roymattblack Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Does anyone have any reasonable detail drawings/pictures/plans for Fireball XL5? It's a subject that has been in my head and on the 'back burner' for a long time. Well, time to get my bum into gear and get on with it. I'm going to make the whole thing in resin, around 14" - 15" long. Any less, too small. Any bigger, a display problem. I'll make master parts and then rubber moulds so I can build more if I want to - or if anyone else fancies a bash at it. Can anyone help? Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 I can tell you that the Kitmaster XL5 has a fuselage diameter of 1 inch at the fuselage/junior break. I'll take more measurements tomorrow if it will help? If you do make one to the same size, I need a Fireball junior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 (edited) Many thanks for the measurements and info. Roy. Edited January 20, 2017 by roymattblack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Mmmm a resin XL5? Keep me in the loop if this goes ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 (edited) Comet Miniatures many moons ago produced a resin and white metal repop/back engineered Airfix/Kitmaster Fireball XL5. I believe the very good Product Enterprise die cast is also based on the Airfix/Kitmaster model too. Thomo Edited January 21, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 (edited) I'm basing mine on the Product Enterprise metal version, plus measurements from Pete (above). I've made the outer wing 'pods' - the easiest parts. plus the rear rocket section which was actually very simple. The main hull will be in 4 sections - currently working on that. Fireball Junior will need some thought but is also a fairly easy shape. The wings should be a doddle. It's not quite as big as I'd like so depending on how this turns out, I might make one around 14"- 15" long. Fortunately, back in the early days of Gerry Anderson, most models were pretty simple shapes as they were easier to make. Once Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet came along the models became far more sophisticated - and harder to replicate. Roy. Edited January 21, 2017 by roymattblack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike McCabe Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Interesting, I was thinking vaguely of doing a 1/350 scale kit to fit in with the Aoshima Thunderbird series. Will be interested to see how it turns out. I have a small business that sells resin ships and kits so have access to casters and etch production. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 photo hosting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick4350 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Do you have access the book titled " Gerry Anderson's Supmarionation Cross-Sections " by Graham Bleathman published by Charlton Books, ISBN 1 84222 411 5, copyright 2000. It has a section on Fireball XL-5 and a two page spread that has a cutaway of the vessel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 (edited) interesting, that's a subject I had also considered scratch building a while back. Rather than resin for the entire body, I'd maybe go for an aluminum tube overmolded with a layer of resin. Aluminum tube for strength (and saving on resin and weight), and resin to capture the detail. Of course, it would be nice to add some interior detail also, but that would still be fairly simple to achieve, even with an aluminum tube in the main body. I remember having one of these as a small child - it came with a catapult and parachute. Though no idea where it came from - possibly via TV21 ? I also remember while researching for my own scratch build, coming across a website where someone had done a really good scratch build, and that site included detailed dimensioned drawings. I'll see if i can dig it up again Edited January 23, 2017 by hendie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Quite a bit today... Rubber moulds made for the wings, wing end pods, rocket tail, two hull parts and assorted vents etc for the wing and pod ends. I'll cast some resin parts later on to see how they look, and post a few piccies - if everything is ok... Roy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 23 hours ago, hendie said: I remember having one of these as a small child - it came with a catapult and parachute. Though no idea where it came from - possibly via TV21 ? This http://murdersville.co.uk/museum/parachute-toy-quintacetti/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Alan Bardell Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 The Tomohawk Kid YES - that's the one - I had one of these many years ago - wish i still had it! Roy - good luck with the XL5 build. Will keep an eye on this. - Just love Anderson's craft - XL5 and Thunderbird Two were the best IMO. Oh and Zero X as well! B R Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colbee2004 Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 On 21/01/2017 at 4:22 PM, HL-10 said: photo hosting These were the plans I used when I built mine just over a year ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Any pics of your build? Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Well... So far. Still quite a few parts casting. Roy. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabberwocky Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Excellent! I look forward to watching this develop. I have been in awe of your car builds for some time so this should be special. Fireball was probably the first Gerry Anderson show to capture me with its magic many moons ago. David Sissons has a large scratch-built XL5 http://davidsissonmodels.co.uk/xl5.htm that I've seen displayed at the Smallspace show in Hanslope: http://www.hamex.co.uk/ I built the 8" Comet Miniatures version a few years ago but scaling up from that might not be too accurate. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 (edited) A few more parts this morning. There are going to be more parts to this than I first envisaged. I'm guessing around 20 in the end. My main hull pieces are solid at present, being only test pieces. The proper ones will be hollow. Fireball Junior is proving to be a bit more difficult than I first thought due to the smooth 'bullet' shape. I'm hoping someone I know will be able to turn me a master shape in metal, plastic - even wood, that I can take impressions from to fabricate the required secondary masters. Failing that, I'll be begging here for anyone with a lathe who can turn a simple shape, as shown below... Roy. Edited January 25, 2017 by roymattblack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I just got a lathe the other week. However, I don't think my lathe skills are quite up to machining something as difficult as that shape just quite yet. I say difficult because without some kind of CNC I think it will be difficult to follow that sloping curve accurately. If you get really stuck I can try and have a go - let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 A first test set of decals - well, 2 sets. (The gauges are for a 1/8 Jaguar C Type I'm currently scratch building.) Roy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Is this a recast of Product Entreprise XL-5 or something better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhouse Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Roy - I'm away from home for the next 2 weeks but could turn you a Fireball Junior body in wood if it helps. Brian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) No, nothing whatsoever to do with the Product Enterprise model. - this is about 2" bigger than the P E model. It's taken a lot of work to get it to this stage. I may even make one a bit bigger at some stage. And Brian - I may be begging your help when you're available. My friend can't do it for ages... It's only Fireball Junior that's holding me up. Roy. Edited January 27, 2017 by roymattblack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Roy, get yourself a mini lathe, the amount of scratch building you do I would think it would be a great investment for you. Think of the possibilities Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 Colin - you're probably right. I might have to look into it. Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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