[dhanners]

Here is my build of Michael Grosberg’s excellent Rocinante, the ship from the TV series “The Expanse.” I’ve just started watching the show, but I enjoy how they stick (pretty much) to the laws of physics.

Anyway, I’ll spare you the background on the ship and tell you about the model. Michael’s design is very good despite the ship’s complex shapes. The model goes together with relative ease. I found Michael’s instructions to be clear and concise, and his approach to the shapes makes sense.

I deviated from the kit pieces and instructions in a couple of areas. I added detail to the forward antennas (I'm guessing that's what they are...) and altered the kit parts. I printed an extra copy of some of the pages and cut out appliqué panels to glue to the model to provide some 3D relief. I also altered the upper airlock to better replicate photos and drawings I found online. (One note here: The various CGI renderings and other artwork online are often contradictory as to the ship’s details. I just went with what appeared in some of them….)

The model's “flaps” on bell for the Epstein Drive are attached to the bell, but in renderings I could find, they appear detached, so I cut them off and reattached them to the rectangular blocks that I guess are the actuator mechanisms.

One of the key features to the Rocinante are the six Point Defense Cannons (PDCs), Gatling Gun-type weapons that slide out from housings on the ship’s hull. I wanted to add them but i’m too lazy to scratchbuild all six, so I scratchbuilt the two midship PDCs. Again, renderings I found online were contradictory and/or lacked detail, so I used some “creative gizmology” and scratchbuilt them out of card. I also had to figure out what the PDC housings would look like inside, so I scratchbuilt those, too. The PDCs aren’t 100-percent accurate, but they look menacing and I was kind of surprised I could build the six-barreled weapons.

I'm not entirely done. Renderings of the Rocinante show it with various fittings that appear to be handholds on the ship's exterior. I need to add those, but I'm still mulling what to use.

The finished model is impressive in size, measuring 48cm long and with the midship PDCs deployed, 21cm wide. It was an enjoyable build and Michael did a great job designing a fairly complex model.