Space Clipper

Greg Solomon
The kit had some gaps that needed filling and panel lines that needed re-scribing, other than that it went together pretty well. I researched for a set of decals and found them at Culttvman's Hobbyshop:
culttvmanshop.com/Sp..s-Models_p_1502.html
The basic white gloss paint (Model Master) was airbrushed, dried for 3 days and polished. Future Floor Polish went on before and after decals. Decals went on file with the exception of one letter of the logo type for the fuselage which disintegrated. I chalked it up to weathering ala space debris and solar radiation!
I intended to use an electro-magnet to make an F-35 hover over a replica of the USS Wasp jump pad but my 1/48th scale of the F-35 was too large, especially with the landing gear extended. So I tried my completed Space Clipper (which has no landing gear) and it works great! It hovers (sitting on a 2? diameter magnet) about 1.5? above the Levitron. I?m a graphic designer by day and had fun designing the graphics for a Pan Am Clipper landing pad which I printed and spray-glued to a foam-core structure designed to hold the Levitron in the center. The Levitron has a high-polish, chrome surface that reflects the bottom of the model. It also uses 4 bright whitish-blue led lights that angle towards the model. These lights are used as a centering process to place the platform magnet within the magnetic field created by the Levitron.
The Levitron set me back $74.95 plus shipping and is available at:
tealco.net/
The platform magnet can hold a max weight of 12oz indefinitely without heating up. Plus, it sustains a slow spin depending on the load balance.
Now all I need to do is add sound effects!
I expect this to be a real eye opener at my Model Club?s Winter Contest next month!

ole moller
so the levitron works good then?i can see lots of plane modellers buying these to show them in flight.

Michel Huijghe
I've made this kit 25 years ago.

Greg Solomon
The Levitron is very cool! But it only allows the magnet platform to hover about 1.5" above the surface... 1/48 scale landing gear won't clear unfortunately, but 1/72 scale small jets should.

I remember seeing this model (by a different company) and have always wanted to build it. I used to think that the end with the antennae was the front... until I bought it and researched it.