Legendary Blackbird - Part 0: Genesis... (3D Printing)

[Serkan Sen]

42 minutes ago, hendie said:

it all depends upon part orientation.  I too have the Elegoo Mars and I usually print with .03, or even .02 layer height. 

Thanks for sharing your experience Hendie,

Yes you are right, printing a vertically positioned 30mm long needle will take longer than 120x100x25 size block as the printing time is dependent on part height.

45 minutes ago, hendie said:

if you haven't already, look into getting a copy of Photon File Validator to check your output from Chitubox.

Also thanks for this valuable tip. I will have a look that tool. It is better to check the parts before sending to printer to save time and material.

 

Serkan

[Serkan Sen]

More progress on 3D modeling...

 

The fin root and rudder are now ready:

 

Next will be the afterburner and exhaust details.

 

Serkan

Edited December 19, 2019 by Serkan Sen

[TheBaron]

I can second the Photon validating software as well Serkan. Alan's right that Chitubox isn't good enough in itself to identify all the  unsupported 'islands' in the design (especially miniscule ones where a shape begins) so the extra time taken to check your output saves a part failing during the print.

[Serkan Sen]

It was a bit complicated to model all fillets and inlet chine but finally completed. The reference picture and drawing chine shapes are not matching. I have taken the contour from the real aircraft:

 

 

Next is to finish wing including all leading edge fillets and movables.

 

Serkan 

Edited December 21, 2019 by Serkan Sen

[Hornet]

On 01/12/2019 at 20:15, Serkan Sen said:

The fully opened nozzle model has been finished;

Great work with high level of detail. Following with full interest Serkan!..

[Nikolay Polyakov]

Hello Serkan,

I skipped some posts in this thread and now I’m really impressed how your experimental work turned into the great engineering experience! The printed resin parts looks awesome, but it’ll take a lot of time to print the whole bird, isn’t it?! 🙃 I’m looking forward for the future updates here and I think you’re going to produce the best Blackbird family kit ever.

 

Waiting for the landing gear and its bays... 😬

[Serkan Sen]

On 12/21/2019 at 8:16 PM, Nikolay Polyakov said:

Hello Serkan,

I skipped some posts in this thread and now I’m really impressed how your experimental work turned into the great engineering experience! The printed resin parts looks awesome, but it’ll take a lot of time to print the whole bird, isn’t it?! 🙃 I’m looking forward for the future updates here and I think you’re going to produce the best Blackbird family kit ever.

 

Waiting for the landing gear and its bays... 😬

Hi Nikolay,

I was really wondering why you were not reacting this thread since long time 🙂

Thanks lot for your compliment. I am improving my modeling skill day by day. It will definitely take long time to print all the parts but I have no time constraint.

I have almost completed the basic model for A-12 which will be the base model for A-12, A-12B and M-21 derivatives.

The landing gear bay and assembly will be also challenging.

Serkan

[Serkan Sen]

Finally wing model was completed. Adding all fillets were a bit challenging but now seems reasonably good. Any identified mistakes can be corrected relatively easily.

 

And here are all parts together:

 

I keep the next step as surprise. Any guess is welcome 🙂

 

Serkan

[LorenSharp]

Serkan, even though this thread is for the A-12, a little bit of history for everyone. 55 years ago today, 22 December 1964: Lockheed test pilot Robert J. “Bob” Gilliland made a solo first flight of the first SR-71A, 61-7950, at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California. The “Blackbird” flew higher than 45,000 feet (13,716 meters) and more than 1,000 miles per hour (1,609 kilometers per hour) before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, 22 miles (35 kilometers) northeast, to begin the flight test program. And remember, these aircraft were not designed with the aid of a computer, but with a slide rule. Not to bad for a bunch of pocket protector geeks.😎

[Robert]

Hi Serkan, in one month you have 3D the A-12 amazing work. D-21 next ?

 

Also @JeffreyK is working on a SR-71 but to 1/48.

 

Regards

Robert

[Caerbannog]

On 18/12/2019 at 09:53, Serkan Sen said:

Thanks Caerbannog,

The printer is Elegoo Mars 3D resin printer which I recently bought myself as Christmas gift (of coarse with the permission of my wife 🙂 ). The printer has 120 x 68 x 155 mm print volume.

(...)

Serkan

I followed and ordered an Elegoo Mars 3D myself 🙂

Looked way too good not to buy it.

Rene

[Serkan Sen]

20 hours ago, Robert said:

Hi Serkan, in one month you have 3D the A-12 amazing work. D-21 next ?

 

Also @JeffreyK is working on a SR-71 but to 1/48.

 

Regards

Robert

Thanks Robert, I am also very happy with the progress I have made so far. Many times I was at the edge of abandoning the project and going back to kits waiting on the bench.

 

I have checked Jeffrey's project but I haven't seen further progress since long time.

 

My aim is to create all the versions printable in all scales. 1:32 A-12B "Titanium Goose" would be great to have 😁

 

Serkan

[Serkan Sen]

6 hours ago, Caerbannog said:

I followed and ordered an Elegoo Mars 3D myself 🙂

Looked way too good not to buy it.

Rene

The price is very good nowadays. Maybe I should order second one to speed up printing parts 😁

Serkan

[Kushan_Farsight]

Amazing work Serkan! love it.  This would look amazing in 1/48!

 

Want to create a REALLY off the wall variant of the SR-71? I found this ambitious project - 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26251/cia-and-skunk-works-secretly-planned-to-turn-the-a-12-spy-plane-into-a-space-launch-mothership

 

The more i look into these Elgoos the more i am tempted. The cost of Resin is VERY good compared to most competitors. MyMiniFactory has a good deal on a rather fetching Green edition which looks nice, although i wonder about how better/worse that is to stop UV. 

[Serkan Sen]

Pitot tube model is now ready...

 

I wish you a Merry Christmas.

 

Serkan

[Serkan Sen]

Oops!.. I forgot to give my Christmas gift 🙂

 

Let me introduce the A-12B "Titanium Goose"...

 

to be continued....

 

Serkan

 

[Nikolay Polyakov]

On 23/12/2019 at 02:33, Serkan Sen said:

I was really wondering why you were not reacting this thread since long time 🙂

Sometimes I became less contact and switch from modelling to reading books or just music listening, sorry... 😬
 

On 23/12/2019 at 02:33, Serkan Sen said:

The landing gear bay and assembly will be also challenging.

I think it’s not a big problem for you! 😉

 

4 hours ago, Serkan Sen said:

I wish you a Merry Christmas.

We wish you a merry Christmas too!

 

4 hours ago, Serkan Sen said:

Let me introduce the A-12B "Titanium Goose"...

Ah, looks awesome! Fantastic work, Serkan! 👏

Any plans about the cockpit and some internal parts design? It would be interesting to know.

 

Thank you! 🤝

[Serkan Sen]

23 minutes ago, Nikolay Polyakov said:

Ah, looks awesome! Fantastic work, Serkan! 👏

Any plans about the cockpit and some internal parts design? It would be interesting to know.

Thanks Nikolay,

I have seen that there are some aftermarket Blackbird resin seats. But I may suddenly decide to model my own Lockheed C-2 seat 😁

I need to find some reference photos of rear cockpit detailing. For forward cockpit instrument panels I will refer to A-12 flight manual.

I am trying to stop myself starting J-58 modelling. It will lead enormous modelling effort on engine bay area which will cause significant delay in this project. Maybe I should do it later as an upgrade after the first printed model is ready.

Serkan

[Nikolay Polyakov]

18 minutes ago, Serkan Sen said:

But I may suddenly decide to model my own Lockheed C-2 seat 😁

Why not? 😎

 

18 minutes ago, Serkan Sen said:

I need to find some reference photos of rear cockpit detailing. For forward cockpit instrument panels I will refer to A-12 flight manual.

Maybe this video could be helpful:

 

It’s all about the SR-71, but it’s very interesting.

 

20 minutes ago, Serkan Sen said:

I am trying to stop myself starting J-58 modelling. It will lead enormous modelling effort on engine bay area which will cause significant delay in this project.

Modelling an engines isn’t so necessary at current phase, I think.

 

22 minutes ago, Serkan Sen said:

Maybe I should do it later as an upgrade after the first printed model is ready.

Sounds reasonable! «An ultimate Blackbird kit - order in any scale, choose any level of detailing...» 😂

[Serkan Sen]

The front fuselage of all three A-12 variants were generated:

A-12: Oxcart

 

M-21: Mother Ship

 

A-12B: Titanium Goose

 

The main front fuselage was designed to let building all derivatives using proper replacement parts.

 

Serkan

[Serkan Sen]

On 12/24/2019 at 9:31 PM, Nikolay Polyakov said:

On 12/24/2019 at 9:05 PM, Serkan Sen said:

But I may suddenly decide to model my own Lockheed C-2 seat 😁

Why not? 😎

Ok, as the last improvement of this year I have started to model early version of C-2 ejection seat...

 

The main skeleton/structure of the seat is almost ready:

 

I hope in one day I will be able to print them out...🤔

Otherwise what I will have be only a very well detailed 3D CAD model...😁

 

Happy modelling in new year!..

 

Serkan

[qn30jEkPz7]

On 24/12/2019 at 14:59, Kushan_Farsight said:

Amazing work Serkan! love it.  This would look amazing in 1/48!

 

Want to create a REALLY off the wall variant of the SR-71? I found this ambitious project - 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26251/cia-and-skunk-works-secretly-planned-to-turn-the-a-12-spy-plane-into-a-space-launch-mothership

 

The more i look into these Elgoos the more i am tempted. The cost of Resin is VERY good compared to most competitors. MyMiniFactory has a good deal on a rather fetching Green edition which looks nice, although i wonder about how better/worse that is to stop UV. 

Can't you use the resins across printers? Should be doable with a tweak on the cure time as long as the initiator responds to the same wavelength of lamp? 

[Serkan Sen]

37 minutes ago, LostCosmonauts said:

Can't you use the resins across printers? Should be doable with a tweak on the cure time as long as the initiator responds to the same wavelength of lamp? 

It shouldn't be an issue (at least between Elegoo Mars and Anycubic Photon) with using proper setup. I have bought Anycubic resin for my Mars but haven't tried yet.

Serkan

[Kushan_Farsight]

Great work so far. Looking forwards to seeing this project develop in 2020!

[billn53]

Great work so far but I’m impatient to see some 3D printing done!  Who knows, it might convince me to buy a printer and learn the necessary design software. Something this old dog has no time for 😂