In other news...

In other news, I already finished the final build of the Black Hole Tank (it helps that it's basically a soup can on top of a box ;o)

So here's a question...

Obviously, it's a square(-ish) tube open at the top (for now) and closed at the bottom, but it seems to be missing some thing(s) (for a reason).

Does that make you use a different technique than you would normally use on square(-ish) parts?

Achtung! Black Hole Panzer!

Not a lot of of updates lately, on account of that I've been busy.

So at those times, it's fun to make a simple model by hand instead of spending all evening staring at a computer screen again.

As you can see, the process of how I make one of my Advance Wars models is quite a bit different from how I make my other video game models... ;o)

papercraft Viper release

• Launch Vipers!

Have fun building!

Viper step 1

I didn't do a whole lot of work on the instructions yet, on account of I've been too busy with other stuff. ;o)

I'll probably have them ready by the end of the week, but I wanted to show you the first step, which is getting together everything you need to build the model.

Normally, I think it's okay to use any kind of paper, depending on how sturdy you want your paper model to be in the end.

But for this Viper model, because of the tabs & slots method used to attach the engines and wings, I really have to recommend using thicker cardstock (I use 200 gsm myself) and for the internal framework, I used 2 mm thick cardboard (NOT the corrugated kind used for cardboard boxes, it will bend too easily...!)

Viper final build

The final Viper build went together almost FTL!

Well, that's a bit exaggerated, but I'm pretty excited with the result. The internal framework makes it very sturdy, and the wings and engines all hang on strong too!

Now it's just a matter of making the instructions, and it'll be ready for release!

Stay tuned!

Viper unfold

I'm pretty happy with the way my papercraft Viper turned out, so I made the final unfold and templates, and now it's time for the final build and instructions.

Stay tuned!

Viper tabs and slots

Here's a quick test build of the tab and slot method I'm planning on using for the Viper, and so far it works very well!

The pictures are just of the "cradle" for the left engine, but it works so well that I didn't even have to glue it on, it just stays in place by itself. ;o)

A big part of that is thanks to the fact that I'm using thick cardstock (200 gsm) which is nice and stiff, and I can already tell you: it won't work this well if you were to make it out of regular printer paper...!

(you can also see from the cross section of the hull, that it really needs the internal bracing to give it its desired shape; just pre-shaping it just won't be enough! ;o)

Viper decals

I'm making quite good progress on my Viper, so I can already start worrying about the "decals" (stickering) like the warning signs and other markings.

After the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series came to an end in 2009, a lot of the costumes and set pieces used on the show were sold at auction to lucky fans.

The auction archives are a great resource to see gaze upon all the great designwork, but also to see what all the Viper's decals say exactly including each pilot's callsign and tail number.

Although I doubt the small lettering will still be legible at the scale of my papercraft Viper, it's still fun to know what it all says exactly. ;o)

Viper engine

To be able to "hang" the engines to the main hull, their shape needs to be the exact negative (or at least close enough so that you can make it look good in paper, which is pretty flexible of course ;o)

Then, using a tab and slot method, they'll be easy to align and glue on and should automatically have the correct shape.

Or at least that's what I'm hoping for.

Ribbing the Viper

Using the main hull as a main body to hang on all the other parts is all fine and well, but that would still mean the hull itself would be a hollow shell.

All papercraft models are mostly hollow of course, but because paper has some natural tension in it, it would make the nose of the Viper become round, while it really needs to be more oval shaped.

A pretty common solution for this in papercraft airplanes is to use some internal bracing made from cardboard (just like in the real thing actually, although then the bracing is not made from cardboard...)

I'm sure it will work on papercraft space superiority fighters too. ;o)

Star Trek Deep Space Nine Type-10 shuttlecraft "Chaffee" rework by Paul McCool

Like Bill Perry and Bones McCoy did with my Defiant model, Paul McCool has now taken my shuttlecraft "Chaffee" and not only redid the textures using parts from Paragon's redraw, but also changed a large portion of the backside.

The pictures above are from a build thread on the Papermodelers.com papercraft forum, where you can find some more pictures of the test build that Josh (Sidewinder81777) did of Paul McCool's rework.

If seeing those pictures makes you want to build your own, then you can get the parts you need from the same place as my original hand drawn version:

• download Paul McCool's Chaffee rework

Have fun building!

Viper modules

The first step for me in making a papercraft model, is to break down the complex shape of the complete model into smaller, easier to build modules.

For the Viper, I think using the main hull as a main body to "hang on" all the other modules (the two wings, the engines on either side and the one on top) will make the paper model much easier to build.

It will also help it keep its shape much better than when the model would be a completely hollow shell, which is important of course because that's where the Viper gets its looks. ;o)

Happy 2010!

One of my new year's resolutions is to make a papercraft Viper Mark II from the 2004 re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica (hey, I too need at least one that I won't break...! ;o)

Happy 2010 everybody, have fun building!