Heldrake Conversions WIP

A "Fear" of Heldrakes

While I know they are late to the party, three Heldrakes have been coming together on my desk over these last few days.  Putty, saws, pins and glue, have been working in concert to assemble these beasts in three different poses.  Here is a pic of all three together:

In addition to re-configuring the wings, largely by adding them in reverse, I have swapped out the standard head for a more "Nazgul" looking maw.  One will be swooping left, one right, and the third will be reared-up in an attack position, like a bird of prey.  I will also be adding tentacles and hoses to the rear portions of each model, for both aesthetics and balance. 

I was nervous about working with these models, as I had been very impressed by some of the early conversions I saw when the kit was first released.  Those fears have been allayed. And before anyone mentions the difficulty of painting the wings of an assembled Heldrake... I am aware, and the painting process has been adjusted accordingly. 

I have never been one to advocate painting a model in pieces, then assembling them afterwards.  I have terrible luck with caustic glue scarring my paint, and would much rather find alternate solutions.  Like not painting what you can't see.  Or using paint techniques that do not require brush access.  Regardless, these models don't scare me.  Or anyone else.

More to come...