Builds By Baz

I finished glassing all the underside now, right to the rear. I've now put a new trim and some bulb seal around the cockpit edges and now the canopy slides back and seals on the rubber. Sounds heaps better too. Kinda like closing the door of a Rolls Royce. Glassing high tonight. Tell me it wasn't a mongrel job getting my hairy arm in the top intake without getting resin all over it! Port intake done as well. Unfortunately I've run out of resin Looks like I won't be able to finish the fibreglassing of the engines, until I can afford more. There's a thousand bucks worth, stretched out as far as I could. I'll get this last bit out, and see how far I get.

Late night fibreglassing continues...

Started fibreglassing the fuselage. Progress here >>> https://www.buildsbybaz.com/fibreglassing-the-hull/

This was a while back. Some dimming improvements have been made to the lights, plus the gauges have been backlit.

Fibreglassing.

I'll be taking it to comicons, supanova and other events. a couple of airshows and some children's charity work. plenty of people out there spending squillions on static art, or wasting it altogether. plus, it brings me joy. what's that worth? Baz.

G'day all. Wow, it's been four years since I last posted here. Lots has happened and the Viper is nearly finished. I'm in the middle of fibreglassing the hull right now. Here's a video on youtube of where it's at now. Full story is now on www.buildsbybaz.com, or on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/240486113096646

Here's a story. My Iron Man suit was done on a whim, to begin with. That led to charity work. That led to folks helping me and donating to see the suit finished. That led to me making gifts in my workshop to thank people. That led to making knives, then metal sculptures. When my job in the parks came under threat, I was offered a job making knives, teaching knife-making, black-smithing and metal sculpture full time, which I still now do. You never know where these things will lead, but if making an Iron man suit leads to full-time employment, then who knows where the Viper may lead. I already have the attention of some very influential people in the movie industry. I'm not saying it's going to go anywhere, but I'll leave that to the powers above. Baz.

Thanks you mate. Most kind. Cheers, Baz.

3 Foot Colonial Viper Mk II THE TIME HAS COME. The full scale Viper is in storage and on pause while I renovate part of my house and build a bigger shed/workshop. I've been putting this off for a long time because of some fears. 1. I might lose much motivation because it will be very difficult to work on in the dismantled state. 2. It may get rodent or water damaged in storage. 3. The rest of my intrusive life may get in the way of completing it. I'm a pretty determined kind of a bloke, so I will fight all the way, but these are the things on my mind to watch out for. I can't afford to buy the hundreds of dollars in resin just yet as I have to find funds for the renovation and the new shed, which is up in the thousands, even though I am building both of them myself as an owner-builder. In the meantime, I have a little three-foot model of the Viper to work on in the shed, that doesn't take up any room. This should keep me inspired and help work out a few things, like mounting the wings and guns. A difficult part of the build that makes sense to do small, before moving on to full size. The Viper will be cast in aluminium with brass and copper highlights and detailing. I have a magnificent picture in my head of the finished model of highly polished metals, now to bring it out into the real world. I've made a start on the pattern for the mold.

Mods/Admin, is there a more appropriate place on the forum to move this thread to? Baz.

Cheers guys. Like the steel Iron Man suit I created below, I use it for kids charities, Starlight, Camp Quality, Ronald McDonald house, etc... The Viper will likely go to Comicons, Supanovas etc, but unlike Iron Man, this one is not specifically for charities, more just a project for fun because I make stuff. If any kids charities want to use it for fundraising, (I've already been asked), then of course, I'm up for that. The ship is modular so it all comes apart section by section for storage and transport, but I'm toying with the idea of a custom low-ride trailer to store it on/in on a permanent basis. Baz.

Yeah, the production crew just packed in anything and everything that looked a bit tech to the untrained eye. Look at how the instruments are mounted for example. The average non aviator wouldn't notice. I got the top engine and top wing back on today, now with the engine mechanical installed. Final detailing can be done while it's up there.

Last post here was back in 2017. Now, June 2019, here's where I'm at with the Viper.

Thanks mate. I have identified all but the smaller diameter instruments now. I have acquired most of the 80mm instruments and the rectangular units. Cheers, Baz.

G'day aviators! These are the last of the instruments I need help to positively identify and source some unserviceable ones. If you can help recognise them, please take a look at each photo and description. Battlestar Galactica life size MKII Colonial Viper build www.buildsbybaz.com Baz. 1. Need to find the type and brand to source this one. 2. Oil pressure gauge? Does that say PSI below centre? 3. Need to identify this and find out where it comes from. I need two. 4. Some sort of temperature gauge. This is as clear a photo as I can find of it. 5. Two screen grabs. Absolutely no idea what this instrument is. 6. The one on the left is a screen shot from the TV series cockpit. The closest i can find is on the right - A vintage Thomas Edison 204A-1A5A MS28009-1 Temperature Indicator Aircraft Gauge 7. Airbus AS365 Dauphin Helicopter Volt Meter Indicator - Brion Leroux 2579-116-1. No idea where to get one of these.

The bottom rectangular unit has been identified as a NAT AMS42. Apparently I have no chance of finding this unit, only something similar. Only 10 units were ever built between 1983 and 1985. I have a friend etching a faceplate for me to look the part, then I will instal toggles and dials. The centre unit appears to be a voltmeter. I am googling images to find the exact one.

Thank you. Could you be a little more specific on the Channelised radio? Image searching that is not turning up anything similar. I've identified the larer rectangular unit as a Nat Ams-43 Tso Audio Control Panel

Can anyone ID the rectangular instrument on the bottom right with the two toggles please? I've googled transponders, but not finding any match. Also the centre one could be a Narco unit? Not sure. The very bottom corner could be a clock, but the picture, (the only one I have) is too blurry to make that assumption. For my full size Viper build. (Still trying to ID all instruments used in the TV series prop.)

Now looking for these illuminated push buttons. Are they aviation industry items or from somewhere else? They look to be 15 to 20mm square.

I found the switch!

Thanks mate. My thoughts exactly with ball rolling and patience. Have to get the word out somewhere. This seemed like a good place to start. Baz.

LOL! Pilots must be rich.... ;) :P I'll give that a go. Thanks again. Baz.

Yeah I've found a few there. Much of which is still functioning and priced accordingly. Added to that, the international shipping kills it. Thanks for your suggestion.

Yes that's right. Can you help with instrument ID and sourcing at all?Baz.