Free Trader build done. (Still need some final touches)

Free Trader almost done.

After several cereal boxes, a small shipping box, some chip board and copious amounts of Elmers non run white glue, the build portion of the Free Trader is done.  The other 2 Traveller ships I built were pretty straightforward.  The Scout was all straight lines and the Shuttle was a few items glued together with very little having to create things from scratch.  This ship was almost all measuring fitting gluing and clamping.  

Here I have clamped the starboard side of the ship with a piece of flat wood to keep the side straight while the glue dries.

The port side already in place.

A view from the top.

This is before I finished the nose.  I couldn't quite get the dome shape from the many drawing of this iconic ship.

The nose finished and the passenger section attached to the top.  The passenger section is about 1/4 inch taller than it appears in the side view from the dckplans and the nose is about 3/4 inches longer too.

A view from the other side.  I still have some finishing work to do before it will look the way I want it to.

A view from port aft.  (nautical terms)

Port aft.

A nice profile shot.  Landing gear soon.

Bow on view.  I'm glad I have the cockpit window actually in the ship and not just painted on.

The rear landing gear made from the end cap of one of the medications I take.

The front landing gear.

A view of the belly with gear attached.  I had reinforced the area where the front gear would be placed so the cereal box cardboard wouldn't collapse over time.

A bow on view of the rough finished ship.

Starboard view, ah the majesty.

A view of the aft with the thrusters in place.

Now a port view.

A crowd of onlookers has shown up.

Some figures for scale.

More figures for scale.  I think that Vargr is attempting an act of piracy.

Well this is the build so far.  Painting will have to wait for warmer weather.  I still need to smooth out some of the joints between the cardboard pieces.  I will be using a couple of glass beads for turrets since they seem to be about the right size.  I do have plans in my head for a couple more merchant ships and maybe one or two small military ships.  But for the time being I will be concentrating on getting the merchants done first.  I do have a game planed that will use all my ships built to date and it will be at Travellercon.  Til next time.