1/12 F-16 cockpit joy

[mathis478]

I saw this at the PX while I was waiting in line for a haircut and I had to have it. Something screamed at me to convert it into a mobile suit cockpit. I may or may not, but here's the initial look.

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/3421/poou0015mt.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/3263/poou0029em.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/483/poou0034zr.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/3821/poou0041de.jpg

[FichtenFoo]

Nice... just need to do the 360 degree panoramic sphere too!

[mathis478]

Maybe I could do a half sphere? I wonder how I could get a cockpit display on the pan. sphere... I'm going to sketch ideas tonight and start this construction this weekend.

[fulcy]

http://www.hobbyfanatics.com/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=10342

[ronin4122000]

1/12,  360 degree panoramic sphere......isnt that a hamster ball???

[G-Sentinel]

fulcy, that pic has been my best friend for a few days. you probaly saw me comment on it. i'm actually clueless on how that cockpit might turn out.

[Tazman3]

Hmmm...if it were me, i would just scratchbuild a gundam around that cockpit.  

Just kidding...that is an awesome kit...and would look really cool anyway you "fancy" it up!

Later,

[mathis478]

A 1/12th scale gundam? I hope sheet styrene has a bulk order discount...

Come to find out, this kit is more than awesome. However, so many things are so detailed (and painted different colors) I have to build it in little sections skipping around the instruction book.So far I've beuilt the frame of the ejection seat, and I'm about to strain my eyes making a half dozen tiny safety harness belts.

I'm going to PetsMart later this week and seeing how big hampster balls are. Some easy scratching to get it to atach to the cockpit and we'll have ourselves a pretty awesome model.

I would post some pictures, but nothing really interesting is going on at this stage. When I get the whole seat done, you'll get some pictures.

[FichtenFoo]

Great idea with the hamster balls. Hmmm... maybe you can make this the removable ball-cockpit from the Saz head or a Rick Dias.

[OYWM]

Sounds like this will be a very interesting project. I Definitely have to watch this thread and see what you do with the cockpit idea. the only bad thing is that you are going to have to do a lot of mods to that really nice looking F-16 cockpit

These are a few cockpit images both Pan and standard.

Standard GM  cockpit
GP01 Cp
GP02A Cp
GP03S Cp
Standard F2 Cp
NT-1 Cp
Mk.II seat setup
MK.II Cp

[ronin4122000]

Just thought I'd add, Hamster balls tend to come in two types, those which seperate in the middle (which the hamster always manages to escape from while your trying to line up the two halves) and one thats a whole ball with a removable bit (about 4 inches). You can also get bigger ones for Guinea Pigs and Ferrets. (we had a lot of pets growing up!!!)

[mrmaigo]

Well, if you took one of the half balls (if you found the right size), use one half for the bottom (tilted forward a little) then the other half cut in half and put in a rear corner, that'd make one hot display.

[mathis478]

It's such a huge difference betrween realistic cocpits and cartoon mobile suit cockpits. I DOdon't want to destroy the realism by adding a bunch of anime-ish details. My idea now is to remove the cockpit 'floor' or 'base' and have the seat and attached instrument panels connected to a tandem arrangement from the hampster ball. By removing this:



I can make the general idea while not completely tearing the things apart. I hope I'm being clear enough, I'm writing this without much in the way of visual aids right after PT this morning.

[OYWM]

I meant that you would have to do a lot of mods if you wanted to achieve a specific cockpit style. I know what you mean about those anime styled details. It'll be cool to see how you devise your own cockpit layout.  :)

[mathis478]

Oh, it will be sweet. My main concern is detailing the hampster ball. I don't want a lame gray or silvered half-sphere. I need to find something that will capture the imagination.

[FichtenFoo]

Go for this look and only do the right hand side of the sphere. You could use glossy gray panels to simulate off monitors.

http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/0080/lineart/rx-78nt-1-cockpit.jpg

[mrmaigo]

Go for this look and only do the right hand side of the sphere. You could use glossy gray panels to simulate off monitors.

http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/0080/lineart/rx-78nt-1-cockpit.jpg

What about stars, maybe make a decal or two of a battle to put on the screens

[mathis478]

Thanks, FF. That's what I'm considering.

mrmaigo, the thing with that is creating a decal that will match the realism of the cockpit. I would LOVE something like that if I could find a way. I want this to be lighted, with at least two LEDs on the instrument panel.

Right now I'm scouring the net looking for a 1/12 scale pilot. Hell, a 1/12 seated figure would boost my morale somewhat. I'm geting zilch on my end. A pilot isn't crucial, but he'd certainly increase the cool factor.

[ronin4122000]

theres a few 1/12th figure kits out there (1/12th is a standard scale for cars) an F1 driver might be a good base the problem with a lot of these kits of the ones i've seen is they are cut off at the knee. I found this guy on e-bay he looks quite good too.

click here

Also some modern action figures are about 1/12 too

hope that helps

MOD EDIT: PLEASE  DO NOT POST EXCESSIVELY LONG LINKS WITHOUT USING THE URL TAG PROPERLY
http://fichtenfoo.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1042


 :roll:

[mrmaigo]

mrmaigo, the thing with that is creating a decal that will match the realism of the cockpit. I would LOVE something like that if I could find a way. I want this to be lighted, with at least two LEDs on the instrument panel.

Fiberoptic? For the insturments and the stars? The decals don't have to be big, they can and probably should be far away