Author Topic: A British Aeronef (Read 19599 times)

gamer Mac · « **on:** February 28, 2009, 12:59:23 AM »

After seeing all the Aeronef builds on the forum I decided I wanted to make my own.
I don’t play any VSF games but I thought I would try this just for fun.
The basic shape was carved out of polystyrene and then covered in mounting card. The card was scored to represent planks.

Basic Hull

Top view

I added rivets around the edges

Rivets and planks

Hull rivets

The main hull is basically complete. I am now concentrating on the wheelhouse.

Wheelhouse

View Ports

Front view

Side door

Next is the command deck

Command deck

Command deck top view

Next thing to build is two small steam engines, one on each leg of the main hull. I was going to build two skylights, one for each leg as well (Mancha, Honest I did not steal anybodies idea

, but I will now copy yours

)

Any suggestions or comments are very welcome

Cheers
Mac

Mancha · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2009, 04:52:48 AM »

I love build threads and I'm glad you started a dedicated thread. The wheelhouse looks great. I love the viewports, with the hydraulic lift. I assume you're using that punch-through-from-the-back technique for your rivets? Those are the straightest rivets I've ever seen!

~ Tom Teriffic · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2009, 05:43:11 AM »

whimper . . .

Oh great, now I have Aeronef Lust too! And how do I explain _that_ to my wife???

Really beautiful work!
~ TT

Ray Rivers · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2009, 10:24:11 AM »

Excellent start!

Looks very, very kewl. Will be following with keen interest.

dijit · « **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2009, 02:26:55 PM »

Ever since I first saw 28mm aeronefs I've wanted t do one too, but convinced myself 'no I dont play VSF, I don't need one' and then you go and blow that whole argument out of the water (or air) - shame on you! Great work by the way, looking forwards to seeing what happens on this one.

gamer Mac · « **Reply #5 on:** February 28, 2009, 11:52:22 PM »

Didn’t seem to get very far with my build today. But while I was in Tesco I bought a new tripod, only £5, so I thought I would try it out.
I have been building two steam engines for my Aeronef. Also been putting together the propellers.
The engine will fit approximately here

The parts for the two engines and the prop shafts for the propellers. The propellers are going to be able to rotate through 360.

Still got a lot of work to do including adding more rivets and some pipe work.

Ignore the foam board. Its only there to hold bits in the correct place.
For the propeller I was going to use just circles of clear plastic. What do you think?

Skrapwelder · « **Reply #6 on:** March 01, 2009, 12:59:37 AM »

This just looks better and better. I really like the configuration.

On the propellers, I think clear, plastic discs will look fine. If you can scour the plastic a bit to give it some motion lines that might look good. If you've got a dremel drill you could put the disc in the sanding disc bit and then score the disc while it spins to give a circular effect.

Very nice piece.

Mancha · « **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2009, 01:13:00 AM »

Cool engines! Looks like they're gonna take up a lot of play surface though.

gamer Mac · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2009, 10:38:07 PM »

I am intending to build a walk way over the top of the engine. It will hopefully have enough room for figures and a metal rail to stop then falling into the prop.

Vonkluge · « **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2009, 04:35:14 AM »

Just happened to "Float" by here and looked at your work, outstanding so far!

I have built three 28mm "Airships" used in Gaslight Victorian Sci Fi Games out here. Your rivets look good. So many people have terrible looking rivets. I made a press plate that uses different size burnishing tools for different size rivets. This one here is my British HMCS "REDOUBT" and was based on the terrible Scheltrum kit for a French Areonef. I tossed 90 percent of the kit and then modified the rest a lot! My stuff takes some time as I come up with ideas as I build and if I am unsure

I'll let it sit for weeks till the answer dings into my brain

The hull below the deck is about 2 inches and not visible in this picture. It is White above the Waterline and red below. The Decks are real wood. None of the Decks were part of the original desgin. The rear prop area was a 2 week think! The center Deck was thought of after pitching the original parts in the parts box and thinking about it for a year! By the way I agree with Mancha that you are loseing a lot of play area but you might put a smaller deck or several round circle "service" decks, WAIT you said you dont play! so who cares...

I have a complete build write up for 2 Areonefs on my site. www.historicalhobbies.com

Bill Witthans

gamer Mac · « **Reply #10 on:** March 02, 2009, 08:45:00 AM »

WOW

lovely stuff. Had a look at your site, amazing stuff. I love your vehicles and ships. The painting is outstanding

Looking at your ship, compared to mine, they will have similar deck space when finished.

Vonkluge · « **Reply #11 on:** March 02, 2009, 06:27:13 PM »

Yes, deck space will be about the same. While I game with mine quite a bit the games rarely "happen" on the airships. The ships are mostly bringing someone or something to or from the battle field, lending support, or just flying around for "eyecandy" They tend to be very powerful and domineering on the field thus requiring a close hand to keep from skewing the game. We do this by keeping their damage threshold before retiring off the field quite low. They are used mostly in colonial games and as such the gains made on the ground rarely justify risking the loss or even major damage to such a rare and valueable piece of crown/state property!