I'd like to show you what I just finished:

[img]http://www.encom.demon.co.uk/ezboard/pod/finished.jpg[/img]

It's a model of one of the flashing beacon things on the Sulaco hangar deck.

I was trying to figure out the dimensions and drawing up plans, and eventually I decided I was never going to get it right unless I made a study model. When I started I was throwing it together pretty fast, as it was never intended to be 'finished' properly. I was printing out sections of my plans on paper and using them as templates, cutting the parts from plasticard and foamex.

[img]http://www.encom.demon.co.uk/ezboard/pod/pieces.jpg[/img]

However as time went by I realised that I was going to end up painting and finishing it after all. A shame in some ways because if I was intending it as a proper model I might have done some things differently. But for what it is, I'm satisfied.

If you've never given these pods a second look before, you may be surprised to note that instead of a rotating light they have a rotating 45º mirror with light shining at it from below. The mirror is rotated presumably by a motor under the dome. Unfortunately I couldn't fit a motor in there, so I cheated and put the light in the top, motor below. Three AA batteries (in the boxy part) power a motor and a white LED. It was quite a thrill to get it all together, with the mirror turning and the light flashing around.

[img]http://www.encom.demon.co.uk/ezboard/pod/lit.jpg[/img]

I know I've never seen a model of one of these before. It's like one of the 'forgotten props of Aliens'.
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"

Wow thats pretty amazing man!

Its a very different prop but an amazing one at that!!

WOW!

Bri:shock:
IN SPACE NO-ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM...

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bmctoonz/AlienSignature.gif[/img]

Visit my website at: http://www.clikpic.com/britoonz/index.html

Awesome job! I love scratchbuilders! You make it look so easy.


-Spat
[url=mailto:spat@spatcave.com]spat@spatcave.com[/url]
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www.spatcave.com

That's a beaut man...nice job.
Chris

<span style="color:orange;font-size:large;]"Long live the fighters!"

wow! that looks amazing! might have to build one myself to have light up my uscm prop shelf

Nice work Mike, Great to see some of the more obscure items being realised. Can I ask what scale it is in?

Cheers

Darren

That's great Mike! How much for a resin copy?

Again, Well done!

Russ

Mike

That`s fantastic mate. What scale is that at?

Jason
PVT.
STEAD,J "Axeman"
A06/TQ1.0.22140E1
UKCM

Thanks guys. It's at 1:10 scale... no special reason except that it's easy to work with.
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"

Nice work Mike, you are a man of many hats!

Oooh! Nice!!

Good work man!

This one has a personal meaning to me.
I built one too! It was my first Aliens prop. Nowhere near as good as yours though!!

I was 12 or 13 and having just seen Alien followed by Aliens the next weekend I became hooked on beacons.
I had to have one so I built a card mock up of that very style although I didn't make any attempt at screen acurate. It was just cool to have my own beacon!!

Now I've got far too many amber beacons! lol I could recreate the Nostromo scenes towards to the end of the movie! lol

But I think you've inspired me to have a go at that prop again. Kind of coming full circle for me.

...Just as soon as I finish building this radome...


Edited by: [url=http://p220.ezboard.com/bthealienslegacy.showUserPublicProfile?gid=wdimagineer2b>WDImagineer2b[/url] at: 6/14/07 1:37 pm