# My 1st Eagle build...AMT Eagle/scratch build



## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

I started this Eagle build last April. I'm attempting to use as much of the AMT kit as possible that I'm modifying as well as scratch building the rest.

Since the shoulder pods in the AMT kit loosely resemble Eagle 2 studio model's details I'm removing the details and adding the details of the Eagle 1
studio model.

Here's how I made the cages using a jig and styrene rods. The shoulder pods were re-sized as well.

I'm using Daniel Prud' Homme's Eagle 1 blueprints as well as a WARP Eagle kit as reference for this build. I'll add a few more posts with additional pictures since a good portion of this project is now complete.

Mike.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Here is the scratch built rear framework and the finished spine as well as the walkways that go inside he cages. I scratch built the details from the blueprints that match how Eagle 1 originally looked when the show started.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

The Command Module(CM) or beak as it's also known is a resin part from Small Art Works. It's very accurate to the studio model except the rear portion sticks out too much. I cut off about 6 mm and started re-shaping the rear.

Below are also some pictures of the cages coming together and a mock up with the spine, cages and CM in place and a picture with the modified AMT tanks in the rear frame work.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

These pictures show the rear engine area coming together. I copied the piping from the blueprints in the rear engine area.

I also included pictures of the shelves that go inside the cages. I copied the details from the blueprints as well.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

These pictures show the mounting tabs inside the shoulder pods and a mock up with the shoulder pods, spine,cages and CM in place.

I installed a magnet inside the rear of the CM so it can be removable. Since the CM is removable I thought it would be cool to be able to use either the resin CM or the one provided with the kit so I modified the AMT's CM a bit. I added a 1 mm piece of styrene between the 2 halves to give it a better shape and some styrene on the sides to make it wider. The back was cut off the front halves and a new rear piece was made with 2 pieces of 1.5 mm styrene glued together and shaped. A 10 mm x 4 mm magnet was installed inside.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

For this build I'm making the landing gear retractable. 

4 mm styrene tube, 1 mm styrene sheet and 3/32" aluminum tube is used. I had some spare WARP white metal parts I added as well. Each landing gear will be made as a self contained unit that will be attached after the painting is complete.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Here are some pictures of the shoulder pods with the scratch built Eagle 1 details. I also installed small nuts, with epoxy, on the bottom of the front cage to allow the Aluminum V-Tols(thrusters) to be attached using screws. 

This is the last post of the evening. This is where I'm up to so far with this build. I'll post more updates soon.

Mike.


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## robn1 (Nov 17, 2012)

Truly awesome! I love the idea to make the frames in styrene.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Amazing!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

All I can say is WOW!

Great job. 

Please keep posting on your progress.


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## JPhil123 (Jan 1, 1970)

mach7 said:


> All I can say is WOW!
> 
> Great job.
> 
> Please keep posting on your progress.


Hello,

This looks terrific!

While I would like to see a more accurate Eagle be tooled and created, looking at how great the modifications like these look leads me to think that if a new kit from Round2 is unlikely, maybe they could tool accurate cages and landing gear parts and offer them in a "Space: 1999 Eagle" add-on kit (at a scale matching the Eagle model). The Eagle is a good kit overall, but modification pieces might be very popular for builders who want more accuracy and might stimulate further sales on the R2 standard or deluxe Eagles. I'm not sure if this was ever suggested before, but if someone did suggest something already, just count this post as being in agreement with the idea.

What I would like to see is an Accurate "Space: 1999 Hawk" in scale with the Eagle kits.

Regards,
Jim


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

Fantastic work on this, inspires me to dig up one of my old kits and get to work. May I post a link to this build on the Space:1999 Eagle Transporter forum?


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the compliments! I'll have some more progress pictures posted in a few days.




BWolfe said:


> Fantastic work on this, inspires me to dig up one of my old kits and get to work. May I post a link to this build on the Space:1999 Eagle Transporter forum?


I already have a build thread on the Space:1999 Eagle Transporter forums. The 2 forums that I know of. Thanks though for offering to do that. 

Mike.


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

JPhil123 said:


> What I would like to see is an Accurate "Space: 1999 Hawk" in scale with the Eagle kits.
> 
> Regards,
> Jim


While it is not in scale with the Eagle kit, a former poster had a great scratchbuild thread on a 1:35 scale Hawk using the AMT Man In Space rocket set as the basis of the majority of the ship. 

I don't want to hijack crowe-t's thread, so if you want to comment on or discuss that build, do so on that build thread. If there are any questions about the build, I will be glad to get answers and post them there since I know the builder personally.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=371228&highlight=Space:1999+Hawk


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## Xenodyssey (Aug 27, 2008)

I like those working landing gears!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Xenodyssey said:


> I like those working landing gears!


Thanks! 

I didn't use a spring in the landing gear since in this scale it really doesn't need it.

Since I'm using both the resin CM and the styrene CM they have different weights which would cause a problem with springs. I made the landing gear tight so I can position it either up or down and it works nice and smooth.


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## 67657 (Mar 4, 2010)

Some really nice work there! Awesome!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Wow! Very impressive work--as usual! :thumbsup:


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## arvison (Mar 14, 2002)

This build is incredible. I am in awe of your skills. I can't wait to see the finished kit!


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## Maritain (Jan 16, 2008)

Wow that is some really nice craftsmanship!


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Nice work. I've been doing the same thing to mine (sans the spring loaded landing gear and aluminum bells) so I can add a VIP eagle to my collection. This kit is such a poor example of the subject that it is almost criminal. 
You have done some amazing detail work but for mine I just want the dimensions correct.
You should cast those pods at the very least so the rest of us have a fighting chance! LOL!


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Very encouraging and inspiring!


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## wander1107 (Aug 12, 2006)

I'm in awe of your skills and creativity!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks everyone!

Time for an update! I started working on the Passenger Pod. I made bulk heads for the front and rear using 1 mm and .5 mm styrene sheet layered. I cut apart the kit parts and changed the angles a bit.

The shelves are now installed inside the cages.

I started making the brackets for the rear of the 2 Command Modules. 

Mike.


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## Maritain (Jan 16, 2008)

As the Brits would say "that's a right proper Eagle you got there!"


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

Looking good!. As the Eagle is in scale to the figures from the Moonbase Alpha kit, I'm looking to do a diorama with an Eagle landed on a planet and a team of Alphans doing an exploratory mission


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks guys!

I attached the spine. I also put the shoulder pods on and the landing gear for some quick pictures to see how it all looks. There are pictures with both the SAW Resin CM and the AMT kit's CM. I still have to make the brackets that hold the spine on the cages. 

Thanks for looking!

Mike.


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

Holy Mackerconi!!!

That modelwork is something Martin Bower and Brian Johnson would be
really proud of.


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## Alien (Sep 5, 2001)

Very impressive. It is the first time I have seen the MPC kit look REALLY like an Eagle.
You appear to have done so many changes that you probably did not need the original kit

Fantastic :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Alien


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## electric indigo (Dec 21, 2011)

How accurate is the SAW CM? It looks a tad too large in the last pic.

Awesome skills, btw. I still hope that we get a mass produced Eagle kit that does this iconic design justice one day.


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## Maritain (Jan 16, 2008)

Wow does that look sharp. IMHO I really think you should get some of the aluminum engine bells if you haven't considered it already. Your Eagle deserves it!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks guys!

electric indigo - The SAW CM is pretty accurate, much better then the kit provided part. On page 1 of this thread I mentioned I had removed 6 mm from the rear. Its possibly a hair too large however in person it looks right. Maybe the different color of the resin is making it appear larger. 

Maritain - I am using Aluminum engine bells and V-Tols(thrusters) for this build. I attached a picture I previously posted showing the V-Tols on the bottom.

Small update! I installed the brackets that attach the spine to the cages. 

Thanks for looking!

Mike.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

electric indigo said:


> How accurate is the SAW CM? It looks a tad too large in the last pic.





crowe-t said:


> ...electric indigo - The SAW CM is pretty accurate, much better then the kit provided part. On page 1 of this thread I mentioned I had removed 6 mm from the rear. Its possibly a hair too large however in person it looks right. Maybe the different color of the resin is making it appear larger...


I think the problem is that the Small Art Works replacement CM is designed to be used with the kit's original cages and spine, which are too wide when compared to one of the filming models. Now that Mike/Crowe-T has rebuilt the cages and spine to proportions that are more accurate, the replacement CM appears oversized and the original kit CM is more accurately sized.

This is interesting to me because I've always thought the kit's CM was too small; turns out it's the _rest_ of the kit that's wrong. :lol:

By the way Mike, stellar work as usual! When I saw you were tackling this project I knew it would become something special. :thumbsup:


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## Maritain (Jan 16, 2008)

Good to see the VTOLS on there. Can't wait to see it painted. Good luck with the rest.


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## Nocoolname (Jul 2, 2013)

Zombie_61 said:


> I think the problem is that the Small Art Works replacement CM is designed to be used with the kit's original cages and spine, which are too wide when compared to one of the filming models. Now that Mike/Crowe-T has rebuilt the cages and spine to proportions that are more accurate, the replacement CM appears oversized and the original kit CM is more accurately sized.
> 
> This is interesting to me because I've always thought the kit's CM was too small; turns out it's the _rest_ of the kit that's wrong. :lol:
> 
> By the way Mike, stellar work as usual! When I saw you were tackling this project I knew it would become something special. :thumbsup:


This is a great build up of the AMT kit. I had a real nightmare getting my modded kit and scratch-built parts to fit with the CM and other parts in terms of proportions which is why I went back to the drawing board when doing my 3D components. Great to see yours is working out Mike. Keep it going!!!


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## nostromorolls (Apr 7, 2015)

I bow in sincere Respect to a master builder....

WOW !!!

is not a big enough word!


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## Warspite (Aug 3, 2013)

*Corrected spine*

Absolutely lovely job you've done so far, the landing pads are totally wicked. Well done.

Is there any chance you'd be resin casting your corrected Eagle spine? Please consider it.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks a bunch guys for all the kind words! 

Warspite - I won't be resin casting the spine. I don't have any experience with molding and casting, and a resin spine would be too fragile and would break easily. Besides I already glued it all together.  

Mike.


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## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Crowe-T... fantastic work! I've been following along since you posted on The RPF, as you know... These are the kinds of modifications I was expecting to make to my 12" Eagle, when I eventually get around to it! Truly enjoying watching this come together with *ALL* the detail, great job dude!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks a bunch whiskeyrat! 

I'm now working on finishing the passenger pod and I'll post some pictures soon.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

crowe-t said:


> I'm now working on finishing the passenger pod and I'll post some pictures soon.


Passenger pod? Is that the one that looks like this?


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Zombie_61 said:


> Passenger pod? Is that the one that looks like this?


Al, you're a funny guy! 

I'll probably leave the checker pattern off. :lol:

Mike.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

crowe-t said:


> I'll probably leave the checker pattern off. :lol:


Okay, but it won't be screen accurate.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Here's a test fit of the passenger pod. It still needs some work and the details need to be added.

Mike.


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## Maritain (Jan 16, 2008)

Fantastic!!!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Maritain said:


> Fantastic!!!


Thanks!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Here's a small update!

I installed the magnets in the spine to hold the Passenger Pod in place. I glued 5 mm magnets inside styrene tubes on top of the brackets and capped them off with a piece of .5 mm styrene. 

I filled the 6 windows on both of the Passenger Pod eaves in with 1 mm styrene. I'll make these windows with black decal film after it's painted. This will look more like the windows on the studio model which were flush. I also started gluing in pieces of Evergreen (.025" spacing, .020" thick) V-Groove sheet in the side panels of the Passenger Pod.

Mike.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

I got some more work done on the Passenger Pod. The details on the front and rear bulk heads are done and as well as the details on the bottom. 

The glue on the bottom details is still curing so tomorrow I'll finish refining them.

Thanks for looking! 

Mike.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Here is a small update! 

I made the sensor dishes on the AMT kit's Command Module. I put putty in the sensor dish openings and used my finger(s) to shape them. 

For the sensor dishes on the sides I glued on 7.9 mm styrene tubes and put putty inside which was shaped with my fingers. I then glued pieces of the 7.9 mm styrene tubing on top to make the recesses.

The 7.9 mm styrene tubes have an approximate 6 mm inside diameter.

2 mm styrene rod was glued in the centers of the sensor dishes with CA glue.

Mike.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Hi all! Here's another update. 

I wasn't satisfied with the eves on the passenger pod so I scratch built new ones. I feel they look more accurate now.

I scratch built the 'Gemini' parts in the middle section of the eves using some Evergreen Metal Siding, 1 mm thick, .75 mm spacing. The center 'Gemini' part is made from a piece of 1 mm styrene on top, and the AMT kit's bottom 'ribbed' part. 

I had a spare MPC/AMT passenger pod bottom plate so I decided to scratch build a cargo pod. The floor of the cargo pod is also made with the Evergreen Metal Siding, 1 mm thick, .75 mm spacing. 

The Nuclear Waste Canisters are made with multiple pieces of sheet styrene(.5 mm, .3 mm) laminated together around a .5 mm top and bottom. I used 11 mm, 7.9 mm and 4 mm styrene tubes to make the top rings and some strip styrene for the raised bands around the outsides.

I'm still in the process of making the cargo pod's landing gear so they aren't finished yet.

I'll have another update soon.

Thanks for looking in!

Mike.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

I made the baffles that go inside the 4 main engines. 

The attached pictures show the aluminum main engines attached and the baffles placed inside. I also attached pictures showing both the passenger pod and cargo pod as well as both the resin and AMT CM in place.

Thanks for looking in!

Mike.


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## Warspite (Aug 3, 2013)

*Damned fine work sir*

Mike,

You are doing some damned fine work on your Eagle. Very nice job on the baffles, how did you do them if I may ask? Love the work you have done on the pods. :thumbsup:

Best regards,
Don


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks Don!

I used a circle template I got from Staples and drew a 14.287 mm circle on .5 mm styrene. I then drilled a 4 mm hole in the center and 3.5 mm holes around the perimeter. 5.5 mm styrene rod and 4.8 mm rod was used to make the raised details. After this was all glued I cut them out. 7.9 mm styrene rod is glued on the back for mounting inside the engine bells.

Mike.


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## Warspite (Aug 3, 2013)

*Thanks !!*

Mike,

Sounds easy enough :freak:  Going to have to find a better drill press mount for my Dremel before I try this. thanks again for sharing.

Don


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Don,

I drilled the holes by hand using a pin vice. The drill bits tend to want to rip through the plastic since it's only .5 mm thick but that's easily cleaned up with a round file.

Mike.


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## robn1 (Nov 17, 2012)

Damn that's some awesome work.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Now that I see it mocked up, I think the resin CM is a closer match to the filming models, but they both look _really_ good. :thumbsup:


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks robn1!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Zombie_61 said:


> Now that I see it mocked up, I think the resin CM is a closer match to the filming models, but they both look _really_ good. :thumbsup:


Al, In person the resin CM does look a lot closer to the filming model. Since I'm using the magnets to make the CM removable I figured I'd also build up the kit's CM. With the kit's CM it will have more of the AMT kit's parts but the resin CM is more accurate.

Mike.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Small update!

I installed the 3 thin conduits that run inside the spine, on the left side, using .75 mm styrene rods.

Thanks for looking in,

Mike.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Great job! :thumbsup:


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks SteveR!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

The cargo pod landing gear is finished. I placed it on for these pictures.

Thanks for looking in! 

Mike.


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## Bugfood (Jan 9, 2010)

Just excellent!

*BF*


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks for the compliment Bugfood!


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

All I have to say is OMG!!!!!


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## bigdaddydaveh (Jul 20, 2007)

un freaking real guy! That is amazing.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks so much for the compliments robiwon and bigdaddydaveh!


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

I've been slowly getting this all ready for paint. 

All the parts are now in primer. 

I tested making the hull color. The automotive color, Ford Diamond White (FDW), is a dead on match to the white color used on the original 44" Eagle 1 studio model. A lot of Eagle builders use FDW. Since I'll be painting this with Testors Acryl paints I tested making an appropriate off-white color.

I added some Yellow Zinc Chromate to Flat White and it's nearly a perfect match to a sample of actual FDW I have. In the bottom picture the large tube object in the lower right is painted with Ford Diamond White. It's actually a part of a 44" Eagle passenger pod a friend sent me. To the left is a sample color chip I made and I also sprayed a small amount on the floor of the cargo pod. In person it looks creamy off-white, with just a very slight hint of green, just as FDW looks. I think I got it very close. 

As soon as the heat and humidity clears up a bit I'll start painting. 

Thanks for looking in! 

Mike.


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