model making experience you will no doubt be critical of my method.You will however add your own skill to the mix in order to improve the overall result.
One important thing to say, is that this model has never,ever been represented or constructed accurately since the series UFO was first made.I (modestly) will be the first to reveal the secret,so to speak.
The most skilled model maker I,ve seen build this model has in all honesty got it completely wrong,despite the fact that other models he has constructed are both very accurate and built to a professional standard,as you might expect from an individual who built model's for the Movie industry.
Also none of the models released commercially over the years have been anywhere near being accurate.The latest attempt by the Japanese company Konami was a reasonable effort but was just plain wrong.
So why is this model so difficult to build and represent.Well as I,ve highlighted its not really that difficult to build,however unlike other models its not very easy to appreciate its construction by simply looking at photographs,another problem is that one of the materials VITAL in order to build the model is very difficult to track down.
No one seems to make chrome tape anymore.Despite my attempts to track it down over the internet ,I was,nt able to find a supplier.I know chrome tape was available during the 1970's because I,d bought quite a few roll's of it from a bicycle shop at that time.However shopping for it in the high street today proved fruitless.Model shops,craft centre's,stationers and bicycle store's had nothing on their shelve's.In the end I asked one of the staff in a model shop if he knew where I could get some.
He said,as far as he knew there was,nt any,but he had some other stuff I might want to look at.
He dis-appeared into the back room and brought back a cardboard roll (like the sort cooking foil is provided on) opened it and said this is what we have got.In fact it was covered in dust,was'nt on display and was the only one they had in stock.Its a product called Solartrim,supplied in various colours including chrome.Not only that, it is very highly reflective,is supplied on a backing sheet and can be cut to any shape.Also it does,nt crease or wrinkle.This was better than chrome tape.
I put a search for Solartrim on the internet,and discovered a number of suppliers.
Fortunately,the other material's required are easier to obtain,and can be accquired from either model shop's or stationers.
Now before preceeding with how to go about building this model,I,d like to tell you more about it,more about it's secret's if you like.For instance, at first I thought there was only one model,made in a couple of sizes.Quite wrong! It was made in approximately 14 different variations on the original design.Derek Meddings started with a prototype,but then changed the basic design in the early episodes.From then on it seems other models were built with changes to their dimensions.This affected the essential shape and thus its appearance.The prototype model was however still used
in long shots.As a lot of time had also been put into filming the prototype (seen mostly in the episode
Identified) it was claerly felt a waste not to use the existing material.As a stock shot it featured in a lot of the other episodes as well.
Below are all the files you will need to construct the model.You will need Adobe Acrobat reader in order to access the files .Please click on the link.When you get to the webpage,click on discussion groups and go to UFO,the miniature model instructions.
UFO MINIATURE FILES