So this was my entry into the Mini-Rig Competition for March. I had several ideas, but this was one that I needed to make for illustrating my "Fixer-verse" fan-fic. So, when I saw a hydro-sled while roaming ebay looking for parts, I figured that was what I needed to do - as I'm trying to focus my customizing on building up the Fixer-verse.
The base vehicle is an old GI Joe Hydro-Sled, repainted and with weapons removed. Since the back of the hydro-sled is now the front of the skiff, the movable "rudder" piece was removed. In place of the nose machinegun is a short leg from a Probot. I'd like to eventually make a functioning/positionable claw, but I've been putting the hours into molds and casts instead. Anyway, it turned out rather well and looks great loaded down with cargo. The background is made from HB94 images provided as part of the "hangarbay decals" set.
I deliberately opted for a pure civvie/unarmed look to this craft and chose colors reflective of that - I used Krylon spray "Jade Satin" and "Satin Nickel." I haven't applied any weathering yet, mainly because I am letting the look "settle" to see if I want to make any changes first. Honestly, there's plenty of room for additions, since all I did to the base vehicle was remove the missles and replace the gun with an arm. I need to add some sort of control panel, first off. I'm thinking a Vader chest-box on the point below the arm. Then there's a couple of odd holes I need to fill in up "front" where the old rudder used to be. And I'm looking at some surface detail to add to the sides for a bit more visual interest.
I'm also looking at adding a bracket or such to hold a folded-up Pit Droid or two, to act as extra "muscle" during loading/unloading.
Finally, a WORKING arm would be awesome. I'm thinking maybe instead of a claw, I might use a small suction-cup like you get in kids' "suncatcher coloring kits," because we see that sort of end used regularly in the movies (ANH Yavin Hangar scene loading R2's and ROTJ Tatooine pulling the droids out of the sand).
Jo'Bray Cargo Skiff
The Jo'Bray, one of dozens of similar models available on the market, is a repulsorlift sled designed for moving smaller amounts of cargo through fairly tight quarters. Cargo skiffs are found across the galaxy, from rental kiosks onboard space stations down to tool-hutches on frontier world settlements.
Models are equipped with a variety of equipment, from cargo loading-arms to bulk-material dumping beds. Some starport service providers have equipped their Jo'bray units with Vehicle Maintenance Energizers and plas-cutters.
Routinely, cargo skiffs have no propulsion units, instead requiring good old muscle-power to move. Occasionally, an owner will install a drive-system of some sort on a Jo'Bray, but such adventures rarely end well. Inertial compensators are installed to prevent a skiff from becoming a "runaway" on slopes. Most children on frontier settlements know how to offline them, providing themselves hours of free-skimming excitement - and coincidentally voiding the Jo'Bray manufacturer's warranty.
In the above picture, FX-0R8 (better known as "Fixer") is attempting to cajole a recalcitrant Jo'Bray skiff along the concourse of Darknon Station, a scene taken from the fan-fic piece "Rebirth." All cargo pieces on the skiff are custom molds from Production Platform 3.
