Myersjessee Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 So...I'm in way over my head on this...but I am not going to give up!!!! I started working on the ideas for this and scribling notes about a year ago...I started working in ernest about a month ago. So far, most of my time is spent doing research and development....trying to figure out how to make a custom...with detail closer to a model, but still a toy that can be transformed and touched. I think it will end up as somewhere in the middle of both...transformable, but not as sturdy as a toy, and with removable parts. I decided to post what I had in hopes to get good ideas. Valkyrie was kind enough to pass on some ideas for the landing gear doors...which have been a total pain...the diecast legs are not a friendly medium! First...my goals: 1 - Custom detailed cockpit 2 - detailed landing gear, bays, and doors 3 - movable control surfaces 4 - airbrakes 5 - scaled rear stabilizers (larger) 6 - detailed accessories (solid fuel boosters, enlarged fast packs, detailed leg armor, detailed gun and shield) So...not too ambitious....'cept I am new at this...so a lot of this has been a learning process. I find the second time I do something I am getting it much better...so I think 1.5 VF11's may go into making this project a reality. Here are the pictures..I rushed them...sorry...but hopefully you can get the idea. Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 1, 2004 Author Posted February 1, 2004 First...some pictures of the speed breaks. I took these things down...built up an interior and made a hing assembly (pinned togeter for pictures because I didn't want to hinge it till I painted it) for the speed breaks. I have both of these done. I also did some detail work on the interior of the break and have an actuator arm (not listed) for the break. The arm will be a removable piece, as I don't have a good way to build a tiny flexible arm...ideas? ) Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 1, 2004 Author Posted February 1, 2004 inside the door detail Theres a lot of putty left on it that I need to fine sand...then prime...etc Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 1, 2004 Author Posted February 1, 2004 Next...the gear doors...I think I have finally got a working version. I built a landing gear bay, and I am working on landing gear for it. This will most likely be plug style gear, as I wanted more detail then I was going to get with something that collapsed (with my skills that is) The front door has a hole for the light lens I will be mounting. The side door right now is also a plug and remove piece as opposed to hinges. The door is so tiny that anything I used for a hinge just overwhelmed it. I have not give up on hinging it though, and would appreciate any good ideas! Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 1, 2004 Author Posted February 1, 2004 Finally..the wings....I am making light lenses for the tips and landing lights, and made the spoiler and aileron/flap assembly move. I did not split the rear control surfaces because alln the line art I found had them moving together. Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 1, 2004 Author Posted February 1, 2004 Anyways...thats where I am so far....thanks for the advice in advance. Quote
Knight26 Posted February 1, 2004 Posted February 1, 2004 Nice work, will love to see the final product. Quote
mechaninac Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 First...some pictures of the speed breaks. I took these things down...built up an interior and made a hing assembly (pinned togeter for pictures because I didn't want to hinge it till I painted it) for the speed breaks. I have both of these done. I also did some detail work on the interior of the break and have an actuator arm (not listed) for the break. The arm will be a removable piece, as I don't have a good way to build a tiny flexible arm...ideas? ) How about telescoping aluminum tubes similar to automotive shock absorbers? Great looking stuff so far...and ambitious. Keep it up. Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 3, 2004 Author Posted February 3, 2004 I thought about that..and the telescoping is easy...its just a scale problem....proper thickness works out to be a little thicker then 40 lb fishing test...so, even if I get the tiny tubes I have to find some way to make them functional..I cant make a real damper at that size....(it may be possible...but what a pain) ..and considering the size, it would need to collapse down and back....seems I think may try to make something that tlescopes, but instead of building in the mechanisim to have it move in the track as well, just put two stops in...one for open, one for closed. Also..think I solved the main gear door problem! WOOWHOO! Details to come. Quote
Jawjaw Posted February 4, 2004 Posted February 4, 2004 Cool ideas. Are you going to give it a custom paint job, too? Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 5, 2004 Author Posted February 5, 2004 Cool ideas. Are you going to give it a custom paint job, too? but oif course! Quote
Mechamaniac Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 Nice work so far! Are you going to replace the stubby tailfins with ones the correct size? Quote
Angel's Fury Posted February 5, 2004 Posted February 5, 2004 Nice work, will love to see the final product. Ditto. Quote
Comicbookheros Posted February 6, 2004 Posted February 6, 2004 Looks great so far. What did you use to cut the plastic for the air break? Also what type of custom paint job have you decided on? keep up the good work. Quote
Myersjessee Posted February 9, 2004 Author Posted February 9, 2004 Using a bunch of different things to cut...mitre box, jewlers saw, xacto. I will be doing proper tailfins...colorscheme...not totally sure...been rewatching a lot of Mac+ and Mac7 to decide. Quote
Sebastian Posted February 25, 2004 Posted February 25, 2004 Hey Myersjessee! Your work looks really nice! Your first custom? Man you have some skills! Please keep us updated! I am very interested in the FP, cant wait to see those finished. Quote
Graham Posted February 25, 2004 Posted February 25, 2004 Wow.....fantastic work so far. I definitely want pics of the finished custom for the MW custom toy gallery. Graham Quote
kensei Posted March 10, 2004 Posted March 10, 2004 A work of art so far Myersjessee! How big is it compared to a Yamato VF-11 anyway approximately? I can tell from your pictures that it will be better than theirs already! Quote
Graham Posted March 11, 2004 Posted March 11, 2004 How big is it compared to a Yamato VF-11 anyway approximately? I can tell from your pictures that it will be better than theirs already! He iscustomizing a Yamato VF-11B, so it won't be any bigger, unless he makes bigger tailfins. Graham Quote
Myersjessee Posted March 12, 2004 Author Posted March 12, 2004 Well...a little over a month and I am not much farther along...Im working on a couple other projects which is distracting me. I have nearly finished one leg. The gear doors were a real challange for me. I wanted them thin enough to look right, but could not hinge them at that thickness. I tried to copy what Yamato did on the 1/60 ...and failed. Then tried some L joint parts..and they looked huge in the tiny gear bay....I finally made it work by making a hole with my smallest pinvise bit and hinging the doors with 10lb fishing test. It took me about 6 scraped doors before a got a straight hole that went the length of the door without breaking the surface...and then was able to hinge it in place...but it finally did work. The end result is the gear doors do actually open and close....! I was so very pysched when I finally got that working...the I realized I had to make them fit right...mor tries..and finally got it. Then it was time to add more details to the gear doors, and gear bays. I have a lens to place in the forward gear door, but it is not yet glued in. I did try to add more realistic interiors to the bay and doors and mount a new landing gear assembly. I filled in the old stabilizer, then re-etched panel lines, and replaced it with a new stabilizer. Then a lot of putty and sanding. The darn metal has been a bear to remove all the seam lines from...there is probably a trick..but you can't scrape it at all like a plastic model...so I keep puttying, sanding...and repeat. I finally thought I was nearly done, so I primed it...only to find there are about 4 areas (screw holes and seams ) I need to touch up more...and notice areas inside by the feet I need to detail and seal...so thats next...then Ill finish up the wings and start on the other leg. Pictures... Quote
Myersjessee Posted March 12, 2004 Author Posted March 12, 2004 Oh...Graham is right...it is not larger the the current Yammie,,,same size. Quote
Myersjessee Posted March 12, 2004 Author Posted March 12, 2004 outside and inside (notice the puttying I still need to do on the inside) Quote
Myersjessee Posted March 12, 2004 Author Posted March 12, 2004 (edited) bottom Edited March 12, 2004 by Myersjessee Quote
Myersjessee Posted March 12, 2004 Author Posted March 12, 2004 and finally...a couple comparison shots.... ...and thats my baby so far...1st custom...now close to 10% done...not sure how you guys do it! Quote
mighty gorgon Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 Very very nice work. I have a Yamato VF-11B sitting in my desk by my PC, but I'll use your pics to help me on the CG VF-11... Congratulations and hope to see more soon. Gorgon Quote
Myersjessee Posted March 23, 2004 Author Posted March 23, 2004 Thanks Mighty Gorgon. Please be aware (in case you are not) My gear doors are wrong. The main door should have the "W" shape on either side of the door. I did the front, but left the back flat because I didn't want either shrink the bay, or cut the die-cast. Not cannon...but made sense considering it's my first custom. Im working on finishing the speed breaks now on the other side...then Ill build up the body again. Quote
mighty gorgon Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 Thanks Mighty Gorgon. Please be aware (in case you are not) My gear doors are wrong. The main door should have the "W" shape on either side of the door. I did the front, but left the back flat because I didn't want either shrink the bay, or cut the die-cast. Not cannon...but made sense considering it's my first custom. Im working on finishing the speed breaks now on the other side...then Ill build up the body again. Thanks for the comments. The VF-4 did not have landing gear (I'm sooo lazy), but I will model it in the VF-11. Quote
Jasonc Posted March 23, 2004 Posted March 23, 2004 This may be a dumb question, but what do you use to scratch build parts? Quote
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