![\"space_1999_moonbase_alpha_a\"](\"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/space_1999_moonbase_alpha_a.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe landscape parts suck, so last year I spent some time making a 20″x20″ styrofoam moonbase landscape so I could make this kit up right and frame it in a shadow box for my wall. I had this ready to put together when one of my cats destroyed my lunarscape with her claws… grrr. I have to start over.<\/p>\n
But the interesting thing is, upon looking at actual plans for Moonbase Alpha (readily available online) show that there are in fact five<\/em> landing pads, while the model kit supplies only three<\/em>.<\/p>\n Other than the landing pads being a bit too large, and the Eagles (six tiny Eagles came with the kit) were way<\/em> too big, this was a lovely model kit, and could make for a very nice display.<\/p>\n But the problem was, in order to make this model properly, you really needed two more landing pads.<\/p>\n I spent some time last year with a binary molding putty and a binary resin, casting landing pads from the mold I made, but they were flawed. It was around that time I first realized you could get 3D printers for less than ridiculous prices, and my first thought ever about what to print on a 3D printer was these extra landing pads.<\/p>\n So today I modeled a landing pad, and made some improvements on the original. One problem with the originals is that there was no docking neck and the “house” was inaccurate.<\/p>\n So I fixed that and printed this:<\/p>\n The one on the left is the ERTL model. The one on the right I modeled myself and printed at .15mm in Normal mode with Premium White ABS plastic. (The white makes detail harder to read in photos, but it’s really not bad.)<\/p>\n Since this model kit is hard to find these days, and people want to build them up accurately, I may actually be able to sell some of these on eBay. Not sure if they will pay for themselves time-wise, (the amount of time I have to spend printing) but selling a few of these may allow me to buy a bit more filament.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When I was a teenager, a friend of mine had a model kit of Moonbase Alpha from Space 1999. It was amazing. It was a model kit built on a landscape about 20″ across, about 14″ tall, and on it … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n