Ya know - it’s really not nearly as involved as one would think! I for one would think that polishing out a scratched canopy, or scribing panel lines would be MUCH harder than this was. I hope some of you might be inspired enough to have a go with some lighting effects on a future kit though. The results are almost always stunning!
B~
Very impressive! Thanks for sharing!
I few years back I experimented with dashboard lighting myself, it was the 1/24 Tamyia Ferrari F50, but I must say, the results were certainly NOT as cool as yours.
Congratulations for this magnificent job [bow][bow][bow][bow][bow][bow][bow][bow][bow]
What sort of layout did you use Dan? I found that he “multi-media” approach suited my needs best, as just using fiber optics alone was too limiting to achieve what I was after. Has anyone else here used light sheet before either? I’d like to find some more, but can’t seem to locate a supplier right off (and of course, I’ve long since lost my order paperwork from my first LS purchase!)
Bri~
There are new super bright leds(white) available now. Many flashlights use them.
A good place to check in California is Fry’s Electronics.
I’m going to be looking into these for this newest build myself. The two problems they had in the past were voltages being incompatable with the rest of the circuts and price. What I really need now would be good surface mount super bright whites that I could somehow mount in the landing light lenses on the three struts. Now THAT would be awesome!
Beautiful work Brian. Excellent attention to both detail and realism.
Jack
SAWEEEEEEEEEET!!
Can I just say - “God Bless eBay!”
Just picked up my new kit for the upcoming build for $19.99 instead of the $52.00 retail - Let’s just hope it makes it out here in one piece now!
B~
Once again, amazing work , Brian.
If you get a chance check this out…
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16993
You 2 have alot in common…lots of talent!
Regards, Dan
Talent? Is that what they call it these days?! [(-D] Here I was always lead to believe it was called psychosis, or blunt force trauma to the head! [banghead]
Seriously nice work there Jack! I think the Enterprise D I saw at the planetarium was what got me interested in lighting models myself years back. On an interesting side note, I believe that very same also inspired AMT/Ertl to do the same thing. If I remember events correctly, the guys who built that first model took it to the AMT/Ertl guys and actually worked out the production kit (along with the Romulan Warbird) with fiber optics and all pretty much just as you see it in stores now. A little bit of modeling history. [^]
Perhaps we need to start a Lighted/Motorized Kit group build next huh? Would any of yous guys be interested? I think it’d be cool to show as many aspects as possible covering mini-electronics. Just no R/C stuff. It would all need to be static display. But we could do lighting of course, perhaps some moving props, or gun turrets for the armor guys, elevators for the ship builders, fully functioning XM satellite radios for the auto nuts![8D] This could really take off!
Seriously, how many of you might be interested?
Bri~
P.S. Should I start a new thread on this?
Brian,
It was nice meeting you at the meeting tonight and getting a chance to see this plane in person. Very inspiring. Can’t wait to see the new build when you get it.
Thanks Phil,
It was great to meet everyone witt the IPMSSLC too…again! [8D] I’m glad the stealth was well accepted - even in it’s current sad state. I look forward to the new build, and with everyone’s help, I hope to have a REAL winner when I’m done. Maybe even good enough to display at Douglas Models huh? [(-D]
So any of the club particularly good at filling panel lines and airbrushing gloss white? I could use the tips! [bow]
Bri~
Wow… I really loved the CRT screen lighting system… just ingenious.
Brian,
Plenty of experts on filling panel lines and seams, just ask.
As for spraying gloss white, the secret they say is to add a drop or 2 of blue. Keeps it from yellowing. Haven’t tried it my self but just picked up a new compressor so will have to get the old airbrush out of the box and try it out. Hope I remember how, been using rattle cans for too long.
I’ll be sure to check in with those ‘in the know’ at the next meeting Phil. Regarding the white, it’s not so much the color that has me stumped, but rather the coverage. I’ve always used rattle cans and it always seemed to come out thick, and never to cover the high points well. I always felt like I lost a TON of detail. Never tried airbrushing the white though…a situation I will remedy on the new kit.
As for the panel lines, I need to fill in just about all of them on this kit. For once, I wish they would have used raised lines as then all I would have to do would be sanding instead of filling too! I seem to find conflicting reports as to what works better as well - either putty or gap filling super glue. The CA worries me as it dries too hard to sand in a fairly short time it seems, and the putty worries me because it’s porus and shrinks. What to do?! LOL
Thanks again though. With luck, by the time the next meeting rolls around, I’ll have started the basic construction of things for the new build and I’ll work on taking copius amounts of photos to show each step.
Bri~
stunning work , and all that detailing plus Fibre optics!
so stealthy its amazing that I can see it[:)]
The fiber optic strands were the easy parT! Trying to figure out voltages and resistors for the LEDs, and not shocking the everliving crud out of my fingers when handling the lightsheet were the trickiest bits. [X-)] Lots of it I felt I was doing blind - just by trial and error - but then, that’s what a large part of this hobby is all about isn’t it?
Best!
Bri~
Brian,
One secret I have used with rattle cans is to warm them before you paint. I run hot water into the sink and put the can in for about 5 mins. It supposedly makes the paint flow better. Seems to work as about every kit I have completed in the last 2 years is 1 color [:D] (except for Spiderman, he is in the figure forum). I have also resorted to using cans from Walmart. They go on sale for .88 cents, have 3 to 4 times the paint, spray thin, coat well and work really good on nightfighters. One other option if you are going for a gloss finish to the white is to spray flat white and then over coat with a gloss. But if you are using the white for the wheel wells, etc, flat should work.
Wow!! [bow]. Absolutely awesome. I’ve seen lighted models but they’ve usually been big models (size not necessarily scale). But nothing like an aircraft’s cockpit.
[:)] Thanks Chris.
Today actually marks the first actual day of construction for the new kit. I’m working out the rotating beacon circut’s electronics - and if I don’t solder my fingers together I should be able to begin filling the panel lines on the fuselage and start on some of the more minor sub-assemblies today or tomorrow. Here’s to hoping this new build goes smoothly and even better than the first!
Bri~