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3DRe-Imagined Eagle Transporter

JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
edited January 2011 in Work in Progress #1
I'm probably going to delete my images on this site, because they dont give you much room.

You can see the entire progress of this build here:

http://s992.photobucket.com/albums/af47/jefferywright/Eagle%20Transporter%201999/
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Post edited by JWWright on
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  • PagrinPagrin171 Posts: 0Member
    It's an interesting start. And given the way TV sci-fi is going this could be a handy model to have in your CV.
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Yeah, resurrecting the old seems to be the "in" thing these days. Tackling this iconic ship is kinda risky, but after seeing what they did with the NCC-1701, how bad could I mess this up?

    Hopefully no one will take my design study seriously, it's just for fun.
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  • SanderleeSanderlee1 Posts: 0Member
    JWWright wrote: »
    Yeah, resurrecting the old seems to be the "in" thing these days. Tackling this iconic ship is kinda risky, but after seeing what they did with the NCC-1701, how bad could I mess this up?

    Hopefully no one will take my design study seriously, it's just for fun.

    Think about all the Ribbed vs. Plated arguments we had back when BSG 2.0 came out. The new Galactica was QUITE surprising compared with the original. Esp. the way the guns operated (shells??!?) and then the pods opening and closing.

    They took an icon and, in my opinion, made her better.

    I see your Eagle the same way. I love the new head, even if it does lack the foot-well windows (which never made sense, since they're not in the cockpit shots anyway).

    Keep it up, I'm quite interested in this one!

    :thumb:
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Thanks! There are a few things about the Eagle I've always wanted to address, like the landing gear, which clearly looks like they should retract into their pods in flight, but aside from one comic book drawing, never seemed to have. (They will when I model it later)

    Yeah, the underside window-esque feature should have been some kind of scoop thing, and the command module would benefit from having rear facing windows, for better line of sight for the pilot. I'm still thinking of adding windows, underside, also for a better view for piloting, somewhat like a helicopter cockpit.

    I love the new BSG series, and the hardware updates are spot on, I could barely get through an episode of the original series, but the new BSG is top shelf. Caprica is excellent, besides having nearly the same premise as Astroboy...

    That Schroedinger quip is hilarious!
  • MajorPayneMajorPayne0 Posts: 0Member
    A fine start of one of my favourite all time ships. Just don't forget the hole just under the cockpit for the inbuilt laser.
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    The cage structure, dunno if I'm digging this, I might try something else out.

    Yeah, the laser... There was once depicted a turret that popped up from the top bracing, which wasnt a bad fix, and of course, the beams that would project from the command module from some mysterious origin...

    I may do a turret thing, although the CM could attach to a fighter body. All engine and armament.

    There could also be a transport module that is specifically a weapons platform. Plenty of room for loads of missiles, bombs and particle weaponry.
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  • cavebearcavebear179 Posts: 623Member
    This is looking sleek. The new 2010 model :D you'll have to have a hot looking model draped around various parts of the Eagle! So I guess you could say I like it :thumb:
  • Bmused55Bmused55177 Posts: 487Member
    Interesting concept :)
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Decided to re-do the cage, added lugs for the articulated landing pod connections, the pods will be, hopefully made of compound sections, with an embedded RCS quad, and retracted skid pads.

    Just making this up as I go, I cant wait to see how this thing turns out!
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  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Shock springs and hydraulics coming next...
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  • aylaa12aylaa120 Posts: 0Member
    great work there jummm I wonder if they took this model to the screen in a new ver of the series wow
  • BuckaroohawkBuckaroohawk2 Posts: 0Member
    Oh, I like this project! The Eagle, like the Enterprise, is an iconic ship...which makes it tough to update, but I really like what you've come up with so far. I've been mulling over an update of the design myself, but I'm much more interested in seeing how yours plays out. It also looks like you're keeping an eye on proper human scale (something the people who made "Space: 1999" didn't bother to do) so you get extra points for that right off the bat. I'll be following this thread very closely. Great work!
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    I sure appreciate the positive response. I'd love to see other interpretations of this great vehicle. Yeah, I have to resist going into too much detail, I woulda spent the day modelling the interior of the command module, instead of moving the ball on overall ship design.

    When I get the exterior hashed out, I'll start on the interior, I have a few new ideas about the cockpit I'd like to see if they work.

    Definitely keeping human scale in mind, the hatchways are big enough for an average human male adult to access, by stepping over the threshold and ducking their head a bit. Probably 5' x 3'. I may use double pocket doors to seal each section.

    It may be hard to see whats going on here, in these pics. I have the two brace connectors attached to the pods, with an actuator from the pod to the braces for pod horizontal orientation on uneven ground.

    There are also two shock absorbing actuators connected to the braces from the body which can also adjust the pods on their vertical axis, to raise and lower the ship, and also help soften hasty landings.
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  • stephan_skastephan_ska171 Posts: 0Member
    Yeah, thats frakking great !
    Weeks ago i started my own space-"aero-eagle"-mod/conversion but i hadn't gone very much deeper in that direction right now.

    Sorry for spamming your threat Jeffery :rolleyes: but i hope ... ^^

    All the Best with your progress, i m going to have a realy closer look at this :thumb:

    Cheers, Stephan
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  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Thats not spamming, how awesome! You should seriously consider finishing your model, I'm digging your take on the old girl!
  • BuckaroohawkBuckaroohawk2 Posts: 0Member
    The shock absorbers and actuators are a GREAT idea! They look great and add a lot of realism to the ship. I've often thought that sci-fi TV and filmmakers should get people who design cars to at least assist with concepts of spacecraft, especially those smaller crafts intended for landing and taking off from planet surfaces. Those people know how to combine functionality with aesthetics and get real-world results.

    I cannot wait to see this ship when it's done!
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    ...at the pod connection rig.

    I've cut in a recess for the RCS unit, I may stick with the hexagonal theme for the bits and pieces on this flyer.

    I cant wait to animate the shock absorption for the gear and these pods when this bird lands. I remember being very impressed by that small feature as kid watching the show, how cool was that?
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  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    And an updated RCS unit.
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  • BlueNeumannBlueNeumann615 Posts: 1,275Member
    Stephen, given that Eagle nose, you should definitely think about giving some space shuttle texture to at least the nose.

    Jeffrey, your Eagle concept is awesome, I love the way all the jets fit into a functional design on the landing leg. I also dig the arms that attach those suckers to the length of the vessel, but I'm a little worried it might seem flimsy.

    Chris
  • Stev0Stev00 Posts: 0Member
    This is more than impressive. I think the original designs are timeless and irreplaceable but your take on this craft is very impressive.

    I like you you have compressed the design in the vertical and it appears that you have given it a more aggressive stance.

    I hope to see more with effort on using current aerospace technologies in the design. icon14.gif
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Landing skid.

    I might beef up the connecting arms to the pod, good suggestion, thanks!
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  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Gobbles up memory, a pain to do quick renders, clunky modeling tools.

    Brought the whole thing into C4D11. Uses about 1/4 of the memory MAX does, easier, quicker modeling tools, renders are quick and by default, look good.

    See the difference:
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  • PagrinPagrin171 Posts: 0Member
    Wow. Lots of progress since I last look in. Great work all around JWWright.
    Although I noticed when you changed app, you seem to have dropped the cable mount on the top of the landing pods. I assumed that was there for the underground storage area on Moonbase.
    Overall the aspects of the design are really excellent work I must say. You've retained the Eagle while making her completely different. Much like the shift from Treks TOS to the STTMP Enterprise.
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Thanks! The pod cable mount will be back, mostly used for pod swap-outs, as opposed to actually lifting the whole bird, which would be done by grappling the truss, as they did in the original series.

    As soon as I get the traditional transporter modeled, I'd like to create a body for atmospheric flight, I know these were depicted as able to fly in air, but man, it would be like trying to keep a brick in the air with rockets.

    Maybe a more aerodynamic VTOL module with wings and ducted fan for the CM to attach to would be more appropriate for atmospheric flight?

    I have a rough pilot pitch treatment for a serial that takes place a few generations after the year 1999, outlining the life on the Earth's rogue moon, with descriptions of the sub-lunar cities, a few main characters including a few aliens, hardware, even an FTL system of propulsion for the moon itself. This would take about 6 months to move the moons mass to relativistic speeds to arrive at a star system, decelerating around the star while evaluating the system for a suitable world to live on. Season one would be about arrival to such a system, it would end by leaving the system, thus a time span of maybe a few years in a particular star system for each season.

    There would be social situational drama, lunar politics, exploration and discovery, human issues, cultural examinations, etc... basically a pretty good story telling platform.

    But I get ahead of myself, thanks for the feedback!
  • SanderleeSanderlee1 Posts: 0Member
    JWWright wrote: »
    As soon as I get the traditional transporter modeled, I'd like to create a body for atmospheric flight, I know these were depicted as able to fly in air, but man, it would be like trying to keep a brick in the air with rockets.

    Don't forget, they have anti-gravity.
    They make this clear in the pilot episode. While the moon is blasting away from Earth, just after everyone stops being pinned to the floors.

    "We're down to three g's. We're compensating."

    Clearly, they can manipulate gravity. So, it's not so much of keeping a brick in the air with rockets as keeping a balloon under control with rockets. Muuuch easier! :D

    Seriously loving this revision!
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Thanks!

    Good point about the grav tech. I'm working on another ship featured in an original serial idea, which uses gravity plating for artificial gravity, which attracts mass on one side, repels mass on the other side (like a magnetic field) so it is used for crew comfort and soft landings for the last few feet of touchdown.

    Being a weak force, it wouldnt be enough to keep a giant brick afloat much higher, which is where reactive rockets would do the work.

    More updates a comin'...
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    Just to help keep things in proportion.

    I'm wondering if the CM should have its own egress ramp that drops down, maybe even it's own landing gear?

    I may try to design a hatch for the transport module that both drops down for stepping down onto a landing surface, and is also a pocket door for when the module is connected to a docking structure.

    Maybe even integrate with an extendable docking bridge for ship to ship connection. If the landing pods can retract/fold under the ship, it wouldnt have to be too long, and the folded pods RCS quads can still be used to assist docking maneuvers...

    I put way too much thought into my models... the devil is in the details!
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  • J.WildeJ.Wilde0 Posts: 0Member
    Great looking model! The articulation of the pods is also a fantastic idea that I'm surprised Anderson and company didn't feature in the original. I would say leave the CM as is - the Eagle is modular, but I don't think the CM was ever intended to be more than a 'lifeboat' when separated from the rest of the craft. It is integral with the rest of the assembly, and modular with the ability to swap out mission modules.
  • JWWrightJWWright171 Posts: 0Member
    I'm cutting the CM up, so I can remove the top to model the interior, and replace it so it looks like one piece. Looks like it may be somewhat roomy, guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

    The hatch bulkheads will all be pretty much identical, so I'm making it a module in itself.

    The two recesses on either end will be for the control wiring yokes that connect the electronics and support between the Eagle sections. I'm trying an idea with the pocket doors, dunno how I feel about it, but I wanted to avoid the cliche Trek style sliders. I may go with that ultimately, but maybe make the doors clear, I always thought the hatches on the Eagle should at least have a way to see whats on the other side.

    I meant to begin trying shapes for the transporrt module, then I ran into the bulkhead issue, so may as well tackle that right away...

    Not crazy about the door itself, I think the details I made look like a cartoon martian symbol.
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  • BuckaroohawkBuckaroohawk2 Posts: 0Member
    JWWright wrote: »
    I put way too much thought into my models... the devil is in the details!

    I couldn't agree more, but those details are just so much FUN! I did the same thing with my latest version of the StarBird model. It started as a simple build, but then I just had to re-do the interior. Once that starts, you can't help but think about all the things that should be inside the ship and how all the parts fit together. It's tiring, frustrating, and sometimes absolutely maddening; but when it all finally comes together (and it will), you will love it!

    So go crazy! Make the interiors work with the exterior and if it doesn't quite fit, force it! This is my favorite project in the forums right now and every update leaves me hungry to see more.
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