Flying Silo

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Filler and ladder were easy attachments. Ladder is just HO rail scale, made from 1/64" birch ply. Close enough scale. Probably will get destroyed on a launch anyways.

Some styrene for a fake door on the roof/nose. Will paint the inside black when finishing it.

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Unloading side got a BT5 tube attached. Then, 1/64" ply strips along the side to square it off against the sides of the silo. Plan to use some bondo to smooth the transition from the flats to the tube, and then basically do a small epoxy fillet where it meets the sides of the silo.
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Had to have something from the nosecone to the unload chute, so I shaped some styrene for that and attached with CA. This will probably get a little more work as I finish things.

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Added detail for ribs in steel panels on the nosecone and down the unloading chute. The top was a circle of styrene cut into fourths and attached so I could make it contour to the top of the cone. Then smoothed with some bondo.

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No pic, but I did epoxy the motor mount in place to help ensure the base is round for future fin attachment.

I also got the first epoxy fillet in along one side of the chute to fill the gap and close up all the ends of the styrene detail.

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Ha! Even if it never flies (it will) the build has been really fun. It's rewarding to see an idea take shape.
Yes indeed. This project reminds me (sort of) of my own Skywriter Deluxe project, or Funkworks' amazing Smurf Rocket. Crafting something like this from scratch is just so much darn fun. The trick is coming up with good subjects.

In any case: very nice work on this. Beautiful detail.
 
Yes indeed. This project reminds me (sort of) of my own Skywriter Deluxe project, or Funkworks' amazing Smurf Rocket. Crafting something like this from scratch is just so much darn fun. The trick is coming up with good subjects.

In any case: very nice work on this. Beautiful detail.

I can't hold a candle to yours and Funkworks' stuff. But, that doesn't mean I enjoy this any less :)
 
The local model railroaders are all going to be running back inside to see whose layout you 'liberated' that from!
😆
 
Well, since the weather got cold, I covered all the maple stuff in the shop and fired up the woodstove so I could prime and get a base coat of white on the silo. Nosecone was hosed with gray sandable primer.

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Worked on detail painting lately. Tough, the hands aren't as steady as they used to be. Will need to touch up a few spots. Painting the bands, ladder, and filler pipe with Testors silver. When I hit it with flat clear, it'll get a better galvanized steel look. And, some blue bricks up top like the real thing.

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I learned something. I thought silos emptied from the bottom. And your silo looks fantastic.

Thanks! Harvestore (the blue ones), and some others, do empty from the bottom. Our farm had unloaders that rode on top of the silage as it removed it.
 

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