C-57D spaceship, Forbidden Planet, Polar Lights 1/72 kit

Thanx Michael!

Currently on my workbench is the Colt Vickers Quad Fission Caonnon (here after - CVQFC).

I started with the Seat as WayneO (my research BloodHound) found an obscure source - matching a 1948 chair (Dannish/Modelern). It's 24 inches wide which gave us a Scale to work from.

Next is the Blast Shield that measures an exact 5 ft. square. The finished Cannon is the ol Lunar Model version that I used as a Study Model.

Division 6 wrote:

Aves Aves also has a Saftey Solvent some people use to smooth and feather the edges instead of water.  Magic Sculpt can be found at these stores.  I got mine at Tap Plastics.  Or you can get plumbers putty in 5 and 20 minute cure times. This is a grey stick with purple center that you cut off a slice and knead till one color. Comes in a clear tube. Don't get the steel version it is hard as steel and smells really bad. Should be available at the hardware store.   Eric...

Where do you have a TAP Plastic? I believe I'm just up 140 a bit from you, but the only TAP plastics I know of are in Dublin and San Leandro in the Bay Area. 

Oh and Chuck, nice build. I didn't even know this kit existed.

Thanks for the interesting link!  It says the former owner wanted to keep the big model, but "his wife made him sell it!"

I would have kept the model, and lost the wife! 

Incidentally, I recently completed my C-57D model- here's a photo of it-

The replacement dome is moving along sharply.  The first sample with be in hand in about a week.

I will post photos of it as soon as possible. 

The new dome master is completely finished and matches the studio minature perfectly.  It also is the correct size for the dome in this scale.   photo shows the pattern painted and sitting on the upper hull parts.  The line at the bottom of the dome is the "trim line" and will not be on the finished piece.  Now, I need to know if you are genuinely interested in getting one.  I AM NOT TAKING ORDERS AT THIS TIME.  I simply need a good idea of how many to order- this affects my price and delivery.  I am aiming for 20.00 plus shipping for a solid-colored, trimmed and ready to paint dome molded in heavy stryrene.  Clear is available and will be 5.00 more.  Shipping is extra.  So- if you want one, please let me know and which one you'd like to have, and as soon as I am ready to produce I'll let everyone know.

The spaceship interior is now complete, except for Robby the Robot.  The dome will be left loose so it can be removed for inspection.  Don't want to cover up all this work!

The new dome is at the caster.  He is an expert with finishes and has gone the final step in polishing the surface and making sure it is perfectly formed.  It was 95%, but will be 101% when you get it!  We are considering offering it ready to paint and plop in place-no cutting or trimming.  If you've ever cut out a thick vacuum-formed piece and then sanded it down you know how tough it can be.
We should have the first pull before this weekend.  I will be posting a photo of the final master in a few days.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b398/nautilusnut/newdome.jpg

Thanks for the info, guys! 

Hello Chuck,

 not sure if your aware, BUT if you really want to go the extra mile, you can get the ID Monster by Tony McVey - it's resin, and should "fit" the scale.

I've sent the master pattern off to my friend who will do the actual molding.  As soon as I receive the new dome I'll post a photo.  I've attached a link showing how much difference the dome will make.

I used the Black & Decker mouse sander on mine, too.  That thing was just too big to do by hand, and it needed some brute force.  I did finish sanding using wet 400 grit paper.  After refilling and resanding and repainting three times, some little parts of the seams were still visible and I said to heck with it at that point.   

I painted it with Rustoleum "Painter's Touch" metallic aluminum spray cans, over Rustoleum primer, and after many coats, buffing each one, finished it off with Pledge/Future acrylic floor polish.  It's not perfect but looks pretty decent if you don't get too close!     

Here's a link to a photo of the master pattern next to the kit part.

 http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b398/nautilusnut/?action=view&current=dome.jpg

Chuck,

Your right both about the ship's profile and how great "The Saucer Fleet" book is.  I had not realised about the taller upper suction when I assembled my hull or I'd have tried to do something about it. Actually, the LOWER hull is the one in error.  Still, as you look at the kit, most of us will be looking down on the model and the dome is what really shows, so that's what I'm gonna correct.

I'm also checking into using a small motor with blades to add the rotating engine effect- I'll post my results in the future- along with the information about the replacement dome

Roger on the dome, thanks for setting me straight.  I'd be very interested in purchasing the new dome from you, when it's ready.  I won't glue mine on so I can change anytime.

Another mistake the kit made is that the saucer, when viewed edge on, should not have a symetrical shape regarding the top and bottom discs.  The top disc should be quite a bit taller than the bottom disc.  I found a great set of reference drawings for the ship, inside and out, (and plenty of behind the scenes info about the movie) in a new book, "The Saucer Fleet" by Jack Hagerty and Jon Rogers, published by Apogee books.  You can purchase a copy from Jon Rogers here:

http://www.rogersrocketships.com/home.cfm

It's a work of art, and the chapter on "Forbidden Planet" alone is worth the price.

Thanks for the compliment- the seams are not perfect, but if you dim the lights and stand back far enough, it looks good!    I gave it a coat of Pledge/Future floor polish which gave it a nice shine.

Have you built one of these models?  If so, how about showing us a photo?

Chuck, You misunderstood me. The kit part fits just fine. The problem is, it is the wrong shape and size compared to the C-57D minature used in the film.  Polar Lights dome is the wrong shape and is undersized compared to the original filming minature.   If you want a model that looks like the film minature, you're gonna have to use a bigger dome that's more rounded- like a half-sphere shape rather than going up and then inward.  There are other accuracy issues with the kit as well, but the dome shape is the easiest to fix and makes a real difference in the kit's look.  If you build it as molded you get a nifty-looking saucer that looks almost, but not quite, like the film version and for lots of folks, that's ok.

 By the way, nice job on filling the seams.

At first, I was planning to leave the dome clear, but have reconsidered.  My dome is kind of foggy, not sparkling clear like the lower dome, and as the model is taking shape, I can see how it would look and have decided to paint it.  I did make the lower dome transparent blue, by airbrushing the inside with Tamiya transparent acrylic.  It really looks nice, but lately I learned that the bottom dome glows red with rotating segments when flying through space.  Darn, I could have done it that way, but it's too late now!

Also note, the ship only has three legs/ramps.  The other three are meant to be assembled closed and you should make the seams disappear.  The kit was only built this way for cost reduction purposes, as putting in six ramps allows all six sections of the saucer to come from the same mold, rather than having to make three parts with ramp opening and three without.

Here's a photo of the bottom section upside down on the table: