Who here would be interested in trying a Group Build?

Gigatron

Hey gang,

I figure we've got a good amount of modelers on this board, so this may be something worth trying.

A Group Build is, in essence, a group of people building a model along a common theme. Now the theme could be as narrow building the same kind of vehicle (different variations allowed) or as broad as building vehicles that all operated in the same battle. The one caveat is that it has to take place within a given time frame - anywhere from 3 months to a year.

For instance, the build could be all variations of Abrams tanks, or F/A-18 Hornets (As through Super Bugs). Or it could be any carrier-based plane prior to viet nam, or from nam to present. Or it could be any vehicle that particiapted in a particular battle in the PTO, whether it be ship, plane or AFV.


Anyway, if interested, chime in with suggestions and then we'll work out specifics, from there.

-Fred

PHArchivist

Somebody want to scratch-build a 1:18 B-29?

Gigatron

Well, if we did an X-Planes / Drop Ship Group Build, you could certainly enter that as your contribution. Or even if we did a Planes of Boeing theme, you'd be ok. Though you'd probably need to find someone with a 10' wood lathe, because that's the only way you'd be able to make the fuselage, . Honetsly - consider wittling one from basswood or balsa. You can always just leave it made from wood or use that as a buck to vacform the fuselage.

Seriously, though - we have a lot of talented modelers in this forum. I think it would be a great experience if we worked together on a single theme. New builders get to learn from experienced builders, everyone can share tips and techniques and it's a pretty good bonding experience. I've made some really good acquaintences on other forums working on group builds.

I'd really hope at least some of you guys would be willing to give it a chance.

-Fred

vistaVision

Fred, this is an awesome idea! And maybe Rob's onto a theme that would work well for this board: Air, land, sea and space craft of "The Right Stuff." That would open it up to studio scale modeling if one chooses (or any scale) jets, missiles, capsules, ships, copters, cars, and so on. First thing we'd have (get) to do is screen the movie again for ideas. See, it's already fun!

Thoughts?

Marcus

PHArchivist

I'm getting more into real space these days...!

Gigatron

That's a fine idea. If anyone has the movie handy and wouldn't mind taking the time, they could identify the important vehicles that appear in the film. Then we can chack to make sure that other vehicles besides the X-1 are available to build. One thing I'd want to try to avoid is modeling of things like random cars and such. I'd like the subject to really scream "this is from The Right Stuff"", instead of "this is a 67 ford fairlaine that may have been in a movie or something I just felt like modeling" - get what I'm saying ?

Once we have a decent list of vehicles (and some interested modelers) we could move forward with the project.


Keep the ideas coming, guys .

-Fred

vistaVision

I've got the movie right here. I'll put it in tonight and get a list together, should be able to post something tomorrow. There are a few test planes, several different Mercury vehicles, distinctive vintage Corvette's all the Merc 7 drove, naval vessels, and so on. Or, simply limit it to air and space craft...

Of course, this is really the first idea or two. By tomorrow there could be a ton of other great ideas.

Basherthrasher

I'd be,even though so far I haven't gotten anything here but a cold reception. I'd like to make one out of aluminum,not plastic. I being a metal worker should come in handy.

feek61

This one looks to be pretty close!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1gW4IdiOVA


If you have not seen this it's worth watching the entire thing . . . at least until the 2:10 min mark.


And just for a little extra (heartbreak):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWwe...eature=related

Gigatron

BT, if you want to make one for the GB, I say welcome aboard



Marcus, I appreciate you taking the time to come up with that list. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.


Rob - you've been taking up space for years .
Nothin' but love for ya', brotha

-Fred

feek61

I might need your metal services, lol. I am kicking around the idea of scratch-building a 1/32 lunar module. I would need someone to make the landing pads and dishes.

Also, WELCOME TO THE RPF!!!!

vistaVision

The featured air/space craft of The Right Stuff include:

Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Bell X-1
Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket (flown by Chuck Yeager's "rival" Scott Crossfield, reportedly actually a modified Hawker Hunter jet on-screen)
Lockheed NF-104A (Yeager sets altitude record and then ejects from this jet, reportedly a Luftwaffe F-104G was used as “stand in”)
Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 with Redstone Rocket
Gus Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 with Redstone Rocket
John Glenn’s Friendship 7 with Atlas Rocket
Gordo Cooper’s Faith 7 with Atlas Rocket

Not a long list but certainly some interesting craft.

DS Operative

I would love to build a Mercury capsule with a group, but I haven't been able to find a kit in my price range and that 1/12 kit is larger than what I'd like to have on display. Are there any other options?

Gigatron

Thanks for that list, Marcus


Unfortunately, it looks like we may have painted ourselves into too narrow of a corner with a "The Right Stuff" build. The only available kits are of the Bell X-1, the 1/12 Mercury capsule and an older 1/65 Douglass D-558-2, that only seems to be available via ebay.

DS, it does look like that 1/12 kit is the only available kit out there.



So, I propose that we go with either an X-planes build or a real space build.

Persoanlly, my real interest is aircraft, so I could do an X-1 for either build, really.

-Fred

DS Operative

I like aircraft too, and I thought The Right Stuff was a great suggestion until Gigatron's post informing that the number of kits available are limited. If everyone is really set on X-Planes or Real Space, I don't want to derail the momentum-- but what about a "Battle of Yavin" group build? Their are really only 5 spacecraft in that battle though, right? But the kits are cheap if you go MPC. X-Wing, Y-Wing, TIE, TIE Advanced, and Millennium Falcon.

PHArchivist

Gigatron

I do have a 1/72 Fine Molds X-Wing in the stash, but I'd lilke to keep our first endeavor a bit broader than Star Wars - unless everyone agrees to it.

The Right Stuff theme was a good idea, in theory, because it contained space craft, aircraft and even ships (if anyone knows what the recovery ship was). The problem is the narrow range of craft and the lack of avaialble kits.

But at least it gets the thought processes moving.

So, we have the following suggestions, so far;

X-planes
Real Space
Battle of Yavin

I'll add "Aircraft of the Blue Angels" - that's 60 years of operational aircraft to choose from.

Let's hear more ideas, guys.

I want to try and get as many members interested as possible.

-Fred

vistaVision

I think you're right about The Right Stuff being too narrow a topic. I guess the trick here will be not too narrow, and not too broad a topic. I do like the Blue Angels idea! I'm thinking maybe staying away from fiction or even space, just because it would be so cool to build up a plane or jet, something I haven't done since I was a kid.

Just about any warbird or military topic would suit me. I am fortunate to live about 15 miles south of Oshkosh and have spent countless hours at the EAA museum and at many of the annual AirVenture fly-ins.

That gives me an idea: The air/space craft of the National Air and Space Museum. Maybe that's too broad a topic, as they do have hundreds of displays... ? I don't know!?

More ideas?

JMChladek

Actually, if you want to do "The Right Stuff" then technically one could open it up to all sorts of experimental air and space craft, regardless of whether or not they appeared in the film. As such, one could do the XB-35 or YB-49 flying wings (Glenn Edwards died in a YB-49 crash and Edwards AFB was named for him), the X-15 rocket plane (which I believe has some coverage in the Tom Wolfe book, the NF-104 was a spinoff of that project) and any number of the other projects seen at Edwards over the years.

As such, it would be open IMHO to any manned aircraft used in a test program by NACA or NASA or manned NASA spacecraft. Then my lifting body project would be a perfect fit as I currently have the Eagles Talon 1/72 Lifting Bodies sitting on my workbench (M2-F2/3, HL-10, X-24A and X-24B). Even the shuttle could fit as Pete Knight's speed record in the X-15A2 rocket plane was broken by Columbia on its first return from space.

BTW Vista, you forgot about the Bell X-1A, the second generation X-1 that Yeager went out of control in due to inertia coupling. Special Hobby made a kit of that plane and the companion Bell X-1B (one of the pilots was Neil Armstrong) and they also did the D-558-II Skyrocket as well all in 1/72 scale. Strombecker also did the X-1B in 1/48 and I recall it was reissued by Glencoe models in their early days. One of the deleted scenes from the Right Stuff also has Dennis Quaid as Gordo Cooper ejecting from an F-86 Sabre.

Besides, if you want some inspiration from other NASA based air and spacecraft, how about THIS?







Or this?




Or perhaps THIS? (Okay, technically it wasn't manned, but if it does get built as a manned booster, it should be as cool to watch fly as this one was!)



http://s92.photobucket.com/albums/l3...ek/Ares%201-X/

LizardJedi

Well, if you went with X-Planes, and wanted a... I guess I could say--- variety... in talent... I got my X-15 handy (and for other people, the kit itself has 2 variations, and others can be made with some mods)

Though are you talking about X-Planes from back in the day, or some more current stuff? I've never seen a kit for it, but I'd dig to see an X-29 done up right
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/m...-29/index.html

Gigatron

Liz, we want the largest variety of talent we can muster.

I have no interest in seeing what I can do with a model. I know what I'm capable of. And there's only a very slim possibility of me learning a new technique from myself .

The idea is for modelers to learn from each other, to challenge each other to do better. That's why I want all skill levels - very experienced to first time modelers.




Ok, so what looks like the best alternative is JMC's suggestions - an expansion on The Right Stuff. We'll take manned space, 60'- current and X-planes as used by NACA/NASA, the earliest of which would be the X-1 from 1946.

How does this sound to everyone?


Hopefully, if this GB goes well, we can expand and do others (I'd personally like to do the Blue Angels Build).


-Fred

vistaVision

That sounds great. I'm in. Now have to select a subject... Do we set a timeline to finish/display these? I'm sure everyone is encouraged to share pics of their builds, and ideas, problems, techniques. This is really cool.

Gigatron

Yup, I just want to give people a few days to ponder the idea, then I'll make an official thread with start dates, duration and all that other happy cr@p . I say, expect to see an official thread, with all the info, by the weekend.

-Fred

Gigatron

Just to hopefully inspire people, if this GB happens, I'm building a 1/32 X-15 .

-Fred

JMChladek

I'm in. Even I need a challenge.