++++INLOADING DATAFILE 025++++ Where Do We Stand, Where Do We Go 1

Taking a page out of some other blogger's books, this is the first of my hopefully monthly "state of the blog" posts, where I'll recap stuff and talk about upcoming projects.  Skip down to the pictures if you want to skip my excuses.

The first thing you'll note is that I've been rather scarce for the last few months.  That's because ever since I got back from Iraq I've been going pretty high steam with work, a 3 week training exercise, school for 3 months, and another 3 week exercise. I'm now back from my last annual training for the year ('Why would you have more than one "Annual" Training event a year Jon' you ask?  I don't know I just do what they tell me.), and now for the first time in 7 months I have a genuine overabundance of free time.  Now that the final one is done I'm effectively free of the National Guard for the next 7 weeks, so lets get do some converting shall we!

While I was in Kentucky for training I had a chance to see an old friend's collection of minis for sale, included in them was this:

Rogue Trader Era Predator Destructor

That's right, a broke down Mk 1 Predator.  This thing dates all the way back to the end of the Rogue Trader days, so just before I first got started with the hobby, back when I was 7.  I think I'm probably the youngest 20 year vet there is for our hobby.  Anyways, I always wanted one of these bad boys back in the day, I mean I think it was the second/third tank they ever made, but I never could seem to find one.  Now for the mere cost of a servo skull tape measure I have one.

Front Shot.  Seriously do we even need this label?

As you can see its actually in pretty excellent shape.  it has all of the pieces too, I just took the pictures after breaking off the side sponsons.  So why am I submitting you to all to these pictures you ask?  Well its because I've decided that as a personal challenge I'm going to turn this old beat up thing into one of these: 

Forge World Deimos Pattern Predator

I love this new kit, its fricken awesome.  So yeah, I'll be making one myself, now for the super secret special part though...

I'm making its truescale.

That's right, I figure I cant make true scale marines without also making a truescale kit to go with their tanks, so true scale it is.

Ok here's a parting shot of the pred and the extremely beat up old rhino I'm going to use to make it amazing.

I'd like to tank those few of you to actually read this blog, your children will be returned to you unharmed...