The "Other" Babaylon 5 Starfury: Sheridan's "Tigermeet" fighter

[Guest]

The "Other" Babylon 5 Starfury: Sheridan's "Tigermeet" fighter

Many years ago in the mid 90s, I got one of these kits and built it but not very well. I hadn't been modelling since I was a teenager and the paints I used were rubbishy acrylics that I was using to paint metal figures for AD&D, so the end result wasn't very good and in the years since, its been a bit banged up and one of the flaps has broken off. I also managed to get a lot of silvering in the decals because I hadn't worked out you can't apply decals to a matt painted surface.

So now to the present day and I was able to get one off eBay without having to remortgage, in fact I got the Special Edition one - whoo hoo! Badges ahoy!





So I was thinking I'd build the Tigermeet... er I mean Sheridan Starfury...

Just for comparison, here is the original Starfury I built in the 90s:



Can't honestly say I'm very impressed and there are all sorts of things wrong with the guns etc - one of the tines broke off during one of my various house moves since the mid 90s, its around somewhere but its one of those things you can't find when you are looking for it but turns up regularly at other times!

This is therefore my opportunity to build a better version. So I've gone a bit mad and ordered the lighting set from Starship Modeller and the coloured lighting parts from Don's Light & Magic (scroll to bottom of page to get past the ST rubbish )

Today's Koshism: A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from the bristles.

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[Dave W]

As a fan of the Babylon 5 series i shall be watching this build with interest.Are there any other Babylon 5 space ship models available?.The Shadows ship would make an amazing model.

[Guest]

There are a few listed here: Comet Miniatures but they are pretty expensive. I've love a Thunderbolt fighter and an Omega Class Destroyer, but my wallet doesn't quite stretch that far!

[Dave W]

Just looked at that link Andrew .The Shadow ship looks very tempting!.

[Guest]

I have a resin white star and a nova class drednought in my stash at the moment, the white star is a longterm project due to the paint work being very very difficult. Andrew a nice fury there i was going to scratch build part of the cobra bay for mine but can't seem to find any plans or drawings.

scott

[Ian M]

I just looked at the link to. An hour later......Dude that place has got a lot of stuff. Correction. A lot of expensive stuff. I can not believe the price of som eof the them.

Ian M

[Guest]

Many years ago in the mid 90s, I got one of these kits and built it but not very well. I hadn't been modelling since I was a teenager and the paints I used were rubbishy acrylics that I was using to paint metal figures for AD&D, so the end result wasn't very good and in the years since, its been a bit banged up and one of the flaps has broken off. I also managed to get a lot of silvering in the decals because I hadn't worked out you can't apply decals to a matt painted surface.So now to the present day and I was able to get one off eBay without having to remortgage, in fact I got the Special Edition one - whoo hoo! Badges ahoy!





So I was thinking I'd build the Tigermeet... er I mean Sheridan Starfury...

Just for comparison, here is the original Starfury I built in the 90s:



Can't honestly say I'm very impressed and there are all sorts of things wrong with the guns etc - one of the tines broke off during one of my various house moves since the mid 90s, its around somewhere but its one of those things you can't find when you are looking for it but turns up regularly at other times!

This is therefore my opportunity to build a better version. So I've gone a bit mad and ordered the lighting set from Starship Modeller and the coloured lighting parts from Don's Light & Magic (scroll to bottom of page to get past the ST rubbish )

Today's Koshism: A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from the bristles.

I've just seen one of these on e-bay and am waiting to last second to place a bid, i love em.

scott

[Guest]

Agreed Ian, it seems the realm of Sci Fi modelling requires DEEP pockets! I just calculated I've spent over £50 on this so far with the kit form eBay and then the lighting kit afterwards... oops!

Todays Koshism: I have always been here

[papa 695]

Hi Andrew im sure you will make that 50 quid look a million dollars

[Guest]

Many years ago in the mid 90s, I got one of these kits and built it but not very well. I hadn't been modelling since I was a teenager and the paints I used were rubbishy acrylics that I was using to paint metal figures for AD&D, so the end result wasn't very good and in the years since, its been a bit banged up and one of the flaps has broken off. I also managed to get a lot of silvering in the decals because I hadn't worked out you can't apply decals to a matt painted surface.So now to the present day and I was able to get one off eBay without having to remortgage, in fact I got the Special Edition one - whoo hoo! Badges ahoy!





So I was thinking I'd build the Tigermeet... er I mean Sheridan Starfury...

Just for comparison, here is the original Starfury I built in the 90s:



Can't honestly say I'm very impressed and there are all sorts of things wrong with the guns etc - one of the tines broke off during one of my various house moves since the mid 90s, its around somewhere but its one of those things you can't find when you are looking for it but turns up regularly at other times!

This is therefore my opportunity to build a better version. So I've gone a bit mad and ordered the lighting set from Starship Modeller and the coloured lighting parts from Don's Light & Magic (scroll to bottom of page to get past the ST rubbish )

Today's Koshism: A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from the bristles.

Hi Andrew i've won one of these on Ebay today so i will keep this one safe and sound in my stash for a while i think.

scott

[Guest]

Not started building yet but some news... I emailed John at StarShip Modeller and he told me that he should have a new supply of resin gun replacements very soon, ie November-ish, so that is excellent news - I should have finished my Spitfire VIII and Thunderbirds Firefly by then, just in time for the Starfury extravaganza!!!

...and there's more...

The lighting kit arrived a week or so ago and yesterday the transparencies arrived from DLM:

So what you see in the pic:

Top left, the printed out instructions from the PDF on the mini-CD shown. This is 6 pages of wiring and assembly instructions for the lighting.

Top right a page of photos and illustrations that came with the transparencies set from Doug's Light and Magic

Bottom Right the instructions for installing the transparencies in the engines and how to use the cockpit marks and decals

Bottom left lots of bits for the lighting, including: mini-socket to install in the bottom of the model and the plug that is attached to the stand to transfer the power. Another larger lug and socket to fit into the base to use to connect to your 12v DC power supply. Small circuit board that redistributes the power to the LEDs. Fibre optics (long black "wire") set of LEDs all labelled with their intended use. Heat shrink cladding. Decals and masks for the cockpit. Blue transparencies for the engines and the transparent cockpit. (There is also a bundle of fine wire but that slipped into the box before I took the photo and I didn't notice it being missing until just now!)

Like I said, lots o bits! I'm really looking forward to starting this

[Ian M]

WOW I am looking forwards to seeing this go together.

Ian M

[Guest]

Looks like "fiddly-bits-a-plenty" there Andrew.

Looking forward to seeing it finished ...

[Guest]

Constrcution has finally begun after the long build that was the Thunderbirds Firefly!

First off the stand and the wiring that will transfer power up to the model

Here you can see the stand modified to include the 2 pin plug that will transfer power up into the model. In the background you can see the modified lower fuselage part which has the socket attached in an enlarged slot. The wires from the plug are enclosed in groves either side of the top of the stand that have then been covered over with thin plastic card, then travel down another groove cut into the end of the vertical part of the stand to disappear into the base itself. Another plug exists the base to connect with the power supply.

Wires on the underside of the base. Next is to drill out the exhaust ports in the engine nacelles for the coloured inserts

You can see the blue inserts here as well.

Lower wing is under construction with lots of filling and sanding.

In this photo you can also see the female 2 pin plug that the stand will fit into which will transfer power into the model itself. This will be powered by a 12 volt power supply - fortunately my Meccano collection has a perfect candidate for this, an old Hornby railway controller which has 12v DC static connectors.

Next will be adding the main body (seen top right in the above pic), drilling out the engine nacelles to take the LEDs, wiring up the LEDs and fibre-optics for the lower engines.

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[Guest]

Some progress was made just before Christmas but I forgot to update here.

The top wing has been joined and sanded but thats basically the same as the lower wing so not that interesting although the grand canyon-like seams took quite a bit of filler and sanding. However the most important progress has been on the electrics...

The soldering iron came out along with the Meccano electrics box to supply extra wire since the amount supplied with the lighting kit is very minimal. LED were soldered ans work performed with fibre-optic cable and heat shrink tubing...

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Here you can see one of the lower wing engine nacells with the pair of blue LEDs fitted. One will directly illuminate the rear exhausts which have been drilled out for the blue lenses while the other LED is butted up against the end of the fibre optic cable and joined using some heat-shrink tubing. The fibres can then be split to provide lighting for the retro and manoeuvring jets.

Connecting it all up to the 12 v DC supply, usually used to power Meccano Fairground rides (eg

I've put this build on hold for now as I'm having much to much fun building the Mustang and Sara and her chainmail bikini. The Mustang should be completed in a week or so, at which point I'll return to the Starfury with renewed vigour!!

Today's Koshism: Ah, you seek meaning. Then listen to the music, not the song.

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