Aliens UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship - Cockpit layout

On my lunch break, I've managed to add some cockpit details to the UD-4L

Using a basic ejector seat and a HUD from another project. I've started to add objects to the cockpit. From watching the film several times, I've managed to create a basic console for the Co-Pilot and a large console / display screen for the Pilot. 

I'll probably be able to add a bit more detail, however I'll probably make up the rest of the cockpit, based upon best guess work. 

UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship from Aliens, available for download :)

I've uploaded a basic 3D Model of the UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship to my Downloadable Resources page. It's in Wings3D format, which is a free application and can be downloaded from www.wings3d.com.

It is not an exact 3D model, and I've omitted a lot of detail components.

Aliens UD-4L "Cheyenne" Dropship - Improved Landing Gear (part 5)

I've improved the forward landing gear 3D model on the UD-4L "Cheyenne" Dropship. I've discovered the forward landing gear is actually the main landing gear of a Avro Vulcan Bomber. The far landing gear is the old model, the closer one is the newer version.

How much was the film Aliens done using scrap vehicles, spare aircraft parts, abandoned industrial locations, cannibalised weapons? :)

Aliens UD-4L "Cheyenne" Dropship - Payload Bay (part3)

This is a very cramped space. Once the M577 APC was added to the 3D model of the UD-4L "Cheyenne" Dropship, I immediately noticed that the space in the payload / cargo bay for the chairs was going to be a challenge. I've taken a few 'liberties' on exact location of the chairs. The chair Hicks was sat in appears to be on the ramp on the Aliens film set. However, after a bit of creative tweaking, I've got it to fit.

Next: add a door to the Cockpit/Flight Deck and to add equipment details to the interior.

USS Sulaco - Hangar Bay (Part 2)

I've 'refined' the walls of  the 3D model of USS Sulaco's hangar and adjusted the number of 'side-support' structures to match the film set. I have been using the "Aliens - Definitive Edition" DVD as my main source of information for the hangar layout., as it has multiple views of the hangar and the UD-4L 'Cheyenne' Dropship.

The 3D model hangar is still far 'perfect', but it starting to get the look of the USS Sulaco's hangar. I've added a 'basic' crane in the hangar and have 'loosely' positioned the crane components. The four main vertical components that run down the Dropship's centre fuselage, I have no idea what their exact purpose is; fuel transfer, grapple, who knows. I'll model these better after watching the film, again :)

I have also discovered that in the pressure chamber that is under the primary Dropship, it has at least three supports that hold the Dropship in place prior to launch. Two under the forward weapon pylons, a third at the rear of the craft. Must remember to model these

USS Sulaco (Part 2)

Last night I had trouble getting to sleep, so I thought do a quick hour of 3D modelling on the USS Sulaco to tire me out. At 4am I decided that I should really get some sleep. In those early hours of the morning, I tidied up the Engine and Fusion Torus sections, re-sized and positioned the Particle Beam weapons and eventually connected the four sections together.
Job outstanding:

• The IR Mast is still not attached to the main hull.
• The Rail Cannons need to be created. 
• For the forward antenna array, I need some better drawings to clarify positions
• Complete the detailing on the underside as well as a basic hangar bay.

In the lower image you can get a sense of scale of the USS Sulaco. The  few pixels below it are an UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship, measuring at 26.5 meters. If the antenna array was complete, the over all length is 731 meters.

Aliens UD-4L "Cheyenne" Dropship Cockpit

During my lunch breaks, I try to fill the downtime by researching 3D models, I know it's sad :) Sometimes I get lucky with finding good scans of blueprints or 2D CAD drawings. Sometimes I even find good photos taken at precise angles.

I've been trying to looking for decent drawings of the UD-4L "Cheyenne" Dropship's cockpit for the last 5 years, without much success. Last week, I have eventually found something that I use:

I also found a bunch of good movie stills, including photos of Dropship interior. This one of the 'cargo bay' has been very useful.

However, in the image below I spotted something that looked very wrong, guess what it is:

The HUD. It's too low and would make it totally impractical to use! I've watched this film many, many times and I missed this detail.

Anyway, I've made improvements to the cockpit and the next stage is to add the consoles and that useless HUD...

Aliens: Dropship and APC

Another 'project' I'm working on is a Rendering of the Aliens vehicles. It all started off 4 years ago with creating the Dropship model. It's kind of on hold as I'm missing good information on the interior. The Movie, doesn't really give accurate information. I do have some drawings of the interior that was use to create the sets in the film, but they simply do not fit.


I started the APC last year when I was stuck in a rut due to lack of information on the Shuttle Flight and Mid decks. The Film set interior definitely does not fit at all. The 'commander' console and the 'platoon' seats just don't fit. At least half of the platoon would be in the engine bay! The wheel axels also presents a huge problem...