# SPINDRIFT (From a casting of the Hero Miniature) BUILD.



## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

So, As a favor to build one of these for a friend, I asked for a model of this craft for myself.

I do not sell Them.
I do not know who sells them/makes them. I was supplied with the kits...
I do not know how much they cost.

I do know...
It was made from files cast off of the actual "HERO" Miniature seen in the series Land of the Giants.
I love it because it is dead on...warts and all! It has ALL the flaws and subtle mistakes the original has without someone correcting them.
It's hollow and YES I am going to light it. It will also be painted and lit per the filming miniature. This is my personal Spindrift and will be worked on a little at a time between other projects.
It will be like my custom Jupiter 2, as in it will have a practical interior...Like the miniature has/had. IF motivated, I may scratch build an interior...


I am glad I waited for this. I know of a larger kit that gets attention, but the thing is all wrong. I am dull and boring that way.

I have supplied pictures of it next to my Custom Moebius Jupiter 2 and a Flying Sub I am currently working on for a friend.

The last photo shows the cockpit windows/passenger windows cut out...as well as the are under the dome.

The final Photo is an old Lunar Models Spindrift I built years ago, with full lighting and a scratch built interior as well as figures.





[URL=https://imageshack.com/i/pnSPh0sGj][/URL]


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## LGFugate (Sep 11, 2000)




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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Nice Polar Bear! I like the Spindrift, too.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Looks like fun


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

If I could "like" it more than once, I would!

Very cool!


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

I almost had my hands on a 1st generation copy off of the original back in 1996! Paid $2500 for it. Unfortunately, the man who owned it at the said he needed a total of $11,000 from 5 interested persons to make the mold and castings. Apparently, he was not successful and ran into some difficult times. He sold off the Spindrift Hero model and others he had acquired. Tried to go into a business building Lost in Space robots, Jupiter 2s, etc. Failed at that, too. He did surprise me by refunding me $500. Just very sad that he couldn't follow through.

I have a Lunar Models kit, that sits partially built from 30 years ago. I acquired the stage blueprints from Fox of the Spindrift. And drafted, in pencil, reduction copies of the exterior of the set and the interior of the Spindrift. It didn't take much to convert the Lunar Models ship to reflect the stage exterior. Because of that, I was able to fit the interior in, without having to worry about the pocket hatch running into the passenger window, which prevented it opening completely (like the Aurora kit). Have to finish it up..... 

So count me envious that you were able to get a casting of the meter long hero Spindrift!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

A quick update on my Spindrift!

All of the intake areas have been drilled out and removed.
The intake grills are just currently placed inside the housings.
The Fin/Tail has been attached to the hull and the joining bit puttied and sanded smooth. It's getting ready for primer and then base coat.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

So I reserve weekends and some evenings as “me” time. To keep what I am doing fun.
I was able to do a little work on my Spindrift build.

The Spindrift is not just Orange.
I am basing it on the weathered appearance it had sustained.
Like the Seaview,
It’s actually a LOT of colors.
I airbrushed the whole thing with custom mixed paints based on some in depth pictures of the real miniature.
I will be airbrushing the hull more then allow it to fully cure.
Then I will add the two stripes on the hull.

The model is 16.5" in length and after using some different scale figures I have, it seems the 1/48 figure is more in line with the scale.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

The Spindrift build gets more shading/ weathering and the large stripe. The stripe wasn’t perfect on the miniature. I wanted to replicate that.
Yeah, I’m boring like that.
Once cured, the darker stripes will be added.
Two pictures.
One with the red Dome and one with the clear one. Both accurate to the show.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

A little more weathering and all her stripes...


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

So being the obsessive/Accurate type, Last night I stripped the entire forward hull because i didn't feel the striping was accurate to the filming miniature. It's actually kind of wonky(which I appreciate), and sloppy in some areas, So i wanted to replicate that.
I am now happy with the basic paint job. Ill revisit when I have some "me" time and weather it accordingly(I don't like the new glossy car look).
Also down the line, I need to add the lighting.
The model was completely airbrushed MIXED PAINT TO MATCH THE FILMING MINIATURE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Excellent! Looks like you got the colors dead on. I like your "wonky" striping.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

I want to keep in the spirit of the filming miniature so a "practical" cockpit will be visiable through the main view port. I deviated a little in that the filming miniatures glass was frosted and not clear...I used some parts and scratch built a flight console and cut my own "glass" from clear sheet found at my local Hobby Shop.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

A little homemade SPFX with my Spindrift!!


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## Pygar (Feb 26, 2000)

I thought "spindrift" 3D Models to Print - yeggi might interest some...


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Nice job on the Spindrift and the movies!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Yet another of your models that is far superior to the original . That cockpit looks just right. Jives with the live action set.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Many thanks! I sincerely appreciate it!!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Thanks to Jim Botaitis at JBOT, My Spindrift has her decals now!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

I started mapping out a diorama of the build...


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Some DIORAMA pictures of the Model.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Although I wanted to retain the look of the filming miniature's practical interior(It didn't have one... just a crude figure in the main viewport seen in the episode "Manhunt"), I wanted something a little more detailed.

I used some old Lunar Models Spindrift parts to present an Irwin Allen interior.
The parts do not fit and are inaccurate, however with some surgery and some scratch building, an acceptable faux interior is accomplished.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Nice work on the interior and much better than what the original prop had.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

AND...The finished Diorama.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

AND a brief video clip....


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

I stopped by today to see my friends at AAA Hobbies and show them my Spindrift build...And forgot to pick up some supplies!!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Having a wee bit of fun with my 16.5" Land of the Giants SPINDRIFT build.
I created a shot I wished we would have seen in the series.
Enjoy!
And Thanks!!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Wow! Amazing shot!


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

We never got to see the Spindrift flying from the front. Just the side, in space, and the rear, when it crashed in the first episode. I know the rear shot showed the rockets firing as she crashed. There was a spinning drum with contact brushes on it, built into the model, that would light up the individual rocket tubes in a fluttering pattern. I wonder if the front vents would have fluttered too? For some reason, in my mind the front vents ramping up and down in brightness is associated with recharging the power supply. Although, why it changed color from red to blue depending on whether it was day or night.... I do like the flashing on/off of the vents, as that was true for how the giants saw it. Neat seeing the flashing vents in flight!

If I may, the radar ball and pole were black on the set (I think, I used to know this!). Yet, they were silver on the hero model. Which the giants got to carry around from time to time, allowing us to see the much long pole extending from the model, itself. I often wonder why the model and set weren't outfitted with the twin landing lights shown in the blueprints?

This is ... really! ... nicely done!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

charonjr said:


> We never got to see the Spindrift flying from the front. Just the side, in space, and the rear, when it crashed in the first episode. I know the rear shot showed the rockets firing as she crashed. There was a spinning drum with contact brushes on it, built into the model, that would light up the individual rocket tubes in a fluttering pattern. I wonder if the front vents would have fluttered too? For some reason, in my mind the front vents ramping up and down in brightness is associated with recharging the power supply. Although, why it changed color from red to blue depending on whether it was day or night.... I do like the flashing on/off of the vents, as that was true for how the giants saw it. Neat seeing the flashing vents in flight!
> 
> If I may, the radar ball and pole were black on the set (I think, I used to know this!). Yet, they were silver on the hero model. Which the giants got to carry around from time to time, allowing us to see the much long pole extending from the model, itself. I often wonder why the model and set weren't outfitted with the twin landing lights shown in the blueprints?
> 
> This is ... really! ... nicely done!


Many Thanks!!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)




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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Another beauty pic of my Spindrift build...


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