The work of JonHall18 in LDD form (With his permission)

[vynsane]

I've been a fan of JonHall18's "Sky-fi" work for a while now, but only recently noticed he actually took the time to meticulously photograph every step of the build on the vast majority of his MOCs! The picture instruction sets are rather large once uncompressed, and I have limited space on my laptop, so I decided it would be worth my while to translate them to LDD so I could retain the steps necessary to build them while removing the pictures from my computer. I then realized that others might want to see these designs and contacted JonHall18, who was gracious enough to grant me permission to share the fruits of his and my (but mostly his) labor with all of you. To that end, I've already completed LDD renditions of three of his builds. There are certain modifications made due to LDD not allowing certain connections/alignments, but for the most part they are true to the original. Of course, custom decals are not included and some of the printed pieces have been modified - again, due to constraints of the program.

T-11 Eclipse


Eclipse Fighter 02 by JonHall18, on Flickr

• LDD File
• Flickr set
• Original Picture Instructions

Arcadian Gunship


Arcadian Gunship 01 by JonHall18, on Flickr

• LDD File
• Flickr set
• Original Picture Instructions

P-72A Skyhammer


Skyhammer 01 by JonHall18, on Flickr

• LDD File
• Flickr set
• Original Picture Instructions

[vynsane]

H-44 Blue Lightning


Blue Lightning 01 by JonHall18, on Flickr

• LDD File
• Flickr set
• Original Picture Instructions

Issues with this file:

• There is a hollow section in the wing, above the landing gear, where the SNOT technique used just couldn't be replicated in an LDD-accepted way.
• The panels on either side of the forward fuselage should be angled in towards the 2x2 dish stack, but LDD didn't want to do it. There are also a couple of missing pieces inside that assembly (two headlight bricks with 1x1 tiles attached to the forward-stud) that facilitated keeping the angle on those panels aligned.
• I can't get the pilot in the forward station. LDD just won't do it.
• Assembly of each engine is missing a 3x3 dish w/hole due to use of a technic rod instead of a thinner rod (again, LDD wouldn't allow the connection)
• There is a gap between the top half and bottom half of the fuselage where the white and blue stripes arch over the top and down the sides - LDD didn't think 3 studs could fit, so I replaced the side-stripes with 1x2 tiles.

[legitimatealex]

Nice recreation. What's the use of recreating in LDD if I may ask? I don't mean to offend, I just don't see the use of it.

Also going to have to say that the Arcadian gunship is the best.

[vynsane]

Nice recreation. What's the use of recreating in LDD if I may ask? I don't mean to offend, I just don't see the use of it.

From the initial post:

The picture instruction sets are rather large once uncompressed, and I have limited space on my laptop, so I decided it would be worth my while to translate them to LDD so I could retain the steps necessary to build them while removing the pictures from my computer.

The compressed image files total 545 MB, that's just a lot of file to be carrying around. In comparison the .lxf files don't take up more than 2 MB, and can generate building instructions and parts lists any time I want. The LDD models can also be a bit more clear - not to denigrate the huge amount of work Jon Hall did in creating the pictorial instructions, but sometimes there are shadows or blurry areas that could have used more definition/clarification. This way, I don't get just one angle of the construction, but can rotate around it in 3-dimensional space.

It began as a personal project, both to reduce the amount of space used on my computer AND sort of a challenge to myself (I knew some of the stuff just wouldn't work in LDD, and I wanted to see what solutions I could come up with, to further my abilities with the program and in conceptualizing builds). As I worked on them, I felt it was worthwhile to share it with others.

[vynsane]

P-79 Steel Wind


Steel Wind 01 by JonHall18, on Flickr

• LDD File
• Flickr set
• Original Picture Instructions

Issues with this file (other than stickers and printed items):

• Forward landing gear connection won't work in LDD
• Some fudging/reconstruction of the rear section to accommodate the angle of the wings and the rear landing gear - the hinges the gear attach to have been moved forward one plate, and gaps filled with other plates. The two 1x4's used to hold the wings at the correct angle had to be removed, as LDD wouldn't allow them to occupy that space
• The 'Ammo belt' for each wing gun is not attached. It won't allow the connection to the 1x1 w/clip and the robot claw that is supposed to hold the other end won't connect to the gun where it does in the picture instructions.
• I'm not sure I have the purple color correct - the difference between the 'official' color names and those at Bricklink/AFOL vernacular are infuriating sometimes

A-20 Red Zephyr


Red Zephyr composite by JonHall18, on Flickr

• LDD File
• Flickr set
• Original Pictorial Instructions

Issues with this file (other than stickers and printed items):

• The entire fuselage is one plate taller than the original version, to accommodate the click-hinge bubble canopy available in LDD (original used a finger-hinge bubble canopy)
• Piston housings (minifig binocs) are connected (presumably) 'illegally' to a piece that doesn't exist in LDD anyway - completely left out.
• 2x2 dish won't connect to the front of the 'greebles' inside the bubble canopy, blocked by the 'mudguard' arch
• 1x1 w/vertical clip won't connect to the bar w/claw attached to the 'rocketboard'

V-22 Phoenix



V-22 Phoenix 01 by JonHall18, on Flickr

• LDD File
• Flickr set
• Original Pictorial Instructions

Issues with this file (other than stickers and printed items):

• Engine/Tail assembly is different due to incompatible connections
• 'Straps' on the cockpit aren't flexible, so laid on the 'ground'. The bubble canopy is 'floating' in front of the build.

[legitimatealex]

Aah sorry. I should read more closely. I just got distracted by the shinies.

[zmom]

those are amazing.