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Author Topic: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk  (Read 15245 times)

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Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« on: June 9, 2011, 05:10:05 AM »
The Blackadder has a new project and I am posting here from the inception rather than after it was completed as with Lucie.

This new project is a Thunderhawk the basic structure of which has been kicked around my basement for a few years; a discarded work my son attempted when I started my Warhound. In all fairness starting college may have been the cause of his waning interest in scratchbuilding.

Anyway I have taken up the gauntlet and am attempting to complete this model.

The hull is composed of 1/2 inch foam filled posterboard and the images below are of the basic hull as of a week ago.

The image uploader isn't working? It's not the size or the format? I'll try later.







« Last Edit: June 13, 2011, 04:22:45 AM by Edmund Blackadder »

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #1 on: June 9, 2011, 05:10:36 AM »
I came across these 3D images.

 I don't know who this artist is but I want to have his baby (Well build his baby anyway.) He has actually made a Thunderhawk look not only attractive but downright viable.

 Below are 3D renderings from this artist which while not 100% FW exact are a tremendous improvement on the original and will be my guide from now on.



















Note that the last image is of the heretofore not seen belly of the beast.

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2011, 11:34:35 AM »
I really want to replicate the 3D Thunderhawk posted above. It may be outsized but it looks more airworthy than any Thunderhawk rendering I've yet seen. I can't wait to get to the fine detail. The layered armour and the beveled edge on the fuselage really makes this thing come alive. I'm also opening up the cargo bay so it will have an interior as well.



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Offline Dragon flames

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2011, 01:21:19 AM »
Looking good Blackadder! :)

I was just wondering what materials are you using to make the Thunderhawk? What army are you going to play it with, because I reckon that if you put raised chapter symbols of your army on it it would really make it unique.

Df!

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2011, 04:21:51 AM »
My son started with foam core posterboard because at the time I had done so with Lucie. It was a mistake that I am paying for now as there is a lot of area to sheath with a lot of 90° angles. While resin adheres rather well to sheet plastic roughed up with sandpaper it has a tendency to detach at right angle corners. I'm using sheet styrene to cover the foam core hull depending on the area, between 0.5 to 2.0 mm thick.

I'll let my son decide which chapter it will be (as long as it isn't red) I'm clueless about the intricacies of the 40K world, I just like building models and hell, if I can save $700 bucks and have enjoyment doing it, so be it.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2011, 04:25:22 AM by Edmund Blackadder »

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2011, 05:16:59 PM »
Since this beastie will have a full interior of the cargo bay including the side hatches I have to be careful all is right dimension wise. I am taking meticulous care building the nose hatch/ramp.


Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2011, 06:18:40 PM »
I've been real busy at work this week not much to show for it. Yesterday I started on the cargo bay interior. Getting smarter in my old age I'm building the interior first so I don't have to work inside out.






Offline Shas'Oink

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2011, 02:32:19 AM »
This is starting to take real shape now, those details are looking smart. I'm mostly posting because I want to keep up to date with your progress - this will certainly be one to watch.

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2011, 04:03:06 AM »
I'm not sure about a lot if the interior detail; what is done thus far is pretty standard T'hawk stuff but as you get into further back the detail just starts to look plain silly. On the left side there is a ladder leading to the flight deck that looks for all the world to be made of railroad ties and at the aft end there are two sets of stairs one on either side, too narrow for use by anyone, especially one in combat armour. Exterior to the stairs there are the side hatches which eclipse the stairs so when the hatch is opened the stairs are in the way unless they fold up, an idea that just hit me. In the 3D drawing the side hatches are oppose each other but in the FW version the left side hatch is displaced forward giving an asymmetrical appearance to the hull. I'm not sure how I am going with that. There is also a rear hatch/ramp in the manner of a KC130 (for in flight cargo 'chute drops perhaps?), then the side hatches are superfluous. I certainly like the side hatches  and I am debating about the rear hatch as detritus sure to be present when the hatch is in use in flight is sure to be sucked in by the center engine. Beware the FOD!

 ;D EB

Any opinions?

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2011, 04:34:23 AM »
I'd go with the semetrical door hatches. That would seem to make sense from a "40k life" structure point of view. As for worrying about stairs, why not just add one or two access doors to a rear wall and be done with the whole thing? that way you give the idea that there is access to the rear part of the flyer, but don't elude as to how it is actually reached.

Is there any chance of a scale shot so that we can look at how it compares to the models that it will likely be carrying. Of course, the rules for the THawk tell us the capacity and whilst we all know that 40K vehicles are scaled slightly differently to the infantry it would be good to check that you are in the generally correct area.

Also, instead of a rear hatch, why not a belly hatch underneath the rear portion - before the engines? That would seem like a good spot for stowage, or maintenance access to the engines and main gun.

The other thing that needs to be considered is how the finished model will "stand". Are you going to give it a flying base of sorts, and if so, how are you going to achieve this securely. I ask now, because I imagine that preparations may have to be made for any stand (depending on the design of stand you settle on).

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2011, 05:04:58 PM »
I'm going to stick with the cargo bay cockpit and under the air brake flaps. That should be sufficient. I know there is a wealth of detail in the FW kit, (They should invest some of that energy in making their moulds stable.) but what I have seen in most of the resin kits I've rescued is that the hatches are glued shut, the doors are inoperable and if there is a panel that can be removed to veiw some internal component it is invariably cemented in place for eternity.

 Not so with the Jumbo 'hawk; the interior is coming along nicely but is a chore. Sometimes I wonder why I start these things, they monopolize a lot of time plus I ran out of crucial styrene for the floor ribs and had to make a hobby shop run this morning. I thought I'd never find a use for this size strip but I ran out two strips short of finishing and had to buy more. Now I have more than when I started. (Poor baby Blackadder.)

 Any way the floor is done and the side panels are clamped in place but I won't be gluing just yet because I still haven't figured out where the landing gear cylinder goes when the nose gear is retracted. Someone's in for a bit of a shock when that nose gear bursts thru the cargo compartment floor (All together now, "Poor engineering planning FW, nowheres near as well thought out as the Warhound. And where are the actuators for the forward cargo hatch/ramp?) All these problems will have to be addressed before the interior detail can be affixed

 Here's the result of a mis-spent Saturday morning:






Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2011, 04:41:17 PM »
Designing a viable landing gear was paramount on my mind for the past weekend until I saw this video.

The Lord Inquisitor - Thunderhawk Gunship - Landing gear Wip - [HD]

 On further watching the video I see that both forward and back actuators pivot on both ends and double as hydraulic cylinders to extend the pad and shock struts (No small feat of engineering that!) but when the strut is full extended down the front and rear cylinders become shock struts and are able to compress and absorb the landing shock.

 And very little room is taken up when fully retracted.

Below is my interpretation of the landing gear mechanism:



My solution to the landing gear dilemma:



This model should be much simpler than the Warhound. Not having to design positionable joints strong enough to take the movement but still be the proper size so as not to look ungainly was extremely difficult with Lucie and took a lot of time. I had to rebuild the joints a few times until they were satisfactory. This retractable landing gear problem was a much easier nut to crack once I saw the scissor mechanism displayed in the video. My problem was not thinking outside the box. A background in aircraft experience would not allow me to think of an dual oleo strut/hydraulic cylinder combination (I still question the feasibility of such an appliance?) but the manufacture should be child's play compared to Lucie's toe joints; I still have nightmares about those. #-o. I may use a spring mechanism and trigger lock to deploy the gear so they do not collapse when sitting on them and not have to be pried out of the wheel well each time they are to be lowered. I'm thinking ball point pen springs should be sufficient. Once I get the proportions right on this beastie it will be a simple matter of gluing on all the fabulous detail exhibited in those 3D drawings above.

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #12 on: June 24, 2011, 05:30:37 AM »
As you can see my vision of the Thunderhawk is slightly larger than the FW offering. My first impression of the Thunderhawk concept was that it be capable of carrying a Rhino. After all for what else would be the purpose of such a huge loading door? Imagine my disappointment when I found the FW Thunderhawk too diminutive to disgorge even so small a tank as a Rhino. I am still mulling over the necessity of hinging the forward side panels to allow more clearance; hell I probably shall in the end not being satisfied with compromising measures. Image the dramatic effect when your Thunderhawk glides to a touchdown, the ramp drops, the side doors open, and it vomits forth an APC.





Sweet!

Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #13 on: June 24, 2011, 05:55:43 AM »
Starting on the ramp because I need to install the hinge tube before I can apply the nose armour. Below is a practical demonstration of how to make ribbed flooring.






Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #14 on: June 24, 2011, 02:22:39 PM »
Part of the fun of scratchbuilding (If you have a penchant for masochism that is.) is inventing ways to replicate in stock styrene the intricacies of injection mould plastic kits etc. There were two ways to approach the manufacture of the object below. One was to attempt to cut the slots in a single piece of sheet plastic and glue it onto a backing. I rejected that straight out because the finished product regardless of the care exercised would be crude and amateurish. The second, the option I chose was to build the corrugations one slat at a time as demonstrated in the previous reply, score the perpendicular channels with a sharp utility knife, widen and deepen the score with a razor saw, and shave out the residue with a chisel bladed Exacto knife. This worked well for the wide center longitudinal reinforcement but how to make the narrow side reinforcements? Start as before with the score and the razor saw to accomplish the primary cut. Then taking your razor saw at a 45° angle carefully widen the score to the required width. If you have jewelers files you can dress the sides of the channels but in this case it was not necessary.

 Now I'll see if I can repeat the process on the other side without screwing the damned thing up.



Then taking your razor saw at a 45° angle carefully widen the score to the required width. If you have jewelers files you can dress the sides of the channels but in this case it was not necessary.

 Pictured below are the only tools necessary to accomplish this exercise . Had I to do this over again I would have angled the side channels slightly out at the bottom to dispel the illusion that they converge.


Offline Sir_Godspeed

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #15 on: June 24, 2011, 05:50:56 PM »
This is pure, undiluted awesome and win. I'll definitely like to see this project come to full fruition. :D

Offline Zilverscale

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #16 on: June 24, 2011, 05:57:52 PM »
Looking absolutely fantastic!!!

I'll be following this closely ;)

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #17 on: June 25, 2011, 03:57:54 PM »

I just discovered this wonderful thread two weeks after it was started.

How embarrassing. :-[

Great work on the TH. I love the interior but don't overdo it. Nobody will come and inspect the inside.

I hope you have more patience and endurance than I had.

 
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Offline Edmund Blackadder

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #18 on: June 25, 2011, 05:18:48 PM »
Considering it took the better part of a week just to make the loading ramp fruition will be a long time coming. In my defense my workload this week was extremely heavy and I could only devote a half hour in the morning to working on the ramp. Each slats had to be secure before the next could be applied or they would move when the spacer was run between them. I also managed to apply the outer skin (1 MM sheet styrene) to the forward hull. I finished up the ramp this morning and taped it into place. Everything is square and true so tomorrow I will start applying the forward armour. This will be the fun part when the model starts to look like something other than a long white shoebox. Right now I am sitting back sipping a well deserved Martini and reflecting on a satisfactory accomplishment.





My patience is holding strong and the worst of the build is behind me now it's just a matter of detail, the part I relish.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2011, 04:00:33 AM by Edmund Blackadder »

Offline jawmonkey

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Re: Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk
« Reply #19 on: June 26, 2011, 01:44:44 AM »
I love the interior but don't overdo it. Nobody will come and inspect the inside.
I disagree, I wish that the model would've been made so that the top came off to show off a detailed interior (since I know Blackie's up to it). Very good job, I enjoy your projects, very inspiring (as its hard to work on the same model for long periods, at least for me).
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