Marvel's Hydra Coupe 1/12 scale full scratch build

[François]

Thank you everyone, much appreciated.

I was asked to take a few pictures of the Hydra next to my other models.

They are all 1/12 scale! The hydra is a beast.

 

[RussF]

I was asked to take a few pictures of the Hydra next to my other models.

Just beautiful!

Were these others also scratch built like the Hydra?

 

[François]

The alfa is mostly from the kit but with many modifications. The bentley started from a kit but only 25% of the kit remains.
You can see the bentley build here

1930 Bentley Blower by Aifix 1/12 build log [COMPLETED BUILD]

Hello, I recently purchase an Airfix 1/12 scale Bentley Blower. I'm starting this log not because I'm starting the build, that's many months away but because I wanted to talk a bit about the ground work I'm doing and the route I intend to take. This is an old model dating back to the 70's...

shipsofscale.com

 

[Peter Voogt]

Well, it is done. Took me 11 months but it is done.

And a reminder of the goal

To view the finished album

Hydra coupe final gallery

Congratulations with this very nice result, François. With the making of the diorama your can make a ‘over the year project’.
Regards, Peter

 

[François]

I printed all the parts for the control console set up, should turn out good.

Test fit before paint

Potentionmeters and switchs in place

Test fit after paint

 

[Chestcutter]

Francois can I ask do you design and make the circuit boards and SMD for the console or do you get them fabricated?
Are you able to share the circuit designs?

 

[François]

Chestcutter, not much design there. I can do many things but circuit board design and electronics is definatly not one of them. The potentionmeters are bought from Amazon and the switchs I find in a local electronics store. I don't know why the potentionmeters are so complicated but they work (it's the same ones I used on the Bentley). The biggest job is to figure out how to mount these components and to make them work in an appropriate setting, that's where the design comes in.

 

[Namabiiru]

I don't know why the potentionmeters are so complicated but they work (it's the same ones I used on the Bentley).

The reason the potentiometers are so complicated is because with LED lighting you can't just change the voltage to dim them like you can with incandescent lighting. LEDs have a fixed trigger voltage, so to dim them you have to create a circuit that will pulse the DC current so that the LED is actually blinking at a very high rate. The apparent brightness of the LED is a function of the amount of time the LED is on (voltage is above the trigger voltage) versus off (voltage below the trigger voltage). The potentiometers are not directly dimming the LED, but controlling the circuit that pulses the voltage to the LED. At least that's how I remember my Dad explaining it to me....

 

[François]

Thanks for that explanation namabiiru. So if I understand correctly, I didn't have to use these type of potentiometers since one will be controlling the gearmotor and the other the display case lighting which are incadescent. The reason I'm using a pot for the gearmotor is that I don't want to simply put power on but rather create sort of a soft start to better protect the crankshaft. Oh well... I know they work because I tested them, what I don't know is if it can be damaging in the long run or if it could work better an ordinary pot. The only leds in the complete setup are for the 2 blue cubes which are just on/off.

 

[Namabiiru]

Thanks for that explanation namabiiru. So if I understand correctly, I didn't have to use these type of potentiometers since one will be controlling the gearmotor and the other the display case lighting which are incadescent. The reason I'm using a pot for the gearmotor is that I don't want to simply put power on but rather create sort of a soft start to better protect the crankshaft. Oh well... I know they work because I tested them, what I don't know is if it can be damaging in the long run or if it could work better an ordinary pot. The only leds in the complete setup are for the 2 blue cubes which are just on/off.

If the motor is a stepper motor it’s designed to work with a pulsed current, but even a regular DC motor will need a certain amount of power to maintain enough torque to overcome the resistance of all those moving parts. If I’m not mistaken, a digital circuit would work the same for that as for LEDs.

 

[François]

The top cover for the control console is finished complete with 2 levers to control the car lights and cubes plus 2 handwheels for controlling the motor and display lighting. Speaking of the display lighting, I found 2 types old theater spot lights. Both could be free standing or mounted on the display structure. Maybe 1 spot per corner aimed at the model? TBD...

console cover

Old theater spot lights, l like both styles but I think the second one if more "Marvelish" in a doomsday/death ray kinda way.

Any thoughts/comments welcomed

 

[rtwpsom2]

Definitely number 2.

 

[GIG1810]

Hey Fronçois,
you lied to me!!! You're not a beginner, you're the absolute pro. It's amazing what you're building here. Respect, you've really won me over as a fan. Enviable. Simply great!

Best regards
Günther

 

[Marquinius]

Congratulations! A wonderful project really well done. Never thought I’d be in awe of one of those super hero things.

 

[François]

The control console is all done, and it was a pain to do. A lot of wiring and let's say wiring is not my specialty. Hopefully, everything will work as planned once hooked up to the car. I tested the circuits with a small light buld as I went along and for now, it all works. I might do a bit of weathering eventually.

A lot of wires

Red and his switchs

Working bleu cube

View attachment 20250616_205345.mp4
General location of console in relation to the model

 

[François]

I started to tinker with the spot lights today. Not quite there yet but not that far. I was able to find an old instruction booklet with a few dimensions on this old stage lamp so, althought I printed it a bit larger than 1/12 (closer to 1/8) scale, the proportions are ok.

The goal

My lamp so far

 

[GIG1810]

Fronçois,
fantastic as always. I can't get enough of your figures and models. Simply marvelous!!

Regards
Günther

 

[François]

I worked a bit on the enclosure design today. I'm not 100% satisfied but not very far either. I want it to be a bit theatrical, red skull being such a drama queen. I think the shape a gave the enclosure, combined with the theater spot lights gives it a bit of a stage look. The structure is somewhat reminiscent of some structures seen in the Captain America movie.

Here's what it looks like so far. The cones represents the light beam although I dought that once finished, the spot lights will give much light. I was thinking of 3 spot lights along the front top rail shining down and 3 along the rear lower rail shining up. The way I made the spot lights, the can be oriented in any direction.

 

[GIG1810]

Hey François,

Nice picture and great planning. The idea of the headlights is great. I didn't expect anything else from you, as you've set the building scale so high that I'm only used to top quality from you. The headlights will certainly be bright, maybe you can control and dim them individually? Unfortunately, I don't know my way around.

I have one more question about the car. In the pictures, the mudguards are still set off with a metal strip. Are you going to do that too, or are you going to leave it as it is?
Cheers
Günther