VCX-100 - The Ghost

[rbeach84]

curiouslysophie, you are welcome to any of the work products I have on hand, including the graphics. I did an Aurebesh 'font' analysis and applied a bit of 'creative license' to the results. Given the shape of many of the characters, I imagined that the 'words' could have 'run together' characters (overlapping in other words) which gives some very visually interesting results. Hence my 'decal' graphics have several warning labels that have Aurebesh overlapping to create the expanded word characters (sort of a mash-up along pictographic principles, applied to a phonetic alphabet character set... since Aurebesh is just Arabic character equivalents for English, needed something more refined, IMHO) . I was applying the logic to the markings seen on the Millennium Falcon as a basis for the general shape of much of the labeling and plan on expanding into more of the markings that were applied using donor decal graphics to the 5-footer.

How would you like me to get the DWG file to you?
Cheers!
Robert

 

[rbeach84]

Oh, yes I found the Phantom would dock either way, since it has essentially a constant cross section... Since the forward firing 'guns' have retracting barrels, it works.
So just a slight tweak in the position of the ventral hatch allowed it to work both ways.
R/ Robert

 

[curiouslysophie]

Would you also have an option for a 1/144 version?

I would definitely be able to do a 1/144 version. Might be a bit more awkward to light the cockpit, but I think it would be possible. Would you want it as a kit or to print?

 

[curiouslysophie]

curiouslysophie, you are welcome to any of the work products I have on hand, including the graphics. I did an Aurebesh 'font' analysis and applied a bit of 'creative license' to the results. Given the shape of many of the characters, I imagined that the 'words' could have 'run together' characters (overlapping in other words) which gives some very visually interesting results. Hence my 'decal' graphics have several warning labels that have Aurebesh overlapping to create the expanded word characters (sort of a mash-up along pictographic principles, applied to a phonetic alphabet character set... since Aurebesh is just Arabic character equivalents for English, needed something more refined, IMHO) . I was applying the logic to the markings seen on the Millennium Falcon as a basis for the general shape of much of the labeling and plan on expanding into more of the markings that were applied using donor decal graphics to the 5-footer.

How would you like me to get the DWG file to you?
Cheers!
Robert

Oh, yes I found the Phantom would dock either way, since it has essentially a constant cross section... Since the forward firing 'guns' have retracting barrels, it works.
So just a slight tweak in the position of the ventral hatch allowed it to work both ways.
R/ Robert

That is fantastic, thank you Robert. The markings are really great! I was trying to do something similar with ones for my other Star Wars ships. I can private message you my email if thats okay, if it will fit in an email?

I always figured the cockpit section of the Phantom would get in the way. I would like to do the Phantom II as well at some point down the road.

 

[Victor3]

I would definitely be able to do a 1/144 version. Might be a bit more awkward to light the cockpit, but I think it would be possible. Would you want it as a kit or to print?

I’ve been looking out for a great 1/144 Ghost for a while. Yours is shaping up awesomely. Personally, I’d be interested in printing one myself. I’d probably do most of it in FDM, with detail bits in resin.

 

[rbeach84]

Here is something else I noticed in your drawing, the angle of the front surface of the dorsal 'hallway spine', it shouldn't be vertical but rather perpendicular to the top surface of the main fuselage 'wedge'. I think this shows it:

The red squares show how the intersection of the sponson 'wedges' with the fuselage are centered on that side surface, which was depicted incorrectly in some plans (aka Disney) found on the web. I determined these points by examination of images from the show, which were surprisingly consistent for the most part.
Cheers! Rober

 

[curiouslysophie]

Here is something else I noticed in your drawing, the angle of the front surface of the dorsal 'hallway spine', it shouldn't be vertical but rather perpendicular to the top surface of the main fuselage 'wedge'. I think this shows it:
View attachment 1714470
The red squares show how the intersection of the sponson 'wedges' with the fuselage are centered on that side surface, which was depicted incorrectly in some plans (aka Disney) found on the web. I determined these points by examination of images from the show, which were surprisingly consistent for the most part.
Cheers! Rober

Thank you for pointing it out! There are many flaws in my first draft I think. Now with your excellent resources, I think I may start again and improve the design from the beginning. This would definitely help get it right.

 

[Analyzer]

I would definitely be able to do a 1/144 version. Might be a bit more awkward to light the cockpit, but I think it would be possible. Would you want it as a kit or to print?

For me personally I have a printer so to print would be good

Of course we could always just scale the percentage down for print but the problem with that is it sometimes can make certain parts too thin to print and they need a bit of thickening

I may be totally off base, but I was also thinking you may get as many, if not more potential interest in a 1/144 as you would 1/72 since lots of people have the 1/144 Bandai Falcon as well and it won't take up quite as much space

 

[curiouslysophie]

For me personally I have a printer so to print would be good

Of course we could always just scale the percentage down for print but the problem with that is it sometimes can make certain parts too thin to print and they need a bit of thickening

I may be totally off base, but I was also thinking you may get as many, if not more potential interest in a 1/144 as you would 1/72 since lots of people have the 1/144 Bandai Falcon as well and it won't take up quite as much space

You are very right about reducing size, ive suffered with that issue myself.

I can imagine a 1/144 version would be good too. I'm at the stage where I can produce the kit in both scales for people who would want either.
I will be putting the files up for sale too for people who wish to print it themselves, though the kit will come with vaccum formed canopies, decals and possibly custom photoetch for the lighting, similar to how green strawberry have done for the falcon kits

 

[StevenBills]

...though the kit will come with vaccum formed canopies, decals and possibly custom photoetch for the lighting, similar to how green strawberry have done for the falcon kits

Ambitious!

 

[curiouslysophie]

Ambitious!

Go big or go home right? I have done a few vacuum formed canopies now, and found a few suppliers to do decals and photo etch, but these are possibles for down the line.

 

[curiouslysophie]

I went back to square one and with the help of rbeach84 and his excellent drawings I rebuilt the Ghost. I feel it is much more accurate shape wise. I think it does have a good balance between the Season 1, Season 3/4, and Rogue One versions. I just need to do the upper turret and then I can move on to structural parts to make it suitable for printing, then I can design the internal stuff like the cockpit. I definitely need more reference for that.

Please let me know what you think, and if there is anything that you think would make it a better kit, or easier to print?

On a completely off topic, does anyone have a really good set of drawings for the Imperial Shuttle? That is going to be my next project and I'm getting my references together.

 

[RayLuis]

I went back to square one and with the help of rbeach84 and his excellent drawings I rebuilt the Ghost. I feel it is much more accurate shape wise. I think it does have a good balance between the Season 1, Season 3/4, and Rogue One versions. I just need to do the upper turret and then I can move on to structural parts to make it suitable for printing, then I can design the internal stuff like the cockpit. I definitely need more reference for that.

Please let me know what you think, and if there is anything that you think would make it a better kit, or easier to print?

On a completely off topic, does anyone have a really good set of drawings for the Imperial Shuttle? That is going to be my next project and I'm getting my references together.

You have some serious skills Sophie!

 

[curiouslysophie]

You have some serious skills Sophie!

Thank you! I've been learning Fusion for a couple of years now. I'm slowly getting the hang of it, lol

 

[rbeach84]

CS, looking very good!! One point though, on the Phantom docking bay, pretty certain I found it has like an 'awning' shape to it to match the front of the shuttle when it is docked facing forward, providing 'cover' for the cockpit section. I expected that the rear facing docking might require the airlock to have an extension to get between the shuttle's engines and then mate up to the rear door of the shuttle, allowing the overhang clearance as well.

It is one of those things that making a mockup and trying it out would probably pay dividends (that was my plan, in any case, for my *1/48 scale* version! Ha!)
Cheers! Robert

 

[rbeach84]

One thing about that top turret, it involved a bit of digging but the size was definitely bigger than the plans depict, based on the show's images and the scaling figure (something that was admittedly a little "loose" by the animators... but less than *some shows*!)

The blue line is from a Disney sourced three view plan, so it shows some of the fudging they provided...? Perhaps just the plans weren't actually intended for model making...
Cheers again!
Robert

 

[curiouslysophie]

CS, looking very good!! One point though, on the Phantom docking bay, pretty certain I found it has like an 'awning' shape to it to match the front of the shuttle when it is docked facing forward, providing 'cover' for the cockpit section. I expected that the rear facing docking might require the airlock to have an extension to get between the shuttle's engines and then mate up to the rear door of the shuttle, allowing the overhang clearance as well.

It is one of those things that making a mockup and trying it out would probably pay dividends (that was my plan, in any case, for my *1/48 scale* version! Ha!)
Cheers! Robert

Thank you! Put a lot of effort into this. I love the Ghost and the show, and am super excited to see it come back in Ahsoka. I need to build the 'awning' in. I've mostly been blocking out shapes. From looking over episodes of the show, it would seem like the Phantom 'seals' to the hull so the rear hatch can swing upwards when docked backwards. So they recess is at least as deep as the cockpit section of the Phantom.

1/48!! That would be an impressive build to see! 1/72 is pretty big, lol.

One thing about that top turret, it involved a bit of digging but the size was definitely bigger than the plans depict, based on the show's images and the scaling figure (something that was admittedly a little "loose" by the animators... but less than *some shows*!)

View attachment 1714624

The blue line is from a Disney sourced three view plan, so it shows some of the fudging they provided...? Perhaps just the plans weren't actually intended for model making...
Cheers again!
Robert

The sizing of the turret does seem to change a bit through the show, though it isn't too bad. I found a pretty good screen cap of the turret and I think the shape might be a little different to the drawing. Though the sizing is good. I will make some minor changes to add a bit more 'realism' to the shape and details.

 

[rbeach84]

That's the picture I was using! My PDF above wasn't the final drawing work, that is on the main DWG file I shared with you, it shows the gun barrels too... I got a screen grab that is from a scene where some of the crew is literally jumping onto the top of the Ghost which is passing under them... so it is a bit 'blurred' but it shows the diameter relative to the dorsal 'doghouse' the turret sits on... and exactly where it is sited:

R/ Robert

 

[rbeach84]

Here is a view of the DWG to illustrate:

Season 2 Turret, this was useful:

R/ Robert

 

[curiouslysophie]

Here is a view of the DWG to illustrate:
View attachment 1714648

R/ Robert

Those are great dwawings! I may alter the guns and mounts a little to make them more detailed and a bit friendlier for 3D printing.

This is my turret so far. I had to make the frames a bit thicker to be suitable for printing.

This is also my first pass at the Phantom dock. It gives space for the cockpit if forwards and the engines if backwards. I may have a look through the show and see if there are any shots of that area.