The Dragon is the standard Hovercraft APC used by the Confederation Marines in all operations. It can be deployed from orbit, loaded in an orbit to surface carry-all. Once deployed to the surface it is capable of performing assault landings on most terrains including full Amphibious operations. For a yahoo, yippee Space Opera, the “Starfist” Series by Dan Cragg is fantastic. The men of 3rd Platoon, L Company, 34 F.I.S.T – Confederation Marines are propelled into all sorts of operations, once even against that long dead tactical fossil, the tank. Now this is how you get model inspiration! The main “problem” with this sort of model is it that is doesn’t have the “wow” factor of some Science Fiction hardware as an APC is, at its most basic form, is a box to carry troops safely(?) into harms way. Nonetheless a very important piece of kit in any Sci Fi hardware collection. This is how I reckon a Platoon-level Hovercraft APC may look. For mine, it would have to have all the normal APC stuff, such as suppression weapons, quick access and the like. But being a hovercraft some sort of protection would be needed for the vulnerable hover skirts, hence the armoured skirt all around.

The model is 1/48 scale and is bashed using the following major components and spares box parts: A Mini Hobby Models U.S. Marine AAVP7A1, Armoured Skirts from Dragon Maus, heaps of “greeblies” and plastic card and a 1/48 figure based on Luftwaffe pilot with modern head.

The Hover Skirts were made from 20 MM Poly pipe and corners.

These were bulked out with further 20 mm poly pipe and coated with Car Bog. Then heaps of sanding. The main lift fan is an ex railway engine fan. the interior of the vehicle is scratchbuilt using some 1/48 Helo seats and restraints from brass and tube, handles from brass rod. Other details from spares box. The Main Thrust engine is the motor from a PC Fan. The turret from 1/48 BTR80 and much tube, card and other bits for Missile mount and Plasma weapon. Observation ports in Commander’s cupola fashioned using Kristal Kleer mixed with Tamiya Clear Orange. The armoured skirts from Dragon Super Heavy tank. Front and rear skirts scratch from card

Finished in Humbrol Enamels with a generic grey. The model was then weathered and chipped away to have that well-used, at-home look of an operational machine.

Image: Underside

Image: Cupolas

Image: Engine

Image: Rear detail

Image: Interior

Image: Basic framework

Image: Hover skirts

Image: Coming together

Image: From the front

Image: Another look