A Sci-Fi Scratch Build: The USS Edsel Ford XF4-NC

[lakeroadster]

Here's a design by Galan Pang.

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A truly awesome design. It appears to be a VTOL design.​

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I made an OpenRocket design starting with a BT-300 body. The fins will likely be a multi piece design using basswood and thicker at the root, tapering to a point at the tip.​

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The big nose in the center reminds me of an Edsel... and so it shall be christened the "USS Edsel Ford".​

Next up... CAD Model and Drawings​

 

[Daddyisabar]

Motor and most of the fins in back, where they should be. A nasty can opener and a bit of crookedness up front to frighten onlookers. Lots of Greebles. Very cool.

 

[BABAR]

Cool, although the first pic looked like an intergalactic pooper scooper for the The Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal*




* A vicious wild animal from the planet of Traal, known for its never-ending hunger and its mind-boggling stupidity. One of the main features of the Beast is that if you can't see it, it assumes it can't see you. Due to this it has been considered one of the least intelligent creatures in the Universe.

 

[lakeroadster]

USS Edsel Ford, Nose Cone...

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[lakeroadster]

Updated CAD model...

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[techrat]

Are you going to add all the greeble details to make it more like the illustration, or are you attempting to keep it as "smooth" as possible (given the ungainly shape)? For example, I notice that the lower two fins have rear "extensions" that are not as prominent as the upper fins. And between the upper and lower fins there's some kind of engine pod piece that's blue.

 

[lakeroadster]

Are you going to add all the greeble details to make it more like the illustration, or are you attempting to keep it as "smooth" as possible (given the ungainly shape)? For example, I notice that the lower two fins have rear "extensions" that are not as prominent as the upper fins. And between the upper and lower fins there's some kind of engine pod piece that's blue.

I'll be adding most of the greeble details to make it more like the illustration. But... likely not adding all those details to the CAD model.

 

[Art Upton]

So is this a Smuggler's firefly like ship to escape Reavers the Gov says does not exist?

 

[lakeroadster]

So is this a Smuggler's firefly like ship to escape Reavers the Gov says does not exist?

....."the existence of Reavers is officially denied by the Alliance, the ruling government of humanity in the Firefly franchise, but they are a harsh reality around the outer planets".

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[lakeroadster]

CAD Files: 1 thru 6 of 12 Rev 06 (revised 02-02-2024)

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[lakeroadster]

CAD Files: 7 thru 12 of 12 Rev 06 (Updated 02-02-2024)

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[Cape Byron]

I approve.

I approve too.

 

[Art Upton]

CAD Files: 8 thru 13 of 13

View attachment 624063View attachment 624064View attachment 624065View attachment 624066View attachment 624067View attachment 624068


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Where is the bottom bay that can open up like Hans Solo's Ship to dump the goods if an Imperial Cruiser is coming up on them ?? [Who cares what Jabba thinks about that action for that at that time ]

 

[lakeroadster]

Splicing Basswood for the vertical stabilizers

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[lakeroadster]

Vertical Stabilizer layout. I revised the lower stabilizer layout and will use the red outlined parts.

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[lakeroadster]

I made some changes to the model and flipped the upper stabilizers, more like the sketch.

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[lakeroadster]

Stabilizer Build Day 1

These are made from Basswood and the dowel is 3/16" Poplar.

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[modeltrains]

Interesting creation, will have to watch this thread.

 

[lakeroadster]

Stabilizer Build Day 2​

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Sanded the stabilizers and applying glue fillets before attaching to the BT-300. Also made a fin alignment template.​

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[lakeroadster]

Stabilizers, continued

The fin alignment fixture worked like a charm.​

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[lakeroadster]

Turning / Fabricating The Nose Cone, Post 1 of 2

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[lakeroadster]

Turning / Fabricating The Nose Cone, Post 2 of 2

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[Vlad1054]

Looks good.

 

[lakeroadster]

Mockup

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[gdjsky01]

Will you be sharing the ORK file? I like to 'learn' from it.

 

[lakeroadster]

Will you be sharing the ORK file? I like to 'learn' from it.

Nope, not this one.​

 

[lakeroadster]

Fincan Side Plates and Dowels

Gluing 1/16" Basswood to the fincan sides, and installed the 1/4" dowels for the fuselage 1/16" Basswood.​

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[neil_w]

Those built-up fin assemblies came out really nice.

 

[lakeroadster]

Forward Plywood: Cutting, Sanding and Gluing the Cockpit

Glued the 1/4" plywood and cut the 5 forward plywood pieces.​

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[lakeroadster]

Gluing the Cockpit and Front Radiators...

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