Thunderbird 2 Launch diorama #2

[Kallisti]

Now that Nigel has finished his TB2 build, I feel I can post what I've been doing for the past week or so without stepping on anyone's toes Its his fault that I started on this anyway... watching his build made me think I should pick up where I left off last year...

Last year for the SciFi GB I built a diorama of THunderbird 2 launching (links are in my sig). I was offered a considerable amount of money for the completed model, but I refused it - it was my labour of love and I wanted to keep it. However, it did occur to me that having built one, I can probably build another one, better than the first. So having completed the Flying Sub build and finally finsihed off the Centurion build that I started at Xmas, I decided it was time to have a go at the Thunderbird 2 Launch diorama #2!

The starting point is the same as before. This kit



and the Airfix Pontoon bridge for the launch ramp



This time round I won't be scratch building a cockpit as its virtually impossible to see the bloody thing. However I will be lighting the engines and exhaust "fumes" with flicker-effect LEDs just likethe first try. However this time I aim to make a better job of the wiring, using coin batteries that can be embedded into the base rather than have to build a battery box to hold the AA batteries.

So to start with here is the pontoon bridge base



and the balsa-wood runway with the cut out for the ramp



This is the base, again built from a block of expanded polystyrene insulation tile



Here you can see the cut out for the ramp, the box for the exhaust vent with holes for the flicker LEDs. Behidn that is a space for wiring plus a plastic strip side panel that houses the on/off switch



You can also see the battery compartment. This will have a cover held on using two molybdenium magnets



The TB 2 model is one I picked up for half its normal price on eBay because it had been started and partly build in not a very good way. The legs had been glued on and the electric motor had been built into the pod. The seams on the model were bad, so it took quite a bit of cleaning up...



The tail was particularly grusome, so it got slathered with filler and after lettign it dry out for two days, a good sand down got it back into shape. The pod eas chopped open and the wheels and electric motor removed/ THe various holes were blocked with plastic card



and another load of filler was applied and when dried was sanded back



You'll see there is a hole left which is for the power socket. A framework has been built up around the hole and the socket glued, screwed and araldited in place...



The upper part of the pod has been glued into the main fuselage of TB2, after holes were drilled for the wires that will connect the LEDs in the engines.



In the meantime, the ramp has had a layer of Tetrion filler painted over. This is partially absorbed by the balsa wood and can be sanded down to a nice sooth finish



It got a bit splashed with water just before I took the photo hence the dark areas. The same treatment is being done on the runway frame



Back to the TB2, the engine intakes have had a piece of ridged plastic card to cover the awful join across the intakes that the kit forces upon you and then the first coat pf primer was applied to check for faults.



Needless to say, there were quite a few and here you can see where the faults hav been fileld and sanded back



The underside of the pod isn't perfect, but this is always a tricky part and to be hoenst it doesn't get seen so I'm not goign to agnoised about it too much



This is one of the polythene engine bells which has been give its red coating and is not masked ready for its black and yellow stripe.



These are the flicker LEDs that will be incorporated into the engines, showing the reistors that have been soldered onto one leg of each LED



Next it was time to raid the spares box for some greeblies to add interest to the pit for the ramp



Here you also see the battery compartment door



Yes, that is an arm from a hard drive in there I did at one point have tow of the yellow domes with a thingy on the top and then realised just what they looked like and had to take one away

Finally, tonight the ramp has been primed after several layers and sanding



The final coat has been an application via aerosol of Mr Surfacer 500



and now the smaller hatch for the exhaust vent



So thats where things stand. Still lots to do, including the actual wiring and landscaping...

Edited May 30, 2016 by Kallisti

[Bigdave22014]

Well, so far this is looking outstanding

[Foghorn Leghorn]

[Martian]

You can never have too many TB2s. Following with interest.

The Hood

[Pete in Lincs]

(I do rather think that we are just encouraging

that Hood bloke but it's probably worth it).

[Kallisti]

Lots more progress in the last week... First off the flashing LEDs in the exhaust vent were wired up and then the covers over the inner workings were glued on. This is to protect them wiring from the claycreate that will be added to the surface later

Also for this version of the model I've built up an outer edge around the outside of the polystyrene to provide a more distinct demarcation than the original model. The yellow tape above it holding the side upright while the PVA glue is setting. As a test, here it is with the runway placed on top

The wires sticking up will be connected to the underside of the launch platform to supply power to the LEDs inside TB2. Speaking of which, I masked the engine intakes ready for red paint...

These took several applications of red paint to cover the green. Looking back I probably should have painted the red first then masked it for the green, like Nigel did on his build... More masking was needed for the yellow stripes. I didn't want to use the decals because the yellow is too faded, and I painted the stripes on the earlier model so this shouldn't' be too difficult

It did however take quite a few applications of yellow paint to cover the green. Attention turns back to the engine exhausts which if you remember last time were all masked up ready for the black and yellow paint. Well that did not work at all well because as soona s I tried to peel the masking tape off, the paint came with it. So I stripped them back to bare polythene and re-sprayed the red. Checking on the previous build I realised I used the decals of the back and yellow stripe, so did the same here and the results were very staisfactory

Back to the yellow stripes...

Very happy with those and the red intakes. The windows have been painted in with gloss black and the tail engine intakes and exhausts (on the othere side) have been painted with XF 56 Metallic grey. I've painted the inside of the observations ports in the sides of nose black and each indent has had a generous dollop of Micro Krystal Klear dropped in. That is likely to take a couple of days to dry I would expect. Back to the base then and the runway has been glued down to the base and the inside greeblies have been painted up. I've added two strips of Evergreen channel strip to each side of the runway to act as the gutters.

Finally for today the base sorrounds have been painted and the claycrete and wildlife added either side of the runway

There is maskign tape over the edges of the wooden base to protect it from the paint spraying. Gaps ahve been left in the foliage for where the palm trees will be added when they turn up. Yes, I'm afraid I've bottled out of scratch building them and bought another 4 from the shop I got them from before, here : https://www.themodeltreeshop.co.uk/specifically these in 1:200 scale https://www.themodeltreeshop.co.uk/canary-island-date-palm-click-picture-to-see-prices-and-options.html

Thats all for today, waiting now for the claycrete and the Krystal Klear to dry before progress can continue...

[hendie]

It did however take quite a few applications of yellow paint to cover the green. Attention turns back to the engine exhausts which if you remember last time were all masked up ready for the black and yellow paint. Well that did not work at all well because as soon as I tried to peel the masking tape off, the paint came with it. So I stripped them back to bare polythene and re-sprayed the red. Checking on the previous build I realised I used the decals of the back and yellow stripe, so did the same here and the results were very satisfactory

A quick tip: If you are working with polythene or other plastics that are "hard to paint" (typically semi-crystalline plastics) - run the part over a blue flame and it oxidizes the surface allowing paint (and anything else) to adhere much better.

It only takes a fraction of a second over the flame (but must be blue flame) to improve the surface adhesion properties

oh... and nice work too!

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Om, nom, nom.....As they say!

[Martian]

The Hood

[Tony C]

The Hood

Hood, my dear boy, when will you learn!

None of your evil plans have ever succeeded, give up and enjoy life...

[Martian]

I enjoy evil plans, they are my raison d'etre!.

Much Love

The Hood

[Kallisti]

The base is almost finished, the palm trees arrived yesterday and the launch platform got attached to the base

I also dusted over the damp claycrete with buff coloured pastel chalk, ground up in a pestle and mortar to deduce the orange-ness of the original colour I'd mixed up in the claycrete.

[Alan P]

Like the greeblies, in true studio style!

Always a bit of fun trying to identify parts on 70s sci-fi vehicles!