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Author Topic: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker  (Read 3792 times)

nighthawk

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2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« on: January 04, 2012, 12:38:55 PM »

Took me a while to decide to get one because I couldn't get over it being a single seater.  When I finally got it, I managed to trade for a second cockpit and convert mine to a 2-seater.  Basically did a lot of cutting and combining the two together to make this.  The only thing is that the Ace that comes with the Skystriker won't fit because his ankle holster makes his lower leg too thick to fit into the slots for the legs. 

I also separated the wings from the landing gear and moved the intake fans from the engine up front where the opening at the front of the plane is.

The pilots are just POC Wild Bills.  The pilot has Ace's head and the RIO has Airborne's head.













As you can see, they do fit in there but it's tight.  If you look closely, you can see the Airborne's feet beside Ace's legs.



Intake transplant





Pilot Ace:


RIO Airborne:


All pictures are of the landing gear down to show that the wings can be swept in even with the gear down.







morgardee

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2012, 01:18:29 PM »

Wow, that sounds like a lot of work. How long did it take to do all that?

It looks really good.
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nighthawk

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2012, 01:28:45 PM »

Thanks!  If I were to go at it a few hours a day, it'd take maybe like 3 days.  The thing was I tried keeping the cockpit as in tact as possible.  I will try taking out one part first and see how it fit.  If it didn't, then I'd stop and think about what else I can do. 

I got everything almost to fit and then I had to see what else to remove to make it fit better so there was  alot of trial and error.

I got everything fitting and then had to do more cutting because originally, I had to remove Ace's seat/Airborne's console to be able to put in and remove the figures and then put the console back in.  I could have left it that way, but I wanted to be able to put figures in and out without removing the console/seat, so I cut more. 

Now, the figures can go in and out independent of the console and each other.  Before, I had to put Airborne in first and then the console and then Ace.  Now I don't need to.

If I were to do it again now, it would take maybe about 4 or 5 hours to do as I know what needs to be cut and how much.  The thing I love the most about this though is that there was no glue involved.  I cut slots and pegs so that the console plugs in.  For the ejection handles, I just drilled holes and cut out the excess so it is pressure fitted on.

nighthawk

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2012, 05:59:17 PM »

Since I can't take mine apart to show what was cut anymore, I stole this picture off The Commander over at Hisstank and marked it up to show what I cut.



On the bottom fuselage, those 2 tab things that I circled were cut off.

On the cockpit itself, the seatback that protrudes out was cut our completely.  The armrests were cut off at the bend and the seat buttom was cut so there is a piece down the middle and the red filled spots are the removed parts and that's where the back seat figure's legs go.  You only have to cut forward enough so that there is enough room for the back seater's legs to fit in there. 

The two foot pedals circled on the front of the cockpit are also removed.

The the left over material on the seat cushion, you have to ensure that you leave it wide enough so that you can attach a seatback of some type there for Ace.

Hope that helps.

morgardee

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2012, 06:31:36 PM »

Very decent of you to share the knowledge.

Good on ya!
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nighthawk

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2012, 12:16:31 PM »

Thanks for the comments.

Here's some interior shots that I took last night.

You can see Ace's seatback and how the RIO fits in these pictures:





You can see the cuts:






Look under the dash and you can see the cuts in the footwell.



Here's a picture of the RIO's console/Ace's seat out of the vehicle.  I cut the bottom to be shaped like a tab and there's a hole in the seat cushion for it to plug into.



Also, a big shoutout to Cobrastickers.com for being willing to trade me two sets of just the dash stickers.  Thanks!

Hope this helps for anyone wanting to try this.

Here's a couple more shots of them in the cockpit

morgardee

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2012, 01:16:54 PM »

You would do well to have a dremel to help smooth over the edges and plumbers putty (epoxy putty) to fill in the back of the seat. Fill it in, smooth it off and give it a quick shot of grey spray paint and it would look like it was made in the factory.

Just a suggestion.   :)
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nighthawk

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2012, 01:56:08 PM »

Haha...I know.  But my budget for this stuff is very limited.  I'd have to choose dremel or new figures, and I think I would pick the figures...haha.

As for filling the seats, I originally wanted to keep the seatback for the rear seat but with it in there, the figures just wouldn't fit.  I went with the "I want this to look good with figures in there" look over the "does it look good when you remove the figures" look...haha.

morgardee

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2012, 04:26:30 PM »

"I want this to look good with figures in there" look over the "does it look good when you remove the figures" look...haha.

Mission accomplished then!  ;D
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bandonov

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Re: 2-seater conversion of 30th Skystriker
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2012, 08:40:40 AM »

WOW! that is Great Work!
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