interstiing vipers strange but i like them :thumbsup:

I may not understand what you meant by strange, :D but your post kinda gives me the impression that you're unaware of the DeSanto revival and the advanced viper? This is the viper in the Tom DeSanto continution project that got #$@%'ed up, and never became....still hoping for it though :salute: There are huge articles over at cylon.org and if you do not know of this effort, it'll be worth you taking a look. Great photos and story ideas. :wtf:

You awake for a call, or shall I wait? ;)

i went to the site and checked out the story line and its intersting. wouldnt mind seeing it even if its fan based. what i ment by strange is that the adv viper has this new curve on it and kind of strange seeing it that way since all that i remeber is a viper with lots of coners.

NEWS..... :viper: ....NEWS..... :viper: ....NEWS ! ! !

This is beyond what one would call AWESOME!
TOM DESANTO HAS TAKEN AN INTEREST IN MY VIPER MODEL!

Here's the truth of it from Commander Taggert and Peter Noble.
I don't know if this was too forward of me, but I sent a picture of your
DeSanto Viper to Tom DeSanto via my fellow cylon.org co-owner (Commander Taggart).

Tom says it's "awesome" btw.

Anyway, I let him know you're doing the DeSanto Raider next and if he had
any more picture other than the one at our website.

Tom says he'll try and find it but if you want him to talk you through the
design his office number is %$$$$$$$..

Hope this helps.

Best,

Peter
And then more information fromPeter.
Tom's exact words were:

> Hey Bill that is awesome and I will help whatever way
> I can. I will look for the other artwork i have or if
> they want I can squueeze in some time to talk them
> through the design.

and:

> If you want you can give him my office number and I
> can talk him through it while i am tracking down thse
> images.

This gets better here with a note this a.m. from Commander Taggert.
I can confirm that everything Peter told you is legit
Like you, Tom is an artist... and I'm sure he was legitimately impressed by the quality of your work-in-progress model. Universal never got around to making a complete one, eh? So... this is the first time, I guess, he's seen his vison realized this far?
This is beyond anything I was imagining when I set out to do this project. And thanks from my heart to Peter Noble and Commander Taggert! I am very appreciative for both of your interest in my model as well as Tom DeSanto. The messages above are only portions of information that recieved, and can't give the rest naturally. Will post a complete story after my talk with Tom...right here.
On the models progress. I've been finishing the aft engine area (where all the piping and detail are) and designing a new added feature that will knock your socks off. The 1st ever studio scale viper with a canopy that opens and closes. The opening mechanism features telescoping and pivoting arm that raises and lowers smoothly, and has a snug fit. This is cool, and I developed this detail on one of my TOS studio scale vipers, to work out problems before offering it with me DeSanto viper. Pics are coming in a few minutes. Stand by! You're gonna love this. :D

What will one unique feature be on the DeSanto Viper, that no other Studio Scale Viper has?
An opening and closing canopy!
I used one of my TOS studio scale vipers to be the designs tester. After 6 hours, of drawing measuring angles and pivot points as well as where the joints would be. And after a few failed attempts of trying to get this feature to work smoothly, but also reflect the detail of the original mechanism of the full size filming viper, it is a success!
This will be featured on the DeSanto Vipers and the detailing potential has just sky rocketed. I think alot of you will want to light up the instruments with fiber optics and backlit scanner. ;) I know I will.
Here's the prototype pics. We have recieved our casting supplies and will begin making the molds on Mon. Will continue to keep you all updated. Back to the bench now for me. :D

http://tinypic.com/i4lkz5.jpg

http://tinypic.com/i4lppw.jpg

Right on! :thumbsup:

I'm really enjoying the updates and the pics. That's great news about being able to talk to Tom DeSanto about the design (I'd be on the ceiling if it was me!).

I love the functional design for the cockpit canopy. I've seen plenty with just a straightforward hinge, but never one that telesopes to make it fit right and mimic the actual canopy from the full size versions.

Keep up the excellent work!

Best,
Bryan

Gemini and Griffworks, I really appreciate the compliments on this project. And it's just too cool that Tom DeSanto is excited about it, and that I'll talk with him in greater detail in the coming week about many things Galactica. I'll be sure that I get his personal approval on these models and the upcoming DeSanto Raider kit. It'll be a blast talking with the man about his designs and his artistry. Maybe see if I can ask him to get a photograph holding the custom build-up that I am preparing for him, after all the creator must own one of these babies. :D
For his compliments, Terri and I are dedicating a very special viper to him as a gift of thanks and appreciation. :salute: :colonial:

Congratulations BlueSquad!
That's pretty frakin' awesome that you're getting to make the first real honest to goodness DeSanto viper and the man himself has taken an interest. What a great slice of Galactica history you've carved out for yourself. And best of all, it looks like you're rising to the challenge in a big way.

Way to represent the power of the fan! :salute:

Thank You Fragmentary. I am HONORED! I now know that there was a reason now that I did'nt just throw the pieces of this viper in the trash a few months ago. I am preparing right now my letter to DeSanto that will briefly address to him my take on this project, and I'm sure I'll uncover all sorts of pics and drawings that no one has yet to see on the net anywhere. He really wants to help with this, andguide me thru it all. When I recieve further details about this viper from him, if I feel like I just have to add that particular detail to the model, I'll be a day or two late casting it, but the cool thing is that it'll be details straight from the creator him self....and that is priceless. :salute:

:salute: :D :salute:

great models. Nice to see the progress.

Thank You, I do appreciate the compliments, and am doing my best to give a GREAT MODEL! You won't be disappointed. We are working very hard fine tuning the master parts and preparing for molding today or tomorrow. :salute:

Yes, getting close...
 

Last night I did some work on setting up and getting organized in hopes that we would start making molds today. I will try to take pictures of the process if anybody is interested. I don't want to bore anybody with too much information though!

Michael and I both appreciate the words of encouragement and all the helpful suggestions that people have sent to help us. This has been a lot of work and is really motivating to know that there are people out there that want to see the project reach completion. :salute:

PROGRESS REPORT!
I had actually wanted to write this last night before I retired for the day. But I was exhausted. I had worked on this the entire day. It is 7:15 a.m. here now and I feel like letting all of you who are waiting to see the finished casting know what is happening. I'm having tea, and waking up! :rotf:
I know that we have delayed the molding process because some interesting points has arisen on how to do this most effectively for the cleanest castings possible. I had thought I had a way figured out of how to begin, and BIG THANKS goes to Jesse Meyers for spending alot of time with me on the phone long distance thinking this through, and looking at pics sent to him, just to help me mold this the best way. Mark Bradley has also been here for me, even though he is very busy and hard to reach, helping with this project. Also thanks goes to Spcglider, for helping through long distance calls and taking time from his busy life to help with the canopy molding. The drawings are fantastic ! Thank you all so much. :salute: And Peter Noble...Thanks, and you know why! ;)
Here it is. The ONLY thing left to do, is to finish detailing the aft engine section, you know...where all the piping is. And it is all complete and ready to mold the components. But, the nose section will be molded and cast in resin and from that first molding, the panel lines and final details will be cut into it, another mold made and voila! But this whole day will be spent, that is until the evening, detailing the engines and getting that nose ready.
Thank you all, and you have my e-mail address and number if you want to talk, give suggestions, or whatever you need. You know I answer swiftly. ;)
Thanks for all of your help on this.

NEW MARKINGS AND PICS
This took time to come up with, but these are the "DEFINITIVE" marking for the Mk.IV Advanced Viper. I hope you all like 6this, as it keeps us closely in touch with the original series but adds to it but with noticable differences. I only have photoshopped this and added different weatherings to the engines to give myself an idea of where it needed to go. The are the final markings. Let's see if anyone can figure out what the small emblem is behind the stabilizer stripe? :D

http://tinypic.com/ibj5s7.jpg

:colonial: NEWS ON DESANTO PROJECT!!! :colonial:

It is 1:04p.m. here in Ark, and Terri (warriorchemist) has just recieved a phone call from none other than Tom Desanto himself! :salute:
He took time out of his busy schedule of working on the upcoming Transformers movie to call me about the DeSanto Viper project among other things of interest to us both. These are just a few things that he made conversation about.
He said " I could'nt be more thrilled about the project, it looks really awesome." concerning his viper, and Advanced Cylon Raider that is coming up. Tom, I say that still with respect for him, because at first thing in the converstaion and introductions, he asked that I call him "Tom" anyway he stated that he is honored that I am making the masters of his viper and raider, and that he will be sending me never before seen images anywhere of these ships for help in my masters. I told him that we were about to begin the first castings of the viper and that we were going to honor him with a fully lit and built ship as a gift to him, for helping me personally in this endeavor. He tried to refuse saying that he did'nt want to except that from us, that he was just thrilled at my photos and that I was making them a reality. :salute: We insisted, and he finally accepted!
He gave me the thumbs up and his full approval of the projects, and he agreed happily to be photographed holding my viper and raider models for all the BSG fans to see. Tom wants everyone to be informed that he is behind my effort all the way. I have been given approval by Tom over these models of his and I and Terri are HONORED!!! We are thrilled to have this kind of backing, from the creator of this viper and raider. And we are overly thrilled to have been given so many minutes of his busy day.
He told me, right before we got off the phone, and I quote him respectfully.
"Tell all the Battlestar Galactica fans, that I have not given up, and am still working on getting a continuation project going. I'm still a big Galactica fan and am still going at it."
It was an honor to be told this, and a (serious) honor to be asked to be the one to get that message to you all here at the Fleets 1st! :salute:
He was very cool to talk with, and shared his personal e-mail information and we agreed to keep in touch and become better friends. Terri had fun talking with him also, and chatted about Hollywood. :D :wtf:
Very special thanks to Commander Taggert, and Peter Noble, that helped this become a reality and more than an honorable, experience.
You all are now getting the fully ( APPROVED ) DeSanto Mk.IV Viper. COOL! :salute:

I am very pleased for you to hear this.....Tom DeSanto seems a very down to earth gentleman who understands the fanbase. I have had indirect contact with him, and received a gentlemanly and supportive response.

Of all the plus points to have on our side, his support is one of the mail ones in our determination to get a Continuation. Its great he's got behind your viper project......

Glad you got to talk to Tom D guys. He's way cool, always got time for the folks who pay for the tickets!

What sort of panel lines are you going to have on the body and will there be a version with landing gear in the future? ;)

Looking good folks, press it home!

Best,

Peter