Trimaxian Drone Ship - Flight of the Navigator

Howlrunner

Howlrunner

Sr Member
I just got this through the post this morning - cast from an original studio model.

navigatordis.jpg


Trimaxian Drone Ship from the planet Phaelon. :thumbsup

This is how it arrived (sellers photos):

Navigator1.jpg


Navigator2.jpg


Navigator3.jpg


This thing is VERY thickly cast and heavy.

Since then, I've sanded off the excess resin lumps on the bottom and around the pour hole on the top as it's nice an smooth now.

Just need to fill the pour hole (which is about 1.5-2cm diameter). Any tips on the best way to fill the hole since it's impossible to get at it from the other side to glue gauze to to support filler?

And does anyone know if the studio miniature was actually used in any shots in the movie, or if it was just used to help with the creation of the CGI ship?


Rest in peace MAX :sick:cry
3304098526_742dc3a09b_z.jpg
 
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Great tip T2SF!

Great find Howlrunner!

Randal Kleiser still has a copy of the stretched out version. I think the miniature was used in that shot you posted a screen grab from. It was a forced perspective thing. I'll ask them the next time I run into them and try to dig up the photo I have of Randal's model.

Gene
 
Thanks T2SF. :thumbsup

I was thinking along the same sort of lines, but with alu mesh and tweezers, but this is much simpler. I've superglued a piece of sheet styrene inside the hole and will fill it today.

The stretched version would be great to see GKvfx.

Does anyone know if there was ever ANY "making of" or "behind the scenes" stuff done for Flight of the Navigator? I can't see it listed in any of the old movie magazines and there doesn't seem to be anything online. Would love to see model shots of the ship, or the alien specimens inside the ship.
 
Cinefex covered the film. Don't know the issue number though.

Last year, we had a screening of the film here in Los Angeles. I got Director Randal Kleiser and Art Director Bill Creber to show up and do a talk. They mentioned that shot, but for the life of me, I can't remember if it was a miniature or not.

Here's the three of us with the Navigator prop -
attachment.php


Closeup of the model -
attachment.php


I could tell it was hollow. And it looks like it was just painted silver, not chromed.

Gene
 
That is really sweet! Many years ago I had a casting of the 'Warp Speed' version of the ship - when it elongated. Alas I have it no more...:cry
 
Thanks for those pics - that looks wicked! And definitely in the same scale as the one I have.

Sure about Cinefex covering the film? I thought that they were the mag most likely to have done, so I checked online as to what their back issues had articles on. Nothing mentioned at all for Navigator in any of the 1980-2010 issues.

Interesting that it was not chromed. I know that obviously the inside of the ship was all chromed vac-formed pieces, and that the CGI ship was designed to look chromed (with reflection maps), but the full scale ship doesn't look chromed. I'm gonna have to go watch the DVD again and make a final decision as to what colour to go - chrome or metallic silver?
 
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Decided against chrome - the full size ship in the movie is reflective, but nowhere near the level of reflection that occurs with chrome.

Besides, automotive silver paint has a much better finish that chrome spray paints (that tend to rub off/not dry properly/dent when handled).

Here's a quick in-progress photo - still needs a couple more coats and a wax....

Navigator4.jpg
 
this has always been at the top of my list of favorite ships (especially the elongated). Your replica looks awesome!
 
WOW!
Looking good.
I had it for all that time and never touched it.
Glad it went to good home.
:thumbsup



Howlrunner said:
Decided against chrome - the full size ship in the movie is reflective, but nowhere near the level of reflection that occurs with chrome.

Besides, automotive silver paint has a much better finish that chrome spray paints (that tend to rub off/not dry properly/dent when handled).

Here's a quick in-progress photo - still needs a couple more coats and a wax....

Navigator4.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Oh, man, this is something I never expected to see! Love both versions of that ship, especially the supersonic one. Great stuff guys, thanks!!!!
 
Well this took longer than I expected! I kept on finding small holes under the surface that would cause some paper thin areas to bubble up, so they all had to be cut open and filled.

But anyway, it's finished. :) I decided against chrome and went for automotive spray - Silver Lightning Metallic - and then waxed and polished the whole thing. Then I got an acrylic pen holder and shaped it to work as a stand.

Navigator5.jpg


Navigator6.jpg


Navigator7.jpg


Navigator8.jpg
 
Hi, spoke to you recently via ebay. Glad to see the ship finished, it is such a symbolic image of modern cinema. Great work.
BTW, This is my first post here as I usually browse but have been doing so more and more often.
 
Gene which is you?

GKvfx said:
Cinefex covered the film. Don't know the issue number though.

Last year, we had a screening of the film here in Los Angeles. I got Director Randal Kleiser and Art Director Bill Creber to show up and do a talk. They mentioned that shot, but for the life of me, I can't remember if it was a miniature or not.

Here's the three of us with the Navigator prop -
attachment.php


Closeup of the model -
attachment.php


I could tell it was hollow. And it looks like it was just painted silver, not chromed.

Gene
Click to expand...
 
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