Klingon Bird of Prey Hmmm !!! #@#@

[erospawn]

Hey guys,

While I was waiting on the Voyager, which has been sent off, I decided to dig around in the closet full of models. I ended up deciding on building this. Its going to have all the lights etc...but Im doing something a little different which is building the baffles for the wing mounts..so the wings will be positional between attack mode and cruise mode. Talk about tedium!

The general layout of the parts
       

Painting the inside of the model black to cut down on the light leaks..
       

Here I took the dremel out and cut out the windows.
       

[erospawn]

The first picture shows the original Baffles. Im basically taking styrene and cutting out the individual "ribs".. now thats tedium! The second pic basically shows the LED's being used. I had to shave down the LED's to fit inside the wing.. the problem now is how to hide the wiring inside the baffles and not interfere with the wing movement.

       

The pics here show the LED mounted in one of the wings.. and the next pic shows the lighting installed in the body.. Then I made a piece of plastic to separate the torpedo tube lighting from the bridge lighting. I plan to create a circuit that will pulse the torp led to make it look like a torpedo launching.. (as soon as I find a schematic).

       

The pics below are close-ups of the lighting in the body.. The second picture shows a piece of styrene glue in place to keep the light from leaking through baffle areas.

       

[JAWS]

Kool. This is a good design. Looking forward to watching this build Ron. Bout time you built something for us.

[erospawn]

Well... it takes time to build something from Scratch.. I posted some other models early on though..

[JAWS]

I was just pullin your chain Ron!

[erospawn]

The 2nd pic here shows the LED mounted in the Torpedo tube..its basically a red LED being used.

       

The 1st pic here shows basic wiring in the bottom half of the ship. The 2nd pic shows the wiring in the body again but with the engine lightes mounted as well. It's basically 2 red LED's with a single Yellow LED. The idea here is to make an orange light with a slightly redder tint.

       

[scratchy]

Very nice, can't wait to see her lit up and painted

[erospawn]

I've spent some time on making the baffles.. I believe about 26 X 2 for the upper.. and 26 X 2 for the bottom.. I think I've developed a nervous twitch from doing all that..

       

       

[erospawn]

I'm almost finished with right wing.. need to add a few parts..otherwise its done..worked on cutting out the wing "ribs" for the left wing tonight. Still have to glue them into place...

       

       

[JAWS]

Lookin good Ron. Ive seen you other kit buils I expect alot outa this mate!

[erospawn]

ALright...I finally finished the wing mounts.. well, one more peice and its done! Cutting out all those little peices about drove me crazy! So, now the wings are positional and thats pretty cool!


       

       

       

[dbhs]

This is awesome, Ron. A lot of work on those movable wings.

I'm hoping this gets released again in a larger scale. Something as big as the WARP version but in better quality would be sweet.

[DarthDuck]

Those ribs had to suck ass!!!

But maybe now you can feel good that it should be easier from here on?

Keep us posted!

[erospawn]

After cutting them out once.. and finding out that they weren't right..or to my liking.. I ended up having to redo them again.. I was a wee bit more careful on the wings. At any rate, I think they look pretty good

[modelnutz]

(02-19-2010, 08:05 AM)dbhs Wrote: This is awesome, Ron. A lot of work on those movable wings.

I'm hoping this gets released again in a larger scale. Something as big as the WARP version but in better quality would be sweet.

See Ron ???
What did I say ????
Perhaps someone could do a big version with movable wings and landing gear

[dbhs]

(02-19-2010, 02:15 PM)modelnutz Wrote:

(02-19-2010, 08:05 AM)dbhs Wrote: This is awesome, Ron. A lot of work on those movable wings.

I'm hoping this gets released again in a larger scale. Something as big as the WARP version but in better quality would be sweet.

See Ron ???
What did I say ????
Perhaps someone could do a big version with movable wings and landing gear

OH YEAH. I'm all over that !!!!

[erospawn]

(02-19-2010, 06:28 PM)dbhs Wrote:

(02-19-2010, 02:15 PM)modelnutz Wrote:

(02-19-2010, 08:05 AM)dbhs Wrote: This is awesome, Ron. A lot of work on those movable wings.

I'm hoping this gets released again in a larger scale. Something as big as the WARP version but in better quality would be sweet.

See Ron ???
What did I say ????
Perhaps someone could do a big version with movable wings and landing gear

OH YEAH. I'm all over that !!!!

How interested are ya? I don't know of any large scale kits of the thing at all. Just thinkin

[dbhs]

I'd love to have a BOP in studio scale. 36" wingspan according to http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Klingon_Bird-of-Prey.

I've seen a few build ups of the WARP versions and came close to getting one until I saw all the trouble it has with resin quality. I believe that one's about 27" wing tip to wing tip. Here are some links. I'm not sure about how accurate it is to the detailing of the original but seems pretty good. Here are some links.

The real deal.
http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/scans/bop1.htm

Sciford's build up of the WARP model with lighting is the best I've seen so far.
http://www.resinilluminati.com/showthread.php?t=5982

Here's the "turd of prey" thread - pics gone but the text tells the tale.
http://www.resinilluminati.com/showthread.php?t=710

I seem to remember a rumor about someone kitting this a long time ago but i haven't heard anything lately.

I'd love to have one but don't build a master just for me .

Oh, yeah - if you're going to make one, don't miss this ref goldmine:
http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=9683

[erospawn]

Hmm, yeah I heard about the warp kit.. "poisonous peanut brittle" .. gotta love that phrase. Well, I had contemplated building a scratch of this one.. and ofcourse it would have to big. Now, it'd be nice if it were 1/350 scale to go next to the voyager I scratched, also 1/350 scale.. but in order for it to be larger and yet in scale with the voyager, it would have to be a K'vort class.. I just wonder how popular it would be if I did take on this serious undertaking.. I can do it, but it would take time..

[JAWS]

Those pictures of the studio model are F&^%$N Sick man!

[dbhs]

The Memory Alpha site is wrong about the size. This picture on MMM is taken with a 3-foot yard stick for scale reference. Looks about 4-1/2 foot wing span to me. This is such a cool ship.

The Christy's auction catalog also has the size listed too small. I guess no one measured it.

Holy crap - that thing sold for $307,200. Someone really likes this model a lot.

[erospawn]

Thanks Doug!

I used the references you supplied to paint the KBOP I'm working on now.. I added the pvc stand and got all that settled .. and am working on the painting of her now...

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

[dbhs]

Wow, that's looking great.

This is definitely one of those that looks best when grungy and battle worn, like a proper Klingon ship should.

Great work with the colors.

[erospawn]

Cool.. thats the base color.. I guess I'm pretty much finished with the weathering now.. My wife is chasing the cat around the house with it now
I'll post newer pics soon.. I still need to build the base and get the circuit stuff done.. as soon as I am done with that... My voyager kit prototype should be on its way

[JAWS]

Looking good Ron. I rekon mor weathering! Look forward to seeing your kit mate.

[erospawn]

Hey Guys...

Here she is..painting and weathering done.. with the exception of the very front peice over the torpedo launcher .. You'll have to excuse the water glass I am using to hold the model up during the lighting... test?? ... I still need to make the base and wire up the circuit to pulse the torp light when a button is pushed.. I know its a lot of pics, but you're caught up to where I am

                       
           
           
           
           
       

[JAWS]

That looks wicked Ron. Really good work mate. The extra weathering really brought it home.

[dbhs]

Very cool, Ron. Turned out fantastic.

[erospawn]

Okay... I've been working on the base for the ship ..the idea here is to have the base look like a klingon symbol.. with the two arrows at the bottom switches to turn on the lights and fire the torpedo as well..