Legendary Blackbird - Part 6: YF-12A "Project Kedlock" (3D printing in 1:32 scale)

[Serkan Sen]

Hi everyone,

Since couple of months I have received many questions whether there is going to be any fully 3d printed Blackbird in 1:32 scale. I decided to give a try if this achievable with my current toolset and created 3d models. I have launched already a topic in another modelers forum (LSP) but I would like to share my progress here as well because all these Oxcart/Blackbird modeling works have been reported in detail in this forum.

At the beginning I was not sure which aircraft I am going to build. To have an idea how big the parts going to be and which one is to be built, I have printed the nose cones of YF-12A, A-12 and SR-71A:

 

I decided to build YF-12A because SR-71A's cockpit details and seats have not been modeled yet and I have some 1:48 A-12 derivatives in progress.

 

I have started first printing the relatively smaller parts using my Elegoo Mars 3 printer. The cockpit parts, main and nose wheels and hubs were printed.

 

Next parts are the wheel bays and struts.

 

Serkan

 

[billn53]

This is going to be an impressive model! The Blackbird is large even in 1/72 scale . . .

[Serkan Sen]

19 hours ago, billn53 said:

This is going to be an impressive model! The Blackbird is large even in 1/72 scale . . .

You are absolutely right Bill. She will be longer than 1 meter!.. I am already looking for a suitable display case for this giant bird!..

Serkan

[billn53]

3 hours ago, Serkan Sen said:

You are absolutely right Bill. She will be longer than 1 meter!.. I am already looking for a suitable display case for this giant bird!..

Serkan

Here is my “size monster”.  Short of a meter, but then, it’s just 1/72 scale! The case was custom built and includes interior lighting.
 

 

 

[LorenSharp]

Serkan I have to say the first word that come to mind isn't impressive, thought it definitely is, but GINORMOUS! You're going to have all kinds of room to absolutely bonkers on adding detail.

[LorenSharp]

3 hours ago, billn53 said:

Here is my “size monster”.  Short of a meter, but then, it’s just 1/72 scale! The case was custom built and includes interior lighting.
 

 

 

Don't forget Bill, your "size Monster" is about the size of a XB-70. In other words, she ain't dainty

[Serkan Sen]

Before printing large fuselage parts I decided to print all relatively smaller ones with Mars 3 printer. The nose wheel bay and doors as well as chine forward leading edge fairings have been printed.

 

The cockpit tubs and control panels needed to be printed again. The cockpit tubs had some issues due to scaling effects. The print supports were redesigned to fix this problem. Also the control panels' gauges were too shallow to paint properly. Now they are more visible.

 

The engine rotors and guide vanes as well as the afterburner rings are also ready.

 

Next step is to print the fuselage parts with "heavy weight" Saturn 3 Ultra.

 

Serkan

[Pete in Lincs]

I'm going to be another one who uses the word impressive. I like how you've numbered all the parts. It's not just going to be big, I imagine it will also be heavy.

[PeteH1969]

Stunning

 

So much detail.

 

A suggestion could you make all of the wheel bays there own separate kits so to speak with the bare tub and then you fit all the other parts to them as it would help with painting and be easier to print less bug chunks of resin to print at once, scaling up a kit to 32nd can present some challenges or opportunities?

 

Pete

[heloman1]

The renders and printed parts are looking fabulous.

 

Colin

[Serkan Sen]

7 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

I'm going to be another one who uses the word impressive. I like how you've numbered all the parts. It's not just going to be big, I imagine it will also be heavy.

Many thanks Pete. Without numbering the parts it is not easy to identify the parts which are similar to other. For example main wheel hubs have four different forms and without having a part number it is not easy to assemble the main wheels:

 

Yes you are right. It will be very heavy! (approximately 11 times heavier than 1:72 one). Here is the effect of scaling in 1D, 2D and 3D:

 

2 hours ago, heloman1 said:

The renders and printed parts are looking fabulous.

Colin

Thanks lot Colin. I hope the completed model will look something "distinguished" than my other builds.

 

5 hours ago, PeteH1969 said:

Stunning

So much detail.

A suggestion could you make all of the wheel bays there own separate kits so to speak with the bare tub and then you fit all the other parts to them as it would help with painting and be easier to print less bug chunks of resin to print at once, scaling up a kit to 32nd can present some challenges or opportunities?

Pete

Thanks Pete. Separately printing all tiny details has some disadvantages as well. I can now hide all litte print supports behind these tiny pipelines and details. When I print them separated I can not position them correctly anymore because they are all thin (most of them under 1mm diameter!)

 

Serkan

[Serkan Sen]

Before printing the fuselage parts I decided make a test print to check the modified forward missile bay wall design and fit test of front and mid fuselage parts:

 

The dry fit test shows that all parts fit nicely. Now the real fuselage parts can be printed.

Serkan

 

 

[Serkan Sen]

Front and mid fuselage parts have been printed. It took 19 hours to print front fuselage and the print volume was used upto its limits. The print plate had no margin to travel I z axis and the nose of the part was still in the resin vat.

 

 

Also there was less than 10mm clearance between the curing station case and the part.

 

Here are the parts printed upto now. The ruler was placed to give an idea about their size.

 

Serkan

[heloman1]

One word. Wow!

[IPMS19]

- Really impressive as much as the BOUNDER....

[Serkan Sen]

My apologies for my laziness. This time I copied from LSP post:

I have managed to print the rear fuselage halves. It took around 19 hours to finish this job. And again just by pure luck the rear half fit exactly the maximum printing volume. There was no margin in z axis and the bottom end was still in resin vat when the job was finished:

 

As expected they didn't fit into cure station either:

 

Fortunately now it is summer and (sometimes) the sun shines here too. I will leave the parts in the garden for 15 minutes to cure them with natural UV light.

Serkan

[Serkan Sen]

After curing these huge parts with direct sunlight UV here is the rear fuselage halves together with main wheel bays:

 

Just to give you an idea how these printed parts big are, I have taken a photo together with a 1L bottle of Coke:

 

Now I am seriously worrying about where to display this huge bird!

 

Serkan

[Scratcher]

This is very interesting, watching someone explain how they're doing something that I hope to emulate. 

 

 

 

 

[PeteH1969]

You should design some in flight stands for it to print in clear.

 

It is a big beast.

 

So when do you start on the 24th scale model? 😜

 

Nice prints.

 

Pete

[Serkan Sen]

The exhaust and nozzle parts have in printed with little Mars 3 in three jobs. Hence the parts are very big, only left and right sides of one part fit the print plate:

 

The level of details becomes more visible in this scale. Here are all exhaust parts together:

 

To have an idea how big the parts are here is a comparison with 1:48 Revell Blackbird nozzle area:

 

Next step is to print outer wing and engine cowling parts and complete all the parts except the clear ones for wind shield and canopies.

 

Serkan

 

[Serkan Sen]

After a long printing time here are the outer wing and engine cowling/intake parts:

 

And also together with exhaust parts:

 

Just to show you the quality difference of Elegoo and Sunlu/Jayo resin parts, here is the comparison (left Jayo/Sunlu, right Elegoo):

 

Next step is to show all printed parts together. I will need a big table for that...

Serkan

 

[Serkan Sen]

This is my last post with printed parts before my long summer holiday. Here are all printed parts upto now. It was not so easy to find a background thick paper to take a nice photo. I have used two A0 size blue thick papers one in portrait other in landscape orientation. There were significant amount of areas which were not covered by the background but I filled these areas with blue color using Photoshop:

 

Here are some close views;

 

I will work on decal artwork and instrument panel details and post my progress during the summer break. Nothing can stop me making progress in this project because I am fully engaged to finish (at least) this project!..

Serkan

[Screech]

Serkan!!!!!

 

 

This is absolutely beautiful!  Oh I would love one of these beauties so badly!🙋‍♂️

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Good Lord, Serkan!  That's amazing.

 

What are you going to use for the undercarriage, because I assume that thing is going to weigh a LOT?

[Serkan Sen]

On 7/24/2024 at 6:41 PM, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Good Lord, Serkan!  That's amazing.

 

What are you going to use for the undercarriage, because I assume that thing is going to weigh a LOT?

Many thanks! Yes, you are absolutely right. I will either add a brass rod at the center of main wheel strut to increase its strength, or print them with "tough" resin. Adding a brass rod will be the most likely solution.

Serkan