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My latest WIP...yet another small, old ship...

judexavier

judexavier

Commander
Red Shirt
Hey guys,

This is a project based on Johnnymuffintop's suggestion of WWII influences...so I chose one of my favorites from that era, the Northrop P-61 Black Widow.
Please keep in mind, this is still an alpha-stage WIP, with things changing daily.

Let's see...a small old 22nd century? Romulan War-era, primitive, low-detectable attack/ambush/pursuit craft for use against Romulan incursions (i.e. "Balance of Terror"). Big engines, big shield generators, big lazer/phazer's, small ship, small crew, capable of planetfall, atmospheric operation....crew of perhaps 30? Probably more like 15-20.

A blend of twin-boomed P-61, hence vicariously (via P-38) Alex Jaeger's Akira (and Drexler's Ent.), a hint of SW Falcon, a whiff of Reliant/Miranda (the two "greeble-troughs) , and finally some quick-and-lazy "virtual kit-bashing" with help from the well-known panther tank engine deck greeble, and darth vader's tie-fighter...:) (yes. those are just "place-holders"...)
The intention is to have a very black, shiny, somewhat weathered paint/texture overall, with the red "decals"...

Oh, and my non-working weedeater as the (hardly modified) inspiration for the asymetrical impulse engine unit, that lumpy thing hanging out back...(due to change)...

Sorry, there isn't much detailing in the front views...still figuring that out, also no rear or bottom views as of yet.

Anyway,
Have fun and enjoy:)

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg178/judexavier/NCC-P61BlackWidowold02.jpg

a crappy proto-sketch: (one of many)

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg178/judexavier/Scan01Neg.jpg
 
Very nice work, always interesting to see what you come up with. It's easy to see the Black Widow infulence in the profile of the central hull and the turret anyway, although twin boom designs now just say Akira-prise rather than P-38. I do like twin boom designs, I always thought the P-38 one of the most amazing designs to come out of the war.

Still, there are some elements that 'irk' me. For one there's the nipples at the front of the saucer, either side of the indented area. I'd lose the color and maybe even sharpen them up a little. I'm also not fully sold on the upswept fins on the nacelles, but I'm not sure exactly why. Perhaps if they were rotated 45 degrees, or maybe even 180 degrees to keep the shape more compact?

Regardless of the niggles, still exceptional work and I look forward to seeing the finished ship.
 
I can also definitely see the P-61 influence. I disagree with The Axeman about the seeing the NX in the twin booms - the P-61 had its own distinctive tail design, and I think you've captured it nicely here. I'm just amazed at your skill! Interesting cross section in that side view, with two forward-looking windowed areas.
 
Another nice little ship. Might look a bit less akira-like if you put the booms on the underside of the hull. Might also alleviate Axeman's complaint about the upswept fins (which I like): the backend just seems to go up-up-up in the profile view.
I'd keep the asymmetrical impulse deck, which reminded me of the "machinery flat" behind the D-7's bridge. Starships need a bit of asymmetry IMO to add a touch of realism.
 
judexavier said:
Hey guys,

This is a project based on Johnnymuffintop's suggestion of WWII influences...so I chose one of my favorites from that era, the Northrop P-61 Black Widow.
Please keep in mind, this is still an alpha-stage WIP, with things changing daily.

Let's see...a small old 22nd century? Romulan War-era, primitive, low-detectable attack/ambush/pursuit craft for use against Romulan incursions (i.e. "Balance of Terror"). Big engines, big shield generators, big lazer/phazer's, small ship, small crew, capable of planetfall, atmospheric operation....crew of perhaps 30? Probably more like 15-20.

A blend of twin-boomed P-61, hence vicariously (via P-38) Alex Jaeger's Akira (and Drexler's Ent.), a hint of SW Falcon, a whiff of Reliant/Miranda (the two "greeble-troughs) , and finally some quick-and-lazy "virtual kit-bashing" with help from the well-known panther tank engine deck greeble, and darth vader's tie-fighter...:) (yes. those are just "place-holders"...)
The intention is to have a very black, shiny, somewhat weathered paint/texture overall, with the red "decals"...

Oh, and my non-working weedeater as the (hardly modified) inspiration for the asymetrical impulse engine unit, that lumpy thing hanging out back...(due to change)...

Sorry, there isn't much detailing in the front views...still figuring that out, also no rear or bottom views as of yet.

Anyway,
Have fun and enjoy:)

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg178/judexavier/NCC-P61BlackWidowold02.jpg

a crappy proto-sketch: (one of many)

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg178/judexavier/Scan01Neg.jpg
Click to expand...

Severally Awesome design there :eek: :) :techman:
 
I always loved the P-61, they have one in the Smithsonian annex. I even had the model as a kid.

The side view of the main hull is very reminiscent of a design Vektor did before we new what Nx-01 was going to look like.

I love the wing shape embedded in the saucer. Ok, just throwing this out there, but looking at the top view, what if you got rid of the saucer area between the two "nipple" (as Axeman called them) pontoons all the way back to the wing leading edge and keep the main fuselage in the center? Really crude image to get idea across, nacelles not shown:

suggestion.png
 
Oh, man, this is starting out great. :) I love all the asymmetric details you have going on all over the place... It really make it look like it IS a less refined design.

Do I get to build it? :)
 
Hey, thanks for the feedback guys, work keeps getting in the way of me even replying. :(
I was afraid this one might have been too "not-trek". :)
I've noted many of the suggestions and am trying them out.

Thanks again for the comments and opinions!
 
MadMan1701A said:
Oh, man, this is starting out great. :) I love all the asymmetric details you have going on all over the place... It really make it look like it IS a less refined design.

Do I get to build it? :)
Click to expand...


LOL...what?, why are you asking?? Man, it would be awesome to have you build it. The Metaluna still blows me away. You know, doing little raggy sketches, and "blue-prints" like I do is one thing, but when you actually see the ship "live and breathe" in rendered 3-D, taken to another level, now that's nice. :)
 
judexavier said:
MadMan1701A said:
Oh, man, this is starting out great. :) I love all the asymmetric details you have going on all over the place... It really make it look like it IS a less refined design.

Do I get to build it? :)
Click to expand...


LOL...what?, why are you asking?? Man, it would be awesome to have you build it. The Metaluna still blows me away. You know, doing little raggy sketches, and "blue-prints" like I do is one thing, but when you actually see the ship "live and breathe" in rendered 3-D, taken to another level, now that's nice. :)
Click to expand...
:)

Hey, whatever happened to your cruiser, that was going to supplement Metaluna? I was looking forward to that one. I've been kind of out of it the last few weeks...
 
MadMan1701A said:
judexavier said:
MadMan1701A said:
Oh, man, this is starting out great. :) I love all the asymmetric details you have going on all over the place... It really make it look like it IS a less refined design.

Do I get to build it? :)
Click to expand...


LOL...what?, why are you asking?? Man, it would be awesome to have you build it. The Metaluna still blows me away. You know, doing little raggy sketches, and "blue-prints" like I do is one thing, but when you actually see the ship "live and breathe" in rendered 3-D, taken to another level, now that's nice. :)
Click to expand...
:)

Hey, whatever happened to your cruiser, that was going to supplement Metaluna? I was looking forward to that one. I've been kind of out of it the last few weeks...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wondered where you were:)
That one got interrupted due to job/life stuff, then I sort of forgot about it, started some other things...rather like that shuttle that still needs figured out.:)
I'm easily distracted...
How's your TOS connie coming along?
 
It actually reminds me ever so slightly of a Soviet Ekranoplan.

Often when one tries to make a ship look like an actual craft--like a Sabre jet--it can work out better than when one actually tries to make it look like a dedicated spaceship.

You have a certain touch that is hard to describe--and this is another time you have got a look that is just..right...
 
Hot damn, I love that paint scheme.

As always, it's awesome and I want to eat your brains to gain your tasty, tasty powers.
 
judexavier said:
MadMan1701A said:
judexavier said:
LOL...what?, why are you asking?? Man, it would be awesome to have you build it. The Metaluna still blows me away. You know, doing little raggy sketches, and "blue-prints" like I do is one thing, but when you actually see the ship "live and breathe" in rendered 3-D, taken to another level, now that's nice. :)
Click to expand...
:)

Hey, whatever happened to your cruiser, that was going to supplement Metaluna? I was looking forward to that one. I've been kind of out of it the last few weeks...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wondered where you were:)
That one got interrupted due to job/life stuff, then I sort of forgot about it, started some other things...rather like that shuttle that still needs figured out.:)
I'm easily distracted...
How's your TOS connie coming along?
Click to expand...
I've been around. :) The TOS Connie got diverted into a paid project... I'll have to start it over one day, if I can get around to it. :)

I understand about being easily distracted....
 
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