models – The Unwanted Blog

Last day for eBay

aircraft, eBay, models, nukes, science fiction, spacecraft No Responses »

Feb 072025

Got some stuff on eBay that might be of interest, but the auctions end in less than 24 hours:

Hawk Beta I Atomic Powered Bomber XAB-1 model kit, complete

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256801825475

Diamond Select/Art Asylum NCC 1701 USS Enterprise HD Edition

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256801824805

Diamond Select/Art Asylum NCC 1701 USS Enterprise “Where No Man Has Gone Before”

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256801824768

Diamond Select/Art Asylum NCC 1701 USS Enterprises, “Mirror, Mirror” edition

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256801824704

Diamond Select/Art Asylum NCC 1701 USS Enterprise standard edition

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256801824661

None of the Enterprises currently have bids so they’ll probably go cheap to whoever wants them. A few other things on eBay as well.

1/18 Project Pluto #2

aircraft, art, awesomeness, history, Hmm..., models, nukes, projects, weapons No Responses »

Jan 272025

I haven’t finished the first Pluto, but I decided to go ahead with an improved version anyway. Pluto ver 2 now has a full weapons bay interior, shadow shield and air conditioning equipment. I am also going to completely revise the reactor and add booster rockets.

The first one will still be completed, to serve as a proof of concept and as a painting test to get that 24K gold look. Then I’ll probably see about selling it on ebay or something.

1/18 Project Pluto

aircraft, art, awesomeness, blather, Hmm..., models, nukes, projects, weapons No Responses »

Jan 182025

So it has been a little bit of a while. Been busy, and lately I’ve been ill (influenza B). But the illness is finally fading and the busyness may be tapering a bit. So here’s a recent product of slow progress: the 3D printed bits of a 1/18 Project Pluto nuclear ramjet missile. Much of it is fiber-printed, with smaller parts resin printed. Why does it exist? Because I want one. But also because I hope other people may want one (or more). As shown here it’s fairly basic; nose cone and midsection are printed as single pieces, tail section left & right halves. A basic TORY nuclear reactor is included; it’s visible through the nozzle but not so much through the serpentine inlet. But if displayed as a cutaway, it should be pretty effective. If I go ahead with a production version, the midsection will be split left and right, with visible equipment including weapons bays. Who might be interested in this as a kit? Printed and ready for sanding (LOTS of sanding) and assembly, I’m guessing something like $200 plus shipping. A fully completed display piece would be rather more. Going to experiment some with getting a good golden surface. If interested in joining a list, send an email to:

Not shown are the 1/144 “Big Onion” SPS launching SSTO and the 1/1 M388 “Davy Crockett” warhead. Both of those are done and being painted.

So, anyways… I’m entering the atomic weapons industry…

art, awesomeness, cats, history, models, news, nukes, weapons No Responses »

Dec 032024

… sorta.

As I’ve mentioned from time to time on my twitter (@UnwantedBlog), I’ve been helping out some friends for a bit. They’ve thanked me with a shiny new Anycubic Kobra 2 Max 3D filament printer. As such things go it’s a giant, capable of far bigger (but lower-rez) prints than my resin printer.

My first project to achieve success? A full scale M388 “Davy Crockett” atomic warhead. It takes four days to print out a single unit, assuming everything works out correctly. But the resulting parts are remarkably strong yet light weight. Here are the components taped together with an industry standard feline scale reference:

The antenna/timer assembly is the most complex and intricate part. The dial itself was resin-printed for high detail:

The nose half of the body was meant to print as a single large part, but it went a little goofy most of the way through so a separate replacement “cap” was printed. Any future prints will presumably have a unified nose.

The parts all need a lot of sanding and smoothing, assembly, filling and paint, but it’ll be fargin’ rad when it’d done.

Orion Battleship: found at last

awesomeness, blather, drawings, history, models, news, Nuclear Pulse Propulsion, nukes, projects, rockets, spacecraft, weapons No Responses »

Sep 142024

Rumored and discussed for years, in 1962 General Atomic reportedly built a “Corvette sized” display model of the 4,000 ton Orion spacecraft as a spacegoing battleship. This model was shown to President Kennedy, and the reported reaction was… not great. The model was described by a few who had seen it, but all evidence of the model vanished, with the presumption that the model itself was either destroyed or lost, probably shut in a crate next to the Ark.

Well over a decade ago I took those scraps of description, coupled with random bits of data, discussions with a few who knew things, and some imagination, and pieced together my own interpretation of what the Orion Battleship may have looked like.

Some printouts of my diagrams, years ago:

Somewhat to my surprise, my diagrams have been spread far and wide and have become the de facto canonical image of the Orion Battleship, with sketches, 3D CAD models, paintings, etc. being made based to greater or lesser degrees on my design. My one real contribution, I guess. I’ve never tried to claim that it was accurate, just that it was the best that I could do with what I had. I never expected to be able to do better.

But then author Brent D. Ziarnick published the book “To Rule the Skies” in 2021. In it was, at last, a photo of the model. While the book was published 3 years ago, I only stumbled across this image today:

There are *clear* differences between the model and my interpretation. Mostly they involve the means of projecting the pulse units: I based my design on the system used for the 1963 4,000 ton Orion: a cannon along the ships centerline that shot the pulse units directly aft through a central hole in the pusher plate. But the model depicted an older, more cumbersome approach: those “fins” on the side are actually rails. They’d lob the pulse units past the edge of the plate. I now this because circa 2009-12 I communicated with Jim Bryant, who was an artist at General Atomic and he created a sketch for me of Orion as he knew it at about the time the model was made. From his sketch I created CAD diagrams:

You put my two diagrams together… and you get pretty close to the configuration shown in the model.

I’ve got high hopes for getting an improved-rez version of the photo (maybe more!). I will use that to create a new set of diagram, probably also a 3D model, of the *official* “Orion Battleship.”

I don’t feel too bad about getting some things dead wrong. The Orion concept was in serious flux at the time; had the USAF proceeded with the battleship, it would *not* have used the pulse unit “fins.” Instead it would have evolved to something like what I drew up. It could well have evolved *past* what I drew up, but that’s a question that can only be answered in an alternate reality.

If you want the full Orion Battleship Experience, check out Aerospace Projects Review issue V2N2:

https://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/ev2n2.htm

1/18 scale Skybolt ALBM kit

awesomeness, models, nukes, rockets, weapons No Responses »

Aug 192024

Here’s the first nearly complete set of “sellable” 1/18 scale Skybolt ALBM parts. Only things missing are a stand(s) and a clear cover for the star tracker. There’ll be 2 variants… complete, and a simpler one without most of the innards (build with the stages/warhead joined). It takes about 2 *days* to print a complete set of parts. I’m still pondering the price. I will probably start on the low end and raise the price as I realize just what the frak I’m doing. Probably something along the lines of $80-$100, + postage. If interested, let me know.

First Metal Minis

aircraft, art, awesomeness, models, new products, projects, spacecraft No Responses »

Jul 192024

The first metal minis – 1/144 X-20, 1/285 X-20, 1/285 XF-103, 1/285 XF-108 – have been cast, cleaned and assembled. I’ve got enough to take care of the existing crowdfunders; I plan on trying to make a go of the 1/285 X-15s as well. However, the main mold is already falling to bits, so there are still improvements to be made to the process.

For future versions… should I cast them with a “peg hole” in the underside to put on a standard stand, or just leave them as they are?

3D Printer “Crowdfund”

aircraft, art, awesomeness, history, Hmm..., models, new products, news, Nuclear Pulse Propulsion, nukes, projects, rockets, sales & specials, science fiction, spacecraft No Responses »

May 252024

So after having the 3D printer for a while and running a *lot* of resin through it, I have achieved some good things. I’ve learned enough to know that there are some things that I plan on producing as full 3D-printed kits, some to be converted into metal castings. I have a few product lines that I want to do:

1: 1/285 (wargaming scale) “minis” of a range of appropriately sized unusual, rare, interesting and projected aircraft/spacecraft

2: “Mini”-sized, but of various scale, aircraft and spacecraft to go with each issue of US Aerospace Projects

3: 1/18 scale models of each American nuclear bomb/warhead/re-entry vehicle. This will range from the downright dinky to the “I’m not sure how to squeeze this out of the printer,” like the Mk 17 and the Flashback. I’ve successfully printed prototypes of the Fat Man and Little Boy A-bombs in 1/18, but they need to be revised.

4: Just whatever strikes my fancy by way of interesting aerospace/sci-fi concepts.

The eventual 3D printed kits will be pricier than if they were cast resin “garage” kits, but this will allow me to make them on demand. I hope there is interest in this sort of thing. To that end, and to help refill my depleted coffers, I’m making available a “crowdfunding” project with three levels. What you will receive are the actual 3D printed components. Each level builds on the prior… Level 2 gets you the Level 1 stuff, Level 3 gets you 1 and 2. No additional postage is required for continental US address… Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, the rest of the world, contact me and I’ll work out the additional postage cost.

Note: many of these are “prototype” kits, with revisions and improvements possible or even probable. And some of these are not planned to be released further. This will be your only chance to get them, at least in this format.

Level 1. You will receive:

1/285 X-20 Dyna Soar spaceplane
1/285 XF-103 Mach 3 interceptor
1/285 Project Pluto nuclear ramjet
1/285 X-15 set (X-15, X-15A2, X-15A3, X-15/SERJ)
1/18 Davy Crockett battlefield atomic warhead w/stand

Crowdfund level 1: $60 in the continental US:

——–

Level 2. You will receive:

1/18 US Atomic Artillery Shells w/stand
1/144 X-20 Dyna Soar
1/18 M61 Vulcan Gatling Gun w/stand
1/18 Mk 72 Nuclear Warhead/Re-Entry Vehicle

Crowdfund level 2: $100 in the continental US:

——–

Level 3. This part will not ship immediately, as some of it remains unfinished. You will receive:

1/285 XF-103 w/missiles
1/350 Orion Nuclear Pulse Vehicle (with stand… not yet finalized)
1/2000 Aldebaran Concept Vehicle
Cast Metal 1/285 X-20 + XF-103 + X-15 + Pluto: Depending on the success of the casting process. Not all are guaranteed.

Crowdfund level 3: $200 in the continental US:

——–

Updates

blather, models, news No Responses »

May 202024

Obviously not a lot of blogging of late. A lot of this is due to much of the function of blogging having been transferred over to my Twitter (@UnwantedBlog), but also a lot of it is due to my time having been consumed by the new 3D printer. After some weeks of tinkering with it, I’ve gotten it to reliably produce some things easily, unreliably produce some things with difficulty, and fail to produce some things whatsoever. However, I’ve gotten it to make a lot of a number of different things. So as previously mentioned on Twitter and in the Aerospace Projects Review/Unwanted Blog emails, I’m planning on doing a “crowd funding” project. I’m looking at three levels… $50, $100, $150. Each would come with a package of 3D printed projects, from 1/285 scale “minis” to 1/18 scale aircraft ordnance and nuclear weapons. The top level would also have cast-metal minis in the mix.

I’m working on getting it all together and hope to have it available in the next few days.

More 3D prints

art, awesomeness, Hmm..., models, Nuclear Pulse Propulsion, nukes, projects, rockets, science fiction, spacecraft, weapons No Responses »

May 062024

1/350 War Rocket, 1/18 Pulse Units, 1/18 Atomic Artillery Shells.

The War Rocket was modified & printed from a file created for Fantastic Plastic. Their version – currently available – is in much larger 1/144 scale. I was impressed with the tiny details that this smaller print picked up, but the wings are mutated. Two have been printed, both with mucked-up wings. Another round of printing is planned with the models standing straight up to see if that fixes the issue; but since that’ll be a *16* *hour* print job, it’s a low priority.

Buttons horned in on the photography. He’s allowed. He’s old, he was unwell last night, he wanted attention, he gets it. He’s at this moment making typing a challenge for me.

The “pulse units” are actually failed Casaba Howitzers. The telescope components failed rather spectacularly. But with some minimal mods, they’ll make great pulse units for the 10-Meter Orion.

The 1/18 Atomic Artillery Shells have printed numerous times fantastically. They’re basically in production, but the rather simple stand I created for the set refuses to print right. Weird.

Older Entries