Sci-Fi Industrial Structure part 3

 I had been debating what scale this structure is.

I started with the idea that it would be 1/24 or 1/25 scale and then after building the balcony and interior thought maybe it was closer to 1/35.

To make a determination I purchased some finely detailed 1/24 scale figures and placed them in the interior to see how they fit.

 For comparison I also put some 1/35 scale figures in there as well.

My conclusion is that the 1/24 scale figures look correct and the 1/35 scale figures look like children in that space. 

This means the structure is confirmed to be 1/24 scale and I can now obtain some correct sized ladders and possibly other scale parts and push on to completion.

Thanks for looking.

More soon...

Orbital Tug kitbash part 1

 I started a small kitbash project while waiting for some figures to turn up for the Industrial Structure project.

Every year I display some of my models at a scale model show which runs over two the days of a weekend. On the sunday morning they hold a plastic kit swap mart where I buy plastic model kits at a cheap price to provide me with enough kit parts (nurnies) to last for at least the next year of building. Occasionally the random haul of kits contains one or two that combine to inspire a new project.

In this case a 1/35 scale Scud launcher vehicle and two 1/48 scale Chinese Tiangong-1 Spacelab kits have been combined to make an Orbital Pusher Tug.

The rear of the tug is made from parts from two rubbish truck toys.

The engine bells are 3D printed and are made to accept 12 volt "eagle eye" cob led lights. I also added a couple of warm white LEDS in the front of the split cab. There is a dc power connector mounted top and bottom with a M10 tapped block of PVC for a possible mounting point. 

The engine lights have a green push button switch mounted underneath so the bright engine lights can be switched off independently from the cabin lights.

At the front I am adding some sort of pusher bumper that would connect with any space hardware that needs to be moved around. It is so far made from parts of a Sam Missile launcher from another kit with a chassis cross brace from a 1/25 truck kit. There is more to be added here yet.

I have some 1/35 driver figures which I tried out in the interior of the cab but found they were too big for the space. They sat too high and couldn't see out of the windows properly. I have ordered some 1/48 scale figures and am waiting to see if they will fit any better before I can finish off and seal up the interior.

I added some landing feet using much the same parts as the Submarine kitbash project recently completed.

Except the pusher bumper and a few small holes to cover over or fill, all of the major exterior surface detailing is now complete.

Thanks for looking.

More soon...

Sci-Fi Industrial Structure part 2

I have detailed the interior.

Below is the ceiling with some N-gauge railway signals glued on.

Notable details are out of date covid test receptacles in the central room. Blue transparent acrylic knitting needles are also added as pipes.

Here it is with the ceiling in position.

I added a flashing strobe beacon to the top of the tower.

It uses a two pin 12 volt 9watt led lamp that is made from clear silicon.

I found a strobe circuit on a video on facebook and converted it to a vero board layout. 

It has an adjustable frequency to change the flash rate. you can see its effect in the video below.

Further detailing is underway.

I added some pipes to the large diameter support tube.

The pipes are made from EPDM foam rubber solid round section. 

This material is easily superglued into position and is flexible so that complicated bends are simple to produce. 

It also forms a natural smooth radius as it bends and being solid does not flatten in a bend like tube does. 

It is spongy to the touch but once painted will just look like a hard surface. 

I have used it before to look like rubber hoses on RC vehicles.

Still many more pipes and surface details to add.

I started this project thinking it would end up being at 1/24 scale but then thought maybe it was looking more like 1/35. 

I have come round to thinking that in fact it is more like 1/24 scale after all so I am planning on adding ladders, hand rails and probably a couple of figures in that scale.

Thanks for looking

More soon...