ALT 1977 1/400 [21]

Nearing completion. Just one more T-38 to go. Originally there were five Talons flying chase at the first free flight (which this diorama will depict) but there is only so much room within the frame. So there will be three in the frame. More aircraft would make it all a bit unrealistic. So here's the second T-38 build in a couple of photos. the final result is here, the actual scale is better to compare after the jump, where you also will find a series of photos of the making of.

I hope you like it. Thanks for taking a look!

This is a 1/400 sized T-38 Talon. for those who don't know: Each square on the cutting mat is 10x10mm.
That's roughly 0,39370079 X 0,39370079 inch.

--PK

ALT 1977 1/400 [20]

This morning, I have made the struts on the back of the SCA. The original parts that came with the 1/144 model were just a bit too small to easily cut and shape and glue and make it look good. So I scratch built the entire structure. I used rolled up pieces of paper and card board. Most of it was glued using white glue but I reinforced it with a little drop of CA.
It's not finished yet, there have to be two more T-38 Talons made before the diorama is ready to be shown.
But for now, here's the SCA's struts close up after the jump and to begin here, the assembled shuttle and SCA together.
More tomorrow, I think.

ALT 1977 1/400 [19]: Enterprise, part 2

Here's the orbiter with what I think had the smoothest lines. the almost sensual curved black surface around the nose, the clean windows, the immaculate white surface. I always have disliked the 1983 redo with the harsh black lines around the windows and the extra useless black lines over the nose to make it resemble its space-going sisters more.

The tail cone was a very nice piece to assemble. I discarded almost all the glueing tabs, though. In this size, it would've been much too heavy. I did a lot of edge glueing here, especially on the curved parts of the tail cone.

Up next are the attachment struts of the SCA and two more T-38 Talon jets.
Here are some pictures to enjoy.

As usual, the rest is found after the jump.
Thanks for stopping by!

--PK

ALT 1977 1/400 [18]: Enterprise, part 1

Time for the Enterprise to come into existence.
I have started over three times on this little shuttle. First, due to some stupid printer error (I guess I mean myself) the frame was 3mm too large for the skin to wrap around. so, I started over and saw those rectangular shapes on the nose that had a much too prominent presence, in my eyes.
So, back to the drawing board and a reprint for the 3rd time. And this one is what you see here.

The rest of the pictures is below, after the jump.

ALT 1977 1/400 [17]

Yesterday I have finished the SCA. I scratch built the main gear and all its doors. Apart from the brass tube for placing the aircraft on its rod, this aircraft is completely made of paper. And I must say, I take my hat off for those who build these kind of paper models more often. I find them quite hard to do. Not so much the building itself, more the effort being put in keeping it flush, straight and paralleled. the shuttle is quite easy, since the wings are stubby and it is a very compact shape all together. But this is the fourth winged aircraft I have done and I still think they're a tough cookie to get right. Especially in this scale. It might be less hard when you build this model in its intended scale.
 
Anyway, here is the SCA, taking off. Now it's the shuttle and two more T-38's.
I already have started on the shuttle and the third version is very promising. (Of the two earlier versions one accidentally was out of scale and the second version had very destinguished rectangles on the nose, that might be there ( right at the place where the star trackers are and where the small black line crosses the space-going shuttle's noses) but in an 1/400th version would be very hard to spot, s I removed them from the third printout. More on that tomorrow.
Now here's some pictures of the SCA (more after the jump).
Thanks for watching!

--PK

905 awaits the Enterprise.

ALT 1977 1/400 [16]

And there are the wings.  Up next: finishing touches, main gear and wheel well detailing and the shuttle struts. That's for tomorrow.

ALT 1977 1/400 [15]

The port wing is here.
I didn't manage to get it all finished in one go, but two is not a bad score anyway. The first part concerned the wing itself. the wing root, the detailing in the flap wells and the slat wells and the slats and flaps themselves as well. I finished the first session with the engine mounts.
Second day was mainly the flap levers and the engines. The tiny bits. 
Here's the final result: two full wings.

After the jump there are ten pictures of the construction. Enjoy and thanks for visiting!

ALT 1977 1/400 [14]

And here's the finished right hand side wing.

 

It might not be fully accurate, but it gives an idea of the mechanics and it just looks nice and busy...

More photos after the jump and more in the days to come.

ALT 1977 1/400 [13]

Back on the build!
I started redoing the wings of the SCA/ I wasn't all that pleased with the colours and so I used some digital print ground to let the ink come out more on the silvery paper.
I also scavenged some good-looking bits from the old wings, since I wouldn't use those any more anyway. having gone through these motions before made it somewhat easier to do them this time. Wing 1 almost ready, I started on the other one, the struts for the open slats and the remaining engine of the right wing will come soon.
Here's some stuff to look at. More after the jump.

Still here - but no paperwork!

Hi there!
Lots of stuff going on here. Mainly job-related. We've filmed a classical chamber music festival and that has kept me off the model building. Besides, we're in the middle of a heat wave here so that also is not a very stimulating factor, really. 
However, I can say that I'd soon like to pick up where I left. So please be patient a little longer, I'll return to the SCA wings shortly.
--PK