skunkworks311
Flywheels (Skytread)
his is my entry for STUDENT SCISSORS’s 20K Subscriber MOC competition. The rules are that one must build a fully convertible Lego transformer that somehow relates to the number ‘2.’
I have decided to build the Decepticon Duocon Flywheels (AKA Skytread) from the G1 continuity, relating to the theme of two in how his robot mode is composed of two vehicles that combine. However, I have decided to throw a twist on the character’s traditional design, which has his tank mode become his entire body, and his jet mode become his head and a seeker-y chestplate. I have designed Flywheels so that each mode becomes half of his body LENGTHWAYS, with each mode becoming half his chest, and providing one arm and one leg. Only his head is entirely concealed inside one mode, so it can freely rotate and move up and down. ( The head does, however, still continue the two-toned theme of the design with different styling and coloring on each cheek plate.)
I wanted Flywheel’s tank mode to be as functional as possible. I constructed the Tank turret so that it rotates on a mixel ball joint, and its barrel can raise and lower on a pair of battle droid arms. It also sports an infrared periscope, and being a Decepticon, an exaggeratedly large set of mineplows. The front of the turret conceals the head, which is connected to the same battle droid arm assembly as the cannon barrel. This construction allows for the head to fold into place automatically when the barrel is pushed in.
Despite being the less intricate of the two altmodes, the Jet mode was the hardest part of the build to design. The design I settled on had the jet’s fuselage asymmetric, so a system to keep the wings evenly spaced over the body was hard to build. At one point, the wings and cockpit all attached to the shoulder, which was symmetric, but they put a little more weight on it than its t-joint could handle. I ended up attaching the wings to one side of the jet, so they would be on the robot mode’s back, and allow one to angle outward as a callback to the original design. Even this was still difficult, as I had to find a way to get the structure to sit symmetrically over the robot shoulder while still being relatively secure.
Flywheels (Skytread)
his is my entry for STUDENT SCISSORS’s 20K Subscriber MOC competition. The rules are that one must build a fully convertible Lego transformer that somehow relates to the number ‘2.’
I have decided to build the Decepticon Duocon Flywheels (AKA Skytread) from the G1 continuity, relating to the theme of two in how his robot mode is composed of two vehicles that combine. However, I have decided to throw a twist on the character’s traditional design, which has his tank mode become his entire body, and his jet mode become his head and a seeker-y chestplate. I have designed Flywheels so that each mode becomes half of his body LENGTHWAYS, with each mode becoming half his chest, and providing one arm and one leg. Only his head is entirely concealed inside one mode, so it can freely rotate and move up and down. ( The head does, however, still continue the two-toned theme of the design with different styling and coloring on each cheek plate.)
I wanted Flywheel’s tank mode to be as functional as possible. I constructed the Tank turret so that it rotates on a mixel ball joint, and its barrel can raise and lower on a pair of battle droid arms. It also sports an infrared periscope, and being a Decepticon, an exaggeratedly large set of mineplows. The front of the turret conceals the head, which is connected to the same battle droid arm assembly as the cannon barrel. This construction allows for the head to fold into place automatically when the barrel is pushed in.
Despite being the less intricate of the two altmodes, the Jet mode was the hardest part of the build to design. The design I settled on had the jet’s fuselage asymmetric, so a system to keep the wings evenly spaced over the body was hard to build. At one point, the wings and cockpit all attached to the shoulder, which was symmetric, but they put a little more weight on it than its t-joint could handle. I ended up attaching the wings to one side of the jet, so they would be on the robot mode’s back, and allow one to angle outward as a callback to the original design. Even this was still difficult, as I had to find a way to get the structure to sit symmetrically over the robot shoulder while still being relatively secure.