R2-D2, C1-10P, and BB-8 Star Wars Droids

[GlenP]

Watching episodes of Star Wars Rebels got me to thinking of scratch building a droid rocket of Chopper (C1-10P), not sure if I have seen one of those yet, there have been a few BB-8s out there (Sputnik-style). Looking around for some printable templates I came across these for R2-D2 and Chopper. I was thinking they might be suitable starting points for converting to 13 or 18 mm model rockets, I guess you could scale up to 24mm or larger if you wanted.

Just wanted to share the templates here, lots of free templates on paper-replika.com though many of you paper modelers probably have come across that site in the past anyway.

https://paper-replika.com/index.php...2-star-wars-papercraft&catid=40&Itemid=200144

https://paper-replika.com/index.php...ars-rebels-paper-craft&catid=40&Itemid=207717

not my builds, picture from the website: (these ARE the droids I was looking for...)

With templates like this I sometimes print on regular white copy paper, then glue stick that to cardstock for a little extra strength (compared to printing on cardstock directly). For conversion to a model rocket, I might add fins and/or a longer through tube with nose cone protruding out the top with nose weight.

BB-8 paper model:
https://papermau.blogspot.com/2016/05/star-wars-bb-8-droid-paper-model-in-16.html

 

[grapetang]

Cool! Thanks for the links! My kid & I really enjoy Star Wars Rebels as there are some really good plots and story development. It has gotten progressively darker leading up to its final season (yet to be aired). The Ghost (main ship) and Chopper make brief cameos in Star Wars Rogue One.

I was thinking of making a Chopper rocket but haven't thought far enough how to get him to fly straight. Giant, mosquito-like swept fins (transparent or opaque) would work but would look a little odd. Any ideas?

 

[GlenP]

in the Estes versions of R2-D2 kits they use clear fins that plug into the bottoms of the side feet. I am thinking along similar lines, but maybe using balsa fins kind of like the remove-after-flight flame fins used in Dr. Zooch Shuttle and SLS type kits, not necessarily painted like flames, a simple solid yellow or a light grey helps them to not stand out much. They can be either square or swept fins, the mosquito fin shapes are a good idea, put two in each side at 120-deg from each other, not sure how large they need to be, I will probably oversize them for conservatism. I was watching DVDs from Season Three and Forrest Whitaker's character from Rouge One made an appearance, pretty nice tie in. I would probably make the central foot for display only on an engine casing/coupler size tube that can be removed from the engine mount tube for flight, similar to the fin units on tubes with centering rings that slide into tubes in the side legs for flight.

 

[GlenP]

This paper model is much more challenging than any cardstock rocket models I have done before. Including the Dr. Zooch Shuttle. Lots of detail in the legs. I thought I could handle it, but man this is going to be very time consuming. Tip: score along the bend lines to get clean bends, before you cut the parts out. My seams are not going to be perfect on this one. But everytime I attempt one of these builds I tell myself it is just practice, I can probably do better the on the second or third build. Still working out how to put an engine mount and removable fin units on this thing.

 

[GlenP]

The Story So Far:

The 13mm through tube might be kind of small, might use a 24mm tube and then a 13mm engine mount, to have more space for a streamer or chute. Lots of little detail parts on the legs remaining to do. The template has the legs and feet at an angle, there is a wedge-shaped ankle part - #20 on the sheet, but I will have to modify that to keep them straight for the fins I plans to attach to the bottom of the feet.

 

[GlenP]

The details on these legs are exhausting. Maybe not that pretty, but will look decent enough from the launch pad. I need a smaller set of tweezers, and higher magnification reading glasses. Don't ask how I rolled those paper dowels, they are smaller diameter than a standard launch lug. Still working out an alternative to the angled ankles and the removable fin units...



The cardboard centering rings add a bit too much weight for 13mm engines, so I will probably put in an 18mm engine mount in a 24mm through tube. Hopefully a C6-3 should handle it by the time I add the fins. The body is so short, there is barely enough length in the through tube for the engine and the nose-cone shoulder, so I won't be putting any streamer or chute inside the through tube, I will have to make room for recovery/shock cord in the space between the outside tube and the engine mount tube.

 

[GlenP]

Starting to take shape...decided to use a 18 mm engine mount tube, that is about all you can fit in there. Instead of a centering ring at the top I cut out a large center to make a top compartment for recovery stuff.

 

[GlenP]

I added some launch lugs to the ankles to reinforce those joints, rolled them from an extra print of the foot parts. Those are 13mm body tube receptacles in the bottom of the feet. I know what you are thinking, but no this is not the cluster rocket you are looking for, those are for the removable fins units TBD.





cute little rocket. Now, I am going to have to make the R2-D2 version next... maybe they can use the same fin units. I will probably cover this with some clear semi-gloss.

 

[grapetang]

Nice! If you wanted to blend or hide the white seams, it's been suggested to color them in with matching marker colors.
Looking forward to more!

 

[K'Tesh]

Nice! If you wanted to blend or hide the white seams, it's been suggested to color them in with matching marker colors.
Looking forward to more!

Remember to test the inks first on some scraps.

Another idea would be to use colored pencils.

 

[GlenP]

This C1-10P pattern uses mostly lap joints, those joints are hard to get accurate especially when you are working with a copy-paper/cardstock laminate. If you score too hard then the copy paper rips, and if not hard enough then you don’t get a crisp bend. The R2-D2 pattern uses more butt joints for the larger parts on the body and dome, where the glue tab itself is cut out as a separate part, you glue half of it to one edge, then the other half when closing the joint, making the seam as a flat joint on the outside. Sometimes I do try to sharpie the edge of the paper to color match the pattern after I cut it out and before glueing, but the glue can make those colors run a little. I considered this one a practice build and you can even see the yellow card stock showing through in some edges, but it gives a nice contrast to the green in the pattern, looks like Chopper’s primer is showing where his paint has been rubbed off, you know?

 

[GlenP]

I think the R2-D2 model might be a little easier, I should have done that one first. I will try to make it compatible with the same fins, these will be removable friction fit:

 

[GlenP]

another tip: don't apply glue to the glue tab where it says "put glue here," put the glue on the inside of the part where the glue tab will attach to. Always easier to handle a part with glue on the inside than glue on the outside. Anyone who has built a paper model knows what I am talking about here, or else let me guess what your favorite Rolling Stones album is...

 

[GlenP]

Are you having trouble with your droid?

No, no trouble at all.

 

[GlenP]

A few more pictures showing the internal rocket parts. The mandrel for rolling the engine mount tube is two spent engine casings glue sticked to a wrap of copy paper, this gives just the right tolerance for a snug but not too tight fit of the engine in the cardstock tube. Not much open space inside the through tube for recovery stuff, so I am leaving out a centering ring on the top of the main body to leave some open area in between the body tubes. A few more detailed parts remain for the shoulders and the feet. Dry fit stack up, starting to look like a droid. This is definitely the easier of the two droid paper models.

 

[GlenP]

so, one thing I discovered on the printable template for the R2-D2 shoulders (or hips if those are legs instead of arms I guess), are a couple of missing glue tabs. Maybe not essential, but adds some strength and helps to assemble the part.

 

[GlenP]

Beep, beep, whirrr, squawk.

R2, you know I don't speak French.

 

[GlenP]

just need to add 13mm tube receptacles for the fins. This won't hurt a bit, R2...




oh dear, oh dear, oh dear...

 

[GlenP]

brushed on two coats of sanding sealer on the balsa fins, just in time for rain/wind storm, so no spraying clear coat or fin paint for a while. Need to make an indoor/garage spray paint ventilated hood one of these days.

 

[GlenP]

One last addition for display only, I made an insert that fits into the engine mount for the middle foot/wheel.

 

[GlenP]

I tried the BB-8 model, but it seems to be smaller than I wanted, I could scale it up, but mine came out more like a BB-egg. Probably better to use a foam sphere and paint/decal it like others have done for that one.

https://paper-replika.com/index.php...-bb-8-droid-papercraft&catid=40&Itemid=207735

 

[GlenP]

I realized that the default scaling was set to 90% for some reason when I printed that BB-8 template from paper-replika.com. Even at 100% it is still a little too small for converting to a 13mm rocket, it might work, but you can barely fit an engine tube inside that small diameter sphere, possibly if you let it protrude into the head.

I found another BB-8 template, going to give this one a try:
https://papermau.blogspot.com/2016/05/star-wars-bb-8-droid-paper-model-in-16.html

 

[GlenP]

I like this pattern much better. Not sure how big the sphere will be yet, and if I will be able to make a rocket out of it yet, or if I will have to make it bigger.

 

[GlenP]

Will have to see if I can fit an 18 mm or just a 13 mm engine mount in there. Not quite sure how to rocket-ify this one yet. Too cute to cut up for an engine mount/through tube, don't even ask about where to fit a launch lug or fins. Have to think about this one.

 

[GlenP]

as always, a very helpful post from HCMbanjo on two different Sputnik-style rockets with thin dowel fins, and the really cool sideways eject tube. I was thinking the through tube would be kind of short for both engine and chute/wadding, but the Moonnik lets you bend the through tube. Clever idea, this gives me something to work with. I would like to make the dowel fins removable, that will be a challenge. This BB-8 sphere is about 3" diameter, not including the head. The trick will be to make the engine/chute tube holes and fin dowel notches line up with features of the pattern so they don't stand out so much.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...-about-making-a-Sputnik&p=1673177#post1673177
https://oddlrockets.blogspot.com/p/kits-page-2.html
https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/eirp_14.htm

 

[GlenP]

Might have enough space in the head/nose cone for a streamer. I don't want to let this tumble recover and hit the ground that hard. Need to mount an engine tube and figure out how to install removable dowel fins... I have an idea that is crazy enough it just might work...

 

[GlenP]

Engine mount, 3 3/16" tube is just enough length for a glue fillet on the top and bottom. No engine hook on this one, it looks better without one, will have to use friction fit. Should be light enough for 13mm, I might use an 13-18mm adapter for small fields.

 

[GlenP]

nose cone shoulder is a 13mm tube with a 13-18mm centering ring that slides into the 18mm body tube. Gives a little extra room in the nose for recovery stuff. Got a launch lug installed, and basically made a few internal lugs to house the dowel fins. Those can be removable friction fit, bamboo skewers. If they need more stabilizing drag, since I am only using 3 instead of 4, I can put a disc at the foot of each one.

Need to add a couple of antenna to the head.

 

[GlenP]

Not bad for a few sheets of cardstock paper. I was originally just looking to make Chopper, but when I found R2 and BB-8, well I just couldn't resist. I have made a few cardstock rockets in the past, using the Project Paper thread templates here, and the Eric Truax models, have to mention the Art Applewhite models, and the Bob Harrington Satellite Interceptor first got me hooked, then several clone/scratch builds: body tubes, engine mounts, centering rings, transitions, boat-tails, nose cones: all from cardstock, except for the engine hooks bent from the metal strip from wiper blades.

But these droid cardstock models are a different animal and were a real test of paper building skills. I rushed through them just to see what they were like, considering these as just for practice builds. I could have made the final results a lot better if I took my time.

I like how the internal lugs for the dowel fins protrude just enough to make a tripod for display to keep BB-8 standing upright.



I hope someone finds these paper model links useful and gives them a try for model rocket conversion. Anyone want to try an UPSCALE?

 

[GlenP]

One final touch, little landing pad discs and cardstock wraps around the bamboo skewer fin feet.