Space Shuttle Alpha: Assembled

Here's something a bit bigger than I normally work with, a real set-piece for my miniatures. This is a 3D-printed model, the Space Shuttle Alpha (Bus Variant) by 2nd Dynasty. I don't have a 3D printer (yet), but since 2nd Dynasty licenses their designs out for others to print commercially, I was able to find someone on Etsy/Ebay to do it for me. 2nd Dynasty has run several Kickstarters now, introducing new ships each time. Space Shuttle Alpha is their smallest one, and I figured I'd test the waters by trying to build (and eventually paint) this one before considering any of the larger offerings.

The ship is about fifteen inches long. A brave mercenary on a 25mm base stands by for scale. The shuttle is fully modular, built on the OpenLOCK system. There are three main areas. There's a bottom that all hooks together, a top that all hooks together, and a very, very modular series of interior tiles. In the picture to the left, I have it assembled in the default configuration.

At the front, the cockpit. Seats for the pilot and copilot, along with two passengers.

In the middle, four bunks and four cabinets. This is the area I would like to customize more in the future. Maybe put in a bathroom and a kitchenette.

In the back is the cargo bay. This area can be emptied to make a 4x4 area. Unfortunately, this model was printed as half of the original design (back half) and half of the improved design (front half), which came out in April 2020, I think.

Unexpectedly, there were two copies of the front canopy supplied, one in a clear translucent and one in a yellow translucent. Both look nice. They also allow for cool shots like the one to the left.

I think a lot about eventually running a sci-fi RPG, and having a very modular spaceship for the party's home base is perfect.

I'm not sure what colors I want to paint it yet, but that's a decision I can wait on. I've got several more little blue aliens in the process of being painted up and painting this beast will take a dedicated day and a ton of paint to start.