Builds By Baz - Full scale MKII Colonial Viper

[BuildsByBaz]

The last two nights have been spent on a couple of small details on the port side cannon and skinning the wing.

My interpretation of the safety/arm selector and tag out of the cannon is a little variation on the box used for the show, but I found out after I had made it. Thus, I think I will leave the heavy duty Baz solution on the port gun and go for the screen accurate safety on the starboard gun later. Why the heck not indeed?

My version actually works and has a spring-loaded slide catch that locks in the disarm position with the positioning of the safety lanyard. There is a resounding, "CLACK!" when you release it, ready for combat.

There's a gizmo under the wing that looks like it serves no function either than to look col and add a bit of texture to the end of the wing and gun mount. Made it out of a few layers of MDF glued and screwed together. Paint and screw on.

The wing has now been press-fit with polystyrene. Soon I will use expanding foam adhesive glue to fit a second layer over the top, building thickness and locking it all in solid so I can sand and shape it.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Getting there...

 

[BuildsByBaz]

It's not often I have the rollerdoor to prying eyes on the street, but when I do, I take the opportunity to stand back and get a photo with better perspective.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Made the news today. It's been crazy ever since. Two media photographers today and invitations to shows.

‍ Canberra's own homemade spacecraft is out of this world! | ‍ This homemade spacecraft is out of this world! ✈️Canberra man Baz has been building a replica spacecraft from the classic sci-fi TV series... | By ABC Canberra | Facebook

‍ This homemade spacecraft is out of this world! ✈️Canberra man Baz has been building a replica spacecraft from the classic sci-fi TV series...

fb.watch

 

[TurboCharizard]

Made the news today. It's been crazy ever since. Two media photographers today and invitations to shows.

‍ Canberra's own homemade spacecraft is out of this world! | ‍ This homemade spacecraft is out of this world! ✈️Canberra man Baz has been building a replica spacecraft from the classic sci-fi TV series... | By ABC Canberra | Facebook

‍ This homemade spacecraft is out of this world! ✈️Canberra man Baz has been building a replica spacecraft from the classic sci-fi TV series...

fb.watch

Well deserved sir, this whole world should know about this project.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Canberra Times.

Canberran's project one for the (space) ages

Talk about an out of this world lockdown project.

www.canberratimes.com.au

 

[BuildsByBaz]

02 Feb 2022

Lock-down in Canberra 2021 saw me getting very busy in the forge, madly trying to survive with a bit of extra cash to make it through the tough times, as well as home schooling my kids. Since then, I just haven’t been able to get back into the swing of things, much less work on the Viper.

Finally, last week I got off my arse and installed a retro-fit radio into the cockpit. The instrument is broken and all the internals are burnt out, but my friend Matt is an aviator and volunteered his kindness to slip in an Arduino-controlled LCD screen with a chosen frequency displayed. (Can you guess what the numbers come from?)

A couple of nights ago I got another mate of mine, James, (of Iron Man electronics fame) to come and tinker some more with the electrics, making it safer and neater than my red wire-black wire skills.

Each night, it is my intention to wire a 12v micro LED into each instrument, to light the faces.

Cockpit instrument lighting.

02 Feb 2022 Lock-down in Canberra 2021 saw me getting very busy in the forge, madly trying to survive with a bit of extra cash to make it through the tough times, as well as home schooling my kids.…

www.buildsbybaz.com

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Come for a ride?

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Sneak out front... check coast is clear... listen for cars... check for sneaky dog-walkers...
RIPROLLERDOORUPTAKEPHOTOSCLOSEROLLERDOOR!!!
and done.

 

[Sean Anwalt]

Not sure how Australian law goes, but in Utah if you put an engine in there with wheels, brake lights, turn signals, a flashlight or two in front for headlights, and bribe the DMV with a fee for registration (you need a license plate / temp tag), you could legally drive that down the road.

 

[MrJamin]

Not sure how Australian law goes, but in Utah if you put an engine in there with wheels, brake lights, turn signals, a flashlight or two in front for headlights, and bribe the DMV with a fee for registration (you need a license plate / temp tag), you could legally drive that down the road.

I would pay money to see something like this driving (legally) down the street :-D

 

[BuildsByBaz]

I would pay money to see something like this driving (legally) down the street :-D

It will be on a trailer, being towed. Good enough?

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Busy busy. Work, kids, gold prospecting, astronomy in the dome, knife making, Viper building, it never ends. COVID has hit our family twice now, so I'm currently in ISO again for the next 7 days.

I got the Viper weighed using vehicle scales borrowed from a local racing club. Total 752kg, but likely to reach the ton by the time I've skinned it, put the other wing and gun on, plus a few layers of paint and some extra mechanical accessories.

Now I can get to work. I built some vehicle dollys out of 14mm thick leaf spring stiffeners. Each trolley is rated to 800kg+ and has been tested, so well over engineered. Now I can move it around in the workshop and with the addition of some securing stirrups over the foot, I can winch it up the ramp of the trailer, currently in the design phase.

I've made a quick cardboard concept. It may go to three axles and they may or may not have to be positioned further rearward, but that's for the engineers to decide. The roof comes off in overlapping sections, the sides fold down to become platforms. Stabilisers wind down in the corners, bollards and stairs pop into holes and recesses, plus a ladder over the wing to enter the cockpit. There's a lot going on.

Finally, I got some hardware to test for the reaction control systems (RCS). 8 ports forward and 8 ports rear, from an on board air compressor mounted inside the nose, to be controlled via Arduino, connected to the joystick in the cockpit. These will fire each RCS port individually, picking up a bit of water from a reservoir via a siphon between the solenoid valve and the port.

 

[Sean Anwalt]

Love the RCS idea, man. That's super genius. As always, this thread leaves me in awe. Great job!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Love the RCS idea, man. That's super genius. As always, this thread leaves me in awe. Great job!

Thanks bloke.

I changed some of the press stud arrangements on the flak vest, so that the bottom straps can unclip and feed through the front belt loops on the flight suit. Colours of the studs are off, I know, but it's hard to get the right ones here. I'll paint them later.

 

[GMer56]

I love the idea of a fold out display trailer. If you got some 12 volt automotive linear actuators you could make the entire trailer unfold with a push of a button.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

I love the idea of a fold out display trailer. If you got some 12 volt automotive linear actuators you could make the entire trailer unfold with a push of a button.

The more complexity you allow, the more prone you are to mechanical failure. I would prefer to keep the entire trailer manual.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Except I am not in Tharwa...

Meet the '52-year-old nerd' building a life-size spaceship in his Tharwa shed | Riotact

Most people will leave their backyard projects at a slash and burn of the periwinkle, a new retaining wall, vegetable…

the-riotact.com

 

[PerniciousDuke]

Good read. Props sandbagger.

 

[SSGLordBert]

I’ve never watched battle star galactica. But that looks awesome!!