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Cool!

I did the opposite of what you did, I think. I decided to skip the drooping down engine option, and went for the rotating vectored motion. I connected the two engines with a length of dowel inserted into both engines across the wingspan. If you rotate one engine into the vertical thrust...

I also built one of these several months ago, and was really impressed by the model. My biggest challenges were getting the upper neck pieces to fit between the upper main hull, and the back of the "head". There were lots of fiddly bits, but ultimately this was a pleasure to build. Here are a...

Thanks. I'll keep plugging away. Side cargo areas and the superstructure are next.

Here are just a couple more to show the progress reflected in the last two posts as well.

Here are a few shots of the comm array and landing/approach radar.

Sorry for the hiatus. Things have been extremely hectic in RL...new house purchase, surgeries, workload, etc. The good news is that the laddie is fine, and the histology report is clear. YAY! Done (for now). Oh and there's been progress on the paper model test build. Here are a few shots...

Wow. This is incredible. I just discovered this thread. Excellent stuff. Yes, I loved the game, too.

Thanks for the comments. I agree about the engine nozzles. Looking at the model sitting atop the workbench at Mr. Bower's secret underground lair,the engines are clearly just sitting on the same surface. In the movie, the shuttle lands on this big elevated platform with extending blast shields...

Here's a quick glimpse at how some of these parts will look together eventually. These are only resting in place. The model has to be leveled and ready with all 4 thruster assemblies in place before I'll glue the legs and everything in place. I don't want to create an OHNO bird.

Here's what one of the actual engine units looks like, pre-greeblies. At first I kind of thought these things were ugly, but the more I worked on it, and looked it over, the more I like it. Each of these assemblies contains 21 parts.

Its been a crazy week or so, with many life curve-balls, busy work schedule, etc. But progress has been happening. For starters, this is what 4 leg assemblies look like. Each one contains 16 parts, some of which are really finicky. Take note of the scale cube (resurrected from a recent...

Very good idea, indeed. I also vote for a slightly deeper relief of the refinery...like maybe the front half of the first set of towers, but basically, yeah, it's way more likely to get built by paper modelers that way than the whole deal (...except for freaks and fanatics like me, who WILL be...

"OK. The money's safe. Let's take 'er down."

This is a fantastic build to watch. Thanks for sharing it.

Just a quick update for those wondering what happened to this project: All 4 thruster arms pictured in post #63 are almost done. Two more landing gear legs are done and the last one should be finished in the next day or so. More greebling panels have been done and installed. One of the engines...

Oh that's sooooo cool! No really, its beautiful. Can't wait to make one myself. Tweezers ready!

All extra detail panels made to date have indeed been laminated. I basically use 110 lb paper all around, and when I laminate, I just glue the printed part onto some scrap bits of the same stuff. Just two layers thick. The side plates for the thruster arm assemblies are actually fold-over parts...

And these sort of show what it will look like in place.

Here are a few photos of the progress made today: One of the thruster arm assemblies completed (nearly...the engine itself is still missing, the three attitude thrusters pointing up at the end, and there will be a few more panels and greebles here and there). On to the pictures.