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An-225 1/144


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As an attempt to get into using my new ALDI 3D printer I thought I would try making something unavailable in kit form. I downloaded the 3D model of the An-225 from Thingiverse and the download also included the model of the Buran Orbiter. Scale was nominally 1/150 but I enlarged it to 1/144 in the slicing software (software that converts 3D models into printing instructions for the printer) so it matched my resin Anigrand Buran/Energya kits.

This is 6/7ths of the An-225 fuselage, glued together, smoothed and filled with primer surfacer.

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The Buran Orbiter is the one included in the download data, so I printed it first and after some clean-up work it stands it's own against the Anigrand version. Checking references shows its contours are very accurate.


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The left tail unit is four separate pieces (top and bottom vertical and two piece horizontal) but it looks pretty good. I have done some work to thin the tail trailing edges but it and the overall clean-up is the only real difference to a conventional injection moulded or resin kit so far.


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It is not going to make the model shop obsolete but it is a step towards being able to model some esoteric stuff. Incidentally materials wise there is only about $15 worth of materials so far and even in 1/144 the An-225 is BIG!

Cheers

Tony

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Just another update. The cockpit and the first two of four sections of the right wing have been printed and temporarily tacked in place along with the right inboard engine and right tail assembly. The sheer size aircraft becomes more apparent when seen alongside a TSR-2 in the same scale.

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Here is the Buran mocked up on top of the fuselage, again the scale of the construct is apparent when you realise the Buran is the size of a 737 or DC-9

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Cheers

Tony

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I could as I have one in the stash that came with a smashed box so there is damage to the undercarriage parts but at this stage I plan to 3D print the whole thing. There is a lot of cleanup to do on the parts, mostly sanding and filling and I may pirate some smaller parts like pitot probes and decals from the Revell kit. I am in two minds about the engines. As printed they lack detail and I could substitute in the Revell engines, but that would mean buying another kit to get the other two or trying to get them replicated another way.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

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It gets bigger!

 

The last week has been mostly PSR on the parts already printed and printing new parts like the left wing outboard of the engine and the left hand vertical tail parts. Remaining to print are four more engines and the left horizontal tail so we are on the downhill run as regards actually making the parts.

 

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I bought a Bare-Metal brand scriber yesterday to have a go at scribing surface detail in when the surface smoothing is completed

 

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Cheers and I welcome any comments or questions.

 

Tony

 

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14 minutes ago, Spellbinder99 said:

Cheers and I welcome any comments or questions.

 

Tony

 

 

Superb work so far... and yeah, I have a question. When can we buy it as a kit? ;)

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I am sure that given your current workbench activity Radleigh I am sure it would fit right in! I am equally sure that I will almost get this finished and Amodel will finally release their much promised (2009) 1/144 kit.

 

I did momentarily consider cleaning up the prints and having a go at resin casting them but sanity prevailed as 3D printing and modelling is enough of a learning curve for now!;)

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More Putty-Sand-Repeat but I feel she is getting there.

 

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Completed printing the left hand tail unit and spent some time thinning and sharpening the trailing edges. You can see the completed job on the left-hand horizontal, vertical and right-hand vertical tails, the right-hand horizontal still need work.

 

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Edited by Spellbinder99
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100_3726_zpsrqbq0q75.jpg

 

Smoothed cockpit area and starting on the wings and engines. A point to note is that the tail section is about the size of a 1/144 727's wingspan!

 

Cheers

 

Tony

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I smoothed down the wings enough to attach them and start smoothing the joints. I seriously underestimated how much real estate this model takes up!

 

 

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I have added an old project KC-135/AWACS WIF to give scale.

 

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Have to print and clean up the last four engines and then some more smoothing and sanding and attempting to engrave this behemoth!

 

Cheers

 

Tony

Edited by Spellbinder99
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14 hours ago, Ryan Hothersall said:

Coming along nicely. 

 

Ine of the members in a model club here in adelaide is working on making one. 

 

Even in model form it's impressive. 

 

Ryan, you might find that Tony is that member! :D

 

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No worries Ryan, I will have it at the club meeting next month. Hoping that this will be my first entry for many years in the model show later in the year.

Currently working on the lefthand inboard engine.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

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Yes it is Mark, very much so!

 

She currently has 4 engines on the wing and the 5th about to come off the print bed so it continues to progress nicely. I will post some more pictures once it has all six installed. Still more PSR to do but it looks better every round. Apparently our club will have a tutorial on scribing next meeting which will dovetail nicely with starting that job.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

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I have seen a couple of online builds that went that way Phil and the Buran is straight forward as Anigrand do a quite nice resin cast one in 1/144. I will be using a set of the Anigrand decals for the Buran Orbiter.

 The main issue would be that you would still have to scratch build the centre section  with the inner two engines and the fuselage stretch is not just a straight cut and splice job. Good detailed drawings of the An-225 are fairly rare as well. The mounting struts for the Buran will basically have to be an eyeball job, helped by the fact that the plethora of bulges on the Myria's upper spine are fairings for them so at least give a starting point location wise.

 

Cheers

 

Tony 

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