SHAPEWAYS Units

IL and others,

@Imperious:

Is the plastic strong like AA pieces or fragile and prone to breaking?

––It’s stiff and sturdy with no problems. The only thing I can say is that I always order my units to be made with the most detailed, and hence exspensive, plastic option available. I’ve seen pics on the web of some Shapeways units that had a very coarse surface. I’m certain they were less exspensive, but I didn’t like the way they looked at all. Nevertheless I believe that since these units are basically carved out of a hunk of plastic by computer control, they have to be durable.

“Tall Paul”

Guys,

@sgtwiltan:

They are not carved like CNC pieces but rather soldered layer by layer. They use a plastic powder that gets lasered almost like a layer cake similar to the way toner is heated and bonded to paper in a printer. It’s called 3d printing because the “ink” is the plastic layer and a laser melts it to the previous layer to build up as a 3 dimensional “print” rather than just the 2 dimensions that we see on paper.

––Thanks for the detailed explanation, Wil. I knew I wasn’t representing the ‘process’ correctly, but I thought I answered his Q. That’s really COOL! I’m always interested in learning from other people, especially here on A&A.Org

“Tall Paul”

jluna,

@jluna1273:

Damn, that is just amazing that we can now design pretty much any type of unit for this game now. I might need to check these out. Any pics of painted pieces to post yet?

––My only suggestion to you is that whatever you order make sure you specify them using the most detailed plastic available. I’m TOTALLY HAPPY with my outcome and honestly I’m blown away at the level of detail! And I’m a somewhat “picky” individual.
----So far I’ve received the American B-29, B-10, A-20, P-26, the British Beaufighter, and the Japanese J1N1 ‘Gekko’ which I will use as a NEW TYPE,….Long-Range Fighter.
----All of this started after I bought some of the HBG Minor Factories which I’m totally happy with!
Let me know how your experience turns out. I’d almost guarantee you’ll be happy!

“Tall Paul”

jwo1984 and others,

@jwo1984:

how is the scale of the b29’s? are they similar to the OOB b17’s?  HBG has those Rita bombers in there Japanese expansion set which have some nice detail for painting, and a great size for a bomber in my opinion.  Have you found any detailed ships from shapeways in the right scale for AA?  I have looked but haven’t had much luck

––The B-29 Superfortress were actually designed by HBG’s “Coachofmany” and so I know them to be exactly the correct proportion. I’ll include a ‘link’ to the four pages of units that he has already designed below:
http://www.shapeways.com/shops/historicalboardgaming
––The first items I ordered from Shapeways were the Minor Factories that the “Coach” designed. They were AWESOME and the perfect size for use as Minor Factories. For major factories I’m using painted versions of the OOB Factories from previous versions of A&A.
––As far as getting all of the different units in their correct proportions just scroll up in this thread. You could also check out my current thread concerning “Correct Proportions of all the diferent A&A units”. Included in here is a ‘link’ to a previous thread with some really good info.

“Tall Paul”

jwo1984 & others,

––BTW, as far as some ships, I just orderred some APD Attack Transports. I’ll let you know once they come in how they look and if I orderred then in the correct size.

“Tall Paul”

Guys,

––Here’s a pic of the HBG Minor Factories as produced by Shapeways. Since they’re now painted you can actually SEE them, now. I didn’t post a pc of them before as they were transluent before painting and “semi-invisable”. Enjoy.

––A “group shot” of all,…and a close-up of the American’s.

Tall Paul

Reference List of SHAPEWAYS units allready purchased:

FACILITIES
Minor Factory
Naval Shipyard
Naval Base
Air Base
Sea Mines

AIRCRAFT
DFS-30 (Glider) German
ME-321 (Glider) German
AL-12P (Glider) Italian
KU-8 (Glider) Japan
AS.51 “Horsa” (Glider) Britain
CG-4A “Waco” (Glider) US
A-7 (Glider) Russian

C-47 “Skytrain” (Air Transport)

P-26 “Pea Shooter” (Fighter-early)
P-36 “Hawk” (Fighter-early)

P-51D “Mustang” (Fighter, Late-War)

A-5N “Claude” (Naval Fighter-early)
F-2A “Buffalo” (Naval Fighter-early)

J1-N1 “Gecko” (Long-Range Fighter)
Bristol “Beaufighter” (Long-Range Fighter)
P-38 “Lightning” (Long-Range Fighter)

SBD-5 “Dauntless” (Naval Dive Bomber)

TBD “Devastator” (Naval Torpedo Bomber-early)

G3M “Nell” (Medium Bomber-early)
B-10 “Martin” (Medium Bomber-early)
B-18A “Bolo” (Medium Bomber-early)
A-20 “Havoc” (Medium Bomber)

G-5N “Liz” (Bomber, Heavy)
B-17C “Flying Fortress”-early (Heavy Bomber)
B-29 “Super Fortress” (Long-Range Heavy Bomber)

SEAPLANES
J2F (Utility Seaplane)
Consolidated PBY-5 “Catalina” (2-Engine Seaplane)
Martin PBM “Mariner” (2-Engine Seaplane)
Consolidated PB2Y (4-Engine Seaplane Transport)
Boeing 314 “China Clipper” (4-Engine Seaplane Transport)

SHIPS
APD “Fast Transport”

Tall Paul

@Tall:

Reference List of SHAPEWAYS units allready purchased:

FACILITIES
Minor Factory
Naval Shipyard
Naval Base
Air Base
Sea Mines

AIRCRAFT
DFS-30 (Glider) German
ME-321 (Glider) German
AL-12P (Glider) Italian
KU-8 (Glider) Japan
AS.51 “Horsa” (Glider) Britain
CG-4A “Waco” (Glider) US
A-7 (Glider) Russian

C-47 “Skytrain” (Air Transport)

P-26 “Pea Shooter” (Fighter-early)
P-36 “Hawk” (Fighter-early)

P-51D “Mustang” (Fighter, Late-War)

A-5N “Claude” (Naval Fighter-early)
F-2A “Buffalo” (Naval Fighter-early)

J1-N1 “Gecko” (Long-Range Fighter)
Bristol “Beaufighter” (Long-Range Fighter)
P-38 “Lightning” (Long-Range Fighter)

SBD-5 “Dauntless” (Naval Dive Bomber)

TBD “Devastator” (Naval Torpedo Bomber-early)

G3M “Nell” (Medium Bomber-early)
B-10 “Martin” (Medium Bomber-early)
B-18A “Bolo” (Medium Bomber-early)
A-20 “Havoc” (Medium Bomber)

G-5N “Liz” (Bomber, Heavy)
B-17C “Flying Fortress”-early (Heavy Bomber)
B-29 “Super Fortress” (Long-Range Heavy Bomber)

SEAPLANES
J2F (Utility Seaplane)
Consolidated PBY-5 “Catalina” (2-Engine Seaplane)
Martin PBM “Mariner” (2-Engine Seaplane)
Consolidated PB2Y (4-Engine Seaplane Transport)
Boeing 314 “China Clipper” (4-Engine Seaplane Transport)

SHIPS
APD “Fast Transport”

Tall Paul

jwo1984 & others,
––Look above at response #31 for the list SHAPEWAYS units I have purchased.