MOC Fairchild A10 (WIP) pics added

[Gray Gear]

2 hours ago, MinusAndy said:

I tend to build the left side, see what needs improving and then build an improved version on the right hand side, then back to the left.

I use that technique on my car MOCs as well! Try to improve the one side, compare it to the previous version on the other, repeat. 

[MinusAndy]

Exactly that.

Ifind it too soul destroying to literally build and tear down and repeat!

[Rudivdk]

21 hours ago, MinusAndy said:

Exactly that.

Ifind it too soul destroying to literally build and tear down and repeat!

At some point I just start a new build next to the existing one, to avoid taking stuff apart. For a car I'm working on I have 4 different chassis' laying around right now, all new iterations but none final. Guess it is one of the reasons why I am not good at actually finishing MOCs... It is one of the reasons why I started including 3d modelling software in my design process. Easy rebuild when it is just a few clicks.

The A10 is really taking shape, nice progress everywhere! From what I see in your updates and the way you work I assume you enjoy the tinkering itself just as much as making an actual model right? It's good to see someone enjoying the hobby

[MinusAndy]

7 hours ago, Rudivdk said:.

The A10 is really taking shape, nice progress everywhere! From what I see in your updates and the way you work I assume you enjoy the tinkering itself just as much as making an actual model right? It's good to see someone enjoying the hobby

Absolutely. I tend to see the model as a cohesive by product of a bunch of little technical challenges that would be largely pointless in isolation. I have pretty savage A.D.D and lego is literally the only thing that I can focus on for any period of time. I love a tinker and Lego technic is the best way I’ve found to tinker!

[MinusAndy]

More WIP stuff. 
ive struggled a lot to get the control surfaces on the wings to behave properly due to limited input from the joystick and the fact that the controls have to be mixed through a number of systems to make the flaps and ailerons integrate. I’ll put some video up soon showing it all working. 
Since adding the knobs of god to the top of the fuselage this problem has been largely eliminated as the input is now close to the output in terms of both physical position and the number of gears and connections. The joystick moves in tandem with all the surfaces.

the three tan knobs control the three axis of movement.

The undercarriage retracts now work reliably.

Finally, I could use some help... I was counting heavily on the osprey to provide me with dbg fairings and panels. 
I can’t get the long low fairing parts in dbg anywhere, even go bricks, though those guys are busy before Xmas. 
I’m fairly invested in the dbg scheme but I need to look at complementary colours to maybe build a camouflage scheme. I’m also quite badly colourblind so struggle with this sort of thing.

any suggestions on alternate colours for various parts of this build would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks for getting this far down my ramble!

[captainmib]

If you google the plane, all you get are grey pictures...

I would just go with a nice colorscheme you made up yourself.

If you own 42066, you could add in some sky-blue

 

I always found @grohl's Saab Viggen a great plane. It's grey to.

[anyUser]

 

3 hours ago, MinusAndy said:

any suggestions on alternate colours for various parts of this build would be hugely appreciated.

Did you consider to chose a different colour for the lower / bottom:

Maybe (light) bluish grey?

 

Edited November 19, 2020 by anyUser

[MinusAndy]

Sadly the dbg panels I need feature on the top.

Im trying to keep lbg for internal stuff but the A10’s most popular colour is lbg all over. I can’t afford to start completely over sadly but if I can make a camo scheme from lbg dbg and something else then I think that could work.

[Rudivdk]

For the upper parts maybe Dark Blue would be a nice addition to DBG? It is relatively widely available by now, and would work well for a marine themed camo scheme. Combined with a lighter (LBG/Medium Blue (42066-blue)) bottom it would still look realistic imho.

Try this for inspiration:

https://www.google.com/search?q=blue+fighter+jet+camo

Edited November 20, 2020 by Rudivdk
Search link added

[Jeroen Ottens]

I'd first try to work with the DBG panels available. Can you use 3x11 curved panels at an angle with #21/#22 panels below it to fill the gap? And of course 3x7 panels are available in DBG.

Edited November 20, 2020 by Jeroen Ottens

[MinusAndy]

I’ll try that. I really like using the longer ones though.

I found this today so I think I might try a camo based on dbg

[Rudivdk]

11 hours ago, MinusAndy said:

I found this today so I think I might try a camo based on dbg

-snippet-

That looks really nice, and pretty close to the standard Lego colors! Gives you a valid excuse to use black parts wherever you don't have LBG or DBG

The plane itself is turning into a real beast, I can't get over the size of it... I think it dwarfs my P38

(Quick count: over 100 studs in length? And width will be near equal I guess...?)

Keep it up!

[MinusAndy]

Yeah I don’t think blue suits a plane as brutal and industrial looking as the hog so I’m going to try to stick to more industrial colours. Blue looks great on stuff like f16s and flankers. Even the a10 demo team have paint jobs that are very industrial looking. 
At the moment it’s about 108 long by 112 wingspan. 

[MinusAndy]

More WIP. I’ve put these three tan knobs of god on the back of the plane as it counters the backlash from the limited input range on the joystick. I’ve added the three main function switches as extras on the back as well as in the cockpit so everything moves in there and on the control surfaces. 
I’m much happier with the distribution box now, it’s more organised and smoother than it was and thanks to a couple of threads on torque on this forum I now think I understand why I was losing so much power whilst driving the turbines and the undercarriage.

 

[MinusAndy]

I finally got her up on her undercarriage today.

[Frequenzberater]

I am not into planes usually, but this is going to be interessting. 

I like the density of mechanical components in your model. Usually mocs this size are more or less hollow and equipped with a motor for each function, but this one is different. Keep up the good work! 

[MinusAndy]

4 hours ago, Frequenzberater said:

I am not into planes usually, but this is going to be interessting. 

I like the density of mechanical components in your model. Usually mocs this size are more or less hollow and equipped with a motor for each function, but this one is different. Keep up the good work! 

I only have three motors so that wasn’t an option for me. I like mechanical treebling though and I’m trying to improve my skills so I can build more compact stuff. The small car competition on here was quite inspirational in terms of seeing how much stuff people could squeeze in.

[MinusAndy]

 

[Rudivdk]

[MinusAndy]

 I tried the new colour scheme on the tail today. I’m missing a few parts but overall pretty happy with it.

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by MinusAndy

[captainmib]

Nice!

Good progress.

[Jeroen Ottens]

That is a good looking plane knowing what you crammed inside that fuselage . It is also impressive that it can stand on it's own landinggear, that is not trivial with planes this size...

[1gor]

Shape is starting to be recognizable, really impressive MOC. 

[MinusAndy]

51 minutes ago, I_Igor said:

Shape is starting to be recognizable, really impressive MOC. 

Thanks! It’s starting to come together despite some serious time setbacks (binging the mandalorian)

[MinusAndy]

5 hours ago, Jeroen Ottens said:

That is a good looking plane knowing what you crammed inside that fuselage . It is also impressive that it can stand on it's own landinggear, that is not trivial with planes this size...

Thanks man. Fortunately the a10’s undercarriage is really simple and robust with no fancy linkages so I could make it as straight as possible. I’ve snapped a few of those thin bevel gears in the mechanism though.