MECH Quad-Gun Walker MOC

Artillery pieces are to be on wheels and rely on a tow truck to get it to where it need to be deploy. Once deployed, mostly are sitting ducks target. Now it relies on soldiers to prevent enemy from getting into them and blew them up to bits.
The first innovation is to mount the gun onto a mobile chassis and that is when a tank was born - out of necessity and innovation. The next incarnation could be having the firepower on feet. This is how the Quad-Gun Mech concept came about. On feet, it added a further degree of elevation and also to allow positioning on rocky, rugged, angled terrain.
I'd like to think this design is the early beginning of a full fledged Mech suit. Akin to the Mech body on tracks. Crew protection is also an important factor to consider. However, all advancement has to start somewhere.

Construction Bricks German Puma Schützenpanzer (IFV)

A brief introduction :
The Puma is a German infantry fighting vehicle (Schützenpanzer or short SPz) designed to replace the aging Marder IFVs currently in service with the German Army. Replacement began in 2010 and is scheduled for completion by 2020. Mass production began on 6 July 2009.[5] The companies responsible for this project are Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Landsysteme, who created a joint venture in the form of Projekt System Management GmbH (PSM). The Puma is one of the world's best-protected IFVs, while still having a high power-to-weight ratio. SAIC offered a derivative of the Puma as its contender in the now cancelled American GCV Infantry Fighting Vehicle program.

Construction Bricks Leichter Panzerspähwagen SdKfz 222

Except from Wikepedia :
The Leichter Panzerspähwagen (German: roughly "light armoured reconnaissance vehicle") was a series of light four-wheel drive armoured cars produced by Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1944.
Designed to meet operational requirements including reliability, run on a variety of grades of fuel, simple construction and good off-road performance the first such vehicle was the Sd Kfz 221 but this proved too small and too lightly armed, so in 1936-37 a heavier version was planned, using one of two standard chassis for four-wheel armoured cars, one with a front-mounted engine, the other rear-mounted version, was used in the Sd Kfz 222, which became the standard light armoured car in German army service until the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Construction Bricks American M2/M3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)

Some quick facts of the vehicle from Wikipedia to kick start this posting :
he Bradley is designed for reconnaissance and to transport a squad of infantry, providing them protection from small arms fire, while also providing firepower to both suppress and eliminate most threats to friendly infantry. It is designed to be highly maneuverable and to be fast enough to keep up with heavy armor during an advance. The M2 holds a crew of three: a commander, a gunner and a driver, as well as six fully equipped soldiers.
It was developed largely in response to the amphibious Soviet BMP family of infantry fighting vehicles, and to serve as both an Armored personnel carrier (APC), and a tank-killer. One specific design requirement was that it should be as fast as the new M1 Abrams main battle tank so that they could maintain formations while moving, something which the older M113 armored personnel carrier could not do, as it had been designed to complement the older M60 Patton.

Construction Bricks American M113 Armored Personnel Carrier

American grunts fighting in Nam called it the battlefield taxi. This little tracked aluminum box provides cover from light infantry weapons ferrying soldiers to and from the front lines. First entered service in 1960, it is still rolling around today, 58 years later. That is an incredible feat for a armored vehicle. Almost every country friendly to the US have some in their military. The Singapore army at one time operates about 1000 vehicles. And that brings the sentimental part of this APC for me. Owning one Lego sample of it will be a great idea.

Construction Bricks MOC Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind"

Continuing my new found craze for Lego type military vehicle, here we have arguably the first mobile anti aircraft platform that ever roam the battlefield. And the "Wirbelwind" or Whirlwind are faithfully reconstructed from Lego type bricks.

From Wikipedia :
The Flakpanzer IV "Wirbelwind" (Whirlwind in English) was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the Panzer IV tank. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Möbelwagen.

In the first years of the war, the Wehrmacht combined German military forces had less interest in developing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, but as the Allies began to gain air superiority, the need for more mobile and better-armed self-propelled anti-aircraft guns increased. During the early summer of 1944, SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause with the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend came up with the concept of the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind. He presented the concept to SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment and it was approved by Hitler.

The Panzer IV's turret was removed and replaced with an open-top, nine-sided turret which housed a quadruple 2 cm Flakvierling 38 L/112.5. A closed-top design would have been preferable, but this was not possible due to the heavy smoke generated by the four anti-aircraft guns. The shape of the turret earned it the nickname of Keksdose (Biscuit Tin). Production of the tank was carried out by Ostbau Werke in Sagan, Silesia. However, in combat the 2cm shells were felt to be insufficiently effective against aircraft and so a more powerful successor was produced which eventually replaced it. Known as the Flakpanzer IV Ostwind (East Wind), the successor was equipped with a single 3.7 cm FlaK 43.

The combination of armor and rapid fire from the four guns of the Wirbelwind also made it effective against ground targets.

Between 87 and 105 Wirbelwinds were produced during the war, but due to discrepancies between the recorded production numbers at the Ostbau Works and Wehrmacht service records, the exact number will probably never be known.

Construction Bricks Decool No. 2112 Hummel M1097A2 Cargo/Troop Carrier

If you want to own some Lego type military hardware / vehicles and you do not want to pay through your nose buying boutique sets, Lego type construction kits of China brands are the current option. I stop short of calling these Lego "bootleg" although each brick's design are undeniably 100% Lego design, the finished product is something not found in the current Lego inventory. However, it seem like a complete copy of Batisbrick's M1097A2.
In this entry, Decool's (what a name for a brand..) Hummel "Pick-up" is reviewed. The set contains 170pcs of bricks. This is the first Decool set I've build and lets find out how well it scores.

Construction Brick Kazi KY82011 German WWII Tiger Heavy Tank

Kazi (开智积木) is a brand from China producing KO Lego clone products - as in a deluge of other "home" brand from China. However, Kazi stands out - at least to me - by making quite accurate German World War Two German armored fighting vehicles complete with linked tracks. The details are aplenty and it enhances the model greatly.
This entry is about putting the microscope to one of Kazi's offerings - the German Heavy Tank Tiger I. An original box build model will be reviewed and thereafter, some pictures of my own modification, from this same model, to suit my taste better.

LEGO Star Wars Empire Strikes Back - Taun Taun

Arguably my favorite beast in the Star Wars Universe. Quote from Wookiepedia :

Tauntauns were a species of omnivorous reptomammals who were indigenous to the icy planet of Hoth. Tauntauns were commonly used as pack animals during the Rebel Alliance's stay at Hoth. Tauntauns were also used as patrol mounts when it was learned that the Rebel Alliance's own vehicles could not cope with the cold very well. 

When Lego released it first Taun Taun with 7749 Echo Base set, I knew I gotta at least have that beast. Have 3 till date. Luke Hoth gear figure were bought at BrickLink just so he can mount the Taun Taun.

Han Hoth gear figure is from 4504 Millennium Falcon set. Actually the Taun Taun that Luke ride on has a broken left horn. It should be easily customize one of it but I don't know if it'll look as natural as I want it to be. So in the meantime, will leave it as it is :)

Here is an original shot of Luke on his Taun Taun :

LEGO Starwars Minifigs

Apart from the majority of 1:6 action figures I'm collecting, LEGO is arguably my 2nd love especially the Starwars themed LEGO products. I seriously started collecting LEGO back in 1999, about a year earlier than I get my first 1:6 scale figure and got my first set in 7128, Speeder Bikes that contains 2 Biker Scouts and a Endor Luke. Quickly followed by 7130 Snow Speeder set. Both Biker Scout and Snow Speeder being my 2 favorite things in the Original Trilogy, got to have them when available then.
These days, I have been collecting less LEGO stuffs but a chance purchase of a Senate Commando Minifig keychain kinda revive my interest in this line... and quite fervently in recent weeks!