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Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk

Blackadder

By Blackadder
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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You cannot go by my model for a true (Official) FW measurement as I have modified my hull cargo compartment to accommodate a Rhino.

 

That said, the width of the forward cargo door 94.10 MM.

 

There seems to be a precedent for such an abomination in the transport version of the Thunderhawk although the one I am modeling is the assault version.

 

 

http://www.dakkadakka.com/s/i/at/at2/2011/6/21/a5a454cafe85368fa5683f4d69980a00_6825.jpg

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  • 6 months later...
Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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ThunderHawk The Resurrection:

 

After a six month hiatus I have brought this project to the fore once again.

 

Starting where I left off with a few new ideas we'll begin with the flying Lascannon  airfoils. It strikes me that the Thunderhawk is actually a biplane.

 

Nothing really to see as most of the work is only detail but I'll keep you abreast of the developments.

 


http://i.imgur.com/TESoKFbl.jpg

 

Considering this model is made of styrene these foils are surprisingly heavy so the straps I am installing now will actually serve to supply friction to keep these wings in the attack position otherwise they would droop under their own weight.

 


http://i.imgur.com/WTMQTO9l.jpg

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Pause and Reflect:

 

Time to step back and see where we are proportion-wise.

 

Mounting the Flying Lascannons struts shows me I must extend the wing roots about 13 MM which will increase the wingspan about one inch. The Lascannon length is okay so that can be detailed today.

 

http://i.imgur.com/5s4DHqdl.jpg

 

The overall length of the T'hawk is 26 inches, 7 inches longer than the FW version and I am hard pressed to find a place to photograph the entire model.

 


http://i.imgur.com/k9Xxgjyl.jpg

 

Likewise the front view; with the struts in the stowed position it looks very much like the 3D image.

 


http://i.imgur.com/nhIFBJ5l.jpg

 

With the struts deployed it has a decidedly menacing appeal.

 


http://i.imgur.com/Ap7umoCl.jpg

 

This model is starting to grow on me; mebbe I should work on it more often.............

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Still not getting Email notification of replies. B&C fell off my radar when I switched servers and since I am not receiving Email notices I had no idea if I were receiving replies. I'll have to check my other threads for updates........ 

 

Arcane Lascannons and Fist Sized Rivets:

 
Good, at least the rivets show in both these images, I'm trying a new method of making rivets; in this case the rivets are 0.035 inch styrene rod and shaved to about 0.010 thousandths thick ideally. I can install about six rivets per minute so the 128 rivets per strut (top and bottom) should only take about 20 minutes but actually because of the tedium took about an hour and a half.
 
http://i.imgur.com/MyjH3rPl.jpg
 
It strikes me that the rivets small as they are are in scale about the size of a fist which would look rather silly on an actual aircraft but my tired old eyes can't deal with anything smaller. I remember with Lucie I actually installed quite a few 0.020 thousandths rivets and at the time 35 thousandths rivets were a cakewalk.
 
http://i.imgur.com/y5yGZUsl.jpg
 
The other new feature in the images are the Lascannons which are quite the same as on the FW model Baneblade sponsons turrets but scaled up about ten fold. The increased size gives the futuristic weapon a toylike quality but perhaps some more detail will perk them up a tad....
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Brother-Librarian Haegl Battle-Brother

Brother-Librarian Haegl

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S-s-s-something happened! ohmy.png Praise the Omnissiah!

In all seriousness, That Thunderhawk... is an almost unprecedented compilation of pure win and awesome. I love how you get the superstructure to look right, while simultaneously maintaining an awe-inspiring attention to detail, such as the predator turret energy cells for the lascannons and the humongous amount of riveting. Btw, does she have a name yet?

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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"Predator turret energy cells," is that what they are; the bitz I mean. I still need two more so now I know were to look for them. THX

No I'm sorry but I could never be able to devote this much time and detail to a commission piece without commanding an astronomical price. The best I can do is present the detailed build so anyone so inclined can duplicate it for themselves. Surprisingly no one has ever notified me that they had.

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New Topic:

Too Dumb To Walk and Chew Gum:

Well it's not often that a person can demonstrate his stupidity on an International scale but I've managed.
Anyone can present their work on a forum as flawless but not much is to be learned from that; it is also necessary to publicize your errors so new modelers won't be discourage if their efforts are not acceptable on first go.
All the while I've been building these struts the thought has continually crossed my mind I have to seal the crude ends of the camber. So blithely ignoring these subliminal messages I proceeded to add more and more detail until now the omission is so glaringly apparent that my conscious mind also perceives it.
So below to the right is the strut with the rude end end exposed and to the left is the end seamed with 0.010 strips that still need to be dressed:

http://i.imgur.com/v5w0ocGl.jpg
Good enough is not in my lexicon so I will bite the bullet and rectify the omission.
http://i.imgur.com/UzD03Afl.jpg
Not being one to throw away an opportunity that can demonstrate my maxim, "Good enough is never good enough." I'll do the penance and seal the ends and sand away the surplus so the next time these sections are seen the mistake will be rectified.
http://i.imgur.com/6lD4PY6l.jpg
Besides, a touch of humility is good for the soul. biggrin.png
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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The Cockpit and Canopy:

 
I only have a few major components to go on this model; the cockpit and canopy, the horizontal stabilizer, the two canard wings, Volcano cannon, and cockpit interior.... whoops and the twin ball turrets, maybe not so few after all.
 
Below are the six walls and the floor of the cockpit ready for assembly.
 
http://i.imgur.com/LGg4pr0l.jpg
 
The cockpit recess and the 3D image in the background I am using for inspiration.
 
http://i.imgur.com/PnL1iP1l.jpg
 
The cockpit walls glued together with angle styrene and 6,3 MM strips used for corner reinforcement and gussets ready to slide into place.
 
http://i.imgur.com/6v81sHHl.jpg
 
The cockpit walls and canopy will be a removable modular construction and the floor a separate unit for ease of dis-assembly for detailing and painting. the whole will plug in snugly without the need to be glued into place.
 
http://i.imgur.com/0pmBhx2l.jpg
 
With the cockpit walls established I am ready for the exterior bezel that moulds the canopy to the fuselage.
 
http://i.imgur.com/1Yj941il.jpg
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Cockpit Flange:

 
This is coming along so quickly it's hard to believe how much I begrudge devoting time to this model. I'd much prefer working on the Reaver project which I plan to pick up again tomorrow. 
 
The cockpit rough work is just about completed and I am ready to start framing the canopy.
 
http://i.imgur.com/mVblXDhl.jpg
 
It really paid off giving the time to make precision cuts etc because the plug in cockpit wall slide in well like they were made for it. 
 
http://i.imgur.com/HU3q9fHl.jpg
 
I am a lazy fellow and I hate filing and sanding filler so making things fit properly in the first place pays dividends in the long run. 
 
http://i.imgur.com/u3WVP9jl.jpg
 
The apron in front of the cockpit needed to be extended over the bonnet.
 
http://i.imgur.com/RaKm5NUl.jpg
 
and it still needs about another 3.0 MM extension so the windscreen will have the proper angle but it's enough for now.
 
http://i.imgur.com/LvDV57Ml.jpg
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Canopy:

 
Hard to believe such a simple structure would be so hard to duplicate.
 
I suppose I should have done a drawing to get the angles and proportions right instead of extrapolating from the screen in fact as I write this I'm thinking, "Why didn't I do a drawing????" 
 
http://i.imgur.com/fd7UclFl.jpg
 
Well we'll see where dead reckoning takes us and it is a reasonable facsimile so much the better otherwise, "Back to the drawing board."
 
http://i.imgur.com/Tp6kgMjl.jpg
 
I took these images rather more for my benefit than any sense of beneficence because I need a 2 dimensional image to see what this construct looks like so far. 
 
It's difficult to get proportions right on a 3D object when working from a 2D image. Yeah a drawing would have been better....
 
http://i.imgur.com/Z8U8bBHl.jpg
 
Another problem is the next step because there is a certain amount of fudging when 3D art is presented. What looks correct on a flat projection does not translate always into an actual object. (At least in my experience.....)
 
http://i.imgur.com/M2mT22al.jpg
 
The angled facets of the triangular side windows I have doubts about because I think the glass (perspex) will be bent to make the real object representation. something the artist needn't be concerned about.
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+DAN+ Battle-Brother

+DAN+

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ahhhh go on take a photo with you standing on the thunderhawk yes.gif

Outstanding work on this mate. You truly are the plasticard king.....and i was chuffed with myself for making a replacement sword(well just the blade) for one of my krieg sergeants laugh.png

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Canopy Alteration:

 
I don't like either the FW canopy or the 3D version but I lean more toward the 3D version.
 
http://i.imgur.com/EFF5kSBl.jpg
 
It seems to me that the framework around the windows should be as narrow as possible but I mustn't  let my prejudices alter the look of the T'hawk too much.
 
http://i.imgur.com/9ebv197l.jpg
 
Anyway the steps that I deem necessary to frame the canopy should make it clear how it was done 
 
Or not.
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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When working with these tiny angles the utmost care must exercised to get everything as accurate as possible or the frame will look lopsided and sloppy.

 

 I am going the provide an in depth account of my procedures (for better or worse) so as to provide  a guide for those attempting similar work.

 

 

Limit of Visibility:

 

To cut the lower sill of the side windows requires a lot of pure guesswork. I have no tools that can measure the tiny compound angles required to reproduce the sill strip which in it's rectangular form is 1,0 X 2,5 MM/0.040 X 0.100 inches. 

 

The strip on the right lower corner already shaped........

 


http://i.imgur.com/s5nEZnil.jpg

 

I beveled the edge of the strip by drawing it's length across the blade of the 'Utility knife' at what my best guess is the correct angle. Then I pared back the rear edge of the window frame on the base piece to correspond to the adjusted width if the sill strip. that cut is almost perpendicular to the frame of the after cabin. I then cut a compound angle to accommodate both the front slope of the cockpit and the cant of the side window frame and glued in place. I repeated the procedure for the other side. 

 


http://i.imgur.com/qWr7qjkl.jpg

 

After gluing both side sills in place I adjusted both the converging angles and the cant angles of the frame by eye as no tool is small enough to measure the angle.

 


http://i.imgur.com/c3RHQFwl.jpg

 

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Blackadder Veteran

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Reinforcing the Roof Frame:

 
Ostensibly I will be building the side and roof frame without support and from very thin material besides. To reinforce the joints I glued two scraps of quarter millimeter/ one one hundredths strip styrene as an internal gusset.
 
http://i.imgur.com/Sl4xBj7l.jpg
 
This will give solid support for the roof frames until the canted side frames can be assembled.
 
http://i.imgur.com/9I9Z8C0l.jpg
 
In addition the gussets will supply support once the construction is completed so the cabin will not have weak joints holding it together. 
 
At least, that is the plan. 
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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The Best of Intentions:

 
I started this tutorial with the best of intentions but I went too far too quickly and forgot to take interim images. Since I last posted I next cut and installed the two windscreen panels and roughed in the gusset supports for the angled roof frames.
 
http://i.imgur.com/vL9IJQtl.jpg
 
I installed the side window canted frame on the left side but left the right side window undone to show the underlying work.
 
First a few images showing the 3D model in relation to the foreground model. The copy while not perfect is satisfactory.
 
http://i.imgur.com/M79w4lPl.jpg
 
The cockpit remains removable which makes it easy to work on otherwise I would have had to make the roof section separate and installed it in one piece which may or may not have been easier but perhaps the fit wouldn't have as good.
 
http://i.imgur.com/yBSOT2rl.jpg
 
The two front windscreens are measured in a ratio of 2 to 1 approximately. I'll see have that looks but I have the option of increasing the width toward the centerline which I believe would look better.
 
http://i.imgur.com/wbzBF8Il.jpg
 
The top view shows the modified moon roof with slightly longer front panes which give a more streamlined appearance to the canopy.
 
http://i.imgur.com/jyU1B58l.jpg
 
Streamlined? Really BA? 
 
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