PaperModelers.com

Go Back   PaperModelers.com > Card Models > Model Builds > PASA, Paper Aeronautical and Space Administration

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-15-2021, 04:04 PM
sreinmann sreinmann is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 549
Total Downloaded: 313.46 MB
Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B

I have finished with my attempts at the X-37B and as the title states, I'm not pleased. I admit I have no practice with airplane building, so the failure is entirely mine. But as this kit will join my 1:48 scale active duty UAVs, perhaps when I have recovered from self-loathing I'll take another stab.

There are two models (that I'm aware of) for this space plane. One from Justin M hosted on Lower Hudson Valley's site and the other on Cannon's paper models page.

Justin has a very good shape and layout for his kit. Helped by internal formers, the shape of the fuselage and wings are very close to reference pictures and drawings. However, I was unable to complete the build as I could not seem to get the cuts in the and fit of the pieces to match up. I'm not sure if my print scale was off, or I was misunderstanding the cut points, but I failed and had to set it aside.

Canon's kit is much simpler and based on an early test flight. The markings are therefore crisper and some details like the position of panels and the engine bell are better laid out. But, in some aspects the fit was hampered by overlay glue-tabs rather than back-supported glue tabs on butt-joints. IF I do this build again, I think I will cut off the provided tabs and create my own, but in the same positions. There are also helpful alignment marks on the dorsal line ... but, I missed a few of those queues and since the build goes from nose to tail, the mistakes get pronounced along the way. The result is a torqued fuselage poor fit at the wing roots. :sigh:

Well, anyhow, I thought I would share my experience and commiserate with those who have gone before. Now to find a stiff scotch on the rocks.
Attached Thumbnails
Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-img_1522.jpg   Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-img_1521.jpg   Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-img_1518.jpg   Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-img_1519.jpg   Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-img_1520.jpg  

__________________
Happy Crafting - Scot
On the Bench: Planck and Hershcel
Reply With Quote
Google Adsense
  #2  
Old 01-15-2021, 04:06 PM
sreinmann sreinmann is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 549
Total Downloaded: 313.46 MB
Just wanted to share some reference photos that I found useful.
Attached Thumbnails
Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-x_37b_otv-2_01.jpg   Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-x_37b_otv-2_02.jpg   Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-x-37b-oo100330-o-1234s-001.jpg   Thoroughly Disappointed X-37B-x-37b-oox37b.landing.2.jpg  
__________________
Happy Crafting - Scot
On the Bench: Planck and Hershcel
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-15-2021, 08:44 PM
mbauer's Avatar
mbauer mbauer is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Nikiski, Alaska -9UTC/-8UTC DSTime
Posts: 4,022
Total Downloaded: 27.71 MB
Hi Scot,

Sometimes things just don't fit.

Curious how you cut them out. I like to cut on the inside of the outline lines to remove the line so it doesn't show.

Some like to cut down the middle of the outline, others cut on the outside edge.

When I change up cutting from the inside to the outside, I have had parts not fit right. That is when I tried just cutting on the middle of line for all cuts. Same parts, same printer settings. Parts magicallly fit.

Then I tired the inside only cuts, this takes some close work, if you error to the inside too much, the parts are too short to fit. When cut on the inside and no errors, the parts fit again.

Not sure if this helps, just something I learned the hard way, investigated what was going on.

One big issue with printer settings: If you use FIT TO PAGE, it will scale each page different, depends on how close the parts are to the edge of paper. Always print at 100% scale settings to stop this, unless designer says not too.

Nice looking model.

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-16-2021, 04:51 AM
dhanners's Avatar
dhanners dhanners is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 2,599
Total Downloaded: 1.59 GB
It's not that bad. As Mike said, always print at 100 percent. When most copiers "fit to page," they may not shrink the horizontal and vertical aspects equally, so things will be out of whack when you build. I've learned that the hard way.

Also, I've found that when using internal tabs as you have, it is often best to use use a lighter-weight paper for the tabs.

Don't be discouraged. Every build is a learning experience and even after nearly two decades of building, I still learn something with every model.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-16-2021, 05:27 AM
Paper Kosmonaut's Avatar
Paper Kosmonaut Paper Kosmonaut is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Grunn, NL
Posts: 3,227
Total Downloaded: 1.87 GB
Justin Miles' model is not correct in its shape, the engine section is much too pronounced in having "hips". The real object isn't that curvaceaous, it actually is rather straight. So in that sense it isn't that bad Justin's model didn't work out for you.
The Canon model is simplified indeed and has a fictional livery with the giant meatball logo.
Now John Jogerst, 'our' late Yogi, also made a X-37 model. It was hosted, if I recall correctly, at Ecardmodels but I am not sure they still have it of that they will reup that model again. It was meant to go with his model of the Atlas V. I have always found John's models to be having a great fit and a good likeness of the real thing.

I did a repaint of that model to represent it in a flown condition. Here's the thread on this very forum from eleven (!) years ago.
__________________
PK's Blog - Dij t dut mout t waiten!
Reply With Quote
Google Adsense
  #6  
Old 01-16-2021, 08:38 PM
sreinmann sreinmann is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 549
Total Downloaded: 313.46 MB
Yes PK, your build has inspired me to make the attempt. Yogi certainly did have very well designed kits. I’d built many of his satellite kits over the years. Unfortunately, after there last store shift, E-card didn’t retain the model. Yogi’s, like so many others, may have been lost to antiquity.

Thx for the suggestion of changing my paper weight on the next print. If I go again I will try butt joints for sure. I honestly don’t remember but there is a chance that i rescaled the print to get it closer to 1:48. That’s why I guessed that my print settings could have been at fault.
__________________
Happy Crafting - Scot
On the Bench: Planck and Hershcel
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:08 PM.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

Parts of this site powered by vBulletin Mods & Addons from DragonByte Technologies Ltd. (Details)
Copyright © 2007-2023, PaperModelers.com