Mobius Models 1:160 Orion Space Clipper, Part 2, Completed!

Sometimes a completed model turns out looking better in photos than in person. Usually photos are harsh and tend to highlight slight flaws, but not in this case. The photos are better.

The lighting is good, as far as it goes. The engine detail with blue and violet light looks good. The side windows light OK, and the light coming from the above at the side, where it could not be blocked, is not as bad as I feared it would be. There is just a hint of the interior detail visible. 

At the cockpit, it comes down to a slim bit of warm white. I could have just used translucent, frosted plastic and left it at that, and I would have used just a single, less expensive, LED rather than the three SMDs I put in there to light the control panels. None of the detail can be seen at all.

I had some problems getting the wing section to fit fully for some reason. I probably have too much paint everywhere. There are some sloppy seams, particularly on the underside.

For power, for now, I just ran two wires out and into the base (the base that came with the kit). I painted the lower part of the base black and put the AC adapter connector inside. I planned on this arrangement being temporary, but actually the wires lay all on their own neatly along the edge of the stand and are not obvious at all. I do want an on/off button at some point but this stand might just be OK as it is.

As an aside it's worth noting that this kit, with lighting added, is easily adapted for a battery. Coin batteries, perhaps even a 9v, will fit inside and the rear engine section can be left removable. I wanted to use an adaptor and plug it into the wall though so that I can use a home automation wall plug, as I did with the Enterprise. 

This project didn't turn out all that well, through no fault of the kit, which is really not complicated. My version will however be suitable for illuminated display in our dimly lit media room. I understand that Mobius Models will soon release a larger scale, resigned, version of this subject. That may be one to look for in the future.

See the album for this project here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/35HWuDVtVjUoZxY78

See part one of this project here.

Mobius Models 1:160 Orion Space Clipper, Part 1

Next we we have the 1/160th scale Space Clipper from Mobius Models, as seen in the film 2001 A Space Odyssey. 

This is a rework of a much older kit, probably from Arora but I'm not sure. It has a few enhanced details and a new decal set, but the basic kit design is the same as I remember from the original.

I plan to light the model so I started with an idea for the engines. I drilled out holes between the vanes inside the engines and then glued colored sections of a drinking straw to the inside. I mounted blue LEDs in each tube behind each engine.

I used the colored straw because there are two open vents in the sides of the hull in this area. I'll end up with a more reddish light in those ducts, with the pure blue LED light nice and bright straight out the back.

So far, so good.

I masked off the rear scoops after painting everything flat black and sealing it up with a matte finish. 

Looks a little odd...

The side light is visible here. It's more violet in color.

I did not use the clear plastic parts for the windows because I wanted something very clear and easy to see through. I completely painted and finished the window area of the fuselage and placed panels of very clear plastic on the inside. I then masked off the windows with a strip of tape cut along the outer recess of the window area. With this area in its final finish, the rest can be painted and sealed when it's ready.

Next up, photo etch for the interior.

This involved making a whole lot of seats and gluing them down, then painting the whole assembly. This took awhile.

I used three white LEDs in the center area of the model. At the front of the interior are two TV screens I did in clear blue plastic. That area has its own LED. I also placed a clear red piece for two of the lights at either end of the ceiling. The other lights I made a frosted white. Two LEDs are mounted over the top.

At this point I discovered that these interior pieces are oddly not wide enough to fill the interior width of the model. This makes complete light blocking of the LEDs over the top impossible on both sides. I can do the side that I secure the interior section in, but I can't do the anything inside the other half of the fuselage.

Also, it's fairly hard to accurately center the interior pieces since they don't reach to the inside walls. I ended up with the PE assemblies slightly closer to one side. This turned out to be a good thing though as the model will look much better from that side, more interior detail and better lighting being visible.

  

Cockpit detail... It has seats and control panels which I did in various clear colors. It actually looked pretty good, if almost impossible to see. It is fully impossible to see on the completed model.

I placed the interior modules as best I could in one half of the model, with the lights. There's no way to light block the opposite side correctly. Also, I can already tell that the interior is too far away from the side window to see much even though one side is a little better than the other.

There's very little cockpit detail visible. It will be even less with the PE window frame in place.

Sanding, filling, sanding, filling, sanding, filling, and way too much primer...

Finally painted with Tamiya Insignia White...

Here it is with most of the decals on. And the lights still work! 

I purchased Pan Am markings from HDA Modelworx. The kit does not include Pam Am decals.

Next in part 2, the completed 2001 Space Clipper.

See the album for this project here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/35HWuDVtVjUoZxY78