After being given a load of 6mm think A5 sized MDF sheets I decided to cut the hex and squares to build a "fuel pod" at studio scale from the Valley Forge, Silent Running.

The cut edges are chamfered to a close edge and glued. On the inside I have taped and epoxied the joins, a strong basic geodesic box.

The raised edges are 1.5mm thick spruce, wood glued in place. The corners will need filler since I couldn't get another width to keep the same edge width on two sides. The square edges other hang to be sanded back and become a little thinner - I think this is as per the studio model but that is difficult to tell. The best referance comes from Lunadude and only a single referance dimension is shown.

I will skin with glass fibre tissue and epoxy, that will hide all sins, bits of filler and make a strong box that should resist delaminating or exposure to moisture / movement.

Finished the second spine for the 44" Eagle. Was a bit gutted to have to buy a length of 3/16" tube for just one diagonal, that was all I was short. All of it made from spare material otherwise. Gladly, I believe it is sold already and that will fund some more of the main build.

I took the opportunity to fill and start to remove the seams on the Airfix Kits and work on teh big command module for the 44" Eagle.

The command Module id a Chris Trice Glass Fiber component (top of the line, the best you can get) and came to me partially assembled. The two halves were not very well joined (strength) but were well aligned. I did a quick re-fix and then used some epoxy and tape on the inside to make a strong fix.
A quick coat of primer after a soapy rub down to prepare the surface.

My Airfix models and Command Module are filled across the seams with Vallejo Plastic Putty. I will leave them for a day or two so that any shrinkage can occur before I rub them down.

I am selling the two ear receivers on eBay.
I need to fund a Captain Cardboard Studio Scale X-Wing........
One of the receivers is not quite studio, an error was made but it still looks great.
Both turned from solid aluminium, see....
Here on eBay
and
Here on eBay

Might as well doing something hot whilst it is cold.......
A raw brass 44" Eagle Spine so far made from the spares box (and I still have loads of spare fish mouthed bit left, but not enough to make anything else).
The spine so far, included about £100's worth of material. With luck someone thinks I have added some value to this, I will put it up on eBay.
It has come out really nice so far, flat and straight, just one or two tube to adjust the line of but looking ok.
I will definitely add the angled ends before offering for sale and will consider adding the 3/32" diagonals, I will check to see what material I have left over.

Quick Update.
I am adding the diagonals, the end sloped pieces and have cleaned up a little before finishing. Just waiting on some extra small diameter brass tube now. Looking good and will definitely be up for sale.

A better attempt at painting the Eagle Frame and Spine. Good enough for me, for the time being. I am happy with the pale grey and happy with the overall effect. The finish could be better but I quite like the the rough and the lumps and bumps, kind of used looking. I am sure the original film model was a bit rough around the edges and I guess that gave something of interest in the finished filming, that is my story anyway.

I struggle with this painting business, this must be my 5th attempt at the dark grey details on the cages and spine. Keep trying. I wasn't too impressed with my work again, too dark and patchy. Awaiting on some white paint to tone down the grey, will try to build up the colour lightly and from a distance to get a thin over colour (not sure how to describe the effect we are trying for.
​The masking is time consuming but I think it is what I am after. We will see.

Elsewhere I machined a few brass tubes to help with someone else's build. Got the CNC router going.

I have done little on the Eagle. Bored, bored of the 22's, the weaponised Eagles, the postal Eagle, the junk re imagined stuff, the armoured Eagles and the crap mash up Eagles with different Sci-Fi genres. Bored of all of the same questions, "is that a Gemini part?". I have loved the Eagle for 40 years, everyone has one now, a mass produced quick fix for muggles (there you go, Sci-Fi / Fantasy mash up).

I think I am getting over myself, I have left most of the 1999 / Eagle groups and forums, and will just come here to talk to myself.

I bought an airbrush, it is great. I have never used one before, like most of this, I have never done it before. Am I great with an airbrush? No, am I happy? Yes, this is great, I can get better at this and the result is already better than my attempt with a brush. Bull in a china shop; did I practice? No. Just have a go, the fun is coming back.

I have one spare with ear moulding on eBay (now sold).
If anyone would like one, I can make to order. I have One spare Ear Moulding.
Just let me know. Thanks.

Couple of images from the internet.

A simple CNC program fairly quickly produced 3 sets of 44" Eagle Transporter landing pod feet from an A3 sized sheet of Perspex.

The sizes were spot on to the plans and the chamfered corners just marked out and cut with a file / sanding paper on a block. 

I am attempting to help out some fellow modellers by hosting a small get-together where we have an expert coming over to teach us how to solder brass tubes. We will run CNC machines and get tube fish mouthed and quickly as possible. This seemed like a good opportunity to get cracking on another set of brass work for myself.
What pod to choose; that is the question. 

Stunning turned aluminium engine bells produced by Mike Reader (check him out on the usual forums / Facebook). My resins are not to shabby really but aluminium is real and feels good.
​Great work.

The passenger pod floor is coming together; the brass work that looked great when raw is etch primed; a couple of soldered pegs locate that to the acrylic perspex plate.
​
The plate was roughened slightly prior to getting some primer on that just to help key the paint in place.
The kit bashed parts are resin casts; these look fine with no air bubbles or defects (but I had a big pot of those to choose from).

I have been designing a range of Hover Tanks; these are styled on old world war one tanks as a sci-fi hover tanks.
The design is my own; and produced with Autodesk Fusion.
They can be found on Shapeways; buying a set of 4 works out pretty good on price.

Haven't done much model making for a while; life gets in the way sometimes.
I had chance to get the soldering kit out and crack on with the passenger pod floor frame. The jigs were made an age ago; the fish mouthing was done and this task was completed in a few hours over two evenings.
The jig L sections worked great; the frame is fairly big but has remained flat and true; I am very happy with the result and this could have been a challenge without a jig.
​

The Crawler Tie Tank has progressed in CAD; all of these have been printed on the B9Creator.

Lifting some blue prints / plans from Wookieepedia again. Another unusual Tie variant from the wider Star Wars universe; the Tie Crawler or, The Century Tank.

The weather is getting better; soon I will be back on the big Eagle (it needs paint) but this Star Wars stuff has been a nice distraction this spring. Good fun; it is also helping me to learn Autodesk Fusion 360, also good fun and a change from my usual industry software Solidworks.