Pyro X-Wing with Armature

[wizardofthenorth]

Finally just got in the aluminum X-Wing armature for my pyro X-wing.
The reason for going with an armature, is my pull was one of the last, and the rubber had torn on the fuselage mold. The wing mounts were half gone. I will see if i can find an early picture.

So while I had a go at rebuilding them, it wasn't working out so I elected to set it aside and hope to acquire an armature. Recently there was a small run of armatures and was able to get one. I had manufactured a converter piece to allow the armature to mount onto a camera style mount.

At this point, I have moved the nose top/bottom overhang to the bottom. Although I may redo that section.

Have cut out the wing root remnants and the butt plate.

I have etched in the break line in the nose as a hero would have. I wasn't planning on making it nose mountable, but the more I look at it, I think I will be chopping the nose. I do not forsee resculpting as some folks do, but will be putting in the cut in section.

I have done a lot of scribing on the bottom, more to do on the top. I am just deepening the existing lines, not rescribing to match any specific hero as i still want to keep the authentic pyroness of the model (despite the armature).

   
   
   
   
   

[joewhite]

Looking awesome! What armature did you use....who made it?

Joe

[wizardofthenorth]

It is the Mike Reader armature (check over at modelermagic). It should fit a Salzo style xwing perfectly. Fitting it to this is going to take some finagling. You can see I had to cut out the bottom of the cockpit to make it fit.

Brian

[Stefan Hacker]

Joe I can really recommend Mike´s Armature i bought two a while ago for me and an friend and they look perfect!

[Wombat]

That's a really nice looking backbone you have to build around so straight away you are off to a great start already.

[joewhite]

Brian, Stefan,
Right on! I figured it was Mike's armature, just thought I'd ask. I was gonna buy a couple from him but decided to ask him to cut the armature I am designing. I imagined that since his was designed for the V3, it wouldn't fit in the Pyro. However, it looks like it fits perfectly inside the back end of the hull and the wing bars protrude away from the outside at a correct length. Can we get a shot with the top hull off to see the armature sitting inside of the bottom hull?

Joe

[wizardofthenorth]

Hi, as requested, here are some shots of the armature fitting.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

[joewhite]

Like a glove! Wow, I didn't imagine it fitting the Pyro that well! Unfortunately, it looks like I'll still be using my design since I am so far into it. The drawings are pretty much complete except for the gear mechanism design.....an area I could definitely use better ref for!

Joe

[wizardofthenorth]

It is indeed very very close.

I do need to figure out how to be able to adjust the wings. As you see, there is a couple of screws that get tightened to hold the wings opened/closed.

But when the fuselage is closed up, i won't be able to access the tightening screws. I am thinking leaving a channel open on the top, but that may still not be wide enough. Does anyone know what was done on a V3 with an armature?

[joewhite]

I thought about this before I decided to design a motorized armature. I would attach the droid strip with magnets and have a big section cut out underneath to be able to access the armature arms. I will still do the same with a motorized version just to have access in case anything breaks.

Joe

[joewhite]

Ok, so I just realized I basically repeated what you said towards the end of your post! LOL! Would a channel not be wide enough because the rotation of the arms would make it difficult to get an allen key in at an angle? If so, perhaps fabricating an angled or 'S' shape key of some sort would work? Or better yet, make the butt plate removable and use a 90-degree allen key to reach in over the arms? I'm not sure if you would reach the front two arms but maybe the set screws in the last rear arms would be strong enough to hold it in the open s-foil position. Then the channel on top would be used just to lock all 4 arms in closed S-foil position.

Joe

[wizardofthenorth]

as you said, I dont think there would be enough room if all i did was remove the droid strip.

Now that i have it in hand, it would have been ideal if the armature had been manufactured with two sets of locking screws, with both sets accessible from the same position (middle).

so far, as you said, i think the only solution is to have a larger than ideal section be removeable. Or, possible do something with rubber bands (as was done for real), to hold it open, unless it gets locked down/closed.

Brian

(10-09-2013, 02:35 AM)joewhite Wrote: Ok, so I just realized I basically repeated what you said towards the end of your post! LOL! Would a channel not be wide enough because the rotation of the arms would make it difficult to get an allen key in at an angle? If so, perhaps fabricating an angled or 'S' shape key of some sort would work? Or better yet, make the butt plate removable and use a 90-degree allen key to reach in over the arms? I'm not sure if you would reach the front two arms but maybe the set screws in the last rear arms would be strong enough to hold it in the open s-foil position. Then the channel on top would be used just to lock all 4 arms in closed S-foil position.

Joe

[wizardofthenorth]

So, here is the armature, modified to include a 2nd set of locking screws (one to lock wings open, one to lock wings closed), both accessible from the cut open droid strip panel.
The droid strip will of course be removable.


   

[JAWS]

Niice.
Thanks for posting your build.

[Stefan Hacker]

Very cool! Thanks for showing!

[Scott Graham]

Nice job. I like that you're putting the armature in the pyro. Interesting stuff and you're doing it very well!

[wizardofthenorth]

A little bit of progress, almost finished the main wings, just need to fit the front bottom cans and front wing greeblies. I am pretty much using the parts as they came with the kit, so most do need a lot more work than something actually designed to be a production kit.

[wizardofthenorth]

Wings finished except for the guns, nose modified to be more heroish.

[el loco]

Great Job !
Those pics looks soooo ILM'ish
What have you done with the nose, did you make it longer ?

[wizardofthenorth]

I just added the insert/cutout on the top part and the etched line around the outside to make it appear removable (it is not tough).

[wizardofthenorth]

Fuselage is coming along. Still have to finish the rear section.

[Jkirkon]

Standing by awaiting more. Nice work!!

[wizardofthenorth]

This has been sitting around for too long, have started working on this again.

Chopped the nose and the shaved off the side and bottom mounting point covers. They will have to be rebuilt.

[wizardofthenorth]

Holy necropost Batman!

So finally decided to get back to some modelling, now that my gaming group has dissolved.

This will not win any awards, but is moving again.

I have attached the original pyro nose...a casting came with some of the kits.  If anyone should have one of these...I dont think I recommend the procedure. The original pyro nose casting was a bit squished and off centre, so by the time I built it up and sanded it down...it would have been easier to just modify the nose as it was.

Also, this is going to be just a pyro now, no armature. Will save the armature for another kit.

[JAWS]

Nice. Was this Frank's first Pyro? The McCune one?

[wizardofthenorth]

Yes, the John Eaves/ Grant McCune lineage version.

[wizardofthenorth]

ArchiveX paints.

[PB BB1]

What a great sight to see one of these fuselages paired with a metal armature. Incredible, keep it up.

Oops I realize you are saving it for later now. Maybe I can help with some replacement wing boxes.

[wizardofthenorth]

Slowly continuing to progress. Wings almost done, just have to add the styrene strip to the engine intakes.

Then should be on to the brass for the guns.