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1/32 ERA-3B Skywarrior - 3D printed / scratchbuilt


Starfighter

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Thanks Gentlemen - I am quite happy with the current progress indeed. 

 

The camera blisters are not fitted and puttied. I have also added the surrounding strengthener which I have cut on my Silhouette, but I have not yet photographed it. 

 

img_5055bgk1g.jpg

 

The LH side elevator base is ready as well, the RH side one currently doesn't print properly - no idea why. 

 

img_50544mk42.jpg

 

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Second post in LSP.

Your work is FANTASIC!!!!!

I'm working about a project in 3D whit Rhino 6 and print with Anycubic photon I use Chitubox as slicer more better than Anycubic slicer ,the antialiasing function is very usefull for round parts why you have print the fuselage whitout panel? 

I want try to use Inventor but I think that for plane Nurbs based prg are the best.

I will follow your work with interess

Cheers

Marco

Edited by spartacus2000
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Steve, it definitely makes life much easier. I did most of this kind of stuff by hand before the Viking, now everything is quicker and more precise. 

 

Marco, thanks for your kind words! I don't think the Photon can handle Antialiasing, if I am not mistaken only the Photon S can do that. The fuselage was not printed with groove lines because they were not included in the CAD files. The Skywarrior is based on a file I have bought, I only made it printable and used it as a base for my model. the parts I have drawn myself do have groove lines and surface detail. A NURBS based progream would certainly be better suited for this kind of task, but I neither have the software nor the knowledge to use it, so I have to work with what I have! :) 

 

In the meantime, I have done some more "classic" modelling. The rear portion of the refuelling probe is a mix of 3D printed parts and slide fit tube from Albion Alloys. The forward portion will be fitted at the very end to avoid damage - very easy thanks to the perfectly fitting tubes.

 

img_50689bkgl.jpeg

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I can remember as a lad hearing the North American tech rep who lived across the street chortle about how the A-3 was a dull and ponderous dinosaur bound for inevitable extinction compared to the Vigilante which was at the time the last word in sleek and cool.  As unworldly as I was then,  I still had doubts because, even after squadrons converted from A-3s to A-5s, the suddenly redundant Whales didn't disappear, they just moved a little farther down the ramp and I would see them flying every day.  In the end, the Viggie had two jobs, only one of which it actually did.  But the Whale was another matter altogether.  I'm not sure I can count up on the fingers of both hands all the various missions it did with minimum fuss and bother, some long after the Viggies were either sitting on a stick or were left to return to the earth.  This most ambitious model is a perfect example.  It's an ERA-3B; that's half the English alphabet's worth of missions added to an airplane that started out as a humble A.   So much for sleek and cool.

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Ben,

 

You said that you bought the file. Is it available to purchase?

 

You also said that you "made it printable". What did that entail.

 

Love to have one of these for myself and if the file has already been produced, well, why not.

 

Dan

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Dan, the file is available on CGTrader. Making it printable includes scaling it, adding material thickness, making the model watertight and cutting it into pieces suitable for printing and assembly. As the 3D model was not intended to be printed, it is just a hull without any physical wall thickness. All this can be done using programs like Meshmixer and Netfabb. 

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Ben,

 

Thanks for the info on the CGTrader site. I was a little overwhelmed by the 480 pages of models. Only looked at a fraction of them. I did see the A3D model, looks good for the price. If I remember correctly it was less than $80.

 

Lots of programs/models for sale/download. I will probably give it a try, with an in-expensive, model to see if I can complete the journey from downloadable program to something I can hold in my hand.

 

Dan

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There are tons of models indeed! They offer discounts on a regular basis; I think I paid some 50$ for the Skywarrior back in the day. Keep in mind, it’s the basic shape but not much more. It has some issues, such as the nose and tail being too shallow. Anyway, it’s a good base and there is so much more... endless possibilities!

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