|
This is a paper model of the Planet of the Apes spacecraft,
commonly called Icarus. This model was designed by Lance Brick. Click
on the photos below to see larger versions of his model.
You will need to download the following JPEG files to your computer for
printing, as described in the instructions below. Right-click on each file and
choose "Save target as...." or the similar option.
For many years I had wished that Aurora, or some model company, would issue a
model of the Icarus spacecraft from Planet of the Apes. Since no one ever did,
I decided to set out and make my own drawing inspiration from the old style
Pan-Am jet models, and using simple, easily obtainable materials. While there
are model kits out for this ship now; when I first started this endeavor, I
wasn't aware of any. What follows are several photos of the built up model that
you can use as reference. Please be aware that it took me several tries and a
lot of trial and error to get it looking just right (but, hey, it's FREE).
MATERIALS AND TOOLS NEEDED
- 8 ½ x 11" card stock
- 8 ½ x 11" bright white or glossy stock
- Scotch Tape
- Razor or Exacto knife
- Brass or bronze metallic paint
- Paper glue
- White caulk or putty
- ¼" clear plexiglass (optional)
- Power jigsaw
- Dremel tool
- Black Sharpie marker
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
1) Print out (A)-(D)
on 8 ½ x 11" card stock at 300 dpi. Print out logos (E) on bright white or
glossy stock. (F) and (G) are templates for the base and arm, and can be
printed on regular paper.
2) Take spacecraft
hull (A), and cut out just inside the lines. Repeat for (B)-(D).
3) Putting a line of
tape on the inside, take and roll (A) into a cone. At this point, you
can also paint the nose cone brass or bronze. On my own model, I carefully cut
around the viewports with an exacto knife, and reinforced it with tape on the
back, to give it a concave look.
4) Take the two wings
(B), and with an exacto knife or razor, carefully cut a seam along the folds.
Do not cut all the way through. Fold into shape, lining with tape on the
inside.
5) Glue the wings
onto the main hull, using the red and blue stripes as reference points.
6) Repeat steps 4) &
5) for the mini stabilizer wings (D). These should fall just below the rings on
the nose cone.
7) From the inside of
the hull, carefully tape (C) into the back; it will be slightly recessed.
8) At this point, I caulked and puttied my own model to cover the seam lines. Of course, this step
is optional.
9) (F) and (G) are templates for the support arm and base. (F)
is the support arm. Mine is made from ¼" clear plexi-glass, but you could also
use wood or just use a rigid wire. Should you use the plexi-glass, you can cut
out the template and trace it onto the protective film using a Sharpie marker.
Then I CAREFULLY cut mine out using a jigsaw and rounded the corners using a
Dremel tool.
10) (G) does not
necessarily need to be cut out, but is rather a visual reference for the base
and how the support arm fits within. The base is made from a 22 oz. bottle of
baby powder, painted gloss black and angled off at the displayed measurements,
3 5/8" and 1 ½", respectively. I then cut a hole in the top for the support arm
to protrude. I would recommend adding some kind of stuffing or bracing to keep
the arm stable. One option is to fill it with plaster for added weight and
stability. At this point you can also glue the logos to the front and side of
the base. One tip, to make them more seamless, you can color the edges of the
cut logos with a black Sharpie marker.
11) To attach the
ship to the support arm you can use some clear silicone, or other adhesive. You
will more than likely need to support it in the desired position, while it
dries. I also angled my own ship slightly to the side, so it displays better
above eye level.
Well, that's all there is to it. I hope you enjoy building
and displaying your model as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Lance Brick
|
