Profile image

3D Printed my A-8 Aquan D-1 Model!

50.7k Falkenwut  3.1 years ago

After the time I made the Airfix Challenge a while back, I had in mind to try to 3D print my Aquan D-1 Model.

My plan was to make a 3D model, 1:72 scale from the in-game proportions. I dismantled the plane individually pieces in order to make the 3D printing easier. When saving into STL files, 1m in-game (2 steps of a fusalage part) translates to a 1mm part in real life. I had scaled up the parts as necessary using the printer's own scaling function.

Some parts, particularly the Boom50 fins and the Rocketpods were too small for my 3D printer to print properly. In this case, I had requested them to be printed by someone who owned a resin printer (Skilled in printing Dungeons and Dragons figurines).

After the parts were printed, I requested the model be assembled and painted by a friend of mine. I requested that the model be painted as per the following image of the A-4 Skyhawk color scheme:

As you can see, the results speak for themselves.




What do you guys think? Does this encourage you to 3D print your creations? Have you built any simpleplanes? Share you work!

Side note: Before any more people Request to 3D print their work, the answer is NO. This was not a simple, copy paste project for me to make and it took considerable resource to make.

I would suggest to either find a friend or online website like Freelabster that can 3D print the STL file for you at a reasonable price.

  • Log in to leave a comment
  • Profile image
    84.2k Walvis

    @RandomUser09 Cadbury?

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    19.8k RandomUser09

    @Walvis em I smell Cadbury.

    +1 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @Walvis very nice and simple for a first try! I wanted mine to be personal and memorable :)

    +2 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    84.2k Walvis

    @ArkRoyalTheDDhunter I have printed some planes. I'd recommend to just start with some easy stuff.

    This is a link to an aircraft I designed to be easily 3D printable, perhaps a nice first try? :)

    +2 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @BeryllCorp Agreed. The way a 3d printer prints is kinda like a layered 2D printer over multiple layers, and since it uses plastic, it gives the ridged look all over. When you scale up the model it doesn't show as much, but the smaller it is, the more it shows.

    Unfortunately some parts were a bit too thin (particularly wings) and sanding them might have damaged the parts. Something to consider if any of you are going to 3d print your planes.

    +1 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    13.8k Kangy

    damn that's soo sick

    +2 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    8,626 BeryllCorp

    Looks nice!

    It probably needs a pass (or two) with high grit sand paper just to smooth out the printing marks

    +2 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @MemriNotTheNewsChannel look at previous comments for pics

    +1 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    29.9k Rondine

    the pic doesn't load,but i imagine it's a really cool thing to have

    +2 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @BagelPlane Very nice!

    +1 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    23.7k BagelPlane

    @Falkenwut Neat, I just use the cheap Walmart paint brushes lol. This is a model of the Sojourner Mars rover I just finished (yesterday). Please pardon the bad resolution, my phone camera is broken and doesn't focus.

    +3 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @BagelPlane My friend made a fantastic job on it. He uses professional painting equipment to draw figurines of Warhammer and Dungeons and Dragons. So I left it up to him, and the results are really awesome!

    +1 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    23.7k BagelPlane

    @Falkenwut Very cool! I own a 3D printer too, and yeah stuff takes a lot of time. I like the paint scheme and the canopy. Being me I would have just painted it black.

    +2 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @RandomUser09 It's supposed to be a blend of A-7 Corsair, A-4 Skyhawk, Fiat G.91... sort of.. Future details here But I have made considerable changes since.

    +1 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    19.8k RandomUser09

    @Falkenwut the plane it self looks like f-8 crusader.

    +1 3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    For those who don't see the images:
    Pic1
    Pic2
    Pic3
    Pic4
    Pic5

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @BagelPlane This tends to happen on mobile browsers when using imgur. I will see what to do with future posts

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    19.8k RandomUser09

    @Falkenwut ok

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    23.7k BagelPlane

    @RandomUser09 I see you are using imgur, I'd switch to postimg.cc or use discord. Imgur isn't reliable.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    @RandomUser09 Unfortunately No. This was not a simple, copy paste project for me to make and it took considerable resource to make.

    I would suggest to either find a friend or online website willing to 3D print it for you.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    23.7k BagelPlane

    @Falkenwut Now I can see one image, the tail-end view. Often when images don't show up it is because of the image hosting site.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    19.8k RandomUser09

    @Falkenwut em if you can will you try to 3D print my mig-29UB in future.

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    50.7k Falkenwut

    I can see them fine... Website moderators?? Any ideas?

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    also want to print some of my stuff, but i can't:(

    3.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    23.7k BagelPlane

    I can't see the 3D print images

    3.1 years ago
  • Log in to see more comments