Scratch Built Space Yacht

Madhatter

Sr Member
hey everyone

Happy new year - hope everyone had safe but fun events etc? Mine was a very quiet but productive affair with the start of a long self awaited project that I had sort of played with back in 2016. Sadly, the pics I had before were on Photobucket and I no longer use it, so I can't link them, but the basic concept was I had a 1/144 U-Boat hull, a 1/48 F-14 and F-16 - both unfinished or discarded but kept for parts. I also had a couple of other mini-subs that looked cool. The idea had a couple of different lay outs but since then, it has become this:

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I have the sub on the right in the wrong position - the little fins should be facing forward and there is still a whole section missing yet at the rear but this is just the rough shape.

Part of the problem I was having at the start initially and was was stopping me from starting was having a solid central hull piece to base the ship from. This was solved 7 days ago when I watched a guy build a huge starship from Nerf guns. It gave me an idea - the right one too. As it happens, we just so have some of those guns lying around here and I spied a sight from one of the guns he was about to throw out. I grabbed it and started messing around with it. Then I saw a Trumpeter 1/72 M113 on super sale at BNA which just so happened to be the answer to another block I had. It was now my new front docking bay! In a twist of fate, I had once built a hangar bay for the section at the rear space was perfect. I don't even have to make it - it's already done! The wall panels were the exact perfect size for the ATV.
I found an old 1/32 SU-27 intake which has become the under body where the electrics can be held.

The U-Boat has a good hold, although I think it will be tricky to get the halves to meet squarely and this is where you will see a novice at work.

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I do want to repaint in docking bay, so I will mask off the fibers and repaint it all. It does look a bit rough but don't forget, this is just the start and my ideas that I've had over the time are now finally getting to come out.

Yeah, I will get back to the Start Destroyer but this came first and now that I'm on a roll, I will keep going till its done or I've had enough. Or, more likely, it'll just fail catastrophically
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I am more than happy to take constructive feedback as this is, after all, my very first time scratch building anything like this. Happy for you to say something doesn't look right or what have you - just don't be an arse about it (although I doubt anyone here would)

As always, thanks for stopping by and would love to hear your thoughts on this one

Si
 
No—I like the initial version.

I might get the (new Yamato) type Apollo Norm pylon—then put a TNG Nebula pod atop that to keep the spearhead motif.

Maybe an Eclipse/Kazon scratch built chin.
 
That sounds interesting, although I never really warmed to the Apollo Norm flat top design as much as I wish I did. I always thought the Andromeda nose cone was also a tad too pointy for my liking.
 
Things are slowly starting to take more shape. I still have to do the bottom yet but I am almost there. Still lots of puttying and blending to go yet

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I am really contemplating going with this configuration:

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I'd need to blend in that hull that's on this side but I like the shape of it. If I do, I'd have to buy another one of those ships and I'm not sure there is another one there

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These are the main engines I was thinking of using but I don't think I'll need the whole tube - just the ends. The brass is just sitting in the middle and have not been centered. I'll add supports to them when I get to there.

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It certainly seems to be taking on a retro Gerry Anderson era kind of shape. Certainly not by design but it seems to be naturally flowing there. I like it myself

Anywho, that's it for now, but happy to hear your thoughts you may have if you want to leave them

As always, thanks for looking

Si
 
That looks really awesome! I like that you’re designing and blending shapes and forms, and trying to make the kit parts less obvious. Much better to design a ship and make the kit parts work for your vision than to just use parts as is. It reminds me of the Normandy from Mass Effect!!
 
Thanks mate,. I have an STL file for a 3D printable Normandy. Just no printer to make it on. Yet. It'll be my first subject that I print when I do finally buy one, but in the meantime I'm going to do it the old fashioned way and fluff my way through this
 
sorry - nothing yet. Have been off tools for a few weeks, but am aiming to get back on shortly. I found a cool river taxi that I intend to use to widen the body a bit

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