Vidar_710 Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 I have some progress pics! It's starting to come together now. Here the Juction pads are placed in position prior to drilling through the Primary hull assembly http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...onJunctions.jpg Pad close up. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...MountingPad.jpg Nacels are marked off and the Lower Pylon segments are glued into place. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...nAllignment.jpg After drilling completly through the Primary Hull assmebly at 33 deg angles, the Brass Rod Armatures are put into place for a test fit. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...andArmature.jpg Nacels are aligned and glued into place. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...dAllignment.jpg The rest is a test fit of all the subsections at various views. Nothing is glued. Bow http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ForwardView.jpg Aft. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...nt=7AftView.jpg Port http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...t=8PortView.jpg Starboard Bow http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...tarboardBow.jpg Top View http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...t=10TopView.jpg View entire project... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...?albumview=grid Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 That's looking fantastic, Tracy ... My only question is, how does the crew get from the main hull to the secondary hull ? Through the engine pylons ? Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BAM'n'IVM Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Same way Reliant's crew got into that pod on her "rollbar", prob'ly...(by walking down the hall to the next set!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 The construction phase for scatch parts is over. I've scribed the hull with the Copernicus's unique deflector grid pattern before starting any priming. Primary Hull scribing http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...flectorgrid.jpg http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...flectorGrid.jpg First Primer coat and sanding of the Hull components. More coats to come before even thinking about hull color. The unique pattern can be seen if you look closely. Primary Hull Top http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...PrimaryHull.jpg Primary Hull Bottom http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...PrimaryHull.jpg Secondary Hull Primed with first sanding http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...condaryHull.jpg Shuttle Bay Doors http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...doorsprimed.jpg. As the week goes on, I expect another primer/sanding treatment or two before starting to paint the three-toned hull characteristics of the CGI Copernicus. View entire project slide show here... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...mview=slideshow Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Noice ! It's really coming together now ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 Primary and Secondary Hulls are primed and almost ready to receive color. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ingComplete.jpg Upper Primary Hull. Deflector grid is showing better here; however, a couple of color coats will refine it nicely to scale properly with the hull's surface in 1/650. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...PrimaryHull.jpg Lower Primary Hull. The extention Hull sections have blended nicly into the saucer and the deflector grid is reducing nicely. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...PrimaryHull.jpg Secondary Hull. The deflector coils still need to be buffed out with fine emmry cloth to remove any spray contaminants in the primer coat, then it will be ready to receive color. A Copper/Brown mix. The Brown is used to reduce the flakey metalic texture Copper usually has. The other option is Alclads. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...condaryHull.jpg Awaiting parts to finish up the nacels. I hope to have this finished for the Warner Robins Ga show on the 24th. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blappy Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Nice work Tracy. Is that RenShape you are using? I love that stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 Hey Dave, thanx! I don't know what it is. Tom Sasser suggested this material and gave me some. I loved working with it. He couldn't remember the name either. I Googled it and it looks like the same stuff to me. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blappy Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Hey Dave, thanx!I don't know what it is. Tom Sasser suggested this material and gave me some. I loved working with it. He couldn't remember the name either. I Googled it and it looks like the same stuff to me. Tracy If Thom gave it to you it likely is then. Marvellous stuff to work with. Even better is "Butter Board". I got some of that recently and I am in pattern making heaven. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 I'm kind of at a stand still on the model until some of the parts I ordered come in. I've been adding the Nav Light positions and ensuring the Lenses I'm using fit their respective sockets OK, and are aligned. Here are 4 of the lateset images with their diary entries at the bottom of each picture... Nav Lights, Large and Small... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...tePositions.jpg Bottom Nav light and why it's important to position first... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...eAllignment.jpg Hanger Bay Beacon and new raised panel detail. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...gerBayBecon.jpg Primary Hull after another primer coat and buffing. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...tomIMG_6069.jpg View entire project slide-show here... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...?albumview=grid Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Another excellent update, Tracy ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Tracy, excellent updates ...Thank you... HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 It's not all scratch-built... Many thanx to JT Graphics for donating his Bussard Domes to this project. Check'em out folks... Each dome consists of 6 parts, including a clear cast dome with locking tab details. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...rdFanDetail.jpg http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...t=1Bussaerd.jpg Using his terriffic Nacel End Caps as well - Bottom angle. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...=2PortNacel.jpg Starboard Nacel - Side profile. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...rboardNacel.jpg When I'm feelling better, I'll get started with getting these attached to the nacels and determine how I want to paint them. I will be using his Deflector Dish, and Planetary Sensor Dome on this project as well. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Those do look quite nice ... Can't wait to see them painted up, Tracy ... Get Well too ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Get well soon Tracy and the build is coming along very nicey, thank you HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 Before printing out the decal sheet for me, Jeff was good enough to email me the file so I could print it out on printer paper, cut them out, and test the decals look and fit. Here's the sheet... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...nicusDecals.jpg And here's a few shots of the marking taped on to the primed model... Hanger Bay Markings. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...BayMarkings.jpg Pennants and Stripes for the secondary Hull. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...HullStripes.jpg http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ullPennants.jpg Primary Hull Top and Secondary Hull Bottom test. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...sandNumbers.jpg Bottom of all the Hull sections. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ullMarkings.jpg Over-all look Starboard side. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...OverAllLook.jpg Top Oblique View. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...nt=7TopView.jpg Just a few tweeks, and these decals are ready for the ship. Thanks for the great work again Jeff! Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Those markings are going to look awesome ! Nice seeing the whole ship 'together' too ... Can't wait to see the paint ... Thanks Tracy ! Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blappy Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Will I get to see this model first hand at Wonderfest next year? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share Posted November 3, 2009 Probably not. This turned very quickly from a practice project in 1/650 scale into a commission for the gent who designed the Copernicus. I'm worried now that PL will never release the 1/350 TOS E so I can do my Copernicus - fully lit of course. We'll see. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 Well, regardless of where the Copernicus ends up, I want to thank you for taking us along with you on this wonderful build, Tracy ! Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 Sorry folks, no pix. I'll be away from my hobbyroom for a while. I've been called back to work by American Airlines and will be in refresher flight training for the better part of the next two months. I'll try to get some head-way on the project whenever I can jump on a jet and head home for the weekend and spend some time with the family. I'll try to post new pix whenever I've made some progress. JT Graphics is putting the finishing touches on the decal graphics, and Absolute Models is rendering the base design for the display stand the model will be mounted on. Thanks for tunning into this thread and all the kind remarks on this very fun project. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Tracy, good luck with your refresher training ... And by all means, enjoy your time with family ... The build will be there when you have the time ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Enjoy the refresher training Tracy...be safe and come back safely to this..have fun.... HOLMES : Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 Received my display base for the Copernicus from Dave Tomita of Absolute Models. I had to send some images of the Copernicus uniform logo. To say the least, I'm very happy with what Dave came up with... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...nicusBase-1.jpg Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 That's a very handsome base ! Nice to see you back, Tracy ... :unsure: Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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