Stormraven Turret Conversion?

[IronKobra]

So I have been slowly getting my Raven ready to paint up and I was wondering about the turret...

 

I don't hate it so much as lots of people seem to, but I have seen many an image of the flying brick with modified turrets and it just looks a little more sexy. And we like sexy! So my question is I am kind on wondering if anyone has spied/tried a turret modification where you can also swap and change weapons? This is actually really difficult on the bubble dome version and I haven't seen a good one anywhere!

 

I have already moded the rear assault ramp so it won't fall out from that awful hinge design, but the turret is going to be the next step before i get to painting it. This is going to be the bird for my Lemmy and DC squad which is all pieced together so I can crack on with it soon! Lemmy is very nearly done, I took a break from him after painting up Seth.

 

Thanks guys!

[Sokhar]

I really despise that stupid turret, and think that its probably half the reason people scorn the Storm Raven without conversion work. I made a lot of changes to the weapon systems on my Raven, setting aside the tiny multi-melta barrels in favor of larger ones I chopped off the AoBR dreadnought arm. Those got mounted in the recessed area on the side that has those little sensor/light inserts you glue inside them. So now its two large multi-melta barrels flanking the assault ramp, which makes it look somewhat like the Forgeworld Caestus Ram without the separate Mens/Women's ramps and the silly dog ears.

 

For replacing the turret I scratch-built an Apache Helicopter-style chin turret. A couple magnets used in the construction and the gun can swivel 360 degrees horizontally, and about 90 degrees vertically so it could actually shoot the stuff that its flying over like a proper aircraft. Right now I've only got the "twin-linked assault cannon" built (which is one huge cannon based off an Imperial Guard Punisher tank cannon), but it wouldn't be too hard to build some twin-linked lascannons or a big plasma turret and magnetize them to fit in the chin turret.

[Volcatus]

I like the turret, myself. I'm working out a weapon change mod myself. I'm giving it a go this afternoon, and I'll let you know the result. Basically I'll be placing a small magnet in the end of the mounting rod that passes through the turret, and then attaching a pin (trunnion) to the armor piece that attaches to the outside of the weapon. I'll drill out each weapon allowing the pin to reach through to the magnet.

 

*snip*

I have already moded the rear assault ramp so it won't fall out from that awful hinge design, but the turret is going to be the next step before i get to painting it. *snip*

 

Any chance you'd share how you did this mod? :)

[Brightguy]

I haven't got to construction yet, but I have a FW Twin LC Tarantula turret that I was going to use as a replacement for the top turret. It's not ideal, but it is lower profile by far. I was also thinking about leaving off the top intake. Now that I hear it, I really like the chin mounted idea. I might try to fit it there instead.

[The Crimson Cartel]

I made one just like you are describing. Quite simple actually. I used a re magnet underneath the piece that slots in and rotates, glued each set of weapon options together ( think razorback turret,) then glued the cowlings together (resembles the cover on a raider turret.) Magnets on the tops and bottoms of each weapon set, and the underside of the cowling, and there you go. Tucks up nicely below the air intake. Everyone at my local seems to like, and I enjoy it far more than the big bubble turret. Plus I gained servitor bits for an objective :P

 

-CC

[IronKobra]

*snip*

I have already moded the rear assault ramp so it won't fall out from that awful hinge design, but the turret is going to be the next step before i get to painting it. *snip*

 

Any chance you'd share how you did this mod? B)

 

 

No worries! I didn't take any pics of this unfortunately but I will get one up of the actual finished thing soon. What I decided to do was pin the door to the frame so it could move like the front ramp. This meant EXTREME SLOW TURNING of a 1mm pin vice into the round section that snaps into the teeth that form the hinge. If you don't go VERY SLOW you will rip the piece to shreds.

 

This was actually the tricky bit and I did purely with guess work. I lined up the door and made a mental note as to where the drilled end of the cylinder piece would meet the hull and drilled into the frame. Now the model makes this tricky since you can't get a pin vice in and you have to drill on a slight angle. Once the hole was right through i widened it slightly with a round file and took some 1mm pinning wire and simply slotted it through the hole of the frame and into the hole on door piece. I did this on both sides, not a single piece all the way through.

 

Then just cut the pin so it is nice and tidy.

 

 

Thanks for the replies so far. It's looking like the razorback turret is the way to go?

[Elric the Silvercoat]

You could try using an Eldar turret for it. Its a much slender and slicker than the normal one.

[BTmaster]

We used magnets on each side of the turret on and other different guns that go on it...works nicely for swapping and when weapons are destroyed

[old git]

One of the Forgeworld razorback turrets might look good.

[Stonedog]

I did not convert mine per se.....I hated the servitor gunner....so here is what I did:

 

I assembled the turret per the instructions. Instead of putting in the gunner, I sprayed the INSIDE of the turret glass black. So it looks like shiny black glass. I liked it so much that also did it with the main cockpit!

 

I also magnetized the weapons and the turret so I could switch them out as well!

[chewielight]

I drilled a small hole under the rod that connects the two weapons and put magnets on each weapons and in the small hole. Works perfect and keeps the guns from drooping.