Buck Rogers Starfighters

[gmd3d]

I have recently finish my Enterprise and to get the design out of my system I revisited my models of Buck Rogers star fighters.


Star-fighter (What we see each episode)

[gmd3d]

Quad-Fighter (Family Size)

This was a great update of the design used in the show.

[gmd3d]

Thunder-Fighter (Seen in "Happy Birthday Buck).

I know the generic name for the Buck Rogers Star-fighters is the Thunderfighter. but I like the simpler and cooler name of Starfighter over Thunderfighter I don´t know why.

[David Kerin]

Love these models. I've been getting more into Blender (especially since the 2.5 UI upgrade), and would love to do a conversion of these at some point. Blender takes in Lightwave fairly well. Just to find the time.

[Punisher454]

I actually came to prefer the 4 seat model when watching the show. and unlike most small fighter craft the 4 seat variant didn't add any external size to the ship, and I doubt that it would have made the ship much heavier either. Truly one of the most original and unique of all Sci-fi fighter ships.

[martok2112]

Very, very nice, Ger. :)

Ah yes, as I recall, the ship that was originally designed to be the Colonial Viper. :)

Did you do any Draconian Fighters, Ger?

[gmd3d]

Love these models. I've been getting more into Blender (especially since the 2.5 UI upgrade), and would love to do a conversion of these at some point. Blender takes in Lightwave fairly well. Just to find the time.

Feel free.

it gave me some trouble with Non-Planer surfaces so I had to triangulate many surfaces.

The cockpits are all modelled too.

[gmd3d]

I actually came to prefer the 4 seat model when watching the show. and unlike most small fighter craft the 4 seat variant didn't add any external size to the ship, and I doubt that it would have made the ship much heavier either. Truly one of the most original and unique of all Sci-fi fighter ships.

The quad fighter is a good design. it gave me its own troubles but I remember on episode where Buck is working with Major Marla Landers's " Vegas in Space "

where she passed the flight control over to Buck, something I forgot when I was building the model.

Juanin Clay who played Marla was in line to play Wilma Deering
I think she would have been just as wonderful in the part.
Saddly she passed away in 1995.

[gmd3d]

Very, very nice, Ger. :)

Ah yes, as I recall, the ship that was originally designed to be the Colonial Viper. :)

Did you do any Draconian Fighters, Ger?

No Steve..... another model grabbed my attention and my Buck Rogers modelling came to a stop..

I was building the Searcher, and other where asking if I would build the Draconia.

perhaps in the future

[Titon]

Nice work Taranis.....

Quick idea about rendering...

If you do a radiosity render try using an occlusion shader node applied through the node editor. It will give your fighter a more realistic look. Just to give it some depth in your renders.

Otherwise nice work!

:)

[gmd3d]

Thanks Titon.

its been a year since I used the layout to render.

I never used the node editor...... I will have a look at that now

[gmd3d]

The problem I had with this model was the non - planer surfaces really a pain. had to triangulate surface more than I normally like too

[TwoBrainedCylon]

Taranis,

Check your PMs.

All my best,


Russell

[gmd3d]

There is my new images after trying out the "occlusion shader node applied through the node editor" as suggested by Titon.

looks better to me..... but what do you think

[martok2112]

As always, Ger, simply BEAUTIFUL! :)

[gmd3d]

Thanks Steve.

I have started to work on this model again.... see if I can improve on it

I need a break from another project

[Punisher454]

The rendering change is a big improvement. IIRC having seen this model sometime back, its very good already.

[borjis]

Beautiful work.

[gmd3d]

Thanks Borjis

[peter noble]

The rendering change is a big improvement.
Seconded.

Excellent job!

[borjis]

thought you might be interested in this (earth directorate logo looks a bit different)

scroll down, there's a photo of Gil in the 1:1 filming model.

http://space1970.blogspot.com/

[gmd3d]

I know the site...... has cool stuff.

The Icon is a temporary one something I will look at in the future

[Rhaven Blaack]

Taranis: You did a GREAT JOB on the rendering of all three versions of the Thunder Fighter. They look FANTASTIC!!!
Not trying to necropost (it is more of a resurrection, hopefully), but I just wanted to compliment on the fine work that Taranis did on the renderings and to share a link to some paper models of this fine fighter (some of which are fan based designed).
Here is the link to the site: http://www.paperaviation.de/
Here is the link to the models: http://www.paperaviation.de/Thunderfighter/thunderfighter.html

ENJOY!!!

[gmd3d]

Thanks. It was a good while ago since I modelled the Buck Rogers fighters.