MechTech

BIG UPDATE 5 June 2011 Hey everybody, dig out your Sir Mix-A-Lot CDs and sing along with me..."I like big butts..." You guessed it, I've been working on the stern of the Daedalus. When anything measures across in several scale meters, you gotta call it big! First off, construction of "the dog food bowl." That's what my young daughter called it. You know, it DOES look like one too. I coulda bought one and saved the time making this one "Stern 1-7" photos show the basic construction of the final stern piece before detailing it inside. Note just how crooked the box got glued into the "dog food bowl." When I stretched it out into the rounded corners that's when I got problems. Of course while gluing it in I was at a perspective that did not allow me to see the crookednes!!!! Oh well, I want this done and I wasn't about to redo it again - unlike other assemblies you've seen. "Stern 8" Shows the "facy" snips I used to make the serated doors. I saw these scissors years ago and knew I'd use them on the Daedalus some time. My son asked what they were, I said nothing ans just cut some paper with them. He said, "space ship doors!" I'm proud of him Putting this second layer on the inside actually de-emphasizes the crookedness. "Stern 10-11" shows the completed "bowl" with details and then it glued to the rear. There i still A LOT of cleanup to go on the rear. when I was gluing this on I needed a compact weight so I used the best thing I could find that I have, a WWI shell fuse (INERT). I've still got to add some detail and sand/file ome corners. The rest of the photos I believe are self explanitory. See if you can find the Spartan destroid in the photos for size comparrison (where's Waldo ). "Stern 9-10" show the doors inserted into the stern assembly. This is what I'm guessing the Daedalus would look like connected to the SDF-1. All the drawings just show blackness so I used some artistic license. The rest of the "money shots" help make it worth the while spending all this time building this monster. You can see that I'm about 90% done now. I'm defenitely in a "glass is half full" kind of attitude. It should be done soon - construction wise. Then I gotta figure out how/what to paint it. That's it for today. I had to get this thing off the breakfast bar again or my wife will get ticked. I don't see why, it only takes up 80% of it, no big deal, and it looks cool, she just doesn't agree Thanks for checking in everyone! - MT

Hi Carl, all is well. Things are just goign a little slower on this than I'd like Hey Regult, this was actually shipped to my current house in a custom crate the size of a coffin. I'm sure as people drove by, they said to themselves, "what the heck!?" This thing is so big, I am seriously thinking of selling it. It takes up a lot of room, but then again, it is designed to be a display case in itself! - MT

UPDATE 19 MAY 2011 Well, after a month of working my butt off at work, I was just too tired when I got home to do anything on my baby, but now I'm back on it! The upper rear (suspected container crane holder and side loading ramp areas) is now getting worked on. The first part completed was the "hanger" for what some of us suspect is a container for a "loading/unloading crane." It's the very rear end of the ship - for now. You can see some of the scraps that I used to make the inner (no one will see) frame for the railed area. That area is now covered and I scribed in with a 1/8" wide chisel being draggeed along the edge of a ruler. Photo 3337 shows where an "lip" should be where the container crane would normally "park" inside (all supposed) of course). I'll be making a lip since this box will be covering the raising/lowering works of the motor pod. 3339 through 3342 shows the lip and the intircate corners I had to make. the corners were originally left open, fit with carefully cut corner bits, and then covered with TONS of superglue. File it down and then sand it and you get a noice smooth and round corner ready for some paint! That' it for now. By the way, I still can't get into my old computer so you're stuck with my Christmas Avatar - MT

For those of us linguistically challenged, will there be more than that model and who is the kit by? Thanks! - MT

I've been to busy to parouse the boards lately, so I took a break and MAN!!! That came out SHAWEEEeeeet! Excellent work Mike! I'm sure you'll kick butt at WF or break somebody's foot if you drop that on them - MT

Thanks Peter. I'm actually working on it RIGHT NOW. I took a break to check e-mails. I've built the big box in the back and now I'm working on latches for it. It covers the lowering device for the motor pod so it must com on and off easily. EXO - I cannot confirm nor deny anything (except that I'm not done with this thing yet)! I am thinking of selling this thing when done. It seems to be just too big! Plus getting stuff in 1/200th is a major pain to find - when available. I'm thinking of going 1/350th. It's smaller, cheaper, and I can find aol most anything want in it. A whole Nimitz class carrier is only 38" long and can fit in a curio. Even Peter said it, 1/100 is easy to find. I bought the MRC/Trumpeter 1/350th USS Wasp. It has EVERY ground vehicle and aircraft I like or could need on a ship: http://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Ship_Models/GLM00064001/product.php?s=0&t=1&era=0,7,8&u=8,9 The rest of the aircraft I like are $7 a box for six. Anyhow, that's how I'm thinking right now. Take care guys and I'll post photos as soon as I take some. - MT

Thanks guys! I fixed the year in my post to read "2011" (thanks EXO ) The original VC-27, VC-33, EC-33, and fanliner photos are in an older post some years back if you're interested, do a search. Work has me busy lately so no Daedalus construction. I had it sitting out on our kitchen bar making access to the sides easy, but my wife got tired of seeing this six foot long "picket fence" sitting between the kitchen and dining room area (I thought it looked cool - every house should have a GIANT piece of Macross in it ) I'm hoping to get somewhere with it this weekend. Take care guys! - MT

UPDATE 28 MARCH 2011 - OVER FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING!!! Sorry for the long delay everybody! I spent most of 2010 away from home and so very little work on the Daedalus. This monstrosity is taking TOOOOOoooooo long to build Last year I compared it to a marriage; now I think I need "marriage counceling" Anyhow, on to the build. The last couple weeks I've been trying to squeeze in some work here and there with my busy work schedule. I had catching up to do so at first my "build time" was building a giant Lego amphibious ship for my son (I ordered the BEAUTIFUL LHD-1 Wasp in 1/350th and he wanted one too, but it would take forever to build and break EASILY). Next I had to fix the Tunny VTOL model that fell off the shelf to it's demise while I was away (attached). It still needs painting. Next I covered the front section with a top soon to be the flight deck for the bow section. Then I went to raise the main hatch and of course the clutch kept slipping so I had to take it apart and re-tighten it up. I also made a cover for the mechanism in the inside of the ship and solder on a brass nut to attach it to. Next came the top hatch opening "mechanisms" on top. I made the hydralics up with styrene scraps and tubes with aluminum shafts for the "real" look of metal despite the rubbing that will happen as the hatch is opened and closed over time. The rest of the bits came from my spares box to make up some kind of fake looking mechanisms to "power it.". The cowlings for the gear show a lot so I just had to stick something in there! Next came the fun part, actually getting to put the sides on it! Now it looks like its getting somewhere - thank God! I did one side and then copied it to the other since the other side fit well once "flipped" over. Then I cut out the sections as the line art illustrates and now I have to figure out what the heck to stick in those opened sections of the sides More work! But it will be worth it when its done. Now I'm jut trying to get this thing done so I can move on to other models, like the Wasp! Enjoy the photos and any feedback for ideas is welcome as always. Take care - MT

Thanks! I'm actually back after several months and just getting settled into our time zone and back with my family. You KNOW I'll be working on my "baby" soon - MT

I think you need a little "Hellfire" to keep you honest These are flight ready, not from a static display. I've got a 2.75" rocket pod if needed be too! - MT

Thanks for posting the photos (even if they were in the wrong thread ) It looks like they'll need a little detail work if I build them, but not too bad overall. Thak again!

The light lookscool on the Quelamitz. - MT

Thanks for the help guys. I had no clue there are THREE sets of these! I second the photo request too please I don't know for sure if they are the same, but Jardann is correct about FASA using the Nichimo kits. I had two each of the Glaug/Battle pods. I even had the dropship (the Minerva from Crusher Joe). I thought, "how cool to come across a little known secret and I could just pop down to my local game store for a Macross fix!" Theeraser sculpture I'm clueless on since I've never seen them before (except posts here). I found a 1/350th model of the USS Wasp amphib with complete aircraft compliment. Then there's the good ole' Tamiya Enterprise and all the great aicraft and goodies they make in that scale that they DON'T in 1/200th scale OK, pulling in the reins... - MT

Hey My Fellow Sprue Heads, I saw these on E-Bay: 1/320th Kits On E-Bay These are those rare 1/320th kits you see in the model kit ad inserts, but the kits are never anywhere to be found (even 25 years ago). Has anyone built these before? I'd love any background info you guys might have. There were 7 for sale there at Kimono My House, now there's 5 thanks to me I'm thinking it would be cool to put these with a 1/350th carrier (even though they're slightly off scale. I hope this helps increase someone's collection like mine - MT

Looking great! I think that pilot is a good fit; by chance did he come from a Harrier? - MT

That is some awesome work! And yeah ,worth killing trees over :^) Building it in foam board, you might as well do it in plastic stock or Gatorboard which is styrene covered, then you could glue plastic bits to it. That IS HIUGE!!! Great work and what are you going to do with it when done? Scare away the neighborhood kids? Keep up the great work! - MT

I got a chance to check back here. AWESOME work John! I love the philips screw detail in the shoulder missile pods, AND the optics too! - MT

I had two!!! I had a busted up one I got from a friend, then I found a brand new one in an old comic book store. I hung it from my ceilign with fishing line and had a "squadron" of 1/200 Nichimo valks flying around it with a couple of battlepods (same make) "flying" around it too. It's a RARE item and $80 is awesome for a "chunk" of cardboard! I VERY RELUCTANTLY had to toss it when moving away from home. My first one fell apart easily so the second one got glued gunned together. No way to tear it down and ship it to myself :^( Enjoy yours! -MT

ALL those look great!!! Even on the last 1/48th Valk I noicd the pilot is slammed forward just as in the anime! - MT

Galactic Trade Commission was Da Bomb for mailorder stuff!!! I STILL have one of the monsters I got from them (and a whole lotta other stuff). We got our kits in the mail a couple of weeks ago. When I called my wife and she told me the 2 regults and the Monster came in, she asked me, "now which one(s) are for your son and which one is for you :^) I gotta say it, there's no school like the old school! I do love the new kits too, but the classics are when the whole Macross thing was in it's infancy. - MT

Hey Million Star, I'm still around, but hundreds of miles from my shop! I'm hoping to be back to begin work in February. Good thing I'm getting updates via e-mail or I'd miss this! I don't have much chance to get on MW often these days, but looking forward to beginning of the year!-MT

I loved the base of the first monster better. In the series it's making that "stomp" on the Daedalus and crushing the armor plate. If I was the captain, I'd be like, "how many times did we tell you not to walk on the deck." The second model has a much better pose on it. It's interesting that thing has "hover feet." Talk about some serious thrust! Thanks EI for posting! And yes, I bought a monster for my son and I to build and two pods. He gets two models and I get one pod to add to my collection. I never did get a pod all those years ago! - MT

Who said bigger isn't better? Nice job man! I think you'll get a "few" people wanting this! - MT

Great job Ahiachris, don't take this the wrong way, but, sexy legs Keep up the good work! Do we see you making extras later on? - MT

I'm glad I had a chance to "pop in." This is coming along nicely! How much are you charging? If it's within budget, I know a little girl who might your figure in her room. Yes, the children are Macross fans too! Make justifying my habbit easier ;^) - MT