MM Dragon Ship-7 (T5)

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Micromeister

Micro Craftman/ClusterNut
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Since Patrol Cursier Excalibur is on the way to being finished It's time to get it's dreaded enemy counterpart spaceship off the drawing board and on the building board.
I've had both more or less layed out for several years but lacked the spirit to move on either. Now that on is nearling flight readiness, I'm almost obligated to build the other LOL!

On tuesday evening I decided it's time. I'm making a slight revision to my one page plan substituting a standard PNC-5V for the custom turned Basswood nose which will require a bit longer BT-5 body tube and adding a score line at the black nose color break line.
After gathering up the base parts I rolled some computer paper 1/8" OD (rocket tubes) to surround the T2+ lengthened internal motor mount. added a couple T2+/T5 fibreboard centering rings and 36" of Black 90lb kevlar shockline tied around and beneath the forward ring running the shockline out to the outer edge before threading it back out the aft end of the mount until the mount is installed after the rest of the model is fabricated and painted.

The plan is to cut fin pattens and .032" Basswood fins this weekend unless I decide to switch to .030" styrene which i'll have to dig out of my larger stock sheets before doing any fin cutting. With a detachable lower aux. fin needed I want to take a look at both materials to see which one will stay in place better. Perhaps this will result in a spare lower fin just in case LOL!!!

MM 374uc01a_Dragonship build plan & parts_02-23-11.JPG

MM 374uc01b_DragonShip-7 T5 beginings_02-23-11.JPG
 
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With the motor mount & rocket tube assemble done it seemed this weekend could supply the amount of time needed to transfer, set up templates and cutout all the wooden fins, parts and spacers this little model requires.

Starting with my plan sheet it's easier to transfer the fin patterns to cardstock with pencil carbon paper instead of wasting an entire sheet of cardstock in the printer. Lines aren't quite as need but they'll be straightened out on the wood parts anyway.

Once transfered a stropped #11 Xacto removes patterns from the cardstock sheet.
To make them more durable and pencil point resistant each is soaked with medium CA and set on Waxpaper to dry completely.

While the CA sets-up on the patterns, the time can be taken to layout the Rivet and fin attachment lines of the T5 body tube.

After transferring the patterns to .032" Basswood all the fins and wood parts are cutout then laiminated with thin onion skin tracing paper using Elmer's Carperters glue, some wax paper a glass plate and a book. Some of the not to be laminated parts are sanded to shape.

MM 374uc02a_Trace & cut Fin Templates_02-25-11.JPG

MM 374uc02b_CA soak cardstock templates_02-25-11.JPG

MM 374uc03_mark body & fin lines_02-25-11.JPG

MM 374uc04_Cutout & paper Basswood_02-25-11.JPG
 
After the papered fins have had time to dry. the reinforcing pieces are applied to both horizontal fins and the Auxillary Dorsal fin slip-on socket.
some additional sanding & shaping will be done with these parts are dry.

I forgot to take a photo of it but the canopy was also folded and assembled at this time. give the white glue plenty of time to set-up before mopping then entire piece with medium CA.

MM 374uc05_Shape & assemble Fin units_02-25-11.JPG
 
With all the Wierd shape fins and part locations I decided to attach Canopy and fins by sight rather then trying to use a fin alignment jig. worked out fairly well. I think I got the Canopy forward fin a little off the line but it should be ok.

I never had one of these models from back in the day.. I have them in the bag but for some reason never got around to building one. The instructions sheet says very dramatically...DO NOT fly this model without the aux. fin in place. the little tab that holds this one on concerned me a little until I test fin it here. stays in place very well. Not really sure being removable is necesary but hey it looks pretty neet. Heres a look at the pocket side of the Aux. fin and the model with the fin in place as well.

MM 374uc06a_Canopy & main fins on_02-26-11.JPG

MM 374uc06b_Aux. Fin show pocket_02-26-11.JPG

MM 374uc06c_Removable Aux. fin in place_02-27-11.JPG
 
A little later in the afternoon the forward skid is added setting the model aside to set up. small white glue fillets are added to all the permanent fin/body joints as well as all around the canopy and canopy fin joins.

Last to be added are the rear skid pieces. these seem strange as they are no were near the same span as the forward skid?

Before setting the model aside to dry while trying to find or fabricate the side gun standoffs and barrels. Some sanding and dry fitting of the motor mount make the model at least feel nearly finished.

MM 374uc06d_Forward Skid in place_02-27-11.JPG

MM 374uc07_Rear Skids in place_02-27-11.JPG

MM 374uc08_Motor mount dryfit_02-27-11.JPG
 
Thanks gagreen, This one is a bit more involved then most. but I was compelled to build it with the Excalibur:fly:

My scrap bin came to the rescue on this build. Found two small scraps of 1/16" Styrene tubes just long enough to filled the bill as Side mount gun barrels for this model.
Adding a half Fliskit clear Launch lug to the bottom rear skid and this puppy is ready for some grey primer. Hope to start the sanding process on Wednesday evening. the last few pics are still in the camera I'll try to get to them in the next day or so.

Edit: can add those photos now.

MM 374uc09_gun mt standoff closeup_02-27-11.JPG

MM 374uc10a_Gun barrels topview_02-27-11.JPG

MM 374uc10b_Gun barrels sideview_02-27-11.JPG

MM 374uc11a_DragonShip 1st Primer side_03-02-11.JPG

MM 374uc11b_1st Primed Topview_03-02-11.JPG
 
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While adding the Silver paint to the rocket exhaust tubes of the Excalibur, it was an easy time to coat the exhaust tubes on the Dragon Ship-7 motor mount as well. I'll likely add an additional coat to this unit and some future before handling these tubes from now on.

Hope to do some first round primer sanding on the Dragon Ship tonight.

MM 374uc12_Painted Silver MMT tubes_03-02-11.JPG
 
After Painting the entire ship gunship Grey, giving it a few days to outgas and harden it's time to mask off the blk painted nose. since I went with a shorter Stock nosecone I'll have to add just a little bit of the forward body tube to the NC to get the proper painted balance. After marking off the tube with a soft lead pencil I ran 1/4" 3m FineLine tape around the body, burnishing it down well on the paint. Using house Trim mask and cover tape we completely cover the remainder of the vehicle. Warm and spary the Krylon gloss black and remove the masking.

Not sure but I think like the Patrol Cruiser Excalibur, our Dragon Ship-7 is ready for decaling....Though I haven't printed them yet:(

MM 374uc13a_Dragonship NC masking_03-12-11.JPG

MM 374uc13b_Dragonship NC area Painted blk_03-12-11.JPG

MM 374uc13c_Dragonship uncovered_03-13-11.JPG
 
OH Man! This one was TRUELY a BEAR to decal. I decided to try to apply BT-5 size individual Rivet lines on this one as done of the full size model. ON MY it was a trial... Several lines didn't make it through the process.. but tough...after 4 evenings of complaining Dragon Ship-7 had as many decals as it's gonna ever get, final coat of Future, it's 3/4" x 18" Red Teflon Wadding/Streamer and has been swing tested requiring no additional nose weight. That's a good thing as this one really got heavy with a completed Ewt: 11.4g which means we're looking at 12.5gram LOWT.
At this mass and frontal area I'm not expecting much in the way of altitude.
Hope to give it a try next weekend.

MM 374uc14_Dragon Ship-7 Decaled_04-17-11.jpg
 
I really like this one. Very cool!

Have to agree the Dragon Ship is the KEWLer looking craft in the Galactic Parates series....but they are the bad guys LOL!!!!
Hope I held the camera still for this last pic for the Build.

If the Weather helps out a little I'll try to catch a liftoff shot of this little piggy. Should be slow enough the even my digital camera should get it:)

MM 374_MM T5 Dragon Ship-7_04-17-11.JPG
 
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As expected this one needs a bit of nose weight. first flight was unstable as almost as soon as it left the launch rod. Did a complete flip at about 12feet will add some #9 shot to the hollow PNC-5V nose before the next flight.

I've been contemplating removing the Future and decals from this model, reprinting all the Color decals but using the HO scale Raised rivet decals to all the rivet lines on this model... Took several hours to do the flat rivet decaling so I'm still just "thinking about it" but it would really set this and the EXCALIBUR off if I did.

MM 374Lp01a_MM DragonShip-7 on Pad(1st Flt)_10-22-11.jpg

MM 374Lp01b_DragonShip-7 CloseUp(1st Flt)_10-22-11.jpg

MM 374Lp01c_Unstable DragonShip-7 1st flight_10-22-11.jpg
 
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