[BFG] Corvette

[Malika]

I think I would shorten those "wings" on the back, and then maybe also add some sort of shield plating to them like you'd done on the front.

Do the torpedo launch tubes actually have torpedos in them? :O

[Islacrusez]

[Islacrusez]

Rear wings have received their rearward extension, topside connectors, and top and underside detailing. Fore winglets have received detailing inboard and out. Keel has received angled piece. Not shown is a minor connector added on the keel engines (due to an unprintable intersection). Have not added chamfers to the prow, as it fouls a turret on the underside where it matches the aesthetic, and doesn't match the lines on the top.

[Islacrusez]

Fixed the broken images

And:

[Islacrusez]

Right, until I receive further feedback on the overall state of the ship, I can't really call it complete or progress much. As a result, I have plenty of time to think about how to cut it up for casting. And think I shall!

If I remove the two aft wings, I'll be able to easily cast most of the ship as a split mould, cutting it in half vertically. I can find a decent spot to separate the fore winglets from the hull, but am still struggling with a spot to remove the prow altogether. The engines on the back of the hull and keel are also giving me trouble. If the mould splits vertically down the middle, the engines are rather deep undercuts, especially those on the join line. The mould would likely suffer serious wear there.

So:

Remove wings at wingroot; use the edge on the engine as alignment slot.

Remove aftmost section of the hull together with the engines.

Remove keel at root, use side braces and the spine under engine section to align position.

Remove fore winglets at hull, easy alignment from what's left behind.

Cut prow off just below main gun, just behind bay doors.

These would be cast with mould split into fore and aft. While what's left, the hull and bridge, would be cast in a mould split into port and starboard sides.

This does mean that the ship comes in 7 pieces, with the guns as another 2. 9 Pieces for an escort? Ouch! Would anyone be willing to build that?

[Islacrusez]

On second thought, I miiiight be able to take the aft wings and the aft engines off as a single piece, which would then slot into the back with a square alignment plug. This would reduce the total number of pieces to errrr, 8 I think, because I can't count.

Wings+Engines
Hull
Keel
Winglet
Winglet
Prow
Gun
Gun

It might also be possible to take the two winglets as a single piece, but it'll make the gun support very weak indeed, especially if I want an alignment pin. Probably best to avoid doing that!

Too many I think... Any ideas on how to cut it up better, without ending up with this many pieces?

[mangozac]

[Islacrusez]

I tried a short vertical wing previously, but it didn't work out. I'll play around with some ideas a bit more, but I don't imagine ending up with a large sticky-up-bit. It would also mean the rather odd question of why is there an engine on the outside of an armour plate. I'll add a little detail to the top and bottom of the engines though, but don't hold your breath.


For casting, by my reckoning, the main engines will be on the split if not done separately. Also if I don't do the engines separately from the hull, the two main wings can't be done as a single piece. However, I'm getting an idea on how to do the main engines together with the main wings as a single piece, with a decent join that will slot into the hull.

Oooh, I just realised what I've done. I've said split mould somewhere along the line! I did in fact not mean split mould, though I see why it would make the engines so much easier to do... I'm just worried about degeneration of alignment, and damaging the piece being cast. Just something that feels more reliable about a two part mould.

As for the fore wings together with the prow, not sure if that's doable due to awkward shape involved... Can't be done using a split mould without breaking the winglets off during extraction. Two part might just survive, but there's still a few bits and pieces that could get caught, and the only way around that would be to split one half of a two-part mould.


Thinking if I do the hull as a 2-part mould, and take the rear wings off with the engines, it'll leave me with hassle on the keel. If I do it as a split-mould, it'll leave me with hassle on the wings. I think I'll take my chances with the keel.

This gives me:

Hull
Engine/wings
Keel
Gun (x2)

(the split mould would give me 2x wings instead of engine/wing+keel, so no improvement there)

For the prow... I don't know. I'm still unsure.

[mangozac]

I'm talking a very short vertical fin, maybe 1mm high.

Don't be so dismissive of split moulds - I know for a fact that most of the production casters who post here use them almost exclusively - myself included. You don't split the mould all the way - in this case it would stop just before the engines, meaning that there is no complications there (or mould lines).

I still maintain that I would split the model as I suggested. It's preferable to have two side wings to glue on than an engine and fin assembly (easier to clean up, less alignment issues).

[Islacrusez]

I've added a fin to the top and bottom of the inboard engine... There's just something weird about it; it makes the ship feel fat. I think the main problem with the engines looking tacked-on, is that they are. As an Imperial ship, the design is fairly conventional, except someone's gone and stuck engines where they wouldn't normally be. With that in mind, it'll never shake the feeling of out-of-place engines.

I'll add some detailing to make sure it doesn't look like someone's glued random cylinders on, but I think I'll scrap the fin despite the amount of work needed to put it on in the first place.

A progress shot of that is to follow shortly.

I also assume you've never built an airplane before. It's pretty difficult to try and glue two small wings on straight, even with alignment pins and slots! I think this is a major factor in my considerations, as at this scale it wouldn't take much to get it very wrong.

Still working on the prow split, but considering taking the prow hardpoint off, and then the wings come off as a single piece along with a piece of the bottom of the hull. The top of the hull with the gun attachment point would remain part of the main hull piece. I might colour-code the ship to show which bits come off where.

[Islacrusez]

Fins added, forward vent replaced on rear wing inboard engine.

[Islacrusez]

Funny colours for a corvette, eh? Those are the proposed component splits, draft 1.

[wrightrhli]

Wow thats a sweet ship what program do you use?. I wanna get into 3d stuff.

[Malika]

Looks like to me.

[Islacrusez]