Snowspeeder Filming Replica with Working Air Brakes

[imaginager]

One of my longstanding studio scale goals has been to build a Snowspeeder with servo-controlled upper and lower air brakes. I remember seeing the "Making of" special for ESB as a kid and being completely taken with the moving flaps and pilot's head.

So, the only thing I knew about servos before starting this build was that I'd need to use them. :lol

About the middle of December I purchased an Arduino Uno micro-controller and a couple of E-flite servos, just to dink around (HiTEC HS-55s are installed in the model). Then, I thought, I'd start on the hard part: developing the code. My requirements were primarily to control the servos so they could move both simultaneously and independently of each other, at variable speeds and throw.

Turned out the code only took a day to work out. The actual hard part was developing the hinges for the flaps - these aren't some off-the-shelf products from the local hobby shop. I had to design them in CAD, have some of components laser cut (because of the tolerances), then scratch build them. There may have even been some expletives and swearing.

But, enough whining from me. I think the initial "on-board" test of the upper flaps went pretty well. I posted a teaser of the lower flaps in my EFX TIE Preorder rant thread, earlier.

Snowspeeder Upper Flap Test 4.1
Snowspeeder Upper Flap Test 4

And, here is the practical test for the lower flaps:

Video - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting

 

[ralphee]

Couldnt view the vid this time round on my iPhone buddy, but cant wait to see this on my computer, this will be a special one to watch for me, ive missed the old Hansen magic!

Lee

 

[moffeaton]

You've harnessed magic, Allan. Hitec servos, yeah?

Looks like you have them fully extend, or partial - or can you control them at any degree you choose? I guess it's the code you decide to write, eh?

 

[dsp5500]

Bravo Allen. This is how it should be built. Awesome. I know what you mean by hoping to use off the self item's! These ILM guys custom made EVERYTHING and over engineered it to boot..

 

[imaginager]

Couldnt view the vid this time round on my iPhone buddy, but cant wait to see this on my computer, this will be a special one to watch for me, ive missed the old Hansen magic!

Lee

Thanks, Lee, yeah...Apple iPhone doesn't speak flash. I get caught with the same problem. In these latest vids I have the rear boxes on (taped) the model and am testing operation. At the moment, I'm working on getting the top and bottom flaps working together (more wiring and more code).

You've harnessed magic, Allan. Hitec servos, yeah?

Looks like you have them fully extend, or partial - or can you control them at any degree you choose? I guess it's the code you decide to write, eh?

Jason, yep HiTEC. I knew nothing about servos, really, and bought E-flites first. Then, some research suggested I wouldn't want to seal those up inside the model. Anyway, yeah...the code controls the degree the flaps open (in the video I'm using both full and half open), how fast/slow the flaps move, how long they're opened/closed, etc. It's so much fun, I'll probably leave a place for the USB port on the display box so I can hook it up to the computer and "play". But, the idea is to make it with a simple on/off switch and it will go through it's paces.

Bravo Allen. This is how it should be built. Awesome. I know what you mean by hoping to use off the self item's! These ILM guys custom made EVERYTHING and over engineered it to boot..

Thanks Rob! Yeah, the upper flaps were interesting. I don't know if the way I do it is the same as ILM, but I bet it's pretty close (the mechanics and opposed to the electrics).

 

[ralphee]

Got it now Allan, yeah, he's back lol. I think you have the throw and speed spot on, and the position of servo, yeah, i think your dead right.
You going for the pilots head movement too bud? Would be a shame not too now you have cracked the perfect air brake animation.

lee

 

[mslz22]

That is just about the coolest thing I have seen, your really tugging at some childhood heartstrings with this. I am guessing almost everyone here watched the FX special for ESB about a thousand times and knows instinctively what part of the special your talking about. fantastic stuff.

 

[tuskentrooper]

Very cool, imaginager! Those simple movements bring back memories and add so much to the model! Get those videos on YouTube for maximum viewability. Would love to share this on the RPF Facebook page.

 

[dirtydave]

That is just too cool Allan.I was thinking the same as lee,will you also have the pilots heads turning?

Dave

 

[trooper]

i think this is the coolest thing ive seen in a very long time. I would love to have a set up like that for my salzo kit

 

[Stormy320]

This is very cool. Kudos for tackling it. The timing looks perfect.

 

[Gort]

Impressive, most impressive! - So glad someone has managed to get working airbrakes. Looks really cool. I'd be fascinated to see how you solved the upper flap mechanisms, they always looked a very neat bit of ILM engineering.

Great job

Nick

 

[imaginager]

Thanks for the comments, all.

I'd be fascinated to see how you solved the upper flap mechanisms, they always looked a very neat bit of ILM engineering.

Nick, I will show how that's done a little later - the key really is to think outside the box. TBH, I never gave it a thought prior to starting this (yeah, I'm just that dumb :lol). That was a nice surprise, though. Finished the code with just the servos for mockup, then thought, 'huh, now how am I......the hinge and pushrod go where?'

 

[imaginager]

To answer some PMs I've been getting:

I'm flattered you guys approve! Anyway, coupla things. One, to do this so that a typical builder can install it, you'd need whoever owns the rights to sell the kit to collaborate and have some speeder kit parts modified to accept the installation of the servos.

Like I said earlier, there's nothing about what I've done that's off the shelf. In addition to the servo tech, the resin kit parts have been modified to accept the installation of the servos, etc. When I was building the components for the upper flaps I recall getting everything working in the right air brake box, then mirroring all the components precisely to install on the left side. Unfortunately, I didn't look at the left side first, because if I had I would have seen that it was molded differently than the one on the right. Which definitely had some implications to what I was trying to install.

TBH, barring a modified servo version of the speeder kit being released, the best way to get there is to customize your own. Even if I had time to build components for someone else, they wouldn't be plug and play and someone would probably spend more time trying to modify my stuff than if they'd made their own.

This is my first build in almost 3 years, and I was only able to get as far as I did because I had a week off of my real job over the holidays and the weather was too crap to take the Triumph out (although I did get a short New Year's Day ride in).:thumbsup

 

[peza]

eh up buddy.this looks mnt mym8!had a little nosey at the films,and seeing them in motion they are truely amazing!!top marks peza:cool

 

[dsp5500]

Is this the resin kit or have you gone totally scratch?

 

[imaginager]

Thanks peza!

Rob, it's a mix of castings from Nick's original kit, Mike's resin version, and new scratchbuilt stuff. I upscaled the canopy from a Master Replica's quarter-scale and had it laser cut from .08 styrene - it's a little different shape than the kit version.

I'm going to rebuild a lot of the cockpit as I've identified many of the parts, and the seat is different on the filming model. The resin kit mimics the MR Snowspeeder, which is fine - just not the look I want.

Also, Lee and I commissioned pilots from another member, grumble garage (Dan G), which are really nice replicas of the filming model's pilot/gunner. Dan also did the Cloud Car pilots. Let's see, I've ID'd a lot of the stuff on the front gun boxes, and one of mine is a bit warped so I will likely rebuild those.

Even if the castings were as good as injection molded I'd still use kit parts when I can find 'em; just what I do! LOL

 

[ralphee]

This will be the Rogue Leader replica to end them all IMO.
Allan your addressing much of what i couldnt find energy for, a true testament to the studio scaler in you lol.

Lee

 

[imaginager]

Thanks, Lee. I doubt I'll match your painting artistry, though! And, I still have a long way to go here. Not to mention that you've helped me plenty with some part IDs!

 

[moffeaton]

So your arduino will live inside the model? You going to run any lights off of it as well?