Aliens UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship - Rear Landing Gear

For years, actually decades, I've been thinking about the Alien Queen fitting into the rear landing gear bay of the UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship. Sorry for the plot spoil!

I've semi accurately 3D modelled the mechanism of the landing gear, but when I've attempted to animate it into the landing gear bay, nothing fitted. So I've re-modelled it to something that actually works.

Exended

Retracted

The void where the Alien Queen would to had to get in is so small, her head would not of fitted. In fact a Alien drone would of only just fitted. So, plot fail!

I've still got a few modifications to make so that gear nicely fits into each other, but at long last I've got something that actually works!

North American Aviation X-15 - Update: Pilot, Third Skid and Wing Pods

In the North American Aviation X-15 Cockpit, the pilot has had an update to the texture. I'm not the best when it comes to creating a 3D model & texture of the human body, but this one is just a functional 3D model for the external X-15 3D model.

The Third Skid is now textured. However, I'll be altering the 'Aircraft green primer' as I'm not happy about it. Also, from the pictures I have, the animation doesn't 'work'. So,  I'll be altering parts of the third skid to make it 'work'.

I've added the the wing pods for experiments on the X-15, both wing pods are different. The wing pod on the Starboard side (near) has cameras pointing forward and aft of the X-15. The port wing pod (far) has an experiment mounted in the forward section of the wing pod.

North American Aviation X-15 - Third Skid Gear

I've now added the third skid gear to the North American Aviation X-15 3D Model. It was flown on X-15-1 for it's last 12 flights and on X-15-3 for it's last 14 flights. This is a very approximate 3D model.

There is a reason why it's a very approximate 3D model, I've only got two images to work with. One image is from a book titled "Hypersonic: The Story of the North American X-15" by Dennis R. Jenkins & Tony R. Landis. The other image is from an accompanying book called  "X-15 Photo Scrapbook" by the same authors. However I don't have the second book, but luckily found an image from the book.

I've asked Santa/Father Christmas for this book, but the elves haven't reprinted this book in years. If you have this book and have no requirement for it, I would be happy to purchase it from you.

[Edit]
This is one of the images:

North American Aviation X-15A-2 - Canopy

The 3D model of the North American Aviation X-15A-2 now has the oval windows for the canopy, complete with port side eye-lid. Tomorrow I'll add the hinges and opening mechanism for the eye-lid.

North American Aviation X-15A-2 - Rear Textured

Long day re-creating the UV map for the North American Aviation X-15A-2 3D model. When I added the rear fuselage extensions to be flush the the nozzle, it screwed up the UV map for the rear section. I've repositioned the UV map manually, because if I did it automatically, it would completely reset the UV map for the fuselage and re-positioning all of the fuselage parts would of taken longer. Guess it's a limitation of Wings 3D, but I can live with it. I've also added 'improved' vents and jettison pipe on the rear too.

Defiantly next, I'll do the canopy. :)

North American Aviation X-15A-2 - Rear Details

The rear of the North American Aviation X-15A-2 is now modelled. I've omitted the the texture as when I added the new parts around the XLR-99 engine, as the UV map lost some of it's mapping around the rear and look very distorted and psychedelic. I'll look at this when I've re-modelled the two trailing vents pipes

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The Canopy I'll deal with later,

North American Aviation X-15A-2 - X-15 to X-15A-2 Modification (Pimp up my Rocket plane!)

I've stretched limo'ed the North American Aviation X-15 into the X15A-2. Noticeable modifications are:

• Add 29 inches to the fuselage. Done, see picture below :).
• Add 6.75 inches to the Skid Gear. Not to sure where it is added to. It appears to be on the main section. If this is the case, it's an easy modification.
• Canopy to have the oval windows and 'Eye-lid' on the Port side. 
• Finally some modifications to the rear section of the fuselage for the additional H2O2 / Helium tanks.

The hardest part will be to modify the cramped texture file for the extensiosn, but there *should* be enough room. Fingers crossed...

I know I've got the wrong texture file, this is just for illustration purposes.

ISS Renders with 3D models of the Space Shuttle, Soyuz and SpaceX Dragon

I been experimenting renders using Kerkythea. I've created renders of the International Space Station (ISS) 3D model. I've added the Space Shuttle, Soyuz and SpaceX Dragon to the renders. The Iss is not complete as it's missing some Russian modules and Solar Arrays.

Please tell me what you think.

Battlestar Galactica Viper MkII - Part 6 Cockpit, Final details

The 3D model of cockpit for the Viper MkII is almost complete. All the main switches, dials, instruments and screens are in. This cockpit is based upon the second version of the Viper MkII cockpit in the TV series. The biggest difference between the first version and this one is the addition of a small screen in the lower right of the centre section of the forward panel. The third version removes the three centre engine dials near the centre joystick/yoke. 

 

The last item to add to the cockpit is an ejector seat. I'm going to use a mixture of a real ejector seat and the headrest section of the seat used in Battlestar Galactica. This is because the one used in Battlestar Galactica wouldn't fit a parachute behind the pilot and it looked like it needed to be comfortable for filming ;)

Battlestar Galactica Viper MkII - Part 5 Cockpit and External movie

Couple of movie clips showing the 3D models of the Colonial Viper MkII.

Battlestar Galactica Viper MkII - part 4 Cockpit

Yesterday's and today's lunch time was spent added a 3D model of the cockpit to the Viper MkII.

The first photos and images I had found on the internet gave more than enough to work with. I started the bear bones of the cockpit layout and then later that night, I settled down to watch a few BSG episodes. I then noticed that the centre panel was different from the prop photos I had from the Viper in the first series. After a little bit of digging on the internet, I found out that centre panel had changed a few times. Long and short of it, I'm sticking with the first version :)

I've also added detail to the centre engine as well. This is a best guess, as Zoic 3D model in the series, prop photos and drawings conflict with each other. So I've gone with the best guess approach. 

Battlestar Galactica Viper MkII - Part 3 Details

The basic 3D model is now complete for the Viper MkII and I've moved to the next phase of adding details to the model. I've added the refuel/Plasma details along the sides of the forward fuselage, started to and details on the aft engine sections, and added details to the side engines. I've also tweaked the main fuselage material to look better.

I was going to do the cockpit but the drawings I have don't match the production set cockpit. I'll come back tot he cockpit later and create it basic upon the production model

A good yet limited resource I have found is the drawing and photo on galactiguise.com. I wish I could get my hand on copies of the blueprints...

Just going off topic, I have 5 favourite fictional spacecraft, which I can't, and never will have an outright favourite. These are: 

• Viper MKII from the 2003 series.
• The original Viper from the original series.
• UD-4L Cheyenne dropship from Aliens.
• SA-23E Mitchell-Hyundyne Starfury from Bablyon 5.
• Eagle Transporter from Space: 1999.

Battlestar Galactica Viper MkII

It's been a long time since I've looked at this project. I've added details to the engine nozzle on the 3D model of the Viper MkII. Also, I've reworked the wings to have the wing tip pods and improved the general shape. 

Next, I'll look at the cockpit and canopy

North American Aviation X-15 - 3D model of X-15 Pilot

I can create planes, spacecraft and cars and other object, however I'm crap at creating 3D models of 'natural' objects such as humans, animals, trees. It just something that I've struggled with, even drawing them. Guess I don't have the 'natural' draw gene.

However, I've created a *very* basic 3D model of a pilot for the X-15 project. Details such as harness and hands need to be added. Hands could be important ;)

I've also managed to model the Vertical Stabliser pedals in the cockpit, based upon two photos. They are very crude, however it's better than nothing and I'll refine the shape at a later date.