Richard Baker's Model Build Thread

[karr1981]

This thread is for Richard Baker to post WIP news and pics of his build

[Richard Baker]

I did a quick sketch of an idea yesterday. I always loved the IR Rescue vehicles TB2 brought to the scene and was thinking of building one of those.
This one is basically a big extendable claw which can grab a structure or vehicle. The sketch has the claw too small and rather boring, but other elements are there- offset driver/control cabin, wheeled front and rear treads and a turntable mount for the claw arm.

[Captain Sci-Fi]

OMG that looks nice....

I really admire people that can draw as well as that, it's a skill I wish I had, nice work

[Blue Moon]

Liking it although the cabin looks a bit more Terrahawks era than Thunderbirds-very good though

[Tim Smith]

Nice looking. I do like the more "modern" looking cab. We'll have to have a Birmingham show when we get finished!

[Richard Baker]

This is just a beginning idea- everything is fluid and i am not sure if it will be this vehicle or a different IR vehicle- I am still tryin gto think of types of vehicles they did NOT have stuffed into a pod somewhere.
Here is a revised sketch with a different control cabin

[Blue Moon]

Yes-spot on, much more IR with the revised cabin. However it was not a critism, I think the more streamlined cabin looks cool. It just looked more like it belonged to a more modern Anderson production, Starcruiser, terrahawks or space precinct type programme. Love both designs

[Richard Baker]

I love just about all the Anderson designs, but my intention here is to create something that could have been specifically in a Thunderbirds episode. Any input is always welcome!
Since I approach things in a modular way, I might build the alternate streamlined cabin to swap...

[Tim Smith]

I wonder if you might want to add some sort of tool palate, with various different heads that so it could be switched from the claw mode to a fire fighting mode, or a giant jaws of life type thing? Just a thought.

[Richard Baker]

I like the idea of having a multiple head- there are lots of things useful things a big extendable arm could bring to aid in a rescue. I think with the scale of the tool heads instead of an onboard storage adding a lot of weight have a secondary vehicle following- the arm could swing 180 over it and change the tool without the main vehicle having th change position. I really like your idea!
Here is another view of the main chassis- I removed the Arm Turntable for clarity.

[Tim Smith]

Thanks! So many of the Thunderbirds vehicles only do one thing, which makes for a lot of viewing enjoyment, but in the real world, not very practical. Can't wait to see the final version!

[Howard]

Great ideas, I love the way this is developing.
And, I wish I could draw like that too!

[Richard Baker]

Right now I am thinking of having a 'Tool Head' Trailer attached behind the main vehicle. That way the arm can swing around quickly to swap without a following unit being out of reach. The trailer can be disconnected if needed to get access to the danger zone.
Only question is the design of the trailer- it needs to be smaller and hold a number of swappable tool heads. I am thinking of a Gerry Anderson elaborate engineering solution- maybe a rotating holder which moves the needed replacement tool head around to the front as needed.
Also need ideas of tool heads- the main one is a big claw-hand, another I think would be a magnetic grabber plate. Then a cutting tool (flame, laser or mechanical), I thing having a tioal of five tools and an empty socket to the one being replaced, a hexagon rotating thing would be an interesting shape. Ideas?

[Captain Sci-Fi]

Fire hose or gas extinguisher? A digger bucket the scoop type?

How about lowering the cab so it is closer to the ground for travelling and forward of the front wheels, then when at the danger zone it could rear up like a cobra's head to get a better view of the action (if needed). Extendable jacks or legs to lift up the road wheels and you absolutely have to have a flashing light on the cab and a couple elsewhere probably.

I am so liking this thread, what an exciting design.

[Richard Baker]

First pass at a Tool Head Trailer. I decided on a universal magnetic mount for the 6 holders- I was thinking of a custome hardware shape for each, but then I thought about this trailer having maybe dozens of tool heads (including backups) and having a mission load out putting on the five most likely ones needed.

I went with external shocks on the trailer to give it a visual distinction from the main unit and wheels instead of treads to imply the treads were used under the arm turntable itself due to extreme weight and tration/balance issues. Makes the arm look more powerful if only it's section had to have treads.
I am thinking that the color of the main unit would be the classic TB yellow and the trailer orange like on some of their other rescue equipment. I want to make it look like an attached unit.

[forza27]

The sketches look great. Probably better than my model will!!!!

Like the well thought out approach..i.e the tool trailer. I bet more practical design considerations go into our craft than ever did on the Anderson shows!

I mean how the hell did Scott ever get out of Thunderbird 1? Its nose must have been 20 feet up in the air and as for using a sofa to get into Thunderbird 3

Good luck with the build

[Richard Baker]

Thanks! There are a lot of wonderful visual designs in th Gerrt Anderson universe which drive me nuts because I cannot figure out things actually worked. I have the Cross Section book and it does a lot of fudges or just ignores things. I have an engineering style mind and I like to see how something functions by it's shapes.
I am going to ahve to settle down and start building soon. I need to determine a scale- I would like to build it big enough I can detail the control cockpit (with the classic Ergonomically simplified controls).
Still looking for ideas on tool heads...

[Captain Sci-Fi]

A crane attachment with a large spool type drum fixed into the trailer that gets elevated on a swing arm onto the back of the primary machine, think seat clamps from Stingray with the appropriate clunk / clank noise of course and the Roadmaster gearbox whine as it is raised into position?

Maybe?

[Andy2035]

You could have a Multi-fit trailer like they use on the Royal Marines BV-206's, that way you can swap from carrying rescue gear to a fighting role - carrying people etc, plus the trailer's tracks are driven, so will provide extra traction...

Check them out here...: -

http://www.bv206.co.uk/index.php?opt...d=87&Itemid=99

Hope that helps and best of luck with the build, looking forward to seeing how it progresses...

Andy...

[Captain Sci-Fi]

Bloody hell that thing is amazing and it swims....