Blast from the past

[Gangrel]

A 'Mind the step' sign for the rear door - i think a "Mind you head" sign may be more appropriate given that a) I've had so much trouble with the rear door height, and b) this will be manned by my Grymn.

So no clearance for human troops then? Are you thinking of marketing the finished item or will it be a one-off for you?

[Brandlin]

I reckon about 2/3 that sizes would look really good.

.. said no woman to me ever...

Just a thought but couldn't you have several sizes of ramp? Just put the one that you'll need inside it. This could also be explained by stating that the actual ramp is hinged.

I also know you've ruled it out but I think a door that opens upwards would look better with an extending ramp (but it won't stay in place and maybe some other problems would be caused by doing it)

Thanks for your input guys.

Hopeful - one ramp at a time please!

There is a much longer explanation of my thinking over on the Lead Adventure Forum (LAF) if you want to check it out here

I suspect Beefcake will be just about spot on with his estimate of 2/3 by the time I have played around with the geometry. I think I'm going to keep the separate ramp piece that comes out of the ship completely, But it will slide UNDER a false floor in the hull. This will allow me to get some detail engaved in the floor.

I have a number of issues with a top hinged door hopeful. Some of them model related - some of them real world engineering - some of them just cos its my opinion!

In no particular order...

The top of the door is not horizontal. So to hinge it and have it clear the apex of the door, I would end up with a hinge pin that sits above the apex of the curved hull shape and would spoil the 'line'

A top hinged door would interfere with the rear of the tail fins.

It would need some method to prop it up, which isn't unsolvable, but is more fiddly parts.

In reality you never make opening up doors unless you have no choice. Gravity is not your friend! You want any system to fail to a safe mode. If something fails on this door then it will fail to the "slammed closed on someone's head" mode. (trust me on this one, i worked on the Airbus Beluga!)

In practical model terms, the door lowering down is structurally part of the ramp design. It holds the ramp in the right place and prevents it slipping as well as offering some strength. In addition it also helps to 'thicken' the ramp - making it look more substantial.

Wind likes stuff that sticks up... and it buckles and bends hinges and such like.

Why make a door that hinges up and a ramp that hinges down when you can combine the two into a simpler structure with fewer parts to fail.

and finally - cos i said so!

[Hopeful]

I have a number of issues with a top hinged door hopeful. Some of them model related - some of them real world engineering - some of them just cos its my opinion!

In no particular order...

The top of the door is not horizontal. So to hinge it and have it clear the apex of the door, I would end up with a hinge pin that sits above the apex of the curved hull shape and would spoil the 'line'

A top hinged door would interfere with the rear of the tail fins.

It would need some method to prop it up, which isn't unsolvable, but is more fiddly parts.

In reality you never make opening up doors unless you have no choice. Gravity is not your friend! You want any system to fail to a safe mode. If something fails on this door then it will fail to the "slammed closed on someone's head" mode. (trust me on this one, i worked on the Airbus Beluga!)

In practical model terms, the door lowering down is structurally part of the ramp design. It holds the ramp in the right place and prevents it slipping as well as offering some strength. In addition it also helps to 'thicken' the ramp - making it look more substantial.

Wind likes stuff that sticks up... and it buckles and bends hinges and such like.

Why make a door that hinges up and a ramp that hinges down when you can combine the two into a simpler structure with fewer parts to fail.

and finally - cos i said so!

I bet you say that to all the girls And admit it you are thinking about it really

[beefcake]

I reckon about 2/3 that sizes would look really good.

.. said no woman to me ever...

Yes... Well... Size of the load and all that.

[Brandlin]

Minor progress. Bulkheads ready for printing.

[Brandlin]

First pass at the layout for seating down each side of the hull.

8 seats in 4 blocks of 2. This makes the 3d printing cheaper and simply means 4 resin casts rather than 1.

Seats are shown folded up, but I may do a variant with a seat down so you can mix and match. Shown here is under-seat cabin/storage, fixing ring for cargo/vehicle load, seat hinge with the seat pad folded up and above that a head rest (very sketchy) and then at the top an over head locker.

I have been considering webbing belts in a 5 point harness but am beginning to think that a hard harness (like that on a theme park ride) might be a better idea.

[Steel Penguin]

looking good as ever,  though I hate to be the voice of restraint,  but wile the add-ons look superb, each extra part adds to your cost, and to the cost of the finished bird,  not so big a problem for your own " glamour" build, but higher prices may not get more sales.

[Brandlin]

[Brandlin]

looking good as ever,  though I hate to be the voice of restraint,  but wile the add-ons look superb, each extra part adds to your cost, and to the cost of the finished bird,  not so big a problem for your own " glamour" build, but higher prices may not get more sales.

Very true mr Penguin sir.

My intention is to offer the bits separately.

• Basic kit (laser cut hull, engines, cockpit tails and landing gear)
• Cockpit and engines separately - because i have had enquirers
• An interior resin panels kit

That way people can choose...

[Steel Penguin]

fair enough guv, its a fair cop it is...
its always nice when I point out the obvious, and folks are a step or 2 ahead of me.
ill carry on watching, waiting, and wondering if I can save up   

[Brandlin]

fair enough guv, its a fair cop it is...
its always nice when I point out the obvious, and folks are a step or 2 ahead of me.
ill carry on watching, waiting, and wondering if I can save up   

I wasn't ahead of you, but your question did make me write down what had been running round the back of my head. So its always helpful!

[Brandlin]

Finished for printing

[Hopeful]

It's nice to see the project coming along so well; those seats look particularly good with the overhead and lower stowage (Ladies and gentlemen welcome aboard Armageddon Airlines lander flight 27; please ensure your grenades are locked in the locker below your feet and that your tray is in the fully upright position and that your safety catch is on).

Very true mr Penguin sir.

My intention is to offer the bits separately.

• Basic kit (laser cut hull, engines, cockpit tails and landing gear)
• Cockpit and engines separately - because i have had enquirers
• An interior resin panels kit

That way people can choose...

Nice to hear that; the cockpit is good for the 'A signal was heard from an escape pod' scenario.

There's also one other way to release it; a couple of parts every week with a magazine. It is close to that time of year when Agostini and Del Prado give us all the opportunity to build a scale model of the Mary Rose in forty  weekly parts!

[Brandlin]

Hopeful : lol

Does anyone EVER finish those weekly magazine projects?


I was aiming for a little of the look of a personal seat for each squad member - everyone  (even squaddies) accrue a shedful of personal stuff they bring with them, and I wanted somewhere for them to put it. I'm pleased that just a couple of simple shapes conjours up images of lockers and such - pretty simple really. I was worried that the harnesses looked a little too much like they had just fallen off a rollercoaster?

I have been asked to make a version with the harness up and the seat lowered and the lockers open so that people could mix and match.

think of that as a stretch goal....



(Note that's not a promise ... I'm not sure there actually is the space to put the seat down but still have a vehicle in the hold.)

[Hopeful]

Hopeful : lol

Does anyone EVER finish those weekly magazine projects?

So the forty weekly parts idea is on hold then?

(I'm sure someone has finished one at some point...but it wasn't me)

I was worried that the harnesses looked a little too much like they had just fallen off a rollercoaster?

I'd try to think of more as if it had just fallen off the lander from starship troopers. I do think that a five point harness would look better (author's experience of 3D design:0.00%. Bear this in mind when suggestions are made).

[Brandlin]

I didn't do much today, but got the final internal panel started.

Not sure whether to make the space two or three "compartments" wide. This shows just two.

I've been thinking of putting roller shutter doors on the compartments, but then thought i could leave them open or part open and model stuff in them. They aren't very deep, so I'd have to 'hint at' whats inside. I was going to do weapons and ammo, but i thought that might narrow down users/buyers as it wouldn't match their figures...

Any suggestions of what to put in them?

[Brandlin]

A little more progress


 
All of these internal panles are just 3mm deep so the detail on them is 3D but it is shallow and I'm trying to get a trompe l'oeil effect.

The storage lockers at the back show ammo crates, first aid and general boxes along with additional oxygen cylinders and the start of what will be rifles. I may add some pistols and a couple of magazines.

However this is starting to look very expensive as these panels need a high definition 3D printerto create the masters ... Gulp!

[Brandlin]

Does that look like weapons in a roll-front cabinet?

[Steel Penguin]

yup it does,  how much of a difference between plain door, roll door and that is the cost? ( not a question to answer publicly BTW) but to consider with what you want, a plain roll door, down, wont loose any visual appeal.

[Hopeful]

Mr N.O. Experience with 3D says... closed roll down doors are fine; you can write, paint, transfer on something that says rifles/ med-kit/ drinks cabinet. The rifles do look nice but personally I think plain is better. Also once all of the troops are out you've got the unrealistic scene of a full cabinet of guns when the troops are supposed to be outside using them

As a compromise you could do a plain, open locker so people can stick a set of rifles, or whatever they want, on the inside. I do know of a company that produces loose rifles in the same scale as this lander funnily enough

[Brandlin]

Thanks hopeful and steel penguin.

Food for thought.

I was quite pleased with them. But seems I'm the only one.
The problem leaving them open for people to fill themselves is that they are only 2mm deep. They are a troupe loiel effect to give the impression of depth.
Modelling them closed would certainly be easier but I thought it looked really plain ...

[beefcake]

I reckon just the cabinet roller door would be best. Some people may want to use it as a civilian carrier (probably not with the seating style) or even different tech levels.

[Hopeful]

I was quite pleased with them. But seems I'm the only one.

I think the one with rifles in looks superb, and so does the plain one; as Mr. Bond once said "Like peking duck is different from Russian caviar. But I love them both". I just think that plain would be better for a wargames model. If this was for some one doing a diorama they'd probably want the one with rifles showing (the 'Russian caviar' variant).

[Steel Penguin]

   what hopeful  said.
They don't look bad Brandlin.  in fact they look very good, and you should be pleased with them.
im hoping to help, not discourage, honest

[Ajsalium]

I have one question. Those cabinets... are not substracting from the 62mm width of cargo, are they?