Photos for installing the lighting kit into a Warhammer 40k Stormraven Gunship model. Photos provided by the customer who tested the kit and permission provided for use.
Notes:
Hot melt glue or PVA glue can be used to fix in place though PVA will need clamping while it sets.
Tamiya basic putty was used successfully. Milliput should also be ok.
Be careful if the putty contains a lot of solvent in case it melts the wires or fibre optic. Test on scrap before use.
The following photos show fitting the two 3mm white headlights, 3mm red central light and micro connector plug.
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| Hole for 3mm red central light |
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| Fitting 3mm red central light and exit hole for wiring |
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| Headlights - 3mm White LED and 3mm Blue LED |
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| White headlight position |
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| Routing of wiring for headlights |
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| Position and routing of micro connector plug |
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| Position and routing of micro connector plug |
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| Plastic cut away for micro connector plug |
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| Fitted micro connector plug |
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| Micro connector plug with mating socket fitted |
Photos showing the installation of the 6 x White fibre optics and 2 x Multicolour fibre optics and routing of the wiring.
White:
2 x FO in nose
2 x FO in headlight block
2 x FO in rocket pods under wings
Multicolour:
1 x FO Pilots helmet
1 x FO gunners head
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| Hole cut in mounting for access |
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| Hole cut in mounting for access |
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| Fibre optics LED location - glue with hot melt glue. Tail light FO was omitted as it's not bright enough. |
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| Multicolour FO positioning, glued in with hot melt glue |
Notes on fibre optics
For the fibre optic you will need to drill 0.75mm holes. You can then push the end of the fibre through the hole. You can use a technique called 'mushrooming' to flare the end of the fibre which polishes the end for better light transmission while also making it bigger to help hold it in place. (the shape is a bit like a mushroom). You can trim the fibre roughly to length, mushroom it then pull it back and glue behind the part to fix in place. You need to use heat to mushroom the end but care is needed. I use a craft/embossing heat gun. DO NOT USE A PAINT STRIPPER HEAT GUN!
Alternatively you can fix at the back with glue before trimming to length. A pair of wire snips or scalpel can be used but the more the fibre is crushed the less light will be emitted.
The fibre optic is pretty flexible but if stressed beyond a certain point it will snap. You can use heat to produce a 90 degree bend if required but proceed with caution.
Installation of the 3mm Red interior LED and multicolour fibre optics in the cockpit.
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| 3mm Red interior LED position and wire routing |
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| 0.75mm hole drilled in gunners cockpit for multicolour fibre optic |
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| Piece of clear pipe hot melt glued to part to help guide the fibre optic into place |
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| Screen - used a drop of white glue mixed with translucent green glass paint |
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| Interior 3mm Red LED painted and exit of fibre optic |
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| Fibre optic installed in servitor gunners head - 0.75mm hole. Trim to length once fixed in place. |
Pilot and Cockpit panel routing. Multicolour fibre optics installed in Pilot's head. Routing of wiring.
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| 0.75mm hole drilled for gunners multicolour fibre optic |
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| 0.75mm hole drilled for FO through gunners head assembly and fibre optic installed. |
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| Rear side of cockpit for fibre optic routing |
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| Cockpit |
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| Routing of wiring and FO's. Painted to match interior |
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| Routing of wiring and FO's. Painted to match interior |
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| Cockpit and front 3mm Red LED |
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| Routing of wiring and hole for 3mm LED |
Wiring and fibre optics inside fuselage and finishing touches. 1.8mm wingtip LEDs.
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| Wiring and fibre optics after installation. This was covered with a false ceiling. |
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| Wiring and fibre optics after installation. This was covered with a false ceiling. | | | |
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| False ceiling to cover wiring |
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| Final shot of multicolour FO in gunners head |
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| 1.8mm green wingtip light |
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| Routing of wiring and fibre optics inside fuselage |
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| Rear of gunner/cockpit with fibre optic painted black |
Routing of fibre optic through the wing for the rocket pods.
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| Fibre optic routing |
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| Routing through rocket pods |
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| Routing through rocket pods |
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| Fibre optic into wing - this has been changed to 1.8mm LEDs so they are brighter. Green for starboard, Red for port. |
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| Rocket pod fibre optic |
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| Rocket pod fibre optic |
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| Wiring behind air intake into gunners cockpit. This was soldered but you should hopefully be able to squeeze in the connector block. It can be cut into two to make it smaller. |
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| Final shot of micro plug to connect power supply |
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Final shots of the finished model with special thanks to Bob Ramshaw for all the photos and testing of the kit.
Photos for installing the lighting kit into a Warhammer 40k Stormraven Gunship model. Photos provided by the customer who tested the kit and permission provided for use. 
Hi, can you tell me where the actual power supply sits on the model? From the last few pictures it seems like you have it connected externally? Don't want a battery pack just hanging off one of the landing feet...
ReplyDeleteAlso do you connect the white and blue 3mm LEDs side by side on the headlights? From the pictures it seems like you've only connected the white but I may be wrong.
Any help much appreciated - currently a bit overwhelmed with the complexity of this kit.
The battery is external though it might be able to fit inside depending on how you're building the kit. However, there is a micro plug connector so that the battery is effectively on an extension lead so the box can be hidden somewhere - there's 6" on the battery lead and 8" on the plug extension.
DeleteOne bit of the micro plug is fitted into the model and then the battery can be plugged in as required.
The headlights are next to each other, the white just blew out the colours in the photo. I use a larger resistor on the white now to reduce the brightness so the blue is more visible.
Hi, do you have a more general guide on how to connect up the multiple parts of this kit? Bit confused on how to link all the FOs and LEDs through the connector blocks and into the main battery correctly as I've only used easier single/double piece kits previously. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIf you purchase the kit you get some general instructions. It's pretty easy though. You just keep all red wires together and all black ones together and red wires to to the red of the battery box and black go to the black. It's just the same as a smaller kit.
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