ALIENS Dropship

[Retired_for_now]

Looks like you plan to have the rear skid retract into the groove, flush with the skin (or as flush as it can get with flipped up aft end). Did you narrow it down? Front skids would need shortening if they're also retracting flush ...
It will be interesting to see how you use the little flaps that "streamline" the front of the gear.

The dropship is an interesting model - aesthetically - but aerodynamically it looks really prone to meteoric reentry (flash and boom!). Ah, the challenges of the visual arts.

Yogi

[silveroxide]

Originally Posted by Retired_for_now

Looks like you plan to have the rear skid retract into the groove, flush with the skin (or as flush as it can get with flipped up aft end). Did you narrow it down? Front skids would need shortening if they're also retracting flush ...
It will be interesting to see how you use the little flaps that "streamline" the front of the gear.

The dropship is an interesting model - aesthetically - but aerodynamically it looks really prone to meteoric reentry (flash and boom!). Ah, the challenges of the visual arts.

Yogi

At this small scale, it is hard to develop the retracting features. Although it is possible with metal sliding struts from metal pen and rods. But on this model, it will be gears down, for a landing pad diorama.

As for aerodynamics, it is a flop, it just looks mean. There is no way that this hunk can hover with just those side Harrier jets on the sides and no vectors up front to keep the nose up. It is what I would refer to as a flying tumbling brick, but it looks cool just sitting there.

Here are a few more updates on the Cheyenne. The upper engine section is done. Laminated the frontal part and got rid of the tabs. I was going to carve out the front openings for some kind of fan duct indicators recessed in. The same procedure for the exhaust. Carved out a slit to place the exhaust deflectors in.

The bottom received a scratch built plate to make it easier to attach to the wing extension.

On the top side, cut some slits for the scoops and recessed them in. So much for now and see you all next posting.

[Retired_for_now]

Yah - a brick, but concur on a cool looking brick. Looking at the background reference of your last photo - you could tell a story about that circular aperature under the cockpit being the forward thruster, though you'd still wonder why four vectored ducts aft (light end) and only one small one forward (heavy end).

Beautifully conceived and artistic prop (and you're more than doing it justice on the artistic side here!) but definitely a work of fiction.

Yogi

[silveroxide]

With all of that lamination, it is starting to feel like a small brick as well. Other than that, I like it and the details keep coming. The first sequence of pictures is like a Dejavu. The second photo has two hydraulic cylinders made. These are to help stabilize the aft skid when placed in position.

On the ramp. I drilled two holes into each extension. This must be done while still on the laminating sheet prior to trimming it out. If you drill the holes when the section is trimmed out, it will tend to shred the connectors.

Here I deviated from paper and use wire or straighten wire for the connectors. Wrap thin strips around the wires to create the illusion of the Hydraulics cylinder. Use the plans from the sheet to measure the height of the the cylinders. The long ones are to the aft and the short to the fore.

Bend the wire into a U shape and insert from the laminated bottom and cover with the bottom sheet. The wrapped cylinders should have been easy to slide off and then re inserted from the top into their respective height positions. Drill some holes into the Walls of the cargo bay for the hydraulic connections. Test fit and you will see that it is strong enough to withstand the added weight of the lamination.

So that is all for now and see you all next posting.

[silveroxide]

Almost coming to the end of the Dropship. The landing gears are self explanatory. I used a round paper stick and wrapped a thin strip around it, then other smaller strips to simulate the hydraulics. For the smaller secondary Hydraulics, I used a paper clip wire with a paper strip wrapped around it And finally the front gear fairings are in place.

Next step will be the weapons payload system.

[ltla9000311]

Great work SO!

I SO want to build this again right now after looking at what you've done here. I need a new printer though.....

[silveroxide]

Originally Posted by ltla9000311

Great work SO!

I SO want to build this again right now after looking at what you've done here. I need a new printer though.....

That is the idea behind this build thread. There are many out there who have attempted this model and probably did not get past that short wing problem area, myself included. As mentioned in the beginning of this thread, This is my third try and I just about gave up, until I visited "resin Illuminati" and saw a wonderful scratch build of a 1/48 scale illuminated version.

Here is the front weapons array





And the rear weapons array. The missiles are made from toothpicks and placed into their respective place with a spacer.







I have a bunch of more photos on the making of the missile array. I have to prep the photos and then I will post the last for the Dropship.

[Rhaven Blaack]

This Drop Ship looks AMAZING!!! As always, you have done an OUTSTANDING job with it. I am also AMAZED with the fact that you have done this at 1/72 scale.
I greatly enjoy seeing build threads like this. Keep up the GREAT WORK!!!

[silveroxide]

Originally Posted by Rhaven Blaack

This Drop Ship looks AMAZING!!! As always, you have done an OUTSTANDING job with it. I am also AMAZED with the fact that you have done this at 1/72 scale.
I greatly enjoy seeing build threads like this. Keep up the GREAT WORK!!!

Thanks again Rhaven for your compliments. The 1/72 scale is much easier to work with than the smaller versions. plus the added plus, is that it can be enhanced with more details.

So now on with some more details on the rocket pods.



The rockets are made from a section of a toothpick and the heavier rockets are from a paper stick. The writings and black details are made with a drafting pen. There are multiple variations of the arms store and this is just one variation.



The rockets are separated with a center laminated wall which I painted slate gray.



The weapons pod is attached to the short wing with two pin holes drilled into both the short wing and the pod.


Here are the pin locations and the pods are in place.

[silveroxide]

More updates on the Cheyenne and its weapons array. This is the closed pod version and you can build it straight from the plans. Do not glue it in place so you can remove it and put the deployed version in place.