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VF11B


Myersjessee

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So...I'm in way over my head on this...but I am not going to give up!!!! I started working on the ideas for this and scribling notes about a year ago...I started working in ernest about a month ago. So far, most of my time is spent doing research and development....trying to figure out how to make a custom...with detail closer to a model, but still a toy that can be transformed and touched. I think it will end up as somewhere in the middle of both...transformable, but not as sturdy as a toy, and with removable parts. I decided to post what I had in hopes to get good ideas. Valkyrie was kind enough to pass on some ideas for the landing gear doors...which have been a total pain...the diecast legs are not a friendly medium!

First...my goals:

1 - Custom detailed cockpit

2 - detailed landing gear, bays, and doors

3 - movable control surfaces

4 - airbrakes

5 - scaled rear stabilizers (larger)

6 - detailed accessories (solid fuel boosters, enlarged fast packs, detailed leg armor, detailed gun and shield)

So...not too ambitious....'cept I am new at this...so a lot of this has been a learning process. I find the second time I do something I am getting it much better...so I think 1.5 VF11's may go into making this project a reality.

Here are the pictures..I rushed them...sorry...but hopefully you can get the idea.

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First...some pictures of the speed breaks. I took these things down...built up an interior and made a hing assembly (pinned togeter for pictures because I didn't want to hinge it till I painted it) for the speed breaks. I have both of these done. I also did some detail work on the interior of the break and have an actuator arm (not listed) for the break. The arm will be a removable piece, as I don't have a good way to build a tiny flexible arm...ideas? )

vf11a.jpg

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Next...the gear doors...I think I have finally got a working version. I built a landing gear bay, and I am working on landing gear for it. This will most likely be plug style gear, as I wanted more detail then I was going to get with something that collapsed (with my skills that is) The front door has a hole for the light lens I will be mounting. The side door right now is also a plug and remove piece as opposed to hinges. The door is so tiny that anything I used for a hinge just overwhelmed it. I have not give up on hinging it though, and would appreciate any good ideas! :)

vf11d.jpg

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First...some pictures of the speed breaks. I took these things down...built up an interior and made a hing assembly (pinned togeter for pictures because I didn't want to hinge it till I painted it) for the speed breaks. I have both of these done. I also did some detail work on the interior of the break and have an actuator arm (not listed) for the break. The arm will be a removable piece, as I don't have a good way to build a tiny flexible arm...ideas? )

How about telescoping aluminum tubes similar to automotive shock absorbers?

Great looking stuff so far...and ambitious. Keep it up.

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I thought about that..and the telescoping is easy...its just a scale problem....proper thickness works out to be a little thicker then 40 lb fishing test...so, even if I get the tiny tubes I have to find some way to make them functional..I cant make a real damper at that size....(it may be possible...but what a pain) ..and considering the size, it would need to collapse down and back....seems I think may try to make something that tlescopes, but instead of building in the mechanisim to have it move in the track as well, just put two stops in...one for open, one for closed.

Also..think I solved the main gear door problem! WOOWHOO! Details to come.

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Looks great so far. What did you use to cut the plastic for the air break? Also what type of custom paint job have you decided on? keep up the good work.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
How big is it compared to a Yamato VF-11 anyway approximately? I can tell from your pictures that it will be better than theirs already! :o:)

He iscustomizing a Yamato VF-11B, so it won't be any bigger, unless he makes bigger tailfins.

Graham

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Well...a little over a month and I am not much farther along...Im working on a couple other projects which is distracting me. I have nearly finished one leg. The gear doors were a real challange for me. I wanted them thin enough to look right, but could not hinge them at that thickness. I tried to copy what Yamato did on the 1/60 ...and failed. Then tried some L joint parts..and they looked huge in the tiny gear bay....I finally made it work by making a hole with my smallest pinvise bit and hinging the doors with 10lb fishing test. It took me about 6 scraped doors before a got a straight hole that went the length of the door without breaking the surface...and then was able to hinge it in place...but it finally did work. The end result is the gear doors do actually open and close....! I was so very pysched when I finally got that working...the I realized I had to make them fit right...mor tries..and finally got it. Then it was time to add more details to the gear doors, and gear bays. I have a lens to place in the forward gear door, but it is not yet glued in. I did try to add more realistic interiors to the bay and doors and mount a new landing gear assembly.

I filled in the old stabilizer, then re-etched panel lines, and replaced it with a new stabilizer.

Then a lot of putty and sanding. The darn metal has been a bear to remove all the seam lines from...there is probably a trick..but you can't scrape it at all like a plastic model...so I keep puttying, sanding...and repeat. I finally thought I was nearly done, so I primed it...only to find there are about 4 areas (screw holes and seams ) I need to touch up more...and notice areas inside by the feet I need to detail and seal...so thats next...then Ill finish up the wings and start on the other leg.

Pictures...

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Thanks Mighty Gorgon. Please be aware (in case you are not) My gear doors are wrong. The main door should have the "W" shape on either side of the door. I did the front, but left the back flat because I didn't want either shrink the bay, or cut the die-cast. Not cannon...but made sense considering it's my first custom. Im working on finishing the speed breaks now on the other side...then Ill build up the body again.

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Thanks Mighty Gorgon. Please be aware (in case you are not) My gear doors are wrong. The main door should have the "W" shape on either side of the door. I did the front, but left the back flat because I didn't want either shrink the bay, or cut the die-cast. Not cannon...but made sense considering it's my first custom. Im working on finishing the speed breaks now on the other side...then Ill build up the body again.

Thanks for the comments. The VF-4 did not have landing gear (I'm sooo lazy), but I will model it in the VF-11.

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