Alien Interceptor--"BERSERKER"

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hornet driver

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Prologue: 2092 and Earth has started it's third offworld colony on the planet Masoom.Unknown to the Earthers, their transit route lay through Sa'Atchi territorial space. After a few skirmishes a pitched battle was fought near the triple star system of Xi-Tauri.The Earth using her Interceptors and the Sa'Atchi their Berserkers. With both sides taking heavy losses, action was suspended for negotiations. Finally a fragile peace was had. Both worlds would give freely all of their knowledge and technology to each other . Fifteen years later an unknown invader appeared in the quadrant and attacked both worlds. Flying side by side the Berserkers and Interceptors dominated the battles in support of each other. Later a production facility was constructed on Masoom to build both types of heavy fighters. Ironically the name Masoom---loosly translated from Hindi---means innocent.--------let the build begin !!!
 
The Berserker is slightly larger than the standard interceptor. Here is some of the parts we'll need DSCF0186.JPG -- the first thing I'll do is get the fin lines out of the way. I used the molding lines on the nc to find center down the bt DSCF0187.JPGDSCF0188.JPG-- The bt's are from a Mean Machine I got on clearance. The cone I had laying around. As you can see there might be some wood on this one.
 
Went ahead and laid out the primary fin/wings -DSCF0189.JPGDSCF0192.JPG--- also wrapped up the 24mm mmt, standard Estes stuff here. Wrapped a 1/4 elestic shock cord around this. Got this installed in the lower bt. -DSCF0191.JPG Don't know if you can tell but we had a small storm roll through, curtailing progress for a while. I'm working on the deck and the scenery seems to be coming back to the pool now !!-----------At the production facility the decision was made to produce the heavy fighters so both species could fly them. As both species had similar stature and build , this was an easly overcome obsticale. The Earthers with their two eyes needed only some simplifying in the helmet sighting programs of the Berserker. The Sa'Atchi pilots needed a bit more---work---to fly the Interceptor.
 
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Those names,sounds like a war between cordless drill makers.
Or Boom Box makers
Or...well,...um...I think you get my drift.
Looking good like a HD rocket should
 
Scotty Dog, looking over his beer ,asked his Sa'Atchi counterpart, the training commander, can this war be won?
 
DSCF0195.JPGDSCF0196.JPGDSCF0198.JPGDSCF0199.JPG I glued a couple of small balsa strips just under the fin line . The bt was held down by tape , level and steady, next the wings/ fins were mounted. With such a long mounting point the balsa strip made getting the mount straight easier with no real weight penalty.-----------On Masoom, the inter-species squadrons began to train. The initial results were---- impressive
 
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I hope for Earth's sake this gets built soon. I was driving to work last night listening to Coast to Coast and the aliens broke in thru the static with a message I decoded from my portable Hitchhiker's Guide to be something like "Drop The Battery. DeWalt Lover..." I'll feel more secure when this is defending our skies from generic cordless drill importers....
 
I hope for Earth's sake this gets built soon. I was driving to work last night listening to Coast to Coast and the aliens broke in thru the static with a message I decoded from my portable Hitchhiker's Guide to be something like "Drop The Battery. DeWalt Lover..." I'll feel more secure when this is defending our skies from generic cordless drill importers....
Absolutely.
Are you still looking?
 
You guys are a hoot ! I went ahead and began to lay out the forward bt/ fin area --DSCF0200.JPGDSCF0202.JPG--- I used the lid from a crock pot to get the curve I wanted. All of this will be blended in, much like the Wraith.-----------------The training continued to go smoothly and the technical difficulties of the SATs, as we called them, helmet interface with the Interceptor were overcome. It seems ,in their time off the SAT's had developed a taste for the Earthers beer. Grolsh to be exact. In their language in means--Big headache, little time--and they could pronounce it !!! The pilots began to bond------
 
Well , my bad, I managed to snap both pieces of balsa I had trying to form it. In retrospect , I should have left them outside in the humidity instead of inside in the nice ,dry, cold---ARGGGG !!!!! I'm off tomorrow, so I'll hit HL early and get on with it. This really puts me in a holding pattern for now----H----------MAYBE I'LL WORK ON THE NC !
 
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I started skinning the top today. First I cut the side strakes to the shape I wanted. the reason I waited till after mounting----I just could'nt visualize what I wanted. Next I glued two peices of 1/16 balsa down the centerline and let them cure for about two hours.----DSCF0203.JPGDSCF0204.JPGDSCF0207.JPG---once this was dry,I pulled the balsa over the bt and glued it to the leading edge of the strake. A spray bottle with water made the forming go easier. I used cloths pins to hold the assembly together until dry. ---DSCF0208.JPGDSCF0209.JPG.
 
Once dry, I trimmed away the excess wood---leaving this--.--DSCF0211.JPG I'll be repeating this process on the underside.I got a nice over/under curve. Cross section is similar to an SR-71.
 
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Holy Cow! There is going to be some BALSA on this puppy! Great job! :cheers:
 
So much for my thought balsa strip supports are an original idea! I'm using them to mount the wings on an upscale SR-72 Darkbird boost glider. The 1/16" tissue papered wings run the length of the fuselage, and as you can imagine they are very thin and pretty flexy (grain directing is perpendicular to body tube for strength.)

The balsa strip definitely made straight alignment of those floppy wings a cinch. Probably gives a much stronger joint too.
 
I got the bottom skin on and trimmed to shape. I also trimmed down the front fins a bit. I did'nt like the profile or the size---I think I'm happy now. I'll let this cure for a couple hours and then begin sanding everything to it's final shape. In the mean time I'll work on the other tail finsDSCF0212.JPGDSCF0213.JPG
 
Started sanding everything down and getting the Berserker -evened up- side to side. Still working on the extra fin design---not happy yet---wish I could leave it without them !! I like the look !DSCF0214.JPGDSCF0215.JPGDSCF0216.JPG-----------Funny thing about bars and beer, sooner or later you begin to talk and understand what someone is saying, even if they don't speak your language. The SAT's were likable fellows, and they thought the same of Earthers. It did'nt take long for the pilots to figure out how to talk to each other . They took a bit of each others language and the SA'ET was born. Able to communicate volumes of information with a few short words was a huge tactical advantage---not telepathy ,but close. The SA'ET, or Talk of Warriors , later became the basis for a generational change in both cultures languages---all for the good !
 
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I've tacked on the initial vertical stabs. I like the look but it's a gamble. Reversed they would be a safer bet. What the heck, I'll go with it. The lower ones are still at a loss to me.This is getting dicey now !!DSCF0217.JPGDSCF0219.JPG--- I'll get better pics out in the a.m.------------While training in the Berserker, the earthers tried the one maneuver the Interceptor could not follow. It had the ability to dive into a planets atmosphere and --POP-back out on the tail of it's advisary. A maneuver the Interceptor could not match with it's tiny wings. The SAT's however , were amazed at the Interceptors raw power and many weapon systems
 
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A few more pics in better light. Still have the ventrals to install. I'll get that done before work and sand somemore when I get home.-----DSCF0222.JPGDSCF0223.JPGDSCF0224.JPGDSCF0225.JPGDSCF0226.jpg
 
Another really original and cool looking rocket. Looking forward to pictures. Apparantly you and Scotty Dog are either working hard to protect our section of the galaxy or perhaps planning on taking over?
 
Thanks guys for the nice comments, I think I'm gonna watch some fireworks tonight. Right now she weighs in at 7.2 oz with the chute and no motor !
 
I used the lid from a crock pot to get the curve I wanted.

You must maintain a far higher level of mystery and high-tech double-talk!!!!
This should have been described instead as a "fifty-dollar, special purpose, complex curve generator adapted from related gastronomic technologies"
You can't just give away secrets like this

Nice design work, very original, looking forward to seeing the finish!
(Those alien markings are gonna be a challenge?)
 
You must maintain a far higher level of mystery and high-tech double-talk!!!!
This should have been described instead as a "fifty-dollar, special purpose, complex curve generator adapted from related gastronomic technologies"
You can't just give away secrets like this

Nice design work, very original, looking forward to seeing the finish!
(Those alien markings are gonna be a challenge?)

Thanks PB for the correction. I new someone was gonna give me hell over that ! I hav'nt figured out the markings or color yet. Black just seems so-------Earther ?
 
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