Vaygr Laser Corvette (in progress)

[GreatDane]

Hi there paper modelers!
^{(I presume you are?)}

Some time ago I started creating/unfolding the 4 Vaygr corvettes. It has been a loooong, sometimes difficult, but fun job, and I learned a lot from it! I presume most of you remember my minelayer 'vette. (and yeah; I still have to (beta-) build that mine! )
A while ago I mentioned something about me building a laser corvette, so I thought I'll just a thread on that here.
*_{Note: the laser 'vette mentioned here is one of my own creations/unfolds! Do not misplace it with Yessmassters version, wich is very different. Although some hints & tips might apply to that one too.*}

Here is the unfold of the final Beta unfold:

This unfold differs from the one I'm building, as I corrected the laserpod sponsons, and colored all fold lines for a more 'low-visibility' approach .
The unfold I am building was printed waaay back in time, just after I finished the minelayer. The good news of that is: those of you who already received (PM-ed) my unfold have the better version!
;D ^{congrads you guys!} ;D
My laser 'vette has the option for at least 6 color versions -or any mix up you'd desire!- and comes with 'color it yourself' blank *.psd (photoshop) texture files:


Nice, eh?
^{-well, I thought so-}

As this is supposed to be a sort of build AI, I'll start with my first build pics:

The first order of business was cutting & folding the main hull (MH-1), and cutting the appropriate heavy card stock reinforcing parts. (Yes; you DO need those!) I marked each piece so I couldn't misplace them.
Next, of course, I glued the reinforcements into place.
After that, I measured the space between both left & right side inside the hull (:just about 2,5cm, depends on what paper/card stock you use) and cut some bulkheads to strengthen the hull.


After some extra cutting to make my bulkheads to fit properly, I glued both sides together. It's best to glue the front 'lid' first to both left & right side first! You can view the hull from the front, and adjust the allignment of the sides, compared to each other! Next, I closed the upper rear section of the hull, starting with the (:sloped) sides, and closing it up with the top (:flat) part! After that it is safe to glue the bulkheads in, but keep checkin' to see if the hull didn't get twisted or out of allignment! (mine did, just a itty-bit, though)
As you can see from the first pic, I completed the whole front 'lid' after adding the bulkheads. After that I added the bottom part (MH-2) to the hull; start with the lowest section first! By now you'll have a hull that's as solid as wood!
Well, that about wraps up my first post. Rest assured, there's more to come, as I already completed the main hull and laserpod sponsons. But those will need some surgically altering to fit the laser pod bays in....

[GreatDane]

After I completed the main hull, I started on to work on the laser pod sponsons. At that time my unfold had the left & right side sponsons as different unfolds, just to see wich version would be better. The newer unfold has both sponsons supplied as the version I preffered, wich is the one I'll be describing in this post.
The first pic shows the better unfold build, with the old unfold still uncut on paper:

I designed laser pod bays with my unfold, that can be inserted inside the sponsons. These should fit the laser pods when finished (still have to build those). The first pic shows one bay build. The next pics hopefuly show you some insight in the idea I had about that:

The first pic shows the normal sponson in Metasequoia. The second one shows the laser pod bay inside the sponson (with some sponson faces hidden), and the last one shows the laser pod inserted to the laser pod bay (to check if it would fit).
The next pics show a bit more of the laser pod sponson & bay build up:

The left pic shows the (right side) sponson cut & folded. I glued the sponson starting from the front; glueing 2 glue tabs at a time. First 2 upper ones, next 2 lower ones, working my way to the rear of the sponson in this manner.
When I finished the sponson I started on the pod bay (insert). Again I glued the top (or bottom... whatever) side first, then the other side. After that I fitted the insert into the sponson... It fits!

As I noticed my poor quality photo's (sorry about that), I recently acquired some lens adapters, filters and macro lenses for my digital camera, and a tripod too. I hope this did improve the upcoming pics.


*^{Whoopee... detail pictures!}*
Well, the first pic shows the finished sponson & pod bay in detail, the second a part of the sponson.
The last pic shows a hick-up that occured during the build of the main hull: a part of the glue tabs on part MH-2 show up where they shouldn't have. I camouflaged it a bit with a pencil. (filt pens could work as well) And yes; I glued the remainder of MH-2 inside (!) the glue tabs of MH-1 in hopes of a better fit for the bridge section.

D-dd-da-da-that's it folks! ;D
This is as far as I got at the moment! Next time I'll be cutting the sponsons, and fit the pod bays inside, when I have the time. (not that soon I suppose, have other business to attend to, too. Sorry!)

[gremdek]

that's going to be really nice.

[GreatDane]

Thanks Gremdek! ;D

It meant a lot, hearing it from you!

I know I'm a bit necroposting now, but it has taken me a lot more time to 'renovate' our house (still working on it ). I'm planning on finishing all needfull construction & redecorations within the next month... I hope I'll make it!
I just really need to finish this model; it has been staring back at me at my desk for ages, tempting me... So far I've altered one sponson (looking good!), and started building one laser pod. Sorry, no pics, yet.
I picked up the printed unfolds of my Vaygr assault frigate (8 A3 size pages) & heavy missile frigate (2 A1 size pages; the infiltrator frig' will span 3 pages!) this week, so now I'm even more eager to finish this corvette! ;D

I'll keep you all posted when I'm 'on the move' again!

[GreatDane]

*giggles*
^{-I revived another old thread, I guess-}
No progress so far -sigh-, but I didn't want to withhold you these:
(the Vaygr Frigate prints, see above post)

My next pet project, patiently awaiting completion...

[GreatDane]

;D Hi folks! ;D

I'm having my holiday break right now, so I hope to make some more progress on my builds the next 3 weeks.
I've already picked up my work on the laser 'vette and right now I'm waiting for the glue to set.
The first sponson has been altered, with the black faces cut out. Next up I reinforced the sponson & pod bay with some cheap sturdy cardboard (from a pizza box ) The difference between the normal and altered sponsons are quite obvious.

The sponson didn't come out quite as nice as I hoped it would, due to my impatience (that's a first!), and a bit too much glue. The pod bay accidently ripped when I applied the cardboard, and it was glued a bit too much forward into the sponson. This made fitting the sponson onto the hull a bit troublesome (:you need to bend the forward part of the sponson onto the sloped hull nose). But I guess it won't show once the laser pod is fitted inside.
Here's my progress, as of this evening:

The first laser pod has been started as well...

...but I will tell you more once I've fitted the second sponson, onto the hull, okay?

'See ya, when I see ya!'

Cheers,
GreatDane.

[GreatDane]

Made some more progress on the Laser 'Vette the last few days.

The second sponson is done as well, adding more volume to the once sleek corvette body. From the lessons learned from the first sponson; this one went together much better. Some more patience, carefull cutting and less glue did the trick:

After attaching the sponson I decided to add some more hull parts, the hull 'nose' and 'boxy' part on top (parts MH-3 through MH-6):

The hull 'nose' (MH-3) was carefully glued onto the hull; first one complete side, then the other. I added some cardboard inside the lower part to help straighten it out. After that the MH front/nose inset (MH-5) was glued inside: Check the correct direction of this part using Pepakura Viewer (tm), or you might place it backwards! ^{(Not that anyone would notice, though)} Subsequently the MH front/nose bottom (MH-4) was added. As you can see below, I glued the printed parts on top of the glue flaps, and the white parts under them! This might aid in reducing the seam between the lower hull and the (to be added) bridge section. I hope...

After this short intermission it's back to work on those laser pods!

[GreatDane]

'Oi vay!'

When looking at the unfolded laser pod, it looks a like a simple part to assemble. I tried to make it look logical to assemble, and thought I did a nice job on those...




After scoring and cutting the left laser pod (LP-2) I added some reinforcing cardstock onto the large flat upper and lower faces.
First I did the sloped faces. I left the inner (grey) side open and added some cardboard 'bulkheads' inside the pod. This was to prevent the pod to accidently get squished and retain its shape.
Then I glued the vertical faces (but somehow that didn't go too well) and finished it off by glueing the inner (grey) sides.

Hmm.. must have done something wrong somewhere, 'cause it didn't go together as easily as I hoped. Overall it doesn't look too bad from a distance, but from up close both front and rear end look 'bodged'




Actually, this pod turned out to be a bit banana-shaped. (Argh!) I guess I'll have to be a bid more carefull with the next pod...

[GreatDane]

Sorry for a bit of 'necro-posting?'

Just in case some of you might have wondered if the 'VLC' would ever get finished... I'm still -trying to- working on it!

Just today I was working on some CD-booklets for a dear friend when I stumbled upon my Vaygr Laser Corvette, searching for some paper cutting tools.



'Gosh!'
That must have been some while ago I ever worked on that one?!'
I found the 'bridge section' I finished some time ago (crooked, I thought at first), and decided to add it to the main hull. It did go together even better than I thought of at first.
Together with the engine sections, and second laser pod, that I found scribed (or: scored) and well, I'm presuming it won't take take long (certain situations aside...) for me to finish this model, at least...

If you'd still like, I'll keep you posted!

'See Ya when I see Ya!'

GreatDane

[lagman]

Keep at it GD! There is nothing beter than coming across a project that was started and shelved eons ago and taking another stab at it ;D.

Saddly I feel that all of my projects are like that (I've only finished one to date) so I will keep rooting for ya. Who knows, if you get this one done, perhaps that will enspire me to get off my lazy but and finish (or start) one of mine...

[GreatDane]

Uhm... Hi! ;D

I started working on the last laser pod, and the engine section, this evening. Experimenting with different glues, it left the laser pod quite a bit croocked 'n bended (TY pva glue!). Hope it'll straighten out when dried up The engine section is freakin' me out quite a bit, but I'm getting there. (At least, I hope... :.
I'm hoping to make some more progress this weekend. As far as family life will not interfere? (As usual)
Do not dispair dear friends, I'm not leaving this forum & hobby behind just yet!

Best wishes to all of ya!

GreatDane.

[GreatDane]

::)Hi there people!

I thought I'd post some progress pictures following my last post. I finished the second laser pod, and luckily it turned out better than the first one. I spend more attention to have this one more straight than my first try that went a bit awry... (say: 'banana-shaped' ) Again, I added some cardboard to the inside of the larger faces to give it some more strength. Fortunately the build went so well I didn't take any pics of that. (sorry)
With the second pod installed on to the hull the corvette gets a more 'bulky' appearance:



Hmm, yeah, now the corvette lookes 'balanced'!

On with the engine section!

*Oh drat!*

After scoring and cutting the first two parts (E-1 & E-2) I was struck with a feeling of déja-vu. Test fitting showed me (again) that this is the most dreaded part of a Vaygr Corvette!
They're quite complicated and feature some small faces. And all of them have to be alligned correctly to assure a good fit once they are put together!
So, after adding cardboard pieces to the insides, and lots of test fitting I proceeded. The engine mid section (E-2) was completed first. I added a 'bulkhead' glued to the inside of the glue flaps which kept it to the same with as the rear of the hull. Lots of test fitting provided the correct size. With some more cardboard (struts) I managed to keep this part retain the correct shape; test-fit-check-test-fit-check... etc.!


As you can see, I reinforced the insides with quite an ammount of light cardboard. In the end it did strengthen the completed engine section quite well! ('Curious little fingers' will not squish it that easily!)
While reinforcing, I added glue flaps to the (larger) vertical faces of the mid-section (E-2). I figured it would ease the attachment of both upper and lower engine sections (E-1 and E-3). And in a way it did. But you will have to carefull to avoid a big nasty gap where the parts join. But to my opinion this option is easier and less frustrating.



After I completed all three parts I fiddled about to see what way was the best way to attach the engine on to the hull. Eventually I decided to complete the engine section as a whole and add it to the hull then. Whether or not it suits you is up to you. (Trial-and-error!) The fit was not perfect but, considering the odd shape of the parts and me beeing a noob to paper modelling, I will have to settle for that.
Once that engine section was added the corvette was complete, finally! (It took me about six years?!)

But I'm not done yet. At the moment I'm already working on the detail parts. The larger ones are a walk in the park and the smaller ones are a challenge...
But for its size the corvettes look better with the detail parts on!

That's it for so far! GreatDane signing out.

'See ya when I see ya!'
[/a]

[vortex4200]

Nice work.

[GreatDane]

Uhm, well...

It has been finished by the way.
Will post some pics when I have some good ones made.
Currently building the other 3 Vaygr corvettes (when time permits) and planning on a nice display stand for them all together...

'See ya when I see Ya!'