The Convair Shuttle B - 'Aquila' HL -LAUNCHED!

[Rick Lowe]

It's going to take a while................

That's ok, we'll wait. Impatiently, but even so...

[Weaver]

That's looking great Kit.

Your guess is right about the black and white paint: for the benefit of tracking cameras.

[kerick]

This is really looking fantastic! And very quick too! This is a great combination of kits.
I had printed my own decals when I built my Titan launch vehicle way bad when.

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51201.30

[PR19_Kit]

Here's my somewhat simpler decal sheet, just a few logos, titles and US flags. I'll work on the SRB markings later on.

`

I have NO idea where the various items will go yet, I just printed all the possible things I thought I'd need, and I'll figure out their locations as I go. This IS Whiff, after all. 

[buzzbomb]

Standing here giving a hand clap to a great build so far.
Really nice work on all facets.

Something about self printed decals that is satisfying, I did a lot when I cobbled together a SpaceX Falcon 9 and most worked.. most 

[jcf]

Here's my somewhat simpler decal sheet, just a few logos, titles and US flags. I'll work on the SRB markings later on.

`

I have NO idea where the various items will go yet, I just printed all the possible things I thought I'd need, and I'll figure out their locations as I go. This IS Whiff, after all. 

What's your time period? The NASA "worm" was used from 1975 to 1992. As of 2020 it has been approved for use as a secondary insignia.


The "meatball" was the insignia
from 1959 - 1975 and reinstated
in 1992 as the primary insignia.

[Rick Lowe]

FYI and HTH, but I have some NASA Meatballs in which the red Swoosh is printed separately, to avoid register issues. 

[PR19_Kit]

My 'time period' is essentially flexible    this being WhiffWorld, so both NASA insignia appear on various parts of the craft, much of it being re-usable of course.

And we all know how long lasting these machines were naturally...................... 

So far only the upper stages have been decaled as I've been stricken with the 'bleeding colour' problem that Fred Zenrat and others have mentioned. I've attacked the issue with more and more layers of varnish on the decals so far, we'll see how that's worked later today.

[zenrat]

I also increased my clear coats but using cold water helped immeasurably with my problem (    ).  That and letting them soak for much longer so they practically floated off the backing paper.

[PR19_Kit]

I've got all the major decals on the Aquila now, not located with any rule in mind, just where I thought they looked good. 

I've just got the various bands to paint and decal on the SRBs now, and that'll be a time consuming job for sure!

Here it is currently.



I may paint up the inside of the crew compartment and the five man crew too, I'll see how I feel. but as it doesn't have a transparent canopy you can't see them unless I take the compartment cover off.

[Mossie]

Ooh, looking good. 

[Steel Penguin]

yup looking very good 

"dreams of futures past"  looking as well   like it came from the posters and concept art of the 70s and 80s showing us what e would be seeing in the 90s and onward.

[kerick]

That's really looking good! Excellent job.

[Old Wombat]

Looking exceptionally good!   

And the detail painting on the SRBs is going to really pop! 

[Weaver]

Nice one Kit - it certainly looks the part.

The combination of the SRBs with the single Hydrolox engine on the core is remeniscent of Ariane 5, although the multiplicity of fins certainly isn't. Then again, if Ariane 5 had had to loft a relatively large spaceplane like that, it might well have needed them.