The HELLRAISER Part I

RAISING HELL!

To those familiar with it, this project actually began last November 2012, and is my first commission. It started when Arvin Ignacio of Gundam Philippines (GPh) issued a challenge over Facebook to convert a PG Wing Zero Custom to a PG DeathScythe Hell Custom. Being it was on FB, I was tagged several times by people who knew that I was insane enough to accept the challenge. I had a class that day, and I got what is now known as a NOTIF BOMB; I got 40 notifications in a span of minutes. And, since I was tagged more than once, I was actually overwhelmed, that I had to quit my browser.

Arvin and I talked, and we agreed on a price and payment scheme. Assessing mine own speed at modifications, the build sill span at least 3 months. I've posted the WIP photos on my Online Store (which I will write about later). I haven't been able to write a decent WIP post until now, and since I've actually gone far along the build, I'll break it down into several WIP posts instead of making one huge and lengthy post.

When I accepted the challenge, a lot of people expressed their interest and expectations in the project. Someone even said it was (almost) impossible, but that person didn't know it was me who accepted the commission. Though I understand that person's notion about it being (almost) impossible, it is only such because he lacked the imagination. Great modelers, after all, have done more difficult challenges from scratch. Take that HG to RG Nu conversion by Kaku, for example.

I even had doubts myself. When I finally got the built PG WZC from Arvin, I was disappointed at how flimsy the kit was designed. As I was assessing the kit, I saw that it won't be easy even for me. The WZC and DSH had enough similarities to work on, and I decided I'd start on that.

HEADSTART

Quite literally. I started by comparing the heads of the MG DSH and the PG WZC. I noted the similarities and the differences and saw how I'll be able to use most of the parts as base for modifications.





I then cut and rebuilt the cheek parts to match that of the DSH and built a vent for the skull base by stair-stepping 4 pieces of 1.0mm WHIPS. I then overlaid a piece of bent 0.5mm WHIPS over the rear portion of the cheeks. This will become the case for the cheek vents.





I shaved off material from the rear of the head to make way for the vent mod. I mounted the Rear vent on piece of 1.0mm WHIP to hold it shape. That in turn is shaped to fit the modified head and becomes an insert.





The cheek vents are made by over lapping pieces of 1.0mm WHIPS and will simply be inserted into the cheek cases. The rear vent is then encapsulated, and pegs are placed on the inside. These pegs goes into the modifed head and will keep the part in place.





I modified the stock Vfin Base (or crest) by overlaying WHIPS until I had enough volume to shave off to create the pentagonal shape. The Vfins are made by sandwiching 3 pieces of shaped 1.0mm WHIPS, which are then beveled. I intentionally made them big so I have leeway for adjustments later on, but I actually like the exaggerated look.






Part 2 next...