Big C
Active Member
Hi everyone.
And now for something completely different!
About forty years ago I helped build the R/C flying Pterodactyls for War Games. Years after the movie came out, I got permission to make a couple sets of parts using the original molds and templates.
Below is the R/C studio scale model I put together. It has many hours of flight time on it. Great fun to fly and is always a crowd pleaser. As flying season approaches here in the Pacific Northwest (we have to wait until the field dries out enough to drive on) I thought it would be fun to refurbish the old dactyl to proper flying condition.
I originally had a nitro 15 mounted to the back to get her to altitude. Although this worked great, it's epically horrible. Lots of noise, looks really bad and covers the entire rear of the model with engine oil on every flight.
The movie models were pure gliders that used an electric winch to pull them to altitude. After disconnecting from the winch line they would glide back down for the shots in the movie. Winches are a pain to set up and require a skilled operator who can run the winch without blowing the wings off on the way up. A very easy thing to do.
So part of the upcoming refurbishment will be converting to an electric motor that will retract back into the top of the body when the model is gliding. This will solve the nitro engine issues and allow for hand launching the model and then powering to altitude. Not exactly studio scale but the model needs to be fun to fly or it never will!
I also want to give the old dactyl a proper paint job that matches as closely as possible to the original deco This is way outside my skill set so it should be a good challenge! Planning to get into that after the model is back in the air.
This is how she currently looks without the motor mounted to her back. Wing span is ten feet.
"Fingers" were cast in flexible Urethan on the originals and on this model. There was concern on the originals that hard castings could be dangerous to the actors.
I'll be recasting these in the refurbishment.
The movie models had clear vertical fins on the legs to help with flying stability. This model has them too but can fly with out them if the flight speed is not to fast.
Two sets of parts! One for my current model and one for Bill Watson. Owner of the molds. Body and legs are kevlar layups for minimum weight. Heads are fiberglass. Wings are hotwired in sections from 1lb density EPS.
Westways magazine 1984
This is one of the original models. Three were built. Bill Watson, my employer and designer of the bird on the right and Martyn Cowley who coincidently was my supervisor years later when I worked at Aerovironment. Small world!
This how I want my model to eventually look.
And now for something completely different!
About forty years ago I helped build the R/C flying Pterodactyls for War Games. Years after the movie came out, I got permission to make a couple sets of parts using the original molds and templates.
Below is the R/C studio scale model I put together. It has many hours of flight time on it. Great fun to fly and is always a crowd pleaser. As flying season approaches here in the Pacific Northwest (we have to wait until the field dries out enough to drive on) I thought it would be fun to refurbish the old dactyl to proper flying condition.
I originally had a nitro 15 mounted to the back to get her to altitude. Although this worked great, it's epically horrible. Lots of noise, looks really bad and covers the entire rear of the model with engine oil on every flight.
The movie models were pure gliders that used an electric winch to pull them to altitude. After disconnecting from the winch line they would glide back down for the shots in the movie. Winches are a pain to set up and require a skilled operator who can run the winch without blowing the wings off on the way up. A very easy thing to do.
So part of the upcoming refurbishment will be converting to an electric motor that will retract back into the top of the body when the model is gliding. This will solve the nitro engine issues and allow for hand launching the model and then powering to altitude. Not exactly studio scale but the model needs to be fun to fly or it never will!
I also want to give the old dactyl a proper paint job that matches as closely as possible to the original deco This is way outside my skill set so it should be a good challenge! Planning to get into that after the model is back in the air.
This is how she currently looks without the motor mounted to her back. Wing span is ten feet.
"Fingers" were cast in flexible Urethan on the originals and on this model. There was concern on the originals that hard castings could be dangerous to the actors.
I'll be recasting these in the refurbishment.
The movie models had clear vertical fins on the legs to help with flying stability. This model has them too but can fly with out them if the flight speed is not to fast.
Two sets of parts! One for my current model and one for Bill Watson. Owner of the molds. Body and legs are kevlar layups for minimum weight. Heads are fiberglass. Wings are hotwired in sections from 1lb density EPS.
Westways magazine 1984
This is one of the original models. Three were built. Bill Watson, my employer and designer of the bird on the right and Martyn Cowley who coincidently was my supervisor years later when I worked at Aerovironment. Small world!
This how I want my model to eventually look.
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