The Airplane Model project

StLCPfan · July 16, 2015

That's how talented Hillflyer is people. Spread the word throughout the enthusiast community, and maybe he can get some funding for future projects and to finish the Aeroplane model. This man is the Leonardo Da Vinci of roller coaster miniature model designers.

hillflyer · July 16, 2015

^^^ Aw shucks you are TOO kind. I show you some more!

I went crazy looking for more photos I knew I had of my Traver Cyclone Station house model before I remembered they were print pictures in a box in my closet! The station house was the first thing I built for this project in 2000.

I haven't seen these in years, some of these seems like last year.

Throw back Thursday photos 2000-2002. Construction of my first model since 1985's Giant Dipper sectional.

The last picture is of me and my dogs that I took yesterday before bringing the black one to the Humane Society for adoption.

I remember when i took this one...it was the Sunday night before 9/11.

I can't see it here, but the finished product had a figurine of the nurse in the station.

Newly bought plywood that I used for the base.

Traver's famous "trick track". The the track for this model was not quite as detailed as what I'm doing now.

Finished product

The famously heinous high drop into the figure 8, before the station is placed on top.

Ziggy, Tim, Joey and Pepper.

hillflyer · July 21, 2015

Getting ready to add more decking. I played a strategic personal financial decision that enabled me to stock up on some supplies. Quantum leaps to be made in the near future.

Transfer table area awaits decking.

Floor joists added for crew deck support.

The deck is added. It's a fine line between painting aging looking wood and a simply bad paint job.

hillflyer · July 31, 2015

Simply this is how I'm making the queue railings. I made a template, inserted painted plastic strips and non painted strips then I peel out using plastic card. I add the extras after. This is the same amount of slats per bay. I'm using pencils as the main roof support columns. Only six sides as opposed to eight ...the trade off is worth it.

hillflyer · August 1, 2015

More station work. I was going to match the colors with the rest of the coaster but I wanted the station to have its own appeal too. When San Diego Giant Dipper shut down in 1976 its red white and blue station faded away. Since this the model will be based on the Giant Dipper restoration project, I incorporated a little of that in there.

The station fire.

COASTER FREAK 11 · August 3, 2015

I love what your'e doing here, and though you may not get a lot of comments, know were all enthralled with what your doing! Also, the shots with the cars in the background make this look so amazingly real. You are doing an epic job on this model!

hillflyer · August 3, 2015

^^^^ Thanks Freak,

Literally ALL the comments thus far have been favorable and supportive. I couldn't want more than that. I'm surprised there aren't more questions actually. When I built the Traver Tri clone in 2000 nobody knew about it and I did a good job I think.

But for every comment I do get, I'll post a previously unreleased photo or two.

I'm still learning to be a good detail painter. I still have to touch up the paint on all this.

Trying to make the maintenance house look weathered. Somehow taking pictures and enlarging them shows clearly every flaw. That forces me to be more microscopic with my detailing.

JonnyRCT3 · August 3, 2015

Trying to make the maintenance house look weathered. Somehow taking pictures and enlarging them shows clearly every flaw. That forces me to be more microscopic with my detailing.

I think the 'flaws" help with the overall aesthetics, and create an even more authentic weathered look.

hillflyer · August 4, 2015

How I recreated the safety sign over the tunnel mouth.

Saved the photo to my files. I'm glad it was a straight-on shot.

Using Microsoft paint I painted over the letters in color and whitened the back.

Cropped it. Copy/Pasted. Printed.

Voila!

hillflyer · August 10, 2015

I felt like keeping it small this weekend. Spent some time starting work on the ticket booth located at the stations front.

The plans. It was the exact same design booth that stood at the San Diego Giant Dipper.

Cut out all my parts and laid out tools.

Trying to detail the grooves in the corner posts.

I will add a screen and turnstile. I can't wait to build the roof.

The Giant Dipper ticket booth. This remained in place until the early 70's.

The Airplane ticket booth. Where as I think maybe the Giant Dipper booth was 4x4, the Airplane was 4x5.

hillflyer · August 16, 2015

Update on station construction.

Exit stairs.

Note the ticket booth

Thhe

The garage. I hate stair cases. Hard to build and this needs one obviously.

G Force · August 19, 2015

Station looks great so far, any estimation on when this will be completed? Its bound to be pretty close.

hillflyer · August 19, 2015

Station looks great so far, any estimation on when this will be completed? Its bound to be pretty close.

Thanks. I can't believe i thought I was going to have this done last November. And then I said April. ETA is now next April. Here are a few photos of the station ceiling being built.

Hollowing out the tip of a pencil that will serve as a support post for the roof

The whole post to ceiling joists assembly is being test fitted

Keep in mind, some of this is not glued yet. I'm just test fitting (so everything looks like it's just resting on something)

Add the ceiling. The top of each post has been hollowed out and the red and white truss has a peg that slides in

Edited August 19, 2015 by hillflyer

hillflyer · August 19, 2015

Forgot to add photos of ticket booth assembly.

Cocktail anyone?

Close to done. Since, I have cleaned it up a little bit, added a support beam across the top of the cage and cut off the construction base.

grrt · August 19, 2015

Wow, that ticket booth is so detailed! One of the neatest little details on the whole model. It's things like that which are really setting this model apart. The whole station is coming together really nicely.

hillflyer · August 20, 2015

First photo taken last April. Not much has changed with the overall look since I've been doing mostly the station house. I fucked up and the staircase from the upstairs office lands right on the transfer track. I had to tear the floor up as well as some track to recenter it.

Floor is ripped up,

I had messed up here too. It's fixed here, but before I had this all glued on the wrong side. I've been doing lots of these kinds of things lately.

Looking out towards the station from inside the garage.

Painted the stairs and some walls.

viking86 · August 22, 2015

I keep being amazed at the level of detail you put into this project! Keep it up!

hillflyer · August 24, 2015

More station photos. My staircase turned out nice I think. It's SO much better than the old one. Baby miče are now able to make it into the office/break room. I've been trying to make the station look old and abandoned so I like the photos of the debris scattered on the floor. I've also made temporary roof post stabilizers to keep them from leaning until its time to lock them in place.

Remains of old staircase.

I've been trying to make the station look old and abandoned so I like the photos of the debris scattered on the floor.

I've also made temporary roof post stabilizers to keep them from leaning until its time to lock them in place.

hillflyer · August 28, 2015

I don't know what to call these red and white supports except huge-ass headers. I like to paint them after making them. Painting the red sticks before gluing was messier than just painting then afterwards.

I aged the ceiling. Soon to add hardware like pipe conduits and lights etc.

hillflyer · September 2, 2015

I made some grude tool to square the front portion od the station so i could a) keep the roof supports straight so I could b) best fit the main beams.