vf-31 siegfried WIP: Alternate Weapons Pods for VF-31

[Sildani]

Thanks again!

[Sanity is Optional]

Ok, updated the missile pod shells to have Professional Plastic as an option. Not sure if the version on runners will work, but set that up as well.

[Sildani]

Had any time to work on the brackets, Sanity? Thanks!

[Sanity is Optional]

13 hours ago, Sildani said:

Had any time to work on the brackets, Sanity? Thanks!

[edit]

Ok, the hardpoint bracket to attach to the shield on the VF-31 supers. I just got the new 3D printer setup at work, so I can try one out. It'll just be a bracket with a pair of DX hardpoints, one left and one right going horizontal.

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Sanity is Optional

[Xigfrid]

I think Bandai really failed with this armor design, they could at least put hard points directly into the armor part instead of making a clip

[Sanity is Optional]

26 minutes ago, Xigfrid said:

I think Bandai really failed with this armor design, they could at least put hard points directly into the armor part instead of making a clip

Yeah, or under a removable panel if they wanted to keep the shield clean looking.

[Sildani]

Now that I have a set, I agree. Bandai really seems to have phoned this in. 

[Xigfrid]

Until the very end of the Delta Movie, I didn’t expect to see a speaker pod, but what a treat to see not one, but two speaker pods in the last scene.

[no3Ljm]

6 minutes ago, Xigfrid said:

Until the very end of the Delta Movie, I didn’t expect to see a speaker pod, but what a treat to see not one, but two speaker pods in the last scene.

Was that Sharon Apple(s) equipped with Speaker Pods? 

 

[Xigfrid]

Haha, if you look closer, this is the same bracket found on the Vf-31 that uses to hold the different pods...

And strangely, that reminds me how they constructed the Vajra Queen from the smaller Vajras in the Macross Frontier movie by assembling the legs as hands, canon as antennas, tails as hips.

That looks like cheap model recycling/product placement 

[Sildani]

On 9/15/2018 at 11:48 PM, Sanity is Optional said:

[edit]

Ok, the hardpoint bracket to attach to the shield on the VF-31 supers. I just got the new 3D printer setup at work, so I can try one out. It'll just be a bracket with a pair of DX hardpoints, one left and one right going horizontal.

 

Bump for a check up. Hope life hasn’t been too crazy for you!

[Sanity is Optional]

Not crazy, more than I've been doing a lot of CAD work at my job, and I'd like to wait until that's over to do even more CAD modeling on my own time.

On my to-do list:

• VF-31 Super Shield-to-hardpoint adapters
• DX YF-19 mounts for the Yamato fold booster
• Arcadia YF-19 mounts for the Bandai fold booster
• Extra single and dual ordinance mounts for DX YF-19 ordinance
• In the far, far future the dual-cannon weapons pod for the VF-31.

[enphily]

epic list! Especially dual-cannon

[Sanity is Optional]

One other factor slowing me down is that my Mirage supers (that have the shield brackets), DX YF-19(s), and Yamato fold booster are all in boxes, since I'm out of display space.

[Chronocidal]

So, I had a funny thought.  I'm curious whether it would be possible to cut pylon shapes out of simple sheet plastic for testing purposes.  I'd love to make some more realistic pylon designs that get the weapons further out in front of the wing.

Do you happen to know off the top of your head what the thickness of the YF-19 DX pylons are at both the wing mount, and the weapon mount?  I can measure them myself when I get home, but planning these sorts of projects is a nice mental distraction for dull workdays.   I'd hope they were roughly a consistent thickness to keep things simple, but that might be too easy.

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by Chronocidal

[Sanity is Optional]

I haven't yet opened any of the trays on my copies, just the outer box to check the head laser.

From looking, it shouldn't be too hard to fake it up using sheets though.

[Sildani]

There might be a 15% off Shapeways sale on or around November 15th. I’ll be getting some stuff then, if it pans out. 

[Xigfrid]

I took the most inspiring to me and that was the last on @Sanity is Optional pile !

So far so good, I got a last challenging articulation to go through before the model is good to print, hopefully I would be able to catch on Shapeways promo

 

[Mommar]

1 hour ago, Xigfrid said:

I took the most inspiring to me and that was the last on @Sanity is Optional pile !

So far so good, I got a last challenging articulation to go through before the model is good to print, hopefully I would be able to catch on Shapeways promo

 

Wow, how is that going to work?

[valhary]

I want it for my 31s

[chyll2]

@Xigfrid

you really are not holding back. Awesome renders and probably, anyone that sees it will ask, how does it work

[Xigfrid]

Haha you are probably right @chyll2, there are a lot of sliding mechanisms but yet simple enough to keep the whole pod easy to assemble and tight. I will probably have 10 separate parts with 5 screws. 

How it folds? Well I think it is much less complicated than the actual boomerang charger pod.

How it works? It looks like these plasma canons have capacitors that are continuously charged during flight to allow the cannon to blast limited but powerful blasts. Here is the google translate:

”Continuous Beam Cannon Unit A charged particle beam cannon unit of dual specification that can be used as a turning turret. With a combination of turret and energy capacitor, with constant energy charge! Approximately 5 shots can be launched per gun barrel. Once equipped with a chemical laser cannon as an option of Superpack (Strike Pack), there was limitation of the gas capacity that could not be precision fire and electric power supply source, it was never easy to use equipment. This equipment for VF-31 /.0 has no high anti-ship capability like the old strike pack, but because it supplies energy from the body of the energy conversion armor which is not used, it can constantly charge it, There is sufficient effect for versus VF etc. The aim is arbitrary or ARIEL-111 automatic control of the pilot, but the rear seat personnel may operate”

Edited November 7, 2018 by Xigfrid

[Sanity is Optional]

Wow, nice work on that, can't wait to see it (and order a couple).

 

On my front, got some good news, my Movie VF-31f finally made it to US shores, so I can take a look at the Drakken clips in a week or two at most.

Bad news is I'm now sharing the work laptop I've been using to make CAD models.

[David Hingtgen]

19 hours ago, Xigfrid said:

 The aim is arbitrary or ARIEL-111 automatic control of the pilot, but the rear seat personnel may operate”

I don't think I'd trust Freyja's aim...

[no3Ljm]

19 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

On my front, got some good news, my Movie VF-31f finally made it to US shores, so I can take a look at the Drakken clips in a week or two at most.

Bad news is I'm now sharing the work laptop I've been using to make CAD models.

And maybe you can come up with a clip for Kairos use. 

 

[Graham]

An alternate weapons pod for the VF-31A would be nice, one that can still hold the gunpod, but the charger half is replaced with a missile pod, like was shown in a magazine a while back.

[Sildani]

I think that’s actually on the list. Big thanks, of course, to Sanity and Xig for the work!

 

[WaferMouse]

On 11/6/2018 at 11:09 PM, Xigfrid said:

I took the most inspiring to me and that was the last on @Sanity is Optional pile !

So far so good, I got a last challenging articulation to go through before the model is good to print, hopefully I would be able to catch on Shapeways promo

 

Great work, as usual!

I dunno how possible it would be, but a version of this with the starboard/rear part replaced with a gunpod mount would be a for-sure purchase for me. Or maybe a more plain version of the existing pod but with 2 DX mounts fore and aft to put a gunpod clip on? That might be easier, and more versatile!

Edited November 8, 2018 by WaferMouse

[Chronocidal]

Might be more of an ordnance design, but have there been any pod designs that could just be used to mount bunches of ordnance on, like rocket pods and missiles?

I'm thinking that pod makes a nice flat alleyway to mount all kinds of weapons between the engines, F-14-style, if you don't use the gunpod.

[WaferMouse]

10 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

I'm thinking that pod makes a nice flat alleyway to mount all kinds of weapons between the engines, F-14-style, if you don't use the gunpod.

It would be great to have a modular system for our modular system.

[Sanity is Optional]

11 hours ago, Graham said:

An alternate weapons pod for the VF-31A would be nice, one that can still hold the gunpod, but the charger half is replaced with a missile pod, like was shown in a magazine a while back.

 

6 hours ago, Sildani said:

I think that’s actually on the list. Big thanks, of course, to Sanity and Xig for the work!

Something I've thought about, but wasn't on my list. 

If anyone knows of a guide to disassemble the pod safely, I could work on a replacement for just the charger half. Replacing the side holding the gun is a bit more involved, and high-tolerance, than I was planning to get into.

 

I did make a little clip you can use to mount the gun on a wing hardpoint, when using the missile pod.

Edited November 8, 2018 by Sanity is Optional

[Xigfrid]

I had a shock today with the new "pricing" policy from Shapeways ... The Dual canon pod would be 45 USD from them in White Standard Plastic. 80 USD in Professional Plastic ... Instead of that, I can print them for 30 EUR in Europe in Professional Grey plastic.

I have looked at Sculpteo prices and they are about the same price in White plastic, and 50 USD in Professional, so not that much cheaper. If you know of a cheaper SLS / HP 42004210 solutions, let me know.

I will also make a 1:72 versionavailble at Plastic Cretins, but I don't know if Exo have a resin that can be flex to enable the pod to fully expand / retract

For now, I will have a sample printed to test it, and probably my next step would be taking "pre-orders" at 33 USD / unit and having either individual shipping or global shipping to whoever wants to handle the dispatch in the USA.

[Sildani]

Very good of you, Xig. Please put me on the list!

[Focslain]

If you do a 1/72 scale twin cannon pod I'd like to be added to that list.

[Sanity is Optional]

I'm in for one of those cannon pods.

It's unfortunate Shapeways is jumping their prices so much. Maybe it's time to look into a personal resin printer.