Omega 7 Columbia Helicarrier MkIV

[Quaralane]

All right, here we go with my first entry in this year's Big Spring Contest.
I'm taking a "mulligan" on one of my builds from the 2013 contest, namely the Omega 7 Columbia Helicarrier.

This time around, I have a plan.
I started by building a 3d version of her in Google Sketchup that looks more like the SHIELD version from Avengers than a real-world carrier with fans tacked onto the sides of the deck.


Proof of start, and showing that this one is going to be a serious scratch build project.
There's no kit for this. Going to be fun


Started out by gluing two 3/16" slabs of balsa together along the edge, then cut it roughly to length.
With that done, I measured out the 1mm styrene pieces for the main flight deck.


Flight deck pieces were glued down to the balsa with Gorilla Glue. Used Gorilla Glue because of the large amount of surface that I was gluing.
Next step was to take some .5mm styrene and lay out the fan support skins.
Those were then glued down with 5 min. Epoxy.


Once the Epoxy had been given a chance to set, I went in and trimmed off the excess balsa from the main form.


Right now, she's about 21" long x 12" wide

Youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4skPMH2B3k

 

[Timbaux]

Wow Great start! Will be tuning in.

 

[JohnSimmons]

Very interestig Q! Looking forward to seeing how this progresses

 

[Junkie]

Very cool, and ambitious, project.

 

[Quaralane]

Thanks, guys.
Hoping I can pull it off

 

[Junkie]

I have no doubts Q, gonna be fun to watch.

 

[adampolo13]

Wicked project!!!

 

[JMac]

Epic project Q.

 

[The Chaos]

wow very Cool projek. 8)

 

[Klaus not Santa]

Wow!
This is going to be fun!
I LOVE scratch builds ;D

 

[Biskup]

Wow. Ok I'm in for the build

 

[warped_one]

looking forward to seeing more of this after watching your you tube vid about it

 

[Quaralane]

Good to have you all along for the ride on this one

 

[Grendels]

Looking forward to it!

 

[Quaralane]

Build update time, folks....

Added a second layer of balsa under the hover fan housings to add depth to them.
I also lined in the locations for the actual fans and started filling the seam on the flight deck



For the hoverfan housings, I'm using som 1 3/4" OD cardboard tube for the smaller fans and some 2 1/4" OD PVC pipe for the larger ones.
These will be trimmed down a little once in place on the model


Drew in some guide lines for use in tapering the outer edges of the fan housings


With the edges tapered, I went in with a drill and rough cut the holes for the fan housings


After smoothing out the openings with a sanding drum in my Dremel, I re-worked the flight deck seam a little with some Squadron Green putty to supplement the Aves.
That done, I laid out the flight deck elevators and catapults for scribing.
These were scribed with a dental-style pick that I got from Harbor Freight.
I also laid out the location of the deck island structure as well as the guides for the runway


I cut out the skins for the lower sides of the fans and began gluing them down.
I'll trim the holes to final shape a bit later


With the skins in place, and most of the trimming donw, I cut out the initial pieces for the keel and glued them into place with Elmers white glue


Youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFksAPUMmtU

 

[Jeeves]

Neat!

 

[Papermodder]

Coming along nicely Patrick.

Jim

 

[Quaralane]

Thanks, Jim and Mike.
Fun's going to come in skinning that hull after I lay the rest of the "keel"

 

[Eastrock]

this one will be a stunner, Q's Avenger!!!


Cheers!!!

 

[Grendels]

Nice update! Keep it going!