HX-11 Fire Ant
This 2.8” 1/72 scale fictional UAV started out as something more similar to the vintage Ryan Firebee series of drones. I started reworking the layout tinkering with different ways it could carry external stores while maintaining takeoff and landing flexibility. Keeping the overall size of the drone down as much as possible meant no landing gear and ideally no parachute. To that end, I added 2 pairs of skid equipped fins on the top side for Fire Ant to take off and land on its back. I have many ideas for how it could be operated, but let’s leave it up to imagination for now. If desired 1mmx1mm magnets can be inserted into the drone to allow swappable external stores. To complete you will need: 1> A resin printer, try FDM at your risk 2> CA glue 3> 1mm x 1mm magnets 4> 0.52mm steel piano wire 5> For a clear canopy and sensor window: clear resin + high gloss quick shine floor finish or other high gloss clear coat; the more it can self-level the clearer the finish can be! 6> I recommend wet sanding for all resin printing, less dust and can get real smooth finishes! 7> Misc small modeling hand tools such as xacto knife, sprue cutters, pin drill (hand or powered) 8> Lack of friends 9> A proclivity for airplanes, really an obsession. Probably an obsession for airplanes that encourages your loved ones to wonder if you should be diagnosed with autism, or really already have said neuro divergent tendencies towards flying machines. Aren’t airplanes cool? Seriously. Probably the coolest. You should stop reading this now and just start building one of these! Maybe even 2!




















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