PaperModelers.com

Go Back   PaperModelers.com > Card Models > Model Builds > Aviation

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-03-2011, 10:54 AM
Lex's Avatar
Lex Lex is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, Britannia
Posts: 1,691
Total Downloaded: 70.75 MB
Send a message via MSN to Lex
[Design / Build] Chengdu J-20 Prototype

(I won't delve into the facts about J-20, a 900913 search tells ten times than I do...)

Having designed the J-10 in prime time some years ago, I know it'll become my job to make a cardmodel rendering of the J-20 which was unveiled in January. (Although I'm still away from modelling for quite some time to come.)

Mine isn't the first cardmodel on the subject. I know at least 3 people who already produced cardmodels of this aircraft using an assortment of design methods. But this one would be release-standard, meaning anyone would hopefully build just as good.

The testbuild won't be done by me. I've arranged my friend Wind from CM.cn (who has great experiences and skills in building) to do the testbuild. Wind agreed to postpone his current builds to do this one so I'll say thanks in advance. It's Chinese New Year (the time for the biggest human migration on the planet) right now, and I managed to make it before this day on the designer's side. Although the testbuild won't happen until the holiday time has passed and Wind has come back... So in the meantime I'll post some pics from the design process and hopefully share and discuss some experiences in doing so.

[Oh and I will be building a version of my own, but not now...
__________________
"The world is big"
On hold: Fuyuzuki, Zao, Zara, Akizuki,
Past works: XP55 Ascender, CA Ibuki, Seafang F32, IS-3, Spitfire V, J-20
Reply With Quote
Google Adsense
  #2  
Old 02-03-2011, 11:12 AM
Lex's Avatar
Lex Lex is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, Britannia
Posts: 1,691
Total Downloaded: 70.75 MB
Send a message via MSN to Lex
January 7th

Mission start. The aircraft had just been unveiled the previous day and some photo came out. There happened to be some with the right angles. I relied on these photos instead of other 3-views circulating on the internet, hopefully suffering less inaccuracy from other's interpretation this way. - Those people have no better information than I do.

First off is the initial shaping. Using lines to create a 3D outline from the photos, to give an idea of the shape of the aircraft. I used the same method for J-10 and turned out to be quite useful for a subject without cross-section diagrams (in this case, the subject lacks more than just that...)



The info from the photos have been extracted, and nothing more quantitative can come from looking at the photos. (unless someone happened to have a certain agency's software to analyse lighting and shadows...)

8th

Detailed lines as cross-sections. I drew these directly, although another way is to create a preliminary surface and go from there. The J-20's shape is relatively simple, so drawing directly reduces the amount of work needed. (Don't tell me about J-10, I've had horrifying experiences with that one...)



9th

Continuing towards the rear


10th

There are photos of the gear bays, but I didn't dare to go more detailed than this.


11th


The cockpit configuration is classified... I'll leave the detailing to serious builders.




13th-16th

Internal support structures. It did take 4 days...


17th-19th

Post-processing work on the supports, another 3 days... I did try a novel method to hopefully make the fit better, but it could make things worse so I hope Wind can bring me the good news!


20th-25th

Unfolding the skin, post-processing and the like. It's these things which take the majority of the time to do...


26th-29th

Colouring in Photoshop. Took this long to give the parts plain colour. I couldn't imagine how much work went into GPM's weathering effects... Or I'm just not good enough with Photoshop!


...And that's it. Now let's wait patiently for the testbuild...
__________________
"The world is big"
On hold: Fuyuzuki, Zao, Zara, Akizuki,
Past works: XP55 Ascender, CA Ibuki, Seafang F32, IS-3, Spitfire V, J-20
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-03-2011, 11:58 AM
3Turner's Avatar
3Turner 3Turner is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: In a pile of cardstock clippings
Posts: 3,519
Total Downloaded: 171.54 MB
Very impressive work there Lex!
__________________
Robert
Repaints: 3Turner Models (Now available again!)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-03-2011, 01:21 PM
APA-168's Avatar
APA-168 APA-168 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ithaca, NY
Posts: 1,207
Total Downloaded: 0
Send a message via AIM to APA-168 Send a message via Yahoo to APA-168 Send a message via Skype™ to APA-168
Hooray! A new model from Lex! Can't wait to see how the build progresses.

By the way, I've had the Comet printed for some months, but it seems stuck at the number 2 position in my queue. Everytime I get to thinking about building it, something else lands on the top of the pile!
__________________
-Avery
InPaperDesigns

[email protected]
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-03-2011, 06:12 PM
Zathros Zathros is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Earth
Posts: 5,159
Total Downloaded: 0
Lex you're awesome!! Your model will have more Stealth abilities that the real J-20, I don't know why people are so freaked out. There's an old saying in aviation, in you want radar to pick it up, put canards on it!

It is amazing how fast you produce models. Simply excellent!!
Reply With Quote
Google Adsense
  #6  
Old 02-03-2011, 07:58 PM
jobeaux jobeaux is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Jackson, TN
Posts: 275
Total Downloaded: 29.98 MB
Looking good Lex, I'm excited to see the final product!
__________________
I Make Stuff
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-03-2011, 08:05 PM
Rubenandres77's Avatar
Rubenandres77 Rubenandres77 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Bogota, Colombia
Posts: 2,849
Total Downloaded: 652.45 MB
This look really great!
__________________
Rubén Andrés Martínez A.

Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-03-2011, 08:12 PM
gregh's Avatar
gregh gregh is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Midwest
Posts: 418
Total Downloaded: 110.00 MB
Thanks Lex, looks really cool !!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-04-2011, 02:33 PM
Dragos's Avatar
Dragos Dragos is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Romania
Posts: 878
Total Downloaded: 1.23 GB
That's fast and impresive.
__________________
My commercial models
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 02-05-2011, 04:09 AM
assafm25 assafm25 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 97
Total Downloaded: 0
nice work lex
of realy nice and intresting airplane
Reply With Quote
Google Adsense
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:23 AM.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

Parts of this site powered by vBulletin Mods & Addons from DragonByte Technologies Ltd. (Details)
Copyright © 2007-2023, PaperModelers.com