Now, I've just looked it up and escape velocity from earth is 25,000 miles per hour. Which this little thing probably couldn't manage. So assume it's not earth. :-)

Looks good but might just be me but it looks like it needs a tail rudder of some kind. Other than that it looks good! Rod.

It uses rocket thrusters rather than control surfaces. I wanted to avoid putting fins on it. Not that I know too much about aeronautics. Maybe it needs one to stabalise it, but not for control.

there ya go a stablizer..kinda like the Viper fighter from battlestar glactica?..kind of a long thick fin that runs down the back of it..

You're a mind reader. :-) I was looking at Viper pictures ealier trying to get inspiration. Which is why the engines have, maybe, a passing resemblance to a viper.

Well now that i am laid off i might take up mind reading as a new carreer!?

cough yafray cough like the new render better actually, and i like the general idea. quite cool. all you need now are some stabilizers for general atmosphere flight. drac (since it doesn't have a delta wing to glide on home)

Hey! Do X-Wings have stablizers? The pilots of this thing know what they're doing. They don't need stablizers. :-)

LOL Actually they did have stablizers...But i am sure your pilots are way better would never use any such thing like that! "We dont need no stinkin stablizers!"

That is an amazing model. Only one drawback, your pilots will need to carry spoons to dig their eyes out of the back of their heads. That Propulsion setup Rocks!! WTG Phil.

I'm gonna have to watch Star Wars again for the 54th time, cause I don't remember stabilizers. They had wings for sure, but they seemed to be more to hold the guns than stabilize the thing. :-) OK, how about this. In addition to the 16 thrusters on the engines, there are additional thrusters which are flush with the engine body that provide stabilization in an atmosphere. AND in addition to that, there are mechanical stabilizers like aerofoils that can "flap" as needed. But you can't see them in this render. :-P

LOL that works.. it is an awsome model man..I cant tell you how to build it considering i have no clue how to use wings.. Rod.

ICM - er. em. let me think...... OK, Inertial Dampners like in Star Trek. Any more questions!? :-D

(nix the spoons) Oreos for you too!

Oh no cookies. I've been stuffing my face with easter eggs all morning. I feel a little sick.

Ignore the dodgy shadow in the rear. I wanted to light up the air intakes.

Message edited on: 03/23/2005 11:13

Whoa!!, those nose louvers are great. Can you redefine the framework around the cockpit?, seems a bit bulky. This is smokin!

You mean around the window? It's a structual integrity issue. Ok, I can't be arsed. :-)

I love it! you don't need a fighter that fast if it leaves the earth "horizontally" via gradual altitude climb. The old SR-71 Blackbird reconn plane use to scrape the edge of space all the time - and the U2 already does. The virgin airlines SPACESHIP 1 recently did it by the piggy back "free ride" method also.

By the way - WILL YOU GIVE ME A COPY OF THAT FIGHTER PLEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEE? LOL :)

This ROCKS!!

And added the start of an interior. :-)

Brilliant work, Phil, honestly I like version on the post 18 much better, last one is more similar to star wars vehicles, wich is not a bad thing, don't get me wrong ! :D

Yeah, lose the x-wing schtick. On 18 it looks almost like the Descent craft.

#24 Rocks big time! Maybe add a bit of glow around the back of the engines?

So the question is, can you have too much lens flare? :-)

Yes.

Great action shot, but a bit bright on the eyes...