ahhh much easier to draw with a model by your side!
high view before paint
in flight configuration/landing configuration
high forward view
after paint, the black area in the center represents the piloting wondows and bridge area
engine view, note the ladies press on fingernail used as engine detail!
Here are some pictures of a model I made of the Vulcan Lander to help with my illustrations, The compound curves and flowing shapes were to complex for my tiny brain and lack of drawing abilities so I had to make a little guide model to help out with the tough views.
This is again fantastic!
Wow, thanks for the cool shots of the model! I love Vulcan ship designs, this one set the stage for many more cool designs of yours and Doug’s on Enterprise.
Awesome! Now, what’s that model made of then, John?
LLP,
deg
I sculpted 1/3 of the model from surf board foam. molded that piece and cast three identical pieces and then aligned and fitted the pieces to make one symmetrical piece that wold create the form of the entire ship. I then started to add the paneling with various thickness’s of styrene. adding e.m.a. strip and c channel, and tiny model bashing parts from other model kits. I made one leg all from styrene and then used ladies press-on finger nails for all the engine and rcs thrust covers. molded everything again and assembled a version with legs up and down.
I’ve been looking for my missing nails forever!!
I always thought this one looked more like an alien creature or a ship that would come from a race that was less humanoid that Vulcans are. It’s a great look and feel, but I just had trouble equating it at first with Vulcans, but after seeing ENT Vulcan architecture and such, it fits.
It took you a long time to find them missing I must say!!! when First Contact was in the works there was very little Vulcan architecture to use as reference so the door was wide open for ideas.
I said I’ve been looking “forever”…I think that covers it! HAAA
Im pretty sure I saw this (or a shuttle of VERY similar design) in the new Star Trek Movie earlier….
Yes, I got to go to the UK premiere – Score!
John, you are a talented, talented man! That model rocks! Do you still have it?
I like this ship because the design is very unique and something that we hadn’t seen before, yet it when you saw it, it was Vulcan. Hard to explain, but it just made sense to me.
This is my favorite Vulcan design. Plus, I love that color you used and that it set the color for the final movie model and later Vulcan ships. Did you ever do any orthos of this model?
I always loved the landing gear on this ship.
I love the fact that you used press on nails for the engines.
Did you work out an exact size figure or for it? (I know how big it is approximately, from your sketches.)
I dunno if it’s logical, but I know what I like.
John, I’ve always wondered, was this a shuttlecraft sent down from a larger orbiting ship or did this baby fly all the way from Vulcan?
The ship is 90 percent gas tank, so it did the whole trip on one tank full!
I sculpted 1/3 of the model from surf board foam. molded that piece and cast three identical pieces and then aligned and fitted the pieces to make one symmetrical piece that wold create the form of the entire ship. I then started to add the paneling with various thickness’s of styrene. adding e.m.a. strip and c channel, and tiny model bashing parts from other model kits. I made one leg all from styrene and then used ladies press-on finger nails for all the engine and rcs thrust covers. molded everything again and assembled a version with legs up and down.
Nice!, thanks dude. I’m surprised, with your obvious prac model buildin’ chops that you never ventured in 3D modelin’ eh.
Thanks for the comprehensive reply my friend!
LLP,
deg
Johnny D: the lander is over forty meters long.
Releasing it from a larger ship would be _extremely_ unusual for Trek.
Yeah Borris!!! it is a big one and it was a deep space scout so no mother ship
Was the overlz elaborate door that opens one of the lander’s legs into a ramp also designed by you?
the shaped of the foot lended itself well to the elaborate door/ramp sequence. somewhere I have those sketches,,, If I remember I’ll put them up for you!
You also built a 30-inch Enterprise-E; I’d be curious to learn more about it in a separate post.
John
I’ll have to dig out my pics of my model lander.
Here’s a link to my modelig clubs gallery. The modelis the vulcan lander that was avaialble from the Star trek Communicator several years ago. I repainted it witha terra cotta paint and used an ink wash and pastels for weathering.
http://commiesmodeling.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=46&g2_itemId=1090
I always wondered why the Vulcan lander had to be so complicated (in its basic shape as well as the many moving parts). Still a great design, and it definitely set a standard for the ships to appear later on Enterprise.
Because it’s art and tradition? The Vulcans aren’t exactly logical about their zillion complex rituals either. I’m pretty sure that the katra restoration of ST III could’ve been done with just a couple of people in a medical facility.
I loved the complexity and yet simplicity of the landing legs and the door/ramp. Just brilliant, even if as Bernd points out it must’ve had a lot of moving parts that would need attention.
Thank goodness for CG, The door was either in or out(For the practice shooting)the opening sequence was animated of top of the set piece. On Vulcan though they use a lot of galaxy grease