A memorial to my mum (A BRTC25 Thunder Fighter in BSG livery).

[Rhaven Blaack]

Several years ago, I build a BRTC25 Thunder Fighter in BSG livery in remembrance of my mother (who passed away in 2008). She was a HUGE fan of both BSG and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century). (as well as build a launch bay diorama around it).

I started with the cockpit interior.


The cockpit tub is complete.


The back "trunk" (storage) compartment is attached.


This is the joystick mount/lower sensor unit.


Here is the joystick.


The joystick mount/lower sensor unit and joystick are attached in place.


The side panel controls are attached in place. I raised the buttons on the panels.




The seat is assembled.


The seat is attached in place.




Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

It is time for another update. I am now working on the main body of the body components.

I started with the framework.


I wrapped the engine section of the sponsons.


I attached both body halves.




Normally, these section have simple recessed rectangles. As you can see, I have made wedged recess intakes (in order to make the closer to being screen accurate).


The intake section is complete.


Here us a different view of the intakes. As you can see, the intake section looks proper.


The first intake section is attached.


Both intake sections are attached.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Moving on to the outer fuselage.

I attached the cockpit tub to the top fuselage skin.


I attached the intake system to the back of the top fuselage skin.


I attached the top fuselage skin to the rest of the plane.


I attached the bottom fuselage skin to the rest of the plane (and added greebling).


Here is the back end (between the engine exhausts).


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Time for a small update. Here are the engine exhausts. As you can see, I turned all of the printed texture into physical texture. I also made the (actual) exhaust more screen accurate with the addition of the "pinwheel" centerpiece.




Both exhausts are finished.


The exhausts are attached to the plane.





Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Continuing on to finish out the cockpit interior control panels.
Starting with the side panels. I raised the gauges on the left panel and recessed the screen on the right panel.


Here is another angle showing the details.


The side panels are attached in place.


Here is the main console. I recessed the main screen and some of the other console components.


The main console is attached in place.


I attached the console sensor array.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Time for the wings!

Here are the (lower) vertical wings.


The (lower) vertical wings are attached in place.




Here are the main (horizontal) wings.


The main (horizontal) wings are attached in place.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Moving on to the cockpit canopy.

Since I am making an open canopy, I prefer to start from the rear of the canopy and work my way forward. This way, everything falls into place nicely.
Here is the rear "anchor" piece of the canopy. I have raised the printed texture, in order to give it a more "lifelike" feel.


The rear "anchor" piece of the canopy is attached in place.




The rear (moveable) canopy is attached in the "open" position. The center canopy frame is attached in place.




The front "anchor" piece of the canopy is attached in place.


The front (moveable) canopy is attached in the "open" position.
At this point, the plane (it self) is now complete.


Here is an angled top view.


Front


Angled front/side.


Left side


Here is a "closeup" of the name plate and plane number. I used my mum's maiden sir name and her nickname (Scalp Hunter) as her call sign. Her day and month of birth (15th of January) are the registry numbers for the plane.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Here is a small update. I built the Viper Maintenance Platform Ladder.








I attached a small trapezoid piece of cardstock to hold the towing arm high enough so that the platform will reach the cockpit.


The towing arm is held in place.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Ok. this is where the BIG FUN begins. I am now moving on to build the launch bay. However, I am starting with the launch rail, first.
A friend and I have been wanting to develop a launch rail system for the BRTC25 Thunder Fighters for quite sometime now. So, this project gave us the perfect opportunity to do just that. Yes, this is based on the BSG version, with a few glaring differences. Mainly, the greebling on the sides of the rail (as well as another that you will see later in the thread).

Here are the main skins and connectors for the rail.


The main skins are assembled.


Here are the end pieces and the main skin.


The end pieces are attached to the main skin.


Here are the internal formers and internal support panels.


The internal support panels are attached to the inner walls of the skins.
*NOTE* The internal support panels are necessary to add additional support, strength and rigidity to the rail system as a whole.


The internal formers are in place.


Here is the bottom plate for the rail.


The bottom plate is attached, here are the edge pieces to go around the bottom edge of the rail.


Here are the greeblings for the back end.


The greebling is attached.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

As you saw in the previous post, the side greebling has changed. Here is the physical greebling.




Starting to apply the side greebling.




Both sides are now finished!




Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Moving on to the top of the rail. My friend and I decided to change the rail system and adding "conveyor rollers" to the top.

The top has been "resurfaced". This shows where the "rollers" are to be placed.


Here is the part for the roller.


The roller is is assembled.


The roller is attached in place.


A few more rollers attached in place.


All of the rollers are attached in place.


These are the parts for the guide rails for the rollers.


The guide rails for the rollers are assembled.


The guide rails for the rollers are attached in place.




*NOTE* If you are ambitious enough, you can make the rollers actually spin. You will have to use (a shed load of) pins and attach them to the guide rails.

Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Here is the plane on the rail with the ladder in place.




Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

There is a component on the back of the Launch Rail (which sits right behind the plane), that I like to refer to as the Launch Rail Block (or simply "the block"). This component (which I presume) is used to push the plane into the launch tube (and onto the catapult sled), prior to launch.

Since this launch rail has a Thunder Fighter on it, the block needed to be redesigned. So, with a GREAT DEAL of from @Revell-Fan, we were able to design a completely new Launch Rail Block.

Here are the parts for the former assembly for the block.


Here are the skins for the block (and the rail guides).


The skin for the block is formed and the assembled former assembly next to it.


The former assembly in placed in the assembled block skin.


The main body of the block is assembled.


Here are the parts for the coil mounts.


The coil mounts are assembled.


The coil mounts are attached to the main body of the block.


The coils are assembled.


This is the coil connector.


The coil is attached to the coil mount.


The coil connector is attached to the first coil.


The second coil is attached in place.


These are the parts for the coil end cap.


The coil end cap is assembled.


It was decided to change the bottom of the main body of the block to raise it by 4mm.
Here are the assembled parts for the new underside of the block.


Starting with the main spacer, in place.


The mounting plate for the rail guides.


The rail guides are attached in place.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Continuing on with the greebling.














Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

The block is now in place (no, it is not glued in place).








Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Working on the floor of the Launch bay. I adhered the floor panels to foam core board.


I trimmed the sides, and adhered the floor to very thick corrugated cardboard (for strength and stability).


These are the parts for the floor device.


Starting the assembly of the floor devise.












The floor device is fully assembled.


The floor device and launch rail is attached to the launch bay floor.


The Thunder Fighter, launch Rail block, and flight ladder are put in place (none are glued).


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

I am now working on the walls.

I started with "WALL-1" (the wall connecting the launch bay to the launch tube).
I laminated the parts to foam-core board (for added strength and rigidity).


Showing the foam-core board.


"WALL-1" is fully assembled.


I laminated the "arch" greebling to 0.5mm thick. I also cut out the characters of the "number" plate.
LT-13 ="Launch Tube - 13"


The front "arch" is assembled.


The front "arch" is attached in place.


The back "arch" is attached in place.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

It is time again for another update. This is "WALL-2" (this is the "back wall" with the lift, connects to the other bays).

I laminated the both parts on foam-core board.


Here are both parts laid out, to show that they are laminated to foam-core board.


Both sides are sandwiched together, to form a solid piece.


Here are two of the conduits.




Both sets of conduits are attached in place, to the back side of the wall.


Another conduit and a light is attached in place, to the back side of the wall.


Moving on to the lift assembly. The is the backplate/guide for the lift. The parts are laminated on foam-core board.


Here is the lift cabin and the lift connector. The parts are laminated to foam-core board.


The lift cabin and the lift connector are attached to one another!


The lift cabin and the lift connector are connected to the backplate/guide.




Here is the lift booth. The parts are laminated to foam-core board.


The lift assembly is complete.


Here are the fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, and hatchet.


The lift assembly is attached in place on the back of the wall. A conduit, the fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, and hatchet are attached in place on the front of the wall.


The lights and Clackson are attached in place.


The rest of the conduits are attached in place to the front of the wall. This wall is complete.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Time to move on to "Wall-3" (Not to be confused with "WALL-E"!).
I decided to build it with the "garage" door in the "open" position. I also attached different lighting.

Here are the main components for the wall (two side pieces, the top piece and the "door" assembly).


The main components are assembled together, to form the wall.




These are the "door" guides (even though, there are only two in this pic. there are four in total, two for the from and two for the back).


The "door" guides are attached in place.




Here are the lights and conduits. I decided to use the same type of lights that match the rest of the lights that are on "Wall-2".


The conduits are attached in place.


The lights are attached in place.


Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

It is time to attach the walls in place. Even though I did not show it, It is best to start with attaching "WALL-2" in place, first. Once "WALL-2" is in place and the glue has dried, you can attach the other two walls.




The Thunder Fighter, Hover Vehicle, launch rail block, and flight ladder are put in place (These items are not glued in place, as I have more work to do.)








Please stay tuned to your local Colonial Broadcast Network for further updates as they occur.