Friday 12 September 2008

Drop Ship VI

Just a little progress today as I wait for more filler to arrive via Royal Mail. I decided to work on a tail fin (having abandoned the idea of stub wings)



This is one part of the build I forgot to take step by step pictures for. Anyway it's 5 pieces of 1.5mm styrene laminated together with styrene cement and then sanded, and sanded and sanded some more into a kind of aerofoil shape. This piece is now also awaiting filler to remove some joint lines , and it will need to be panel scribed. However I had a suggestion on the Forum of Doom that the ship should have 2 tail fins. So a moment in photoshop, and we have a choice. Two fin or not two fin? That is the question.




I had envisaged mounting a pair of small Old Crow missile turrets either side of the fin. But there's no reason why i couldn't mount a single turret between two fins. A comms array will be placed on the upper forward starboard hull.

I am undecided. What do you guys think? Poll on the right >>>>>

3 comments:

  1. I like the two-fins design, but maybe angle them out more.

    One trick I use for laminated parts like wings and fins is to color the layers of plastic with a permanent marker before gluing them together. When sanding, the ink provides lines between the layers that I use to ensure the piece is symmetrical.

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  2. As described, wouldn't the 2-fin design severely limit the firing arc of the turret?

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  3. Bill - thanks for the suggestion. I'll want to keep the fins within the width of the main hull though, as the engines rotate... no point burning the fins off! Great suggestions with your coloured styrene and layering for laminating. I have some black kicking about so i'll give that a go next time!

    MrTeufel - The turret would only be a missile turret, so i'm prepared to believe that it wouldn't need to rotate far as any advanced ordnance could be launched in any direction...

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