Strategic Space Command
In this edition of "On the Bench", I will take a Cozmodyne Heavy Industries SSC Fast Cutter, and convert it into a missile frigate of the same universe. Jay's Fast Cutter is based on Lief Erikson concept sketches from Matt Jefferies. The shape is similar to that of the concept sketch, but many features are different. The new kit has a conning tower, wings that come off of the engines, and a boxed secondary hull. The decal sheet has detail markings, as well as names for the SSC Impala, Palomino, Mustang, and Javilin.
I intend to add a different set of wings, a "spine" along the top of the ship which will have about two dozen missile tubes, and a larger conning tower. I'd like to add a couple of large satellite dishes, but I'm not sure where I could fit the things.
The concept of a ship that sits in orbit, waiting for the order to bombard a planet with two dozen fusion bombs, fits right in with the SSC universe. Many SSCers agree that the SSC-verse is like "submarines in space," and this is merely an extension of that analogy. If the Lief Erikson is the Virginia class submarine of the SSC-verse, then this ship (still need a good name for it) would be the Ohio class. Her mission is not to destroy hostile ships, but to sit and wait, observe, then obliterate the homeworld of the alien scum-beings or "peace-loving" colonists.
Base kit: Cozmodyne Heavy Industries |
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[01] On the workbench
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Today, I opened the package! I cut the poor stub off of the rear end, sanded it down some, then sanded the seam line. Minor flash. Easy to take off. I cut off the triangular pieces behind the drives with my trusty X-acto.
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[03] With potential satellite dishes
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Sketched the wing pattern I wanted on some thick For Sale sign, and cut it out. Starboard wing went on without a hitch; port wing will need some more putty and sanding, but their alignment looks good.
Constructed the spine. From what I can tell, I'll be able to fit 20 hatches on it, in two rows of ten. I've considered three rows of ten, but I think it might make it too 'busy.' I'd have to greeblize other parts to balance it out. I might.
Also made styrene 'shells' around the drives, like I did with my INSS MacArthur last year. This gives some depth to the drives, and beefs them up slightly. Puttied. Sanded.
I need to start using pencil. That pen smudges.
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[06] Progress
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I've puttied and sanded the seam where my spine addition meets the hull, as well as some spots around the drives. I added 20 square cut-outs to the spine as missile doors, and left some space in the front for the satellite dish, as soon as I figure out how to mount it. I might try something like the Snark concept art (see Image 09,) where the dish is pulled into and out of the hull.
Radiators were added to the wingtips. I'm not done detailing these yet. Conning tower was built, too. Will add some more antennaes and domes to make it look useful.
The underside is pretty plain right now, which "clashes" with the detailed topside. Maybe with the addition of some sheet styrene bulges and the shuttlebay door decal it will look better.
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[10] Topside, pretty much done
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Today, I did a lot of detail work. I added some panelling onto the hull to break it up a bit. I used the tape from a casette (that's the black parts) and comparitively thick styrene from a For Sale sign. The three bumps on the underside are the landing gear bays. And yes, it's a taildragger! Have to have room for the shuttlebay decal up front.
I scratchbuilt the underwing ramscoops from For Sale sign, then added parts of an Airfix sprue (I love Airfix sprues, they are hexagonal and trapezoidal) on the opposite side of the wing to give them some bulk.
I cannibalized an AMT/Ertl 1:2500 Enterprise for one of the sensor packages (I used a nacelle pylon for the one on the underside of the hull.) The other two, a rotating sensor just in front of the missile bays, and a rod shaped thing that almost looks like a refueling boom, were taken from the Revell Sea Shadow kit. Having two of the sensors offset was intentional. I hope to show through the parts placement the rapidly changing technology in my SSC-verse. "We've got this cool new gadget, but it doesn't quite fit on the ships we have... eh, just bolt it on." Whoa... that's deep. Maybe I should cap the Bondo...
Adding the "dive planes" onto the sail seemed to bring the whole ship together. They just fit. I am entirely happy.
Going up to Littleton, for Independence Day, tomorrow. I'll try to drag models and camera along.
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Nothing done! Brought everything I need with me, though, as well as the second Cozmodyne Heavy Industries SSC Fast Cutter. I'm thinking of making it into a reconnaissance ship. Fast, big engines, sleek looking, lots of satellite dishes (which I've been wanting to make, but haven't found room for on the Missile Frigate.) Also brought parts to make something similar to a DY-100. These creations might warrant their own On the Bench pages.
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[17] Whhoooooosshh!
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Major construction is complete. Gave it a quick coat of gray to highlight any uneven areas, so I could sand them down, or putty them up. Pretty, ain't she?
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[22] With a sketch and a good book
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Sanded and puttied all the bumps and seams. Everything looks pretty sharp now.
Picked up Heinlein's The Green Hills of Earth, Crichton's Eaters of the Dead, Asimov's I, Robot and Sagan's Cosmos.
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[25] Topside aft
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Gave it another coat of gray. Light sanding on the drives. She's ready for paint. Made a supply run to Wally World, and got some paint, #11 blades, Bondo, clearcoat, and a mixing palette. Got black and white, so I could make the light gray scheme I want. Also got yellow and blue. Need to get gold, red and brown. Don't you hate deciding on paint schemes? I know I do.
Finished The Green Hills of Earth. Read a large chunk of I, Robot.
Watched the Discovery launch. Happy 230th, USA.
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[28] Bow
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Yeah, I've been slacking. Sorry.
Posted some pictures of my painting progress. The base coat is 10:1 ratio Testors gloss white and gloss gray. Detail work was done with straight gray, 4:1 gray-white, 7:1 gray-white, straight white, and yellow. I want to get some more colors in there. Make it worn looking. Like it's passed through some dust clouds at full thrust, been shot up, had docking accidents, etc.
Purchased Asimov's Foudnation and Empire, Heinlein's Farnham's Freehold, and Sagan's Cosmos. Almost finished with Farnham's Freehold.
More to follow in the next update! Almost done.
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[31] Freshly decaled
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Before decalling any model, I always think my paint job sucks. That it ain't as cool as I imagined it would be. But then I put the decals on, and a couple words, numbers, windows and panels bring the whole ship together.
The text came off of the decal sheet included with the kit. The rounded rectangular panels came from this sheet and leftovers from my INSS MacArthur build. The grills along the side of the drives also came from the Mac's sheet. The numbers are 2260's Starfleet markings from a 1:2500 PNT alpha-generics sheet.
Sorry, El Hombre, didn't have the letters to make it the Annie Oakley. I still want to use that name, though! I'll let you know when I do. And before anyone chimes in and tells me that Javilin is spelt wrong, I'd like to remind you of the restructuring of the English language in 2033. Forgot about that, didn't you?
Now's the time to throw in any last minute suggestions. I'll probably finish it today. Still need to work on the drives, and dirty it up some. Might add one or two more decals, too. I'd like to put noseart in the area around the conning tower, but can't think of anything. I'm reserving my shark-mouth decal for another project.