Vidar_710

Well shoot... since I got all this stuff out of the rafters... here a sneak pre-view. Tracy

OOOOOO K. My comments about the decals are incorrect. The decals I showed above are NOT the actual decals! They are a paper back sticky representation (not to scale). The actual decals are larger and to scale. They will fit the orbiter properly. Just need to have them 49.5mm apart. Actual decals. The recessed trench decals are 12.6mm wide x 13mm long. The doors are 13mm x 13.2mm The paper back sticky graphics are a bit smaller, so I'm good decal-wise. ;-). Here's the difference. The distance according to placement on the 1/100 scale 747 should be 49.5mm Tracy

I think I may have found the problem, The decals sent may be in 1/144 scale. I've sent the maker an email to confirm my findings. Another thing is, your measurements may be incorrect as well. I took some picks of the 74 fuselage and a pick of the real SCA to corroborate my findings.. 1. The decals are defiantly too small 2. Your measurements would put the mounts bases almost down on top of the passenger doors, so... too wide. 3. Using a image off an SCA, I extrapolated that the mounts are about a "half door" high above the actual door positions. This would place the base of the mounts where they attach to the fuselage at, or just a tad above the raise panel line that runs longitudinally down the fuselage just above all the doors, making the distance between the ports about 49.5mm. Defiantly decal too small a scale. Real SCA mount posit. half a door above PAX doors. Measurements, Top: CJ's measurement, Middle: decals measurement. Bottom: my measurement (raised panel line to raised panel line) Oblique angle. Take note CJ how far down to the door the mount would be with your measurement. I think for the purpose of this 1/100 scale project, that the best measurement for separating the tips of the "balls" or receptacles in the belly that fit into the shuttle's panels is 49.5mm. Thoughts CJ?

More work in progress to the dorsal. Determining the dorsal's lean angle using images of the studio model.... I have an earlier measurement of 31 degrees on another image, 29deg on this one. More than likely due to slightly different perspectives, so I "meaned" it out to 30 deg. Work on the Torp Launcher inserts is almost done. Much coordination between me, and Bob "Activaboy" Morgan. Studio model... 3D model images front upside down side view right side up oblique Tracy

oooooooOOOOOPS! You're right! and when you're right, you're right, and you ARE right! In my defense, I finally remembered to do this after getting home from my last trip at 3AM. I was spent! Here it is in metric... My pic I took under Atlantis at the Smithsonian Like I said earlier, these recesses will be cut in, and the doors will be scratch from thin styrene with these graphics applied to them. Tracy

Sorry for taking so long. Days between trips too short, and still in "Full Tilt Boogie" on the U.S.S. Excelsior NX-2000 project.. Here's a measurement on the decal for the receptacle ports for the mounts. It's showing 1.33cm apart for the mains. I'm not just going to apply the decal to the belly of the shuttle. I am going to cut the panels in for their recessed characteristics, and use these graphics where they are suppose to go. I'm also gonna make the doors as well, then apply the graphics to them. Sooo, this distance is not in stone. I'll place them where they need to be for the 74 to meet the shuttle properly.

Plastic Stacking in another section of the ship is complete. This is the Conduit Blister between the Warp Nacelles. A slab of Resin inaccurately portraying the base of the blister is removed. 7 plates... 3 large, 4 small spacers are cut from .7mm thick sheet styrene. Spacer plates are made after holes are drilled through all plates so they can be stacked on a jig for assembly alignment. Large plates and spacers. After plates assembled on a jig with the Conduit Blister. Tracy

Work on the dorsal section continues... I assembled in 3 sections. The reasone is to keep the Torp recess section separate until I determine how big to cut the opening for the 3D rendered Torp Launchers. The lower section, the Torp Trench section, and the upper/Adapter section. Here they sit stacked. Further work on the adapter is being done. The addition of styrene to fill where the saucer trench passes over the dorsal assembly. I roughed out the shape of the trench 'blocks', then applied a thin layer of Apoxie Sculpt and allowed it to set up. I then pressed the Adapter into the bottom of the primary hull to cast the profile of the trench. Once fully cured the excess was sanded away and polished to check for flaws. Top View Bottom view. Side View The top section of the Dorsal Assembly test fit into the bottom saucer's master. Once Bob "Aptiviaboy" Morgan has finished modeling the Dorsal Canon parts, I'll order them printed from Shapeways. Once I receive them, I can then determine how wide to cut the ports into the mid-section of the Dorsal Assembly. Tracy

Just a heads up... make sure your engine pylons are perpendicular to the ground, not the wing. ;-) Tracy

CJ, I'm currently on day one of a 4-day trip. I'll measure the graphics, and even post pics -if you want- when I get home. I took photos of the Atlantis hatches while visiting the Northern Smithsonian in D.C. They really did an awesome job recreating that detail. Tracy

OK, I'll hold off. I finally found a guy that has the option of early or late Shuttle paneling decals for the top of the Tamiya kit... ordered the late version. I like Hotdog's bottom set in combination with this set using the best characteristics of both. The open panels where the connections are made to the ET/747 are included, and very nicely done. Having everything I need to start has lit a fire under my arse. ;-) Tracy

CJ, Do you have an expected measurement from the crest of each aft mount. I'm going to cut out the shapes and scratch built the recessed panels where the ET, and the 74 mounts insert into their sockets in the belly of the shuttle. If you don't want to do the forward mount, I think I can manage to scratch build it. Let me know when you're ready to submit the aft mount parts to Shapeways, and I'll go ahead and get them printed so I can't get them into clay and rubber for casting. Tracy

Dorsal assembly in-progress images. The entire assembly is scratch-built. However, the inserts in the front of the dorsal will be 3D printed. Cutting the styrene by hand. 41 plates were cut. More than half that didn't quite make the grade were relegated to being trimmed down to be the spacer plates. The Large plates and Spacer plates were clamped together for sanding to unify their shape. The Upper Adapter that attaches the dorsal to the primary hull is framed in styrene... ... then shaped with Apoxie Sculpt. Here, the ruffed out parts are stacked unglued at this point to check for alignment. Clean-up of the individual plates and the cutting of the two forward ports is the next step. Thanx for lookin'! Tracy

Answer to the poster's original question. There is no reason what-so-ever for a CAG bird NOT to receive such a load out. All aircraft are fully mission capable. A little bright colored paint doesn't change that. If you want to load up a CAG bird, knock yourself out! ;-) Tracy

Not sure what's going on, but out of being annoyed with adds, I went ahead and upgraded my photobucket account about a year ago for just a few $$$ to get rid of them. I noticed improved load times for any of my devices, along with the lack of advertisements, and can still link my images. I have received no notices, warnings, or emails to upgrade further. Tracy