"In need of ideas for an orbital dropship" Topic

Greetings community. I've finally finished enough troops for a couple factions that I feel it's time to get ahold of a dropship or two. I need ideas for something that can carry a vehicle, like a single MBT and a couple squads, or something that can carry a couple squads or up to a 40-ish man platoon. In particular, looking for something to fit with humans. In particular, I have a faction coming along that's being made from Rebel minis Earth Force Home Guard as the mainline infantry in foot troop 13-man bullet sponge squads and Khurasan's Control Battalion as more or less, Mechanized stormtroopers(Got transport in mind for them.)

I was looking at the Thunderbird 2 models, toys etc as an option, but don't know the size of any of them. If anyone knows of papercraft models or whatever else might require long term assembly and some resemblance of craft skills, I have loads of foamboard from when Circuit City's parent company when down the drain some years ago, so making my own stuff isn't a problem.

If you haven't seen this:

mil-net.net/hercules.cfm

It was linked to in an earlier thread here that might be of use:

TMP link

Old Crow makes some, not sure of sizes:
link

For paper, there's the bwc-archive on yahoo groups (mostly 28mm GW stuff, but you might find something useful):
link

Good hunting.

Oh,that Hercules is awesome. I have some of those CAV figures in the photo too, so I can gauge the size off that.

In my searches the last hour or so, I found this.
link
I have Federal army figures, so also easy to gauge the size for me.

What are you looking for? "something that fits humans" is a little bit vauge, if your looking for aerodyne style craft a good choice would be a Thunderbird 2 toy especially the big 14 inch ones from the film which you can pick up on E-Bay really cheap. Scotia still do the 28mm Grendel resin Dropship which is good also for 15mm link you could also try some of the big old Gundam spaceship toys which also crop up on E-Bay from time to time such as the 'Lilly Marlean' link
Now if you want a Spheroid Dropship IWM produce resin 'Map scale' of the Overlord and Union class Dropships for Battletech (sorry I could not find any pics on the IWM site so your have to settle for my Union class Dropship)

they have also restarted production of the massive 'Mech scale' foam core Leopard Dropship which is about 12 inches long and 8 inches tall And lastly you can always settle for the 'Clicky tech' Mech Warrior Aroura class Dropship at around 2ft long they are OOP now but again they do crop up on E-Bay… Just a few different ideas for you to play about with.

"also try some of the big old Gundam spaceship toys which also crop up on E-Bay from time to time such as the 'Lilly Marlean' link "

I actually just sold my Lili Marleen to my friend a day or so ago. It's a Refitted Late-war Zanzibar class heavy Cruiser, but it was used like a dropship on occasion in the One Year War. Being a rapid Gundam fan, I suffer the normal symptoms of rapid fandom, like never being able to use a ship like that outside it's universe or defacing what I and some of my friends consider a collectible item. I have no problem with the prospect of chopping one of the model kits of said warship, but if I got a hold of one, I fear I'd prefer to mount it on a flying base and make a gundam mod for Full Thrust or ACTA the second I figure out the rules.

The other suggestions are more what I'm after, particularly the Thunderbirds toy you mentioned, the Foamcore Hercules up top. The union class looks like something I could use as well. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look into them. That Bullfrog Lander from Combat Wombat definitely looks like something usable as well. Reminds me of the dropship from Space: Above and Beyond.

That huge dropship there…. at 2 feet-ish… I definitely need one of those. I so need one. I have some of the older heavy Gear figures. :)

Rabid* I typoed and couldn't edit. Blah.

Firefly – link

Pelican – link

UD-4LXR CRU – link

There are a lot of drop ship models out there. Sort of will depend on what you are looking to make. I have a few hundred MB of them which I have found from various sources. Figuring out what you are looking for will make it easier to find.

Hmmm, lots of good options there.

The paper ones look really nice, but not sure I'd have the patience to build one of those.

Perhaps a scratch-built foamcore one, based upon some of the designs above, and/or others seen in the movies, or on-line art.

"The paper ones look really nice, but not sure I'd have the patience to build one of those."

I know how you feel. The prospect of building a Hercules is daunting, but I think if I make that my project to kick off the next year, I can probably do it by the time it's summer. Lol.

Tau Hammerhead. Star wars Kenner Reble Transport off ebay.

The question I always have to ask is How much do you want to pay?

"The question I always have to ask is How much do you want to pay?"

Considering I need at least one large dropship in 15mm. upwards of $110-ish for a ready made, OOP item like that Aroura class Dropship would not be out of the question as it would likely be a one time investment.

I know these aren't papercraft, but they're cheap and cool:

Terminator aerial hunter-killer. Next to my Rebel Minis EF Marines, looks like a dropship that can easily carry a platoon.

Dropship Horizon did a size comparison of Inara's Shuttle from Firefly with GZG NI troopers here: link

Oh, awesome. Are they still in production by chance? :D And is that a toy, or a kit?

The terminator ship is a toy.

They used to sell them at Target, and I suspect Toys R Us too, but are probably out of production.

You should still be able to find them on eBay though, for much less than $100, theoretically.

You can get a wooden model of the Serenity (Firefly) ship, which would fit your needs. The larger 16" one is $220, including free shipping, and the smaller 9" – 10" one is around $175. USD Also sold on eBay.

Inara's Shuttle is a Christmas ornament, but is great for gaming, and goes on eBay for around $30, or so, plus shipping. It could carry about a squad of troops.

Thanks Mako, I'll start looking around for it all now then.

Here is how to build a dropship out of foamcore:

mil-net.net/hercules.cfm

Wow, a beautiful looking foam dropship!

May have to give building that one a go.

Thanks for sharing the link.

Yeah, the Hercules is a cool model. Pretty big too, but really could do with another layer or 2 of detailing in plasticard, and some weapons.

I built mine before I could drive, and had to somehow cycle home across a busy city with a massive piece of foamcore – much fun!

I got inara's shuttle for $20 USD each (including shipping). The terminator hunter killers were $5 USD each in the store. There are some up on ebay now for about $25 USD including shipping (which suggests that they're OOP). I doubt if you'll have trouble finding a deal if you look.

I'm converting a GW Tau Devilfish that I got at a good discount. Might not work as orbital. It is about the right size to fit a small vehicle (Rebel minis Gila) or a few squads of guys.