Community Event / Creation [MODEL] Cmdr J Daniels ~ Project Sidewinder

Steve 67 · Sep 12, 2014

After much deliberation and careful study I've made an honest start on 'Project Sidewinder"

Plans are drawn, material tests have been done & the first pieces of the puzzle have been assembled.

The model will be built on a HIPS (high impact styrene) frame of 3.2mm solid rods with a 2mm thick outer skin to give rigidity & material depth for decent panel lines & layered detailing. I'm bonding mostly with a solvent adhesive and using various sheet thickness's & shaped lengths for the heavy design work.

If anyone wants any info/details/drawings etc. please don't hesitate to get in touch & if anyone's interested in picking up some styrene and sharing tips n techniques or working through a similar build, you'd be very welcome.

Images live on Flickr and are low res phone shots but I'll flip to quality camera pics & close-ups later.
"Project Sidewinder Archive"

We've an open fB Group right now too (everyone welcome to join) but closer to ED release we'll be starting a private fB group (our Elite group HQ). Those members will be able to vote on the final finish/paint/camo/livery.
"Open fB Elite: 17th Gurkha Group"

Cmdr Jack Daniels

Steve 67 · Sep 15, 2014

"Scotland Decides"

SzaryWilk · Sep 15, 2014

Great idea !!! I looked here to see the next steps

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Steve 67 · Sep 16, 2014

SzaryWilk said:
Great idea !!! I looked here to see the next steps .

Hey cheers, there will be busy times & quiet times but I'll update as she goes.

Hope to get upper panels cut and faced this weekend but need materials so could be next week before there's more assembly.

Steve 67 · Sep 20, 2014

ZaphodBeeble · Sep 20, 2014

Cool. I'm looking forward to how this progresses.

FiringFox · Sep 20, 2014

I love these types of creation, really looking forward to your work dude

Oh and yeah for Scotland xD

Steve 67 · Oct 25, 2014

Made a little more progress. All upper panels are assembled. Thruster & cockpit apertures cut. Wireframe is bonded & she's had her first rough sanding.

Next steps will be to angle the rear thruster apertures, drop in detail channels along each wing edge & contour the leading edge before moving to the underside.

Great new forum structure means I can post 3 comfy images side by side now

Thanks Frontier!

Jockgit64 · Oct 25, 2014

Looking good already, can't wait to see this progress.

ThereIs0nly0ne · Oct 25, 2014

This is looking fantastic! Is the 2mm plasticard easy to cut?

Steve 67 · Oct 25, 2014

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

The sheets I use I buy in 600mm lengths, 2mm deep and I generally score 3 times with a surgical blade then I snap for a perfect straight edge 'every' time

From 0.25mm up to 1mm I generally cut through. 1.25mm and up, solid rods and heavy profiles are all score n snap.

Steve 67 · Dec 4, 2014

So, not huge progress but she is moving ahead and starting to take a little more 'shape'.

Next steps are currently curing, I've a solid section under the nose and side rails for the sidewinder gubbins detail later.
If I can get the lower hull assembled by the end of the year, I'll be happy (wish Frontier would delay release!) ha haaa joking!!!!

I can already see this build floating way past a winter build, but the more I study her the more I really don't mind

Oh forgot! the Elite: Dangerous community group is now private & taking in new members. It's leader free, no forced game play, everyone's their own boss but we share a few competitions with more to come post release. If anyone wants to join, we're mature (in years)

English speaking and from around the planet... you can find us here if your looking for a group Elite: 17th Gurkha

CMDR Pantsu · Dec 5, 2014

Ooh really cool! I've always wanted to try something like this myself. I will follow this project and see what I can learn. Looks really cool!

Steve 67 · Dec 6, 2014

CMDR Pantsu said:
Ooh really cool! I've always wanted to try something like this myself. I will follow this project and see what I can learn. Looks really cool!

Many thanks (& nice avatar!) I should have considered just wrapping a wireframe in silk rather than HIPS

I'm not really forcing this build, just tickling it when I feel the urge but I have posted a brief title for each shot in Flikr, and that might help you figure out how I approach each step if your interested

Could help you improve on my method rather than over engineer, as I tend to do

If you do get into a build, be good to keep in touch. I'm no expert but pleased to exchange build tips & share assy. problems.