Miniatures of the Fortnight #129: Blood Kite and Stooping Hawk

[Xiwo Xerase]

By the time of the Clan Invasion, Clan Blood Spirit was one of the most insular and resource-poor Clans.  While they didn't have the resources of more successful Clans, they had a few signature 'Mechs of their own.  This fortnight, we're looking at two of them, the Blood Kite and the Stooping Hawk.  The Blood Kite is an imposing assault BattleMech and probably the signature Blood Spirit 'Mech.  The Stooping Hawk was one of the few OmniMechs they used, originally a Clan Ghost Bear design.  If you'd like to learn how to use them in game, see their 'Mech of the Week articles (Blood Kite and Stooping Hawk).

Like most Clan 'Mechs from Technical Readout: 3060 and later, each of these only has a single sculpt:

• Blood Kite (20-732)
• Stooping Hawk Prime (20-919)

If you have painted either of these, please share pictures.  We'd love to see them!  And, as always, thank you for reading.

Our next two fortnights will be:

• Annihilator and Imp (1/17)
• Pinion and Spirit (1/31)

[Luciora]

Just one of each, in a generic anime inspired scheme.

[dirty harry]

The Blood Kite ... one of the worst minis ever produced (imo). Tiny for a 85 ton mech, complicated designed (mech on high heels, undercuts under the side torsos; had to paint it in three parts before final assembly) and still fragile.
This one is painted as part of clan Blood Spirit's Upsilon galaxy.

[dirty harry]

I painted two Stooping Hawks so far, one for myself and one as a birthday present for a friend.
My own one is part of clan Blood Spirit's Alpha galaxy.
The model for my friend was a Jade Falcon Mu.

[Wolf72]

Luciora I love those! Something about the Kite gives it a disconcerting quality.

Mine is not painted (hah, nothing is!), the parts went together ok for me ... well compared to my RTT stuff.

[Schwerpunkt Prinzip]

I don't have a copy of 20-732 to share, but, in 2018, IAMCLANWOLF kitbashed a large scale Blood Kite 2 which I painted in Clan Blood Spirit Iota Galaxy colours.





IAMCLANWOLF shared some work in progress shots on the forum a few years ago.

[Sjhernan3060]

The Blood Kite ... one of the worst minis ever produced (imo). Tiny for a 85 ton mech, complicated designed (mech on high heels, undercuts under the side torsos; had to paint it in three parts before final assembly) and still fragile.
This one is painted as part of clan Blood Spirit's Upsilon galaxy.

I love your paint job! I tried and failed to do upsilon Scheme may I ask how you did it?

[dirty harry]

I love your paint job! I tried and failed to do upsilon Scheme may I ask how you did it?

Should not be that complicated. Primed in white (gray might work as well) due to the gray parts of the mech. Decided which parts might be gray, which might be red, starting with gray. I use Vallejo colors only, but mixed game colors and model colors (i know, i know... other painters already whelp...). Gray part: Stonewall gray as base, drybrushing to lighter gray like Ghost gray. Red part: Base color is Gory red, dark red wash, back to Gory red and drybrushing edges with Dark Vermillion (i think at that time i still used Blood Red). Swirls are also done with Dark Vermillion/Blood Red, a mix of that color with Hot Orange and some of the lighter swirls in pure Hot Orange. Gun metal gray for metallic parts (did not use a wash at that time, would use it now) and final work (cockpit canopy, lasers, etc) with appropriate colors. Based on your workstyle it can be in need of a ton of final repairs, but it is usually not that bad.
It does look more complicated than it really is. Finish your base red and start with the swirls (use a brush with a good, fine tip!) at a given point, work from there until all red parts are done. Due to the necessity to reach all parts of the mini i painted (especially this one!) in several parts, gluing it when almost done.

[Sjhernan3060]

Should not be that complicated. Primed in white (gray might work as well) due to the gray parts of the mech. Decided which parts might be gray, which might be red, starting with gray. I use Vallejo colors only, but mixed game colors and model colors (i know, i know... other painters already whelp...). Gray part: Stonewall gray as base, drybrushing to lighter gray like Ghost gray. Red part: Base color is Gory red, dark red wash, back to Gory red and drybrushing edges with Dark Vermillion (i think at that time i still used Blood Red). Swirls are also done with Dark Vermillion/Blood Red, a mix of that color with Hot Orange and some of the lighter swirls in pure Hot Orange. Gun metal gray for metallic parts (did not use a wash at that time, would use it now) and final work (cockpit canopy, lasers, etc) with appropriate colors. Based on your workstyle it can be in need of a ton of final repairs, but it is usually not that bad.
It does look more complicated than it really is. Finish your base red and start with the swirls (use a brush with a good, fine tip!) at a given point, work from there until all red parts are done. Due to the necessity to reach all parts of the mini i painted (especially this one!) in several parts, gluing it when almost done.

Thank you I think it’s time to try it again. I live the background on this galaxy