Deep Space Passenger Cruiser - first time Kitbash/scratch build

[PR19_Kit]

Who'd ever think of combining an F-14 and a submarine in one model!? 

[Captain Canada]

Oh for sure, build it the way you see it ! It still looks really cool to me. I'd leave in the F-14 parts as well, they look awesome in there. I had a chance to buy some wee subs on sale awhile ago and am still kicking myself for not grabbing them. I mentioned in another thread as well, that some K-cups have little discs in them that are perfect for shields and radars and exhaust ports etc.

[kerick]

You have a great start on a build which will be very interesting to see come together.

[usn sentinel]

Looking awesome!

[kerick]

Just an idea that wandered into my dusty mind...
How about instead of using the mini subs as engines use them as shuttle craft or life boats?

[sykotik]

Just an idea that wandered into my dusty mind...
How about instead of using the mini subs as engines use them as shuttle craft or life boats?

I'm going to have them as an FTL drive system but thanks for the suggestion though and it's a good reminder for me to factor in some kind of life boats or escape capsules

[usn sentinel]

I think this is going totally in the right direction, follow your heart and if you feel its not quite right super detail it around the engine areas with piping or small kit parts and the paint scheme you choose will also make it work big time ,it looks like the sort of ship that would look good with two or 3 tone panel scheme , one color with different panels a shade lighter and darker , creative license is yours and you can plan what part of the ship is this or that but in the end make it look cool, good work!   

[buzzbomb]

Each of those layouts has its own charm.

But all in all, really like the idea the way it is developing.
Once this has paint and the now obligatory Lighting masterwork, pretty sure this will look a treat

[sykotik]

Thanks Brian Yeah, I'm looking forward to the lighting. Hey - where did you get your chaser unit from for your Airship? I might have to go buy one

I think this is going totally in the right direction, follow your heart and if you feel its not quite right super detail it around the engine areas with piping or small kit parts and the paint scheme you choose will also make it work big time ,it looks like the sort of ship that would look good with two or 3 tone panel scheme , one color with different panels a shade lighter and darker , creative license is yours and you can plan what part of the ship is this or that but in the end make it look cool, good work!   

Thanks bud. I'm thinking the same with the colours - very light grey as the primary colour with darker shades for panels, but I'm also thinking of metallic blue stripes as well to offset the monotony of grey.
My main issue at the moment is because I am trying to stay away from mainstream concepts like ST etc, how should I shape the rear end so it doesn't look like a sub and more like an FTL drive. Currently, those subs look OK in their own effective way in the positions they're in but they still look like the backside of a sub. In essence - I have no idea on what an FTL drive rear end should look like. Anyways, I shall ponder it some more and I will come up with something when the time comes

[usn sentinel]

Thanks Brian Yeah, I'm looking forward to the lighting. Hey - where did you get your chaser unit from for your Airship? I might have to go buy one

I think this is going totally in the right direction, follow your heart and if you feel its not quite right super detail it around the engine areas with piping or small kit parts and the paint scheme you choose will also make it work big time ,it looks like the sort of ship that would look good with two or 3 tone panel scheme , one color with different panels a shade lighter and darker , creative license is yours and you can plan what part of the ship is this or that but in the end make it look cool, good work!   

Thanks bud. I'm thinking the same with the colours - very light grey as the primary colour with darker shades for panels, but I'm also thinking of metallic blue stripes as well to offset the monotony of grey.
My main issue at the moment is because I am trying to stay away from mainstream concepts like ST etc, how should I shape the rear end so it doesn't look like a sub and more like an FTL drive. Currently, those subs look OK in their own effective way in the positions they're in but they still look like the backside of a sub. In essence - I have no idea on what an FTL drive rear end should look like. Anyways, I shall ponder it some more and I will come up with something when the time comes

Dont kill me for referring to Anderson but maybe way off base here but a series of tube like detail surrounding the rear center aft could look like extra fuel tanks and could fatten the rear and hide the point bit, see below ,the front and side extensions already have a pointy look. also some sort of extra supports to the winged parts so they don't look like st warp nacels might work , actually have you thought of giving it an even bigger scale by making those small subs on the wings more passenger areas with rows of tiny rectangular windows like an ocean cruise ship, higher priced cabins because of less noise  from being away from the engines and a better view of the stars ,  {busness class , } engines could be rear center in a bigger circle behind the tubes , big ship big engines at rear , the colour you suggest could be stunning. Just ideas as i love this model so far




could use these or any better shape pens or tubing and maybe glue piping in them as if fuel is being piped along and into the hull

[Old Wombat]

I'll add my 2 cents but just for you to bounce off.

I like the above lay-out best but I'd flip the mini-subs stern-forwards & lay them on their sides, keel inwards; remove the conning towers; greeble them up a bit with styrene strip & rod, maybe some lead or copper wire if you have it; put a couple of short rods poking out of each & at the end of each rod put a piece of Aber mesh (or some slat-armour if you have any spare lying around) in a narrow frame; from the forward ends (the sub's sterns) I'd put some lengths of rod of various shapes & diameter. The mini-subs are now your "field generators", converting energy from the engines into a protective EM field (remember this is Sci Fi, not Real Sci) around the vessel to allow it to travel unharmed in sub-, trans- & super-photic (FTL) speeds. They can also be a "massless" drive, with the EM field also acting as a propulsion system (at least at trans- & super-light speeds, the reaction engines can be your sub-light drives).

The reason I suggested forward swept "wings" was to project them further forward, possibly ahead of the actual hull.

The stern of the big sub is cool as it is. To hide its origins a little I'd raise the F-14 section in line with the point of the stern (bringing the thrust-line of the engines more in line with the axis of mass); (Is that hole at the stern a torpedo tube?) whatever it is, I'd keep it as is, it looks good; the keel-fin above it could be left as is or extended vertically (possibly bifurcated) & decorated in a similar manner to the "front" of the "field generators"; blend everything with curved joins.

My rule of thumb for Sci Fi is that the physics of the narrative doesn't have to be consistent with "real" physics but it must be consistent within itself. As long as you have a mental feel for the physics of this ship's universe, & you apply it to the decisions you make, the design will work, no matter what you do with it.

[sykotik]

thanks for you're input guys - I like some of the suggestions there
I do intend on adding some raised sections like those in the pictures. Most likely, I'll use missile halves for that
The F14 body will be sunk into the shape of the main sub so it flows more evenly, although I am still trying to work out how to tie the 2 halves in ie, the ship will be broken down into 2 parts - top and bottom - nice and sleek up top and chunky and mechanical down below in engineering, maintenance and service hangar bays. I will have a passenger hangar bay at the rear of the ship

I actually like the EM field idea and I might just use that on the next ship I do, but for the meantime, I am going to stick to plan and go with FTL drive.
The forward swept idea has merit and I will have a tinker with the arrangement to see if I like it. I think from memory, I tried it out earlier but it felt a little too 1950's - however, I could also not be remembering it right. Again, I'll need to do another mock up

I made a start on it last night and got the pieces together for the bridge and superstructure. I am really liking the way I am going to have it and am now in the process of removing all of the nice raised detail so I can add my own.
I'll post some pictures once I have uploaded them
thanks again and please do keep throwing ideas at me.

[sykotik]

Well, I have finally made a start on this, beginning with the superstructure. This is just the general shapes, so detailing etc is still to come. I've chopped away a fair bit and am currently filing off the nice raised details but to be replaced with my own. I'll also be adding some eves and so on and I'll lengthen the front part and make it more swept back
The ring thing at the rear will be recast in clear and I'm going to make it into an observation deck. I am still working out where I'll put it. On the top of the large deck or behind? I'm thinking maybe on the top and trim down that large deck area (well, I'll be doing that anyway)

There are 2 pictures of the intended bridge - one upside down and the other not, although which is which remains to be seen.









I am entertaining the use of the larger deck there as a landing pad for VIP transport shuttles but that would mean I would have to open the rear section and make a small hangar bay. It's do-able, but seeing as I intend to have much larger hangar bays in the aft of the main body and also down below up front, it maybe seen as unnecessary and a bit of over kill

Anyways, more later
Si

[kerick]

I would suggest not getting too complicated if possible. I still have a similar project on hold because I kept making it "bigger and better". Lost my mojo for it after getting frustrated with it. I'll finish it one of these days.

[usn sentinel]

Nice!