AirDave's Kool Wheelz Collection

[airdave]

So, recently someone asked me about a Koolwheelz version of this car...
I said "nope...I already thought about this years ago...too complicated, and too big.
All cylindrical sections, curves and blended shapes...just too much for a little paper model!"

But my interest was peaked again...and I took another look at it.

This car has a long tapered cylindrical nose.
Having just finished the repaint of my Bloodhound supersonic car model,
I realized the first thing I needed to do is change the tubular fuselage into a squared fuselage.

This simplifies the design process, simplifies the assembly,
and gives flat surfaces for separate engine nacelles to attach.

if you've ever tried to fold a tapered thing, you know it gets tricky at the pointed end as the part gets thinner.
By leaving some excess card, you can score and fold a larger area, its a lot easier and you get a much cleaner fold.
Once the fold is secure in the card, unfold it, and trim off the excess card.

This box "fuselage" requires a top and bottom because of the various cuts and folds involved.



(above Photo) This section of the fuselage assembled and in front is the vertical fin and top wing that mounts on the car.
The fin is laminated with extra card in between and capped with a printed strip.
The wing is just flat, top and bottom layers.

[airdave]

The Fuselage is quite long, so this is why I split it into two assemblies.
There is also a change in overall shape and height, so two separate assemblies are definitely needed.
They will slot together when done.

Same idea, top and bottom parts...the top has a curved front transitioning into a square shape at the rear.
The rear wheels are part of the upper part, so no need to build those.

Formers made from 1mm card will help lock the front curved shape.




Here is the fully assembled rear half of the fuselage.
Tabbed joiners have been installed up front to receive the cockpit section.




Note the artwork on the fuselage.
The vehicle is mostly painted black with a lot of sponsor and supporters decals.
I referred to internet photos to confirm all the decals and their proper placement.

I have a habit of building all my own logos and decals (in Coreldraw).
Many logos can be found on the web, but not always the exact ones.
And not always in vector art to use in my designs.
Its just easier to build them myself...and sometimes quicker.

On the right side of the image(below), you can see all my vector creations next to their (photo) counterparts.

Also note...I opted to represent the vehicle in its post supersonic run condition.
This is what it now looks like, on display in a Museum.
The entire both sides of the rear fuselage are stripped clean of decals and paint from the blast of two jet engine afterburners!
I thought it looked cool.

[Kevin WS]

Nice work Dave!

[Tapcho]

Very skillfully mimicked decals (or sponsor logos) I must say. But you are a wizards in CorelDraw. That afterburner torch mark looks great too.

Tappi

[Don Boose]

As usual, a very systematic and helpful tutorial that will be of tremendous help to anyone building the model.

And great artwork!

Don

[airdave]

Formers 1, 2 and 3 are installed.
The wheels have been backed (- parts laminated to heavier card).
The cockpit windscreen section is formed ready to be attached to the rear half of the fuselage (look to the next photo).



Now its time to fit the two halves of the fuselage together.
I designed it so the rear section slides over top of the front half,
and inside the lower part (of the front half).
A little glue here and there will lock the parts together.

(sorry, I didn't photograph the connected parts at this stage)




(As with most of my Koolwheelz models) I start by creating my own elevation drawings.
Side, top, front and rear drawings of the paper model version of the subject.
I do them all to scale, and then I can extrapolate the separate parts from the drawings.

A few criteria to keep in mind:
Koolwheelz models are supposed to be "simplified and stylized".
Angular shapes, boxy designs, and minimal part count.

I also do not design with any 3D software.
Its all "in my head design"...I picture the finished model, and I picture the broken down assemblies.
I imagine the unfolded part(s) that are need for an assembly...and I draw them out in Coreldraw.
I adjust as I go, I add or modify assemblies as I go...lets call it "mind's eye design on the fly"

Unfortunately I had already deleted the plan drawings,
so I can't show them to you.
This will have to do...its one of the Assembly Instructions drawings I created.

[airdave]

Now the engine nacelles....
not exactly round tubes, since they must connect to the fuselage.
The bottoms are also flat (other than the front wheel fairings).

First thing first...ignore the real thing!
Follow my drawing.

Make my own straight tubes with conical inlets.
Slice off the bottoms and sides...replace with flat sections.
Draw it all out as a complete part that will need to be rolled, and flat folded.
Lots of creative sections to assemble...took a couple of test builds to get everything right.
Also need to install the tabbed joiners.




Trick is to assemble slowly.
Form the largest section and install the tabbed strip.
There is also an overlapping connection in the corner connecting the flat sides.
I have installed the rear(engine outlet) former to hold the correct shape during assembly.

Then...
Form and attach the the first tapered conical section with its tabbed strips.
Slowly, one end at a time, then glue the tabbed strip connection.
I spent a lot of time here helping the connection as the glue set.
It all lines up, with patience.

[The Mole]

I love Salt flats cars. There are little to no paper or even plastic models of these cars. Maybe you could start some bigger and higher detailed models of these types of cars like you do with the P-51 models.

Oh, I bet you're going come down hard on me for saying all that.

[airdave]

The issues are copyrights and IP.
These are modern vehicles and their owners are still active.
Plus, all those sponsors to consider.
I'm not interested in that kind of complexity.
Thats probably why you're not seeing plastic models either.

I've seen diecast of British LSR vehicles, by British diecast makers...because British.

[airdave]

Front (inlet) cones have been attached, completing the conical sections of the engine nacelles.
The front cones are straight forward but not simple,
since they have a visible interior layer that must also be installed at the same time of assembly.

Once both layers are in place, I put Artist Markers inside to help the parts form (while the glue dries).
One marker was exactly the right size, the other needed a wrap of cardstock to tighten it up.
I let the sit for a day like this.




Another angle of the almost completed nacelles.
Note the inlet liner which helps hide some of the interior white card.

At this point I removed the rear(outlet) former,
and pushed in the forward former.
It slides inside the nacelle, right up to the front seam.
The former is printed (with the engine intake fan) and mounted to 1mm card.




Last steps are:
install the rear printed former (mounted to 1mm card).
The rear former mounts flush with the nacelle rear end.

Then attach the afterburner cones (to the rear former).

I've also assembled, and installed, the front wheel and fairing units.
Small parts, but straightforward folding and gluing...they mount at the marked locations.

This completes the engine nacelles, which can now be mounted to the fuselage.
They attach at marked locations, just glue flat and let dry.