# TOS Shuttlecraft scratch-build...



## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

Okay guys, I'm going to be asking for advice and help here. I've mentioned in other threads that I've grown tired of waiting for some company to tool up and offer a decently accurate and decently sized TOS shuttlecraft kit. And so I'm going to try building one myself, from scratch, based on my own drawings that many have you have seen me working on.

I would love to do a 1/12 scale model that would end up being just under 26-1/2" long, but then I don't know where I would display the damned thing. So I'm going with a 1/24 scale which will give me a model just under 13-1/4" in length.

For starters I'm just doing the exterior, it will be in flying mode with the front landing pads retracted, the aft impulse engine exhausts lighted and it will be mounted on a stand the suggest flying over a planetary surface. I'm thinking of using balsa wood and I've already been pondering my best approach and asking questions on how to do certain things. I've even begun pricing my materials and it's only going to cost me about $40 CAN in materials to get started. I'm sure I'll have to get the decals custom made for me.

And so, fellas, I'm open to all advice and suggestions on how to proceed and how to best do certain things. I'm going to start by drawing up patterns on the various parts and then offering them up for discussion on how best to accomplish what I'm aiming for. And some of these parts look like they could be tricky so I'll be open to all advice I can get. When you really look at the TOS shuttlecraft you quickly appreciate that it's not just a simple box shape and there are a lot of little details to it.

I will also be asking for ideas on how or where to obtain certain materials to fashion some of the parts I need. In particular the ones I'm thinking of right off are the corrugated collars to make the nacelle aft engine cowlings. I will also need suggestions in regard to lighting: should I use white LEDs for the impulse engines or isn't there such a thing as fiber-optic sheets?

I'm tasking myself to be patient, careful and meticulous about this because I want to do it right. I'm hoping you folks around here can help me because I've never done anything quite like this before. That said I've long admired the work I've seen others do, the fantastic things they've wrought by their own hand and resourcefulness.

And, yes, I'll be sharing pictures as I progress.

The starting point:









Oh, by the way, I've chosen to do the shuttlecraft _Copernicus_ *NCC-1701'3* instead of the _Galileo._


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## Shaw (Jan 9, 2005)

Actually, if you are looking for some great techniques, you can find a bunch in this thread...
Studio Half Scale TOS Enterprise Scratch build​It is pretty amazing in that he essentially uses a different technique for each major area of the build. His blog is easier to follow (as you don't have to read through other people's posts. Here are some starting points there...Primary Hull
Secondary Hull
Nacelles​


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Warped9 said:


> I would love to do a 1/12 scale model that would end up being just under 26-1/2" long, but then I don't know where I would display the damned thing.


I've got plenty of room!:wave:
-Jim


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## KUROK (Feb 2, 2004)

Have you had a look at Randy Cooper's big model?


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

KUROK said:


> Have you had a look at Randy Cooper's big model?


I've seen the one he's offering and I see things there that don't look right to me.

Another thing I want to do is add a touch of weathering to the final model as well as hope I can paint it in such a way that it looks like it could be made of metal or alloy rather than plastic looking.


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## Shaw (Jan 9, 2005)

KUROK said:


> Have you had a look at Randy Cooper's big model?


That is a great model! :thumbsup:

But I think I would encourage *Warped9* to follow through with his plans to scratch build this one. I can say, from some personal experience, that there is nothing quite so rewarding as taking one's vision of a subject from mind to page and then from page to form. To see one's own mental image of a subject come to life by one's own hand is unlike anything else. Even if it isn't 100% perfect, it is 100% from the artist.

Even today, I look at my first attempt at replicating the 33 inch Enterprise (even with it's many flaws) with a sense of affection because so much of it was of my own creation.

Something to keep in mind, I've often looked at *Warped9*'s plans and wanted to undertake the build... but no matter how good I could build the model, it could never be as special as one made by *Warped9* by his own hands from his own plans.

This is something that I'm really looking forward to seeing him do.


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## starseeker (Feb 1, 2006)

It's been at least a year since I've looked at this project. I think the most difficult thing about scratch building a shuttle is trying to figure out a scale. I've gone for a 1/24 interior with an exterior that fits. Overall it will be just a shade over 13" long, or a scale 24' body, if you don't include its vertical side tail fins. I figure interior space must have been what Kirk was talking about. 
It's a pretty basic scratch-build, possibly even an excellent first choice. The whole thing can be cobbled together out of off the shelf parts - a couple square feet of 040 sheet styrene, a couple Plastruct hemispheres, maybe some simple vac forming if you're really feeling adventurous. I went with a double hull. The inside hull is the interior, of course, and then there is a space for sliding doors and window covers, and then the outer hull. Electronics access from the bottom back. 
And of course you can finish (or re-finish) styrene to look like whatever material you want it to look like. 
Now I want to get going on this again. Sigh. Maybe this fall...


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

I decided on balsa because from what I can understand it's relatively easy to work with and to shape the way you want.

I've also been thinking about how to tackle this. The initial idea was to build a frame and then add the side hulls and upper and lower hulls. But I've been thinking of taking the stabilizers and the rim around the outside (or at least the sides and front and making that all as one piece. Then I could make a basic block for the upper hull and one for the lower hull shaped as I need them. Then sheet balsa for the upper side hulls could be added with their characteristic inward curvature at the top as well as the lower side hulls. I'd also use sheet balsa for the angled forward hull and the aft hull plates under the impulse engines. The nacelle supports would also be sheet balsa and the nacelles could be wood dowel rods or plastic tubing.

There are a lot of details that will be painstaking to make: The corrugated nacelle aft cowls, the aft landing assembly and the various grille like detail on the nacelles as well as the fore and aft hulls. Some of the access panels as well as the main hatch can be scribed on, also the forward landing pads and detail on the inboard side of the nacelles. I also have to figure out how to make those three rings at the forward end of the nacelles as well as find just the right sized forward nacelle domes as well as the right sized aft nacelle spheres. Although the three panels on the forward hull are not windows on my design I do want them recessed (rather than just scribed) ever so slightly for more surface texture.

The marking decals will likely have to be custom made particularly since I'm using a different name and registry. Colour wise I'm thinking of a _very_ light grey for the upper hull, stabilizers and support pylons with a slightly darker tone of the same grey underneath and then darker grey for the nacelles. Finally when all is said and done I'd like to add a touch of weathering to suggest usage and repeated atmospheric re-entries. 

The first thing I'm thinking of making is the stabilizer assembly as one piece rather than thinking of them as wings attacking to a fuselage. If this works then it should be more sturdy than trying to build the main hull as one piece then trying to affix the stabilizers to it. I'll draw it up this weekend, but perhaps I can sketch out the idea this evening and post a sketch.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Warped9 said:


> I've also been thinking about how to tackle this. .


*PLEASE* don't forget to post pictures!:thumbsup:
Thank you,
-Jim


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

^^ I will.

I looked again at the Randy Cooper model. Yes, it is nice, but I can also see where it diverges...perhaps for the sake of simplicity or perhaps because it looks like he was trying to recreate the small filming miniature whereas I'm trying to recreate details as they were down on the fullsize mockup. For me, although it's undersize, the exterior mockup is closest to the "real" shuttlecraft, and that was the point of my drawings and hence my scratchbuild as well.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

One project at time, but it should be noted that if my TOS design works out then I may be encouraged to tackle another build of an original design: a "real" version of a TAS shuttlecraft design.


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## Shaw (Jan 9, 2005)

Another interesting source for techniques is Thomas Sasser's modifications of the original Galileo model kit (here). Honestly, by the time he was done he could have just as easily started from scratch (as so little was actually retained from the original kit). In fact, it was looking at the things he did that makes me believe that the original kit isn't even a reasonable starting point for building a good shuttlecraft model.


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## jbond (Aug 29, 2002)

I still have to add the markings and fix a few things but here's my buildup of the Randy Cooper shuttlecraft:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazymodeler/sets/72157625889653813/


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## Gemini1999 (Sep 25, 2008)

Warped9 said:


> One project at time, but it should be noted that if my TOS design works out then I may be encouraged to tackle another build of an original design: a "real" version of a TAS shuttlecraft design.


Isn't that the shuttle design from "The Slaver Weapon"?

Bryan


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

^^ (-: Well it's supposed to be more of a "real world" version of it, something that could actually fit inside the TOS _E's_ hangar area.


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## Scotty K (Mar 21, 2011)

Shaw said:


> Another interesting source for techniques is Thomas Sasser's modifications of the original Galileo model kit (here). Honestly, by the time he was done he could have just as easily started from scratch (as so little was actually retained from the original kit). In fact, it was looking at the things he did that makes me believe that the original kit isn't even a reasonable starting point for building a good shuttlecraft model.


Thanks for sharing that Thomas Sasser build, Shaw. I've always admired his work, and this now gives me some ideas for my own shuttle.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

One of the things I like about the *Randy Cooper* model is that it's got some width. Often I've found a lot of these shuttlecraft builds looking too narrow.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

I've been giving this a lot of thought and I'm a little challenged trying to imagine how I can make the stabilizer midsection all of one piece _as a solid piece._ We're talking about something that has a gentle taper from stern to bow. I think it would be best for me to build it somewhat like a wing with a support structure inside. And note that not only does it taper from stern to bow but the winglike stabilizers taper from where they meet the hull out to their outboard edge.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I would think that a solid piece would be stronger even though it might be harder to fashion. But maybe I'm wrong?


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

Here's some detailing I need that's already got me thinking. Any suggestions welcome.


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## Gemini1999 (Sep 25, 2008)

Warped9 said:


> ^^ (-: Well it's supposed to be more of a "real world" version of it, something that could actually fit inside the TOS _E's_ hangar area.


You're right, I remember the shuttle seeming to be a bit roomy in that episode. Almost on the scale of a runabout. I found a pic online of the original TAS shuttle - yours looks much better:










Yeesh....

Bryan


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## BolianAdmiral (Feb 24, 2009)

^

Yeah, *Warped9's* looks WAY better, lol.


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## breid (May 8, 2008)

Warp9 try Plastruct Inc for plastic spheres and tubes. They even have ribbed styrene sheets that may work for your cowls. I wouldn't recommend using balsa wood on a model as big as you are talking about, I would use sheet styrene instead. It can be worked with just about the same tools as balsa sheets but will yield better results in the long run I think. Balsa blocks could be used for some parts since it's easily worked but for the hull I'd go with plastic. Just a thought.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

It's a good thing I haven't started yet because I've been thinking about the scale and looking at some of the small parts I'll have to fashion.

Ideally I'd love to build it at 1/12 scale, but it will be just too big for me to properly display anywhere in my home. I've been thinking seriously about scaling up, though, and it strikes me I could go up one size. I know 1/16 is unusual, but by being a bit larger it should be easier to build and yet not so big that I can still store and display it. 1/16 would be one and a half times the size I initially planned.

Sizes:
_1/24 = 13.2135"_ (current)
*1/16 = 19.82025"* (proposed)
1/12 = 26.427"


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## BolianAdmiral (Feb 24, 2009)

A good idea, depending on how "smooth" a hull finish you want, might be to construct the base frame/hull in balsa wood, and then put a layer of sheet styrene atop that, that way your "outer hull" is perfectly smooth, and wouldn't show any woody texture, and you'd have the added plus of being able to use straight-up model paint on the hull, without worrying about any special kind of prep work for the wood. And your decals would adhere better.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

I've definitely decided on the 1/16 scale because it will be easier to make the parts and assemble everything together. It will also make for a more appealing display as the model will be more prominent.


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## machgo (Feb 10, 2010)

Is this going to be a one-off, or are you making a master, molds, casts, etc.? Sorry if I missed it earlier.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

machgo said:


> Is this going to be a one-off, or are you making a master, molds, casts, etc.? Sorry if I missed it earlier.


This will be a one-off model. I will document as I go along so if anyone is interested in trying to follow or even improve on what I'm doing then they'll be free to do so.

Looking around it seems I can get corrugated sheet plastic for my nacelle cowls as well as the right sized caps for the nacelle domes as well as spheres for inside the aft cowls. Presently I'm trying to decide the best way to make the nacelles. Making them hollow would save weight although Im not averse to having them solid since they won't be lighted, just as the nacelles were not lighted on either the fullsize mockup or the small filming miniature. The nacelles are 1-3/8" in diameter.

So the choice is:
- solid rod either wood or plastic
- hollow tube either wood or plastic


My concern with sheet styrene is being able to shape it. I need that characteristic curve inward at the top of the hull. But on some parts of the model, notably the roof and the belly have to curve in two directions. At this point I don't yet know how to do that in plastic.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

Someone just passed on to me what I think is a good suggestion: a preliminary mockup done 1:1 done in either cardboard or foamcore or some other material. It also reminded me that way back in the early to mid '70s I had made a cardboard model of the shuttlecraft and although a lot simpler it also was pretty good. I think this is a good idea that I will follow through on.


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## machgo (Feb 10, 2010)

If you pursue that route, you might also try insulation foam. Relatively cheap for a relatively massive quantity, it can be cut cleanly with a sharp knife or hot wire. It can even be cut fairly neatly with regular power saws--I know, I had Home Depot cut a bunch for me on their large rip saw. It will give you bulk and fill out the size quickly. This can be clad in styrene as suggested above. Epoxy clays or bondo can do your complex curves. Just a thought. I'm looking forward to updates on your project!


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## starseeker (Feb 1, 2006)

Be very easy to do the nacelles in balsa (bulkheads and a very thick skin, much the same way they made the 12' Enterprise), and sand it to a taper, then skin it with 020 styrene. In fact, all of the curved surfaces could be made out of balsa (or even better basswood) and skinned with 020, if you don't feel comfortable thermoforming or vac forming. 010 is too thin to skin with (handles most glues badly) and 040 would be too stiff. I can't remember having to create any compound curves and I don't believe there are any. Which was the very reason the Galileo was built the way it was. The nose shapes are surprisingly complex and would benefit from paper or cardboard templates before wasting a lot pf plastic. The rest of the thing is really straightforward and if you're going to be cutting the sides, back, etc, once, it might as well be out of styrene or wood the first time around.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

There is no taper to the shuttlecraft nacelles. And actually there are a couple of compound curves on the shuttlecraft, notably the roof and underbelly---they're subtle but they're there. Remember I'm not just trying to recreate the fullsize mockup, which was a production compromise with shortcuts. I'm trying to recreate the "real" shuttlecraft I drew plans for based off the construction plans for the mockup. There are differences between the two.

I don't see any major problems working with balsa. I may also get a bit of help in having someone lathe the main part of the nacelles for me and incorporating those ringed collars near the forward part of each nacelle.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

What you see here is a longitudinal cross section of the Class F shuttlecraft that allows for a clearer understanding of the shape of the vehicle between the outside hulls. If you refer to this in conjunction with the elevation and plan views I posted at the beginning of this thread you can see that there are indeed compound curves on the design, particularly on the roof, the fore section of the underside and a bit of the aft section underside.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

Picked up some foamcore today and should start cutting pieces soon.



BolianAdmiral said:


> A good idea, depending on how "smooth" a hull finish you want, might be to construct the base frame/hull in balsa wood, and then put a layer of sheet styrene atop that, that way your "outer hull" is perfectly smooth, and wouldn't show any woody texture, and you'd have the added plus of being able to use straight-up model paint on the hull, without worrying about any special kind of prep work for the wood. And your decals would adhere better.


This is a thought I've been pondering because of your suggestion. I'm seriously considering going this route. To give myself some idea of how this might work I'm using foamcore and bristol board for my practice run.


Now I need some advice for down the road. How can one make a sound chip? You know some of those greeting cards that play music when you open them or toys that make sounds when you press a button. Well I know those are chips (I believe), but is it hard to make one? I have the sound effects and such of what I want as audio files on my computer and I want to know how to make my own sound chip to put into the model so when I press a button on the display stand it will play the sound effect.

The three separate audio tracks are 1:20, 1:16 and 1:15 seconds each in duration.

Anyone?


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Do you think this may work?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102855
-Jim


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

^^ Thanks. It's a start, but I need something that can play a longer file. Either three chips that can play up to a minute and a half or a chip that can play for three to four minutes.


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## galaxy_jason (May 19, 2009)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-1GB-iPod-Shuffle-/270731000000?pt=Other_MP3_Players&hash=item3f08d338c0


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

^^ Hmm... That's an interesting thought.

I printed the first pattern today: the stabilizer and rim all as one piece. Hopefully I'll cut some foamcore today before the hockey comes on. Montreal/Toronto and last game of the season---I gotta watch that.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

And we're off...


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

1/16 of an inch seems like a big thing on a model of this size (and of this scale), but it's awfully small when trying to cut something that small out of something like foamcoare or bristol board.

If you really look at the side view of the stabilizer and rim you can see that it tapers from the aft end and going forward. And it's a very gentle taper over a length of about 18in. At its thickest at the aft end the stabilizer is about 3/8in. and at the forward edge it's only about 1/8in. So while the centre piece photographed above is about 1/8in. all over that means I have to get a gentle slant above and below it of only 1/8in. each respectively. I've already got a solution for when I make the final model out of sturdier material, but it's more challenging with softer and more flimsy material.

The stabilizer also tapers from the side of the hull and outward to the stabilizer edges. You can see it in the front on view which is the bottom image. Fun times...










The real challenge is that with this practice run bristol board is standing in for either sheet balsa or sheet styrene, either of which has sufficient rigidity to help get that taper just by being supported in a number of spots spaced over the length of the centre piece. But bristol board doesn't have that kind of rigidity so I was trying to cut a 18in. long triangle only 1/8in. at one end---not so good. It occurs to me that since this is just a practice run I can still resort to spaced supports using thicknesses of bristol board to get what I want. Or I don't actually have to have my long triangle end in a point. The last couple of inches or so could go unsupported.

Of course another approach would have been not to do the stabilizer as I'm doing now but rather building it like an airplane wing with an internal framework. I just thought that would have been more work and perhaps even more difficult.

The other thing I'm pondering for down the road is a display pedestal. I've looked around on line and gotten some ideas, but I didn't really see anything that appealed to me. Actually most of them were for model aircraft and they all looked much the same. It wouldn't surprise me if I have to make the display pedestal from scratch as well. Ideally I would have liked something made of clear acrylic so the stand isn't so noticeable, but I could settle for something else.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Warped9 said:


> Ideally I would have liked something made of clear acrylic so the stand isn't so noticeable, but I could settle for something else.


How'z this?
http://www.coloredplastics.com/Store/Cast_Acrylic_Rods_Clear_Polished.html
-Jim


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

^^ Thanks for the link. Indeed it was after looking at that sometime later an idea came to me that should work quite well using an acrylic rod while not doing the conventional 90 degree upright stand.

Got some feedback today on a related matter. My brother-in-law is looking into what is involved in programming a sound device for this model. Essentially I want to build into the display stand (if possible) some sound files that including accelerating and landing sounds as well as music tracks and voice samples. A couple of years ago (for a different project) I created some could sound files that sounded like they could be tracks lifted right from scenes on TOS episodes except they're mixes taken from different places. Added to this model it would give it an added element.

What's cool is it's beginning to look like this could be affordable and I could program it right from my own computer.


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

*Argh!* I can't cut the foamcore the way I want because it's just not rigid enough. So I've got another idea. I'll cut some bristol board in long triangles then score and fold them down the middle. I tried one and it worked reasonably well so I'm going to pursue that approach.

I have to keep remembering that this is a practice run and doesn't need to be pretty. I suspect that cutting sheet plastic and/or sheet balsa the way I need should be easier.


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## Chuck Eds (Jul 20, 2009)

Check this out for lots of great behind the scenes pics, there some nice shots of the shuttlecraft miniature.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdofthegalaxy/


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## feek61 (Aug 26, 2006)

I can relate; I always wanted a ACCURATE Galileo shuttlecraft but gave-up looking. I built a studio-scale a couple of years ago. I ended up drawing my own plans since I couldn't find a set that I felt were completely accurate. Here is a photo of mine. I strayed from the original in that I used the warp effect with spinning fans and flashing lights similar to what the Enterprise had. Here is a photo of mine below. Let me know if I can help.



















Here is a thread on it over at the RPF:
http://www.therpf.com/f10/there-has-something-better-tos-shuttlecraft-build-37162/


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

^^ I came across your project while searching online and studied it. I think I'm trying to do something a little different as this project started differently some years ago. I started by reconciling the three disparate depictions of the shuttlecraft onscreen: the fullsize exterior mockup, the interior set and the small "flying" filming miniature. I intended to render a fully integrated vehicle as a "real" shuttlecraft. Some of the drawings can be seen at the beginning of this thread.

My model is going to be just under 20" in length when complete and I hope for it to look as a fully realized vehicle rather than the production compromises we saw onscreen. That said I still used the construction drawing for the fullsize exterior as the starting point.

Presently I'm figuring out the best way to fashion the parts and how best to assemble them together.


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## feek61 (Aug 26, 2006)

Awww, got ya. I ended up compromising on many of the differences between the studio model and the full (well actually 3/4 scale set piece) scale version; just using what I liked best about both of them. Good luck on your build. I'll keep an interested eye on your project.


Will


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## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

I don't see it on his site... but Randy Cooper use to sell a Galileo 7.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

starmanmm said:


> I don't see it on his site... but Randy Cooper use to sell a Galileo 7.


Ta - Da!

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=229854&highlight=Randy+Cooper
-Jim


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## Warped9 (Sep 12, 2003)

*Randy Cooper's* shuttlecraft model has been mentioned a number of times already. It's nice, but pricey for what it is and it's not what I'm aiming for. There are details on *RC's* model that he got wrong such as the grille like details on the sides of the nacelles toward the aft end.




Warped9 said:


> *Argh!* I can't cut the foamcore the way I want because it's just not rigid enough. So I've got another idea. I'll cut some bristol board in long triangles then score and fold them down the middle. I tried one and it worked reasonably well so I'm going to pursue that approach.
> 
> I have to keep remembering that this is a practice run and doesn't need to be pretty. I suspect that cutting sheet plastic and/or sheet balsa the way I need should be easier.


Laying in bed before sleep I kept turning this in my mind, considering different approaches, until I hit upon a solution.

My basic concern was that I wanted the stabilizers to have solid support to forestall any possible sagging when supporting the weight of the support pylons and nacelles. Hence I thought the best approach was to have the centre part of the stabilizers go all the way through the main section of the model to the other side and I would build the upper hull on top of it and the lower hull below it and thus giving it added support. But the stabilizers have a gradual taper from fore to aft and the challenge was how to do this. I realized that the stabilizers at their widest point only have to support the nacelles and the rim around the forward section of the hull doesn't have to support anything. So my gradual taper doesn't have to go all the way through but apply only to the outer visible edges. So I can still build my upper and lower hulls onto the main part of the stabilizer and add my tapered rim to the sides of the hull. When assembled, filled, sanded and painted it will look exactly like it's supposed to and it will be simpler to construct.


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