MPC Cygnus
- Thread starter mrchester
- Start date
Thanks for the imput, Humanoid. Though Cygnus is panned for being impractical, I will agree that there is a strange beauty to it. Like a Giger design except on the other end of the spectrum. (Yesterday, I saw your avatar in a big display case along with a whole bunch of other Star Wars models, props, and costumes. Its at the Orlando Science Center until April 3).
As for the model...out of the box you get the general shape, Thats it. Casting it in silver... whats up with that? I have noted really nice versions of this but no matter how you do it, plan on spending some time...real time. I crunched the numbers on how much time I have on this so far. The first big push started in Feb.2010 and I had to stop in October of the same year. Then it was on and off for the next 7 months then nothing until I started this thread. So far...600 hours. There is a long way to go.
As for the model...out of the box you get the general shape, Thats it. Casting it in silver... whats up with that? I have noted really nice versions of this but no matter how you do it, plan on spending some time...real time. I crunched the numbers on how much time I have on this so far. The first big push started in Feb.2010 and I had to stop in October of the same year. Then it was on and off for the next 7 months then nothing until I started this thread. So far...600 hours. There is a long way to go.
PrimitiveDave
Active Member
My only comment would be to suggest you go with an amber/light orange rather than a yellow if you're going to paint the panels to simulate lighting. But whatever you do, I'm sure the final product will be amazing!
I missed that post. Amazing, you are making such a silk purse out of a sow's ear here.
Ah, that. I should take that down - I did one test print but the antennas just weren't up to it and other parts just disappeared. I'm going to redo it with some of those pieces deleted, they can be added from sprue or wire.
But while I'm at it I figured I might as well redo the girders on the lower part too - finer -to be printed in one of the finer detail materials. As it was, they were just printing out looking like a solid piece with surface detail.
Yeh, I think so too. Would go well as a desk model.
I'd love a larger scale of the Mogami class. And 1/350s of the unknown battleship and cruiser from Final Yamato would be epic.
Well, promised those tanks so here is a start. These are renders of the tank arrangement I have for 'fuel module A', with your bounding box dimensions shown in yellow. Dims in millimetres, sorry, got tired of fighting the defaults.
Not a bad fit as-is - the MPC engineers clearly were working to real Disney dimensions; as you see the tanks fit with just a slight width issue.
I've not been able to dig up my MPC kits as yet so I've assumed the width you gave was for the inner diameter of the upper 'rim', right? If so I will need to squash these down a bit. But the height should be about right - the upper set of tanks should be almost level with the top of the rim, unlike the MPC version where it is inset. And the outer, side tanks - will they still fit into the overall dimensions of the module? Let me know.
I can agree on the Mogami, especially after the new details that are depicted in Yamato 2199.
I've gotten most of the bottom part of the ligted section assembled and can give some hard numbers. The internal width is 1.020" , the internal lenght is 2.220", and 0.780 Deep (that's from inside to inside faces). The original dimensions were creative guesses using the uncut Cygnus model.
I've gotten most of the bottom part of the ligted section assembled and can give some hard numbers. The internal width is 1.020" , the internal lenght is 2.220", and 0.780 Deep (that's from inside to inside faces). The original dimensions were creative guesses using the uncut Cygnus model.
Ah, awesome, thanks - those dims sound like they'll work better. I'll work up a draft printable version tonight. I wonder why Disney chose three ranks of tanks in the Fuel Module A config...there's actually only two, unless I've paid too much attention to the drawings and not enough to the screen caps.
Yep, all five antenna boxes are the same.
Yep, all five antenna boxes are the same.
Okay , I'm back. A couple of more questions. Refering to the shot of the uncut MPC center section (posted above), The tanks on the right have a flange on the inside of the box lip but the one on the left does not. Is this correct and does it apply to both ends? The other is that it is safe to assume that the MPC antenna boxes are small and off scale? :sleep WAKE UP!!:eek.
I've spent the past week making up ( and making molds) lattice panels for the inside of the corner boxes and to go behind the power stations. The antenna boxes are taking a bit longer because there is no proper lattice that I can rob from the kit itself. Pictures soon. I have also realized (which I thought would be the case) that I don't think that I can get the travel tube supports to be like the original...we're getting way to small.
I've spent the past week making up ( and making molds) lattice panels for the inside of the corner boxes and to go behind the power stations. The antenna boxes are taking a bit longer because there is no proper lattice that I can rob from the kit itself. Pictures soon. I have also realized (which I thought would be the case) that I don't think that I can get the travel tube supports to be like the original...we're getting way to small.
The right hand side tanks in your pic (that type goes on the opposite side at the other end of the ship) are the 'Fuel Module B' type and are a totally different arrangement. I'll see if I can dig up some old renders of these to show you how they work. That is if you don't mind me posting that stuff in your thread? They're way full of weird stuff going on.
Yeah, the antenna boxes are probably a bit small. I'd have to figure out what the correct size should be in your scale though to give a better answer. What the heck scale is the MPC anyway? We should seriously just work that out.
Yeah, the antenna boxes are probably a bit small. I'd have to figure out what the correct size should be in your scale though to give a better answer. What the heck scale is the MPC anyway? We should seriously just work that out.
Aw reet, found 'em. (So much easier to find crap on a computer versus rooting through big piles of junk in a rat-infested shed!)
First one is the core tank arrangement for module B. Next shows how it fits inside the module with two flanking rows of angled tanks. That's what the 'bumps' are supposed to represent on the MPC kit. Next shows the bow config, or part of it, it's still a WIP and includes some guesswork. I'm trying to do some cleaner renders of this area for my 3D print collaborator Dave (but am struggling a bit at the moment, sorry, best I have right now).
Last one is the tank cluster for the other fuel module, module A. There are two of these in each module A, not 3 as MPC has it.
I have a few renders showing the insides of the modules without tanks but they do include the spruing I have to use for 3D print. I think with that included they might be a bit confusing.
In short: both modules have a kind of 'wall' of framing at each end, with an airlock in it. They also both have some solid areas of flooring, catwalks of sorts even. So the shelf on the MPC part is probably supposed to represent part of that.
First one is the core tank arrangement for module B. Next shows how it fits inside the module with two flanking rows of angled tanks. That's what the 'bumps' are supposed to represent on the MPC kit. Next shows the bow config, or part of it, it's still a WIP and includes some guesswork. I'm trying to do some cleaner renders of this area for my 3D print collaborator Dave (but am struggling a bit at the moment, sorry, best I have right now).
Last one is the tank cluster for the other fuel module, module A. There are two of these in each module A, not 3 as MPC has it.
I have a few renders showing the insides of the modules without tanks but they do include the spruing I have to use for 3D print. I think with that included they might be a bit confusing.
In short: both modules have a kind of 'wall' of framing at each end, with an airlock in it. They also both have some solid areas of flooring, catwalks of sorts even. So the shelf on the MPC part is probably supposed to represent part of that.
Oh hey, internal width and length are working out about okay but that height figure, is it including the top or bottom 'rims'?
The tanks sit on floor framing which is at the level of the bottom of the main side frames. That is, where the bottom 'rim' starts. The upper tanks are almost level with the top of the upper rims, there's no framing across the top of the fuel modules (unlike the normal modules).
Not sure how to reconcile it right now so if you can confirm whether your height figure includes that or not, will help. BTW, the bottom of the fuel modules is double-layered. Actually, all the modules are double-layered at the bottom - the rim is 'filled in' with another set of framing. You can see that in the movie during the underside flyby shots. Not sure if you'll want to copy that.
The tanks sit on floor framing which is at the level of the bottom of the main side frames. That is, where the bottom 'rim' starts. The upper tanks are almost level with the top of the upper rims, there's no framing across the top of the fuel modules (unlike the normal modules).
Not sure how to reconcile it right now so if you can confirm whether your height figure includes that or not, will help. BTW, the bottom of the fuel modules is double-layered. Actually, all the modules are double-layered at the bottom - the rim is 'filled in' with another set of framing. You can see that in the movie during the underside flyby shots. Not sure if you'll want to copy that.
Alright, time to catchup... Yes Martyn, you and PrimitiveDave can post any helpful items here. Got to educate the masses. As for the module depth, from the bottom (inside) to the top of the box lip is 1.00". The other dimensions hold...but lets deduct .030" for a panel to go on the bottom. I busted out my trusty Paint program for the drawing below (hope this clarifies some). :cheers
First set of tanks done. I see now why MPC messed with the tank arrangement; it was dictated by different proportions for the module. I had to do something similar. I stayed with the correct plan of four rows of tanks visible through the opening, times two ranks, so eight in total. The module can't accept a correct layout of 36 tanks in two clusters though because the rim is too small (it's underscale). Scaling the tank cluster to fit the rim means there would be a lot of empty space left over. To fill it I have added extra rows of tanks to make 56 in total.
It is on Shapeways now and should be good to go so feel free to try it out, however the cost is high at $17. I couldn't really hollow these pieces - they're already too small, so that determines volume of plastic used, and hence the cost.
Kremmen on Shapeways
Render:
It is on Shapeways now and should be good to go so feel free to try it out, however the cost is high at $17. I couldn't really hollow these pieces - they're already too small, so that determines volume of plastic used, and hence the cost.
Kremmen on Shapeways
Render:
