Project "Ovni"/UFO from Mexico (2009 Mod Entry)-COMPLETE

[PaPang]

Well, enough of fiddling around! After stenciling, I saw that in some places where the colors were similar (gray and aluminum) the camoed effect was lost, so I decided to add another "sky" color--white. My wife didn't like it too much but this is what came out:

It looks a little over the top, but putting it up against the sky (bluish-grayish background with clouds), it does fade into it, like camouflage should! I will owe the pic, as I will take one against the sky when finished.

I had to visit around 15 paint shops till I found my flat transparent automotive paint in a spray can. It is not totally matte flat but will have to do. Only one shop (Comex) had it in the whole city and just in the main store, the other 5 stores did not carry it. It does however give an even finish to the camo paints so, I suppose it is another layer of protection. Now that I have the finish out of the way, I can work the electricals!

The first part was the "legs" of the landing gear. I'm not sure if I will epoxy them in, thus making them fixed, (what about transporting or shipping?). I decided to leave my options open so they will only be fixed in by pressure. Also, leds give out over time, specially if they are on all the time so I had to devise a way to make them changeable, no epoxy or glue gun here. So I made a notch to make them accessible from the inside (with my handsaw-no Dremel cutting disks here for the moment in town WTH!) and totally removable if I should have to replace one or even change the color of leds. Tried them out next and found that sanding the plexi with a 400 grade sandpaper, light would diffuse to the sides and not just the end of the leg. Now the round acrylic looks "frosty" like in some fancy acrylic I've seen in discos.

Great, now to wire the leds in. The led "guru" indicated I had to use parallel wiring because of the higher voltage draw of blue ultrabright leds of 4.5v (I prefer in series--easier):

So to solder (took me half a day) and leave it lit up for the night to test. All came out O.K., I'm happy to report.

Now the light-show, legs only:

and the 25 cm fan in place also.

Too much light?

Now to paint the upper dome and see what I come up with.

What no hurricanes where you live? Gilberto hit wind speeds of 390 kph and Wilma only 340 kph, both with "rain" (really seawater picked up by the winds-everything wilts for several months except trees).

Man Hours Used: 13 hours

$ Invested: $71.60 mn for 2 cans of spray paint.

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Accumulated Man Hours:

Accumulated $ Invested:

Thanks for dropping by and looking. Cheers, good luck and Saludos!

[PaPang]

Dedicated to Maciel and Morphius (he got me going on the mod background/history-THIS IS THE LITE VERSION):

When Morphius got tired of battling on SORTYS, he called on the grizly old scientist PaPang. Pa said, "I think I have the solution to your problem!" "I have been working on my prototype spaceship the : SKFJXNBKFOWEFERTAFGSTKSURIAKCUFUOAJCUKJCIUFZJ-VOIVKLFJVLKMJVLKJV65465487982194984 (OVNI for short) that can span the galaxy!"

Papang of course argued with Morphius of why, in Gods name, would he want to go to the planet Earth? It has a global recession, pollution, the polar ice caps are melting, oil is running out, inept politicians, a bunch of wars, and the natives are affected by eating too much junk food. Of course it is a little better than SORTYS, but not a lot. What if you land in the middle of a war?

Morphius was more concerned about the new spaceship and asked "what if your spacecraft blows up? I will be more banged up (damaged) than I am now!" Pa told Morphius that the OVNI had a nuclear fission warp drive, armor plating of sortysium, a powerful pulse laser and the latest operating system: Windows 7. With that (Win7), Morphius acceded. As he was exhausted from all the battles he had fought, he thought "a new world, time to party and take a vacation!"

So he hopped aboard the OVNI and came to Earth (it did not blow up) and luck had it, he landed exactly in the Somali conflict and at last report, was about to loose his other hand! As many great warriors, his mind was set on other things when he disembarked, and he forgot to tip the pilot, so when he went back to where the OVNI had landed, it was no where to be seen! The last time OVNI was seen was around Roswell, New Mexico, far, far away.

Well, this is one partial version and is just a draft. Let me know what you think.

Cheers/Saludos

[FrenkieNL]

Nice legs! Looks really good. I also like the white, so thats one against yer wife

[PaPang]

Thanks Frenkie! I suppose you like a lot of lights-I will leave them as is, then. But when you drop by for beers, watch out for the wife and her frying pan!

Saw your Wall-e and Terminator, doing real well and WOW! You are the man! Kudos!

Cheers/Saludos

[asgneto]

Nice and crazy story ...

The idea of joining the UFO and Morphius the same story was excellent.

I liked the cammo painting ... worth a Grade A + on painting skills!

[PaPang]

Haha, Asgneto, thanks! This is the "lite" version, so I hope Maciel doesn't misunderstand the "history". It is just another "tall tale" of mine so the forum doesn't sound like an army camp or military school. Most forums are sooooo serious and dedicated that it is sometimes tiring to enter. Moderators are so "up-tight" and formal that I figure that they are wearing a girdle (kidding again). And the Admins. don't comment or participate: Grave old man with a whip in his hand to punish infractors only? (jesting yet again)

This gets me into trouble some times but, I DO have FUN, and this is what it is all about, no? (Hobby=Fun)

Cheers/Saludos

[masbuskado]

so the forum doesn't sound like an army camp or military school. Most forums are sooooo serious and dedicated that it is sometimes tiring to enter. Moderators are so "up-tight" and formal that I figure that they are wearing a girdle (kidding again).

Cheers/Saludos

jejeje... that's a honest true... I call those forum... Forum under a dictatorial regime... they don't let you speak or express yourself!!!

but they have their rules

[PaPang]

Amen and I testify, Masbuscado!!!

[sunnyXtremist]

So to solder (took me half a day) and leave it lit up for the night to test. All came out O.K., I'm happy to report.

And I don't believe you, half a day soldering? or maybe half hour!!! (and you can tell that to the marines!!!-joke)

This page, I never wink now!!! just shouted WOW!

More power to you PaPang!

[sunnyXtremist]

excerpt from my forum Sattella....

OOOPPPSSS! I am so sorry for the misinterpretation! I should NOT butt in on personal comments (about Len).

Many thanks for the explanation of the bender (Cham_e too BTW).

You've nothing to worry Sir PaPang, you're our idol from the start!!!

Without You here, there will be less interactions I think!!!

OT: you have hurricane and we've the typhoon, yours was Wilma 2005, our's was Milenyo 2006 (Mellenium)

I am near of a nervous breakdown during that 2006 typhoon...

didn't take much photos, I really don't want to recall (here Milenyo uprooted my big mango tree out of it's 6 inches concrete floor)