Engine Bits & Details Part 2

Well I have managed to find something more difficult to make than the secondary engine mounts.....

The structures outboard of the main engines with the lines on them were a REAL pain to make, in the end I had to compimise with them fitting sligltly less than perfectly... Just not enough room for them. However having said that I think that they look the part.

I have also started to add the myriad of piping that is found around the main engines on these things. I am using styrene rod and half rod of varying diameters and simply bending it into shape prior to gluing it into place.

I am also making use of quite a few parts from model car kits in this area, particularly intake manifolds and exhaust headders.

It is very important to constantly test fit the main engines as I go to make sure that none of the detailing fouls their fit.

The level of detailing required in this area is quite daunting, however I find that if you add a basic layer of detail, it then becomes easier to come back over the same area & add another layer of piping etc and pretty soon it is looking suitably busy.

It is also worth noting tat all of the engines are still removeable at this stage (the secondary engines are blutaked to place). These will only be glued into place at the end of detailing work.

Overall the ship is really coming together now, and I'm inspired to get her finished. However one major obstacle remains..... mounting the resin shield generator domes....... not looking forward to that!!

Cheers,

Engine Bits and Details Part 1

The complex box shaped that the secondary engines are mounted onto were the first items to be made in tis area as their size and spacing it critical to the finished look of this area. The whole layout was determined by using blutac to temporarily mount the main engines and the boxes and a spacing that looked right was determined.

The main engines were then removed and the boxes glued into place.

I then drilled and pinned the hull to accept holes on the main engines. this should make a much more seure bond and allows me to add the main engines after all the detail work has been completed.

Here as you can see I have begun adding the piping details to the main engine recess, lots of differing sizes of styrene half rod creates the pipework and other details from the spares box that look right.

There is a lot of piping tat will go in here so stay tuned for more progress....

Cheers,

Engine Area Preparation

I have made a mould and a cast of the modified AMT secondary engine for my model. Here is the first cast of the part.

Here is the secondary engine and the ARvey models main engine laid onto the plans for checking the sizes. The hardest part of the rear engine works will be making the structures that the secondary engines sit onto as there are quite a few odd angles to deal with.

Here is a view of the reah of the hull, all permanently glued up ready for the engine are works to begin.

Until next time,

Cheers,

Some Small Details

Its bell a little time between updates for some not easily noticeable works, but I believe the key to a great model is in the details and this is where my work has been concentrated recently.

Here I have added the vanes on the rear of the hull, there were made from strip styrene and they were detailed with fine strip and disks of styrene cut from a length of styrene rod.

They are added to both sides of the rear hull plates, I followed the reference pictures of the studio model for these details.

Next on the list is the detail on the hull plate extensions. I made strengthing webs from tiny triangles that I cut from strip styrene, placed them at regular intervals, symetrically side to side and top to bottom (one of the few details that is like this).

The gaps between were then detailed with tiny shapes cut from very fine stip styrene and place in a random way.

This work is still in progress on the lower hull parts.

After I finish this detailing I will be able to separate the top and bottom hull halves and prime the trench detail (and probably paint it as well). I think it will be much easier to paint it with the top off.

The top and bottom hull halves can then be joined woth glue and work can begin on the rear engine area.

Stay tuned,

Cheers,