[DMC]

I have started working on a trouble bubble in 1:72 to go with some of my other vehicles. I never had the flight pod as a kid, but I always loved this quirky vehicle. What a great imagination it was that came up with this.

This one is a really interesting challenge. Obviously there is no pre-existing kit that can be modified into the flight pod, so this is going to have to be totally scratch built. It is a very complex set of shapes that make up the vehicle. As usual, I printed off the blueprints and then sized them down to what looks like the right scale. I was then able to break it into some component parts that I could cut out of styrene.

I used a styrene tube of about the correct diameter and cut it in half. This served as the basis of the aft half of the pod. Thin sheet styrene was cut to shape and then placed inside this to give the right contour.



I made the seat out of styrene strip and sheet. Under this is a pair of square tubes.



One of the more challenging parts of the trouble bubble is the large clear canopy. I ended up deciding to attempt to mold my own. I made a sort of a master with a styrene tube and a ball. Then I heated pieces of clear styrene and pulled them over the mold to get the rough shape.



After a number of attempts, I think I got some that I can cut to the right shape.



Here?s what I have so far, with an Xacto blade to show the scale.

[tt8l]

I love your extended 1:72 GI Joe universe. Hope to see some dios that incorporate these smaller ones if possible, maybe even combined into larger scenes with the larger vehicles. I could definitely see one of these flying over the wrecked jet to rescue Cobra Commander.

[DMC]

I like your idea. I?ll figure something out. Thanks for the kind comments, too.

[280-CUSTOMS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMC

I like your idea. I?ll figure something out. Thanks for the kind comments, too.

That?s a tough scale bud

And I commend you for your undertaking . My dads good friend when I was a kid kitbashed his own stuff , Star Trek didn?t have a shuttle that was the scale he wanted or any scale @ that time so he made his own and killed it everytime

[ARBCO Avenue]

Brings me back to assembling models as a kid, except your scratch-building skills at this scale - WOW! Definitely looking forward to any dio shots with the completed builds. Keep up the great work!

[DMC]

I?ve got the basic structure together now. I made the control / gun pylon of layered styrene sheet with suitable spare parts for the gun and the top module.



The engines were made with styrene tube, sanded at the ends, and held together with a styrene I-beam.



Here?s the three so far:

[J James]

I assume those are one inch guides on the cutting board, but could you put one of these flight pods on a quarter or a dime for us?

[DMC]

Sure. Here it is on a quarter.

[DMC]

I?ve basically got the structure done minus the clear canopy. Next I?ll prime and paint them.