree with you, it becomes easier but when you mix modularity and lights, it becomes a connecting challenge ... but the result is awesome. Thank you! The Star Wars train is our signature in Desert Wars since 2018. Personally, I've been using motorized Star Wars vehicles as train since 2016. And of course, I've many more videos. Here are some: Star Wars train in our Desert Wars 2021 layout by Veynom, on Flickr Desert Wars 2023 - Incoming train by Veynom, on Flickr And I really recommend you check this one: our train during a "by night" event .... (on Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsCLM-cgFQg/

After upgrading my cliff section in 2023, I felt the need to update as well the entrance of my Imperial base on Desert Wars. Over time, I realise we need to constantly evolve to propose a better experience to the public during exhibitions. So far we change/update/upgrade/add more or less 15-20% of our layout every year. Unfortunately, we face more and more a particular limitation: transport. We already rent vans, but we are considering trucks now... but I digress and let's go back to the topic. So, before we start, what is that base entrance looking like? In the beginning, back in 2019, it was just the desert ending in the base. The base was rather an outpost to be honest. Desert Wars 2019 - Imperial Outpost by Veynom, on Flickr In 2021, a real entrance was built: Imperial base by Veynom, on Flickr Imperial base by Veynom, on Flickr I had recycled 2 watchtowers built for previous uses, added a kind of electric fence and that was it. It did the job. When our train was taking videos (with the embedded GoPro), it looked rather immersive. When we later expanded the layout depth from 4 baseplates to 5 baseplates, the update was rather easy. I recycled an old AT-ST turret on top of a basic tower. Desert Wars 2022 by Veynom, on Flickr Over time, I figured out that the parts used for the fence were far from ideal. They often looked sloppy, and the fence was fragile. The end result looked more and more like a rebel-scum hideout than a disciplined Imperial base to me. As I did not want to end up on Kessel, I had to do something to kill that "cheap" design from 2021, particularly as I had also increased the grey footprint of the base during 2023 while also adding some lights. Here, an picture showing the increased grey area with more and more zones being connected by the road. Desert Wars at night 2023 by Veynom, on Flickr So, what to do? Some ideas came to me while watching Rebels and the episodes with the TIE-Defender secret base. From there, I "only had to". Except there was an additional challenge: the lights. I wanted lights all along the wall and highlights some details but providing power when using the MILS system is not so easy, particularly as I don't want to spend additional setup time in connecting wires. But enough blabla, and let's see the new stuff. Here, you can see both the old and the upgrade, side by side. Upgraded Base Entrance by Veynom, on Flickr Upgraded Base Entrance by Veynom, on Flickr So, I start with a ion canon, thick reinforced walls with red LEDs and a new design for the watchtower. For these towers, I even replaced the rocky metaparts by some speederbike hangars, and a few lights. Speeder bike tiny hangar by Veynom, on Flickr The tower close to the public side is open on 2 sides, allowing to view and enjoy a small maintenance hangar. Note the speeder bikes are those from 1999 ... they also do the job. Imperial field maintenance bay by Veynom, on Flickr Imperial field maintenance bay by Veynom, on Flickr Imperial field maintenance bay by Veynom, on Flickr Both towers were completed and kept the same size at the bottom (16x16) and the same height (to fit in the transport crate). But otherwise, they are more detailed, fit better with the base and the Imperial style. Gone is the WW2 look and feel. Welcome the Empire. As a side story, during the BrickMania Antwerp event in 2023, a reseller offered us some freebies because he likes our layout. We received a handful of custom Gatling-like machine guns. To thank them, I made a mini kind of brickfilm. Hope you will like it. (It also contains another teaser ...). Just click on the black square. New Weapon for Desert Wars by Veynom, on Flickr And I got it ready for last weekend ... more pictures will come. But here is already a video of Desert Wars 2024. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4kgTMBLwoh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Thank you! Glad you enjoy it. You put your finger on the pain point! Just like a proton torpedo hitting some random exhaust port of a space station somewhere. This is indeed the section I am not too fond about. The problem is however not the length but the height. Looking more closely at pictures, I should probably do the following: Move the bottom turret back where the landing gear is located Remove the meta conic piece and make a flat bottom from the bottom turret Move the entire "head" section 1 brick higher for better alignment. It would allow to smoothen the slop ramp down from the top turret till the head. But where to put the forward landing gear then. in front ? it will also not be nice from a visual point of view. And references pictures are a bit contradictory. Thank you so much for the feedback!

Thank you! And you are absolutely 100% correct. Those printed panels comes from the old 7109 escape pod set. Under valued parts, so happy I purchased a stock 15 years ago.

Ten years after building a first version of an UCS-like Tantive IV, inspired by official sets 10019 and 10198, I have decided that it was about time to provide some lifting to my MOC. Believe me, coming back to an old MOC is a challenge. Over 10 years, many new parts have been released, many new build techniques were introduced and if means what can be seen as a simple re-lifting may become a total rebuild. Anyway, without additional blabla, here is the result: Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr And you may compare it with my previous edition from 2013: CR90 Corvette Tantive IV by Veynom, on Flickr Just as the previous version, it can be opened to reveal a detailed interior: Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr Instead of letting you spot the 7 differences (and there are more than 7), I will review the main changes brought to the model. The first one is about the color scheme. The old dark gray and red have been replaced by DBG and dark red everywhere. The model is also globally whiter than the 2013 version. The second global change is a massive move from studfull to almost studless, only keeping studs were it could provide greebling advantageously. And now, let's start to zoom on some sections, starting with the rear engine section. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr It is 6-stud wider than the original, with extra space added between each engine pod in order to add some extra details. Just making it wider implied a full rebuild from scratch. Many, many details were added everywhere to closely match the original model. The engines are a bit longer and the exhaust part was revisited to provide a nicer visual effect. Just detailling the exhausts added more than 400 extra parts to te model. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr With the radar section, I made structural strengthening, extra details on the lateral pods with smoother ending, detailed inside, brick-build white wings, and a brick-build radar. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr The roof section was also rebuild from scratch. Details were added to all panels for visual improvement and also to ensure minimal holes between angled panels. Then we have the head... Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr I cut the head just after the central section and rebuilt it completely. As the original shape is somewhere halfway between a hammerhead and a double truncated cone, just reproducing it is already a challenge. If you further want it hollow in order to add a detailed cockpit then it becomes a very interesting challenge. The solution I used is maybe not the most esteatic one when looking at it closely but it does the job when moving a bit away from the ship and it allows to put 4 sitting minifigs and some walking ones in the central corridor. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr It was really not easy to capture the curves, the outside details and still proposing an easy way to open it. Yet, the result is quite strong with enough details inside. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr And there is a corridor allowing us to guess about some well know scenery from ANH. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr And now the main room. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr With Darth Vader, always elevating people around him with his typical sense of Imperial justice. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr My lateral pods are still present, each with a small vignette inside and more details or better smoothing. Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr Tantive IV - 2023 Edition by Veynom, on Flickr A few more pictures from the build: Tantive IV uplifting WIP by Veynom, on Flickr Tantive IV uplifting WIP by Veynom, on Flickr TantiveIV uplifting WIP by Veynom, on Flickr A friend of mine told me the radar metabrick was not up to the level of the MOC. So I built a new one ... the result if indeed much more appealing and aligned with the original model. TantiveIV uplifting final WIP by Veynom, on Flickr A color swap which truely improve the visual impact: replacing the LBG engines (wheels) by dark pearl gray ones. Tantive IV uplifting Engine colors by Veynom, on Flickr Now, there is still a major disadvantage to this re-lifting. The beast weights now 25% more than before, increasing from 4.4 to 5.5 kg. Heavy MOC, I tell you. The length remained identically (that was a surprise to me). I've no clue if I will change it again in 10 years, maybe it will switch to a blue color-scheme...