Providing safety and security in the galaxy is a hard and dangerous business. The further humankind spreads settlement onto new worlds, the more possibilities there are for dastardly deeds. Therefore, peace officers need the best equipment at their disposal to curb and combat these naughty dudes. The Turret of the Total Security Platform is designed to provide the heaviest armament available in its vehicle class, not only ensuring powerful enforcement but also an appropriate deterrent when transporting prisoners.
I tried to replicate the overabundance of flashing lights on the roof of the Turret just like on real police vehicles.
These four gun emplacements have a wide range of mobility, making the Turret a formidable opponent in many directions.
With these four guns fully spread the Turret is able to cover more than a 180 degree radius with supercharged plasma blasts.
A small panel on the top front of the Turret opens to provide access to the power systems in the unlikely event of a major problem in transit.
Two standard power cores and their respective interface panels lie within.
As tough as I tried to make the Turret look, I also wanted it to have some set-like play possibilities. Easy and complete access to the interior is always my first priority, not only for quicker teardowns, but also for ease of display to fellow Lego enthusiasts and the public.
Step 1: The scope is removed.
Step 2: The top hatch is opened.
Step 3: The gunnery chair is able to be removed.
I designed the gunnery chair with old u-boats in mind, hence the periscope assembly. It took quite a bit of time before I found a way to connect the chair inside to the scope on the roof so that not only would they separate easily, but also so that they would move together when connected. Swivel the scope and the chair moves with it in perfect unison!
I love getting shots of the interior using light that comes through the glass, which often adds a nice atmospheric touch. Once again, I tiled all my floors to catch more groovy reflections! My initial floor plan with the Turret and Propulsion modules was a stroke of luck as it required few modifications to accomodate using 2x2 gray tiles almost exclusively for a more uniform feel.
The Turret control console in front of the pilot displays the radar screens for the four auto-scanning & auto-targeting guns. His periscope is linked the front, hard-mounted gun for extra long sniper shots.
The following sequence of shots gives a nice overall view of the Turret Control Console in different lighting conditions. I messed around with arrangements of printed parts for quite awhile until I hit on the current display. My first attempt was purely decorative and didn't really suggest anything functional. The more I thought about what the guns should do, the more this arrangement made sense. I also liked that the color of the consoles matched the color of the gunnery chair. These days I always try to suggest function & connection through color.
The rear section of the Turret comprises the hatch which leads to the Propulsion module. In this shot, the Prison Cell module has been attached so that you can see the warning design.
With the gunnery chair removed, it's easier to see the two ceiling screens above which give the pilot up-to-the-second readouts of the status of the main Propulsion module systems such as engine core effeciency, rear turret ammo count, and Stinger escort positions. Each hatch has dual controls on either side.
I designed the hatches on both the Turret and Propulsion modules the exact same way for greater overall visual cohesion. I like the yellow contrast to all the black and blue and the two sidearms.
Below are two shots that show the view looking aft from the Turret if the Prison Module is not in use. The pilot can see the main compartment of the Propulsion Module with all the Prison Module cell monitoring stations.
Lastly we come to the landing gear. I wanted something thick yet skeletal that looked like it could support a LOT, like the legs on the Nostromo in "Alien." After a member supplied me with the rest of those dark gray round plates with the circular bar I was all set.