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FLASH GORDON

war rocket ajax

3d printed model kit

model design by robert james

instruction booklet design by robert james - pete frith

find us on facebook at robert james models https://www.facebook.com/groups/360348098234645/

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VERSION HISTORY

DATE VERSION NOTES 20TH October 2019 V1.00 DOCUMENT CREATED

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INTRODUCTION

Hi there! Thanks for purchasing my War Rocket Ajax 3d printable model design! If you grew up in the 80’s, it’s almost guaranteed you saw the super ridiculous Flash Gordon movie. It was as though they turned the level of ridiculous up to 11, then turned the knob around an entire turn again! But to those of us who were kids at the time, it was freaking awesome! Brian Blessed chewing the scenery and yelling “DIVE!”, the horrendous special effects, wooden sets, and bad acting! And of course it has the War Rocket Ajax! A 1920’s and 30’s style spaceship, basically a shiny gold airplane/spaceship hybrid, gloriously ridiculous! This is my 3D printable model of the War Rocket Ajax, it’s based on a few different references, though a few details are sort of inferred. The bottom is pretty smooth since we never see the bottom of it on screen I have no idea how long it is in the movie, or is meant to be, so I cant give a scale, but I’ve designed it to print at about 500mm length. At that size, it should take around 70 hours, and 800-900gm of filament. In the time/weight list below, it says 97hrs and 1100gm, but that includes multiple option parts. There are 3 hulls, 2 wings, and some detail options, that can be printed depending on the size of your printer. There are options for 400mm print beds, and others for 200mm printers, so you can choose whichever you prefer. You could of course scale it up, just factor in that there are a few 3mm screw holes.

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There are some small detailed parts that would be best printed on a resin/DLP printer but aren’t strictly necessary. There is loads of space inside it, and can be lit, some notes on that are below. There is space in the cockpit/bridge to add lighting or some small figures. I hope you enjoy building it, and look forward to seeing it. As always, if you have a suggestion, or find a problem, please contact me and let me know. Best place is via my Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/360348098234645/ Thanks! Rob James

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WAR ROCKET AJAX http://www.manic-expression.com/les-science-fiction-vehicles-spacecraft-hall-of-fame-25-war-rocket-ajax/

background

In the planetary kingdoms of Mongo, Emperor Ming the Merciless ruled over the many worlds with superior weaponry and cunning plots devised to keep the smaller kingdoms fighting amongst themselves.

He utilized a massive fleet of warcraft. Among the ships he had was War Rocket Ajax.

history

War Rocket Ajax is a massive battleship with multiple decks, an armoury, apertures in the walls for firing laser rifles out of, a sky net for catching falling bodies, a capacitator for sending electrical beams, twin laser cannons and a very long nose spear perfect for Imperial impalings.

At the time of its final missions, Earthlings Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov flew to Mongo in Zarkov’s home-built rocketship to stop Emperor Ming from destroying the Earth.

After many adventures, Flash finally convinced Prince Vultan to help him fight against the Emperor so they set up an ambush with his hawk men.

Attacking Mingo City on a hawkman rocket-cycle, Flash taunted General Kala, who dispatched War Rocket Ajax to kill and bring back Gordon’s body.

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However, Flash and the Hawkmen captured it, instead and used it to lead an attack on Mingo City to stop Ming from marrying Dale Arden.

At the end of the battle, Flash crashed the Ajax into the palace and impaled Ming on the nose spear, thus ending both Ming’s reign of terror, and the illustrious service career of War Rocket Ajax.

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3D PRINTED PARTS LIST NOTE: Parts marked with * are alternate parts. Please choose the one that suits your

print area or lighting option

3

1a *

5b *

14 Print 2

11

5e *

8

6b *

17 Print 2

20

23

1b *

4

5c *

12

5f *

9

6c *

15

18

21

24

2

5a *

5d *

13 Print 2

6a *

10

7

16

19

22 Print 2

25

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28b *

26

29b *

41

38

31

35 Print 6

34 * Print 2

27

28c *

29c *

39

32

36 Print 2

34a * Print 2

42

28a *

29a *

30

40 Print 2

33

37 Print 4

34b * Print 2

43

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ASSEMBLY NOTES AND ERRATA

• If planning to light the ship, use part 1A for the engines. It will fit a 10mm LED in the middle, and 16x 3mm LEDs around the outside.

• For the hull, use part 5A, OR, 5B and 5C, OR, 5D, 5E, and 5F. 5F is an insert that will help align and join parts 5D and 5E together giving a better gluing surface. 5A, 5B, and 5C will require a 400mm print bed, 5D and 5E can be printed on a 200mm printer.

• For the wings, use either 6A if you have a 400mm printer, OR, 6B and 6C if you have a 200mm printer. The wings have a recess and holes forward to where the blasters fit. This will allow you to run some 1mm fibre optic strands through them. You’ll probably need to put a drill bit through the 1mm holes though as FDM tolerances will probably close the holes up a bit.

• In step 14, use 8x M3 screws to give a secure fit. Use at least 6mm long ones.

• In step 17, pay attention to parts 11, 12, 15, and 16. Parts 11 and 12 are longer than 15 and 16. 11 and 12 go at the rear of the ship.

• There are also some alignment holes in the hull and all 4 parts, use some 3mm styrene rod to make some short pegs around 7mm long to align them and give a good mechanical join when gluing.

• Again with the variances in FDM printing, you may need to run a 3mm drill bit through the holes to get a good fit.

• Parts 13 and 14 will give best results printed on a resin/DLP printer.

• In step 21 pay attention to parts 18 and 19, they are different, and intended for left/right.

• In step 23, screw part 21 to part 20 from underneath with an M3x4mm screw. Consider putting a washer under part 20, to allow 21 to rotate. Also use a piece of 2mm styrene or brass rod for the gun barrel, cut to your preferred length,

• I suggest around 30-25mm based on references. The screw hole in part 20 is modelled closed, you will need to open it with a scalpel or drill bit.

• Part 22 will give best results printed on a resin/DLP printer.

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• Part 25 will print on FDM, but best results will come from a resin/DLP printer.

• Part 27 has a thin pointed tip, best printing results will be printed on a resin/DLP printer, or print the base, cut off the tip and replace with a piece of styrene cut to a point.

• If you have a 400mm printer, print parts 28A and 29A. If you have a 200mm printer, use 28B, 28C, 29B and 29C.

• Parts 30, 31, 32, and 33 are extremely thin and should be printed at 0.1mm layer height. Or, printed on a resin/DLP printer. The ends are squared, so you may need to trim them to match the curve at the front and rear of the inset in the hull. Make sure to leave the gap at the rear of the wing, this is intentional.

• Part 34 is if you have a 400mm printer, parts 43a and 43b if you have a 200mm printer. These print flat, but are thin, and are intended to be bent to the curve of the hull. Use some rubber bands or similar to maintain position while the glue is curing, or use a heat gun to help bend them.

• Part 35 is a long strip with raised detail. This strip is used in multiple places, so instead of giving 24 different parts at different lengths, I have made a single long part that can be printed several times, and simply cut to the required length. It prints flat, but being thin will easily bend to match the hull curve.

• In step 39 you will also need a thin piece of styrene strip on each side, a strip roughly 3mm wide, 1mm thick, and 24mm long will do.

• Part 36 is a small ladder, I suggest printing at 0.1mm layer height, or on a resin/DLP printer.

• Part 37 in step 43 is a reasonably detailed laser blaster, for best results I suggest resin/DLP printing, though FDM will work. It has a 1mm hole through it, intended to have fibre optic strands run through for the lasers. You may need to run a drill bit through the hole to clean it up.

• In step 45, parts 38 and 39 have a thin channel between them to run wires, be sure to keep the opening free of glue. Also again cut strips of part 35 to length.

• In step 49, parts 41 and 42, and part 40 have a hole or channel designed into them to allow wires to be run. I suggest running the wires before gluing them into place.

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• In step 53, a 5mm red LED is required (red diffused recommended). The LED base should be glued flush to the outside of the model, but the leads will fit into the hole. Even if you don’t plan to light the ship, just glue a LED here anyway as it will give the right look.

• In step 55, a 3mm red LED is required (red diffused recommended). The LED base should be glued to the outside of the model, but the leads will fit into the hole. Even if you don’t plan to light the ship, just glue a LED here anyway as it will give the right look.

• Part 43, the flat base, in step 57 should fit with friction. This will allow you to access any wiring, batteries or similar you may fit into the model, and have the base be removable.

It is your model so feel free to use whatever construction and lighting methods that work for you – There’s no ‘right way’ to build it. A good resource or help and advice on lighting and electronics in any model is the Facebook group Starship Model Lighting and Electronics (https://www.facebook.com/groups/241417839384237) If you find a problem, have a suggestion, need a part adjusted etc, please contact me and let me know. Best place is via my Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/360348098234645/ Thanks! Robert James

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ASSEMBLY

1 2

3 4

5 6

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7 8

9 10

11 12

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13 14

15 16

17 18

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19 20

21 22

23 24

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25 26

27 28

29 30

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31 32

33

34

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35

36

37

Or use alternative parts 34A & 34B

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38

39

40

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7.17

43 44

41

42

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45 46

49 50

47 48

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51 52

55 56

53

54

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57

58

59

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assembly is now complete

60

61

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PRINT STATISTICS

Part Quantity Time (h) Time (m) Weight (g) Notes

1a 1 56 11 Use if using LEDs

1b 1 31 5 Use if not using LEDs

2 1 2 32 32

3 1 18 4

4 1 2 28 25

5a 1 19 38 242

5b 1 8 59 119

5c 1 8 59 119

5d 1 8 19 100

5e 1 9 7 108

5f 1 32 6

6a 1 5 16 72

6b 1 2 39 36 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm recommended

6c 1 2 39 36 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm recommended

7 1 56 12 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm recommended

8 1 56 12 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm recommended

9 1 2 20

10 1 1 4 12

11 1 36 3

12 1 36 3

13 2 24 2 DLP Recommended

14 2 24 2 DLP Recommended

15 1 29 2

16 1 29 2

17 2 4 1

18 1 8 2

19 1 8 2

20 1 1 45 23

21 1 23 5 0.1mm or DLP recommended

22 2 19 1 DLP Recommended

23 1 1 6 4

24 1 1 1 5

25 1 1 19 8 0.1mm or DLP recommended

26 1 1 36 20

27 1 7 1 DLP Recommended

28a 1 52 10

28b 1 26 6

28c 1 24 5

29a 1 52 10

29b 1 26 6

Part Quantity Time (h)

Time (m) Weight (g) Notes

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29c 1 24 5

30 1 3 1 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm or DLP recommended

31 1 5 1 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm or DLP recommended

32 1 3 1 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm or DLP recommended

33 1 5 1 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm or DLP recommended

34a 2 8 2

34b 2 8 2

34 2 15 3

35 6 5 1 Print as many as needed to cut strips to needed lengths

36 2 2 1 @ 0.2mm, but 0.1mm or DLP recommended

37 4 20 1 DLP Recommended

38 1 46 11

39 1 46 11

40 1 50 12

41 1 15 4

42 1 15 4

43 1 50 12

Total Time 97.05 hours

Total Weight 1167g