Star Trek Minotaur progress and finish

looks good so far, adding lights to it just might do the trick though, hope you have a small enough drill to do it with.

Fantastico!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It helps to have all those "tools & toys" :)

Can you cast it?

I'd love to have a copy of it.

Just a thought.

Happy Modeling,
Riö<*>

Thanks Guys...Firefox...is .0135 dia. small enough for ya?

Dan, That fighter is beautiful even in bare metal. My wife was walking past and expressed how pretty she thought it was as well.

lol yea id say thats small enough

Dan, that is awesome!

!!!

Matt

Cripes almighty!

That looks great in aluminum. I had intended to make the aft body of the schematics look like bare metal, but my drawing skills weren't quite adequate.

If you are reproducing the markings, please don't use that particular nose art in the render. That was chosen by the 3-D modeler against my wishes. Since it has the same name as the Penguin you did, you might want to change the name anyway. Also, I tried to reproduce the color scheme of the P-51 "Lou IV," but was unable to make the edge of the blue on the spine look sprayed on.

"Nose Art" problems?

No problems at all. Here's a group of "Señoritas" that are more than "willing" to decorate the nose of your hotrod!!!!
http://starshipmodeler.com/store/store_2.cfm?Line=1

Also, here's just a taste of those "Niñas",
http://starshipmodeler.com/store/decals/lil_grande_decals.jpg

Riö<*>
Providing single solutions for stellar explorers.

Thanks everybody for the kind words.
Supersnooper...great links on nose art too...

Update: photo of lazer cannon contoured and pinned to nose.


Dan

Dan that is some incredible work. The laser detail is beautiful. Makes me want to dust off the lathe.

Matt

Wow! It looks like your making a museum quality model. How did you shape the bases for the laser cannons? Great job Dan.

[Vader] Most Impressive![/Vader]

You've got to "invade" modeling web sites, like Hyperscale, and show them that we Sci Fi modelers are waaaaay above the "regular' earth bound "landcrabs" that they are.
Just kidding. You could write a build up article and show it on different sites. It is a most being an unique project. By the way, the port-lower canon appears to be off by 1/32 on an inch on alignment......just kidding.

In my side of the internet, I just got done cutting up a 1/48 scale Monogram F-14 Tomcat (the cheapest I could find) and just about to cut a 1/72 scale F-100 from Italeri to be used as kitbash imitation from the "Starfighter" group build. Someone there built a "Terran Space fighter" with the same models. Since imitation is the cheapest form of flattery, I think it also serves as a way to improve my kitbashing modeling skills. My fighter is going to be "slightly" different than the Terran version. I'll be taking some pictures soon. I do need to get a better lighting set up to have some nice progress to show.

Keep up the good work,

Riö<*>

By the way, I don't mean to diverge from the subject, but just found some "eye candy" for ya'll. Some people out there are really gifted.

Here you go and enjoy!!

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Large files.

http://www.succurit.com/pics/space/breaking_orbit.jpg

http://www.succurit.com/pics/space/asteroid.jpg

http://www.raph.com/3dartists/artgallery/petrovic1.jpg

http://www.raph.com/3dartists/artgallery/petrovic2.jpg

http://www.raph.com/3dartists/artgallery/petrovic3.jpg

http://www.project-si.com/images/hornetbottom.jpg

http://www.project-si.com/images/Wasp%20Front.jpg

http://www.project-si.com/images/wasprear.jpg

http://www.project-si.com/images/wasprearview.jpg

http://www.project-si.com/images/Waspaper.jpg

http://www.succurit.com/pictures.php?cat=space

http://www.succurit.com/pics/space/dancing_with_fire.jpg

http://www.succurit.com/pics/space/hyperspace_2.jpg

http://www.succurit.com/pics/space/reverting_to_realspace.jpg

Riö<*>

Thanks everyone...and Rio for the links,,,,, : )

Woody I did them by hand...cut out the profile and ground them with a pneumatic 90 degree grinder. I used 100 grit sanding pads forcontouring and medium scotchbrite discs to polish them out.

Maxx....dust that lathe off! Go ahead...lol!

Rio....is it this fighter you are talking about...hint hint...? LOL



Dan

Once upon a time I also kitbashed a Super Sabre into a space fighter. Not having big side intakes makes it a good base.

BoyBuddha: It will be a pity to cover that beautiful metal with paint.

Not to worry Masao...I am going to use Tamiya clear paints for the colors and leave the aluminum poking through with light paint coverage. I'll use clear blue for the top area, smoke for sections of the body and fins, and clear yellow and gold leaf for the front end and fins. I have 5 different decal color sheets ( light gray, metallic gray, gold, copper, and medium blue ) that will be used for various panels throughout. Hopefully , all this will come together in "the wash."

Regards, Dan

Hi Dan,

yes, your "Terran Starfighter" is the inspiration for my kitbash. I am "replicating" or "copycat" your design for the sole purpose of advancing my skills.

I, Supersnooper, Certified Females (Single Only) Tour Guide of South Florida, officially request permission to build a copy, slightly altered, of the "Terran Fighter" from its original designer, engineer, inspirator/instigator, and all around swell guy, Dan the man!!!!

See, I can get away with stuff. :P

Dan, that ship is going to look like the "Streak Eagle".......but better. Gotta have that multi hued effect on the paneling.
Are the canon mounts also made of metal?

Take care,

Riö<*>

LOL...by all means ...I would be most honored to have such a model updated and done by you! Please post some progress pics, too.

The cannons are aluminum too, as well as the mounts.

Your most humbled associate...Dan

Updated photo progress...bonded everything together and built a stand in the shape of a Star Trek emblem:



Dan

Looking great Dan! That stand is a real beauty too. I'll bet you could sell the fire out of those to Star Trek modelers!

Dan,

That is very impressive. I wish I had access to a lathe to try some ideas out. That is one fine looking piece. I had yet to see anything but excelence from people in this GB. Guys, my hat goes off to you.

Thanks Woody and Snoopy!

Here's the latest...I've painted the stand and ship with Tamiya clear yellow/gold leaf and clear blue. I've cut a bunch of decal shapes of different colors and plastered them all over....



Dan

Here's a pic of the original P-51 I was trying to copy. It's called Lou IV. If you want to follow the original more closely, note that the US insignia doesn't have a red bar (used only after 1947) and that the black stripes are bordered by white stripes (used to mark air Allied aircraft for D-Day).

"Futile, Resistance is"

An Assimilated Yoda would have said those words when encountering your ship. Looking better and better. I think it needs more decals to have a more close resemblance to the original. But then, I would say that your ship is an original, to which the original illustration should be adjusted to. :P

Hey, Dan. I wanted to ask ya a question; What light set up do you have?
I recently purchased an 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8700 with awesome results. However, when it comes to close photography, the built-in flash overexposes the subject, washing everything out in the pictures. Do you have floodlights, studio lights (incandescent or strobe)? I know diffusers make a nice even portrait without harsh shadows. Could you give some pointers?

Thanks and keep up the good work,
Riö<*>

Thanks Masao and Rio.

I did change it a bit... I like the red stripe in the insignia, even though it isnt correct due to the time period. I also didnt use the medium blue and yellow but clear colors to let the aluminum show through.

Rio, I use 2 desklamps with 100 watt incandescent bulbs and position them to get the best possible lighting. I also use a piece of cotton batting for the background to help diffuse the light. I use a Sony Mavica 2.0 Megapixel camera and shut the flash off when taking pictures.



Dan

Heres the latest with gunmetal used as weathering:



Dan

Wow that made it pop! Looks like it only needs two more things to be perfect, a little cheescake nose art and the correct postage to get it to MO. !

Dan that is absolutely amazing She belongs in a museum. And I'm with Woody on postage.

Matt