Studio Scale McQuarrie Concept Raider

[dbhs]

My new project is a scratch-built Studio Scale model of a Ralph McQuarrie concept design for the Cylon Raider. This concept was not used for the show in favor of the Raider that we all know and love. To my knowledge a model has never been built of this concept design. I'm calling this a Studio Scale model because I will be building it in 1:35 scale to match the scale of the Studio Raider.

http://www.galactica.tv/battlestar-galac...tches.html has a lot of McQuarrie's sketches and there's some really good ideas for scratch builds in there.




This sketch and the one above are the only two reference sketches that I have found for this design but they show enough of the ship to extrapolate the design for a scale model.

To round out the scratch built parts I'm going to add just a few kit parts from the Leopold and Morser Karl that were used on the studio model. The kit parts will be used in keeping with the design but will add just a little 'lineage' to keep this in the Cylon Raider family. Phil (Wombat) is helping me out with some parts from his stash. Thanks, Phil !!!



This photo show the Studio Scale Cylon Raider kit next to a 1:35 drawing of the Concept Raider. The Concept Raider is a slightly smaller craft as it is a single-pilot ship. In physical dimensions the model will be just under 16" from nose to tail.



My first step was to draw up to-scale plans in AutoCAD. The plan view-sketch was very helpful getting started but after a while I started noticing subtle differences in the design between the two drawigns. I really liked the feel of the perspective sketch so I used that as my reference whenever something didn't match.



Final orthagonal drawings, top view.



Final orthagonal drawings, bottom view.



The shape of the hull has subtle compound curves so I'm using AutoCAD to study the geometry and generating the series of ribs that will create this curve on the skin.




Here are the sets of ribs and other pieces that will be cut out of styrene. I'm planning on printing these out on transparent stick-on film and using them as templates for cutting the styrene.

Most of the ribs and parts are ready to go so the next step is to start cutting styrene.