1/20 conversion parts for Fleige to Kauz

So no more Nitto kits................How can I build a diorama with Kauz suits then? Hmmmm....................aha, the Ozaki corp has a few fleige kits available, I feel a conversion coming on. So with the exception of the body, which has to be cut, parts from other kits can be robbed and added. The easy bit will be to cast Gustav shoulder armour, and an extra sensor pod from the fleige; the tricky bit will be the interior and pilots hatch. I think I should be able to use some altered parts from a modelkasten Melusine. Got to be worth a try.

First up, the hatch and cockpit interior. The hatch is a simple cast, once done I will alter the cast an then make a fresh mold of the altered piece (time consuming, but I do not want to sacrifice an expensive and almost impossibe to get kit for this). The interior is a bit more fiddly, I have taken an impression of the cockpit and body extension needed (by rigging up a bizarre mold see second picture of the "splodge"). I then hope to shape this to get a part I can work with, and ultimately cast from.

So it looks a bit better once removed for the mold! Took some serious dremel action but eventually shaped it to fit inside the fleige body. The first pull from the "head" piece (what do you call that cover???) is pretty good, there is a bubble in each of the hinge supports, but easily repaired.

The Fleige shell needs a little "dremel love" as well, which results in a pretty neat fit (I slipped a little on one side, but it will be puttied in place - so no worries there).

*fanfare*, the first experimental proof on concept finished. In the second picture the interior has slipped inwardds a little, but in the pic above you can see it sits nice and flush. I now need to completely redo the process for the interior to make it perfect and then I can cast a couple more for use at a later date. Hopefully I can cast the samller pieces in one mold, and then will be all set.

Made another mold for the pilot. shoulder armour, instrument panel etc. and had a bit of a production run.

All the limb pieces are filled with putty.......................aaargh Sanding Hell!