Image: Top view

Image: Underneath

Image: Port side

Image: Front view

Image: Rear

Image: Right/front, low

Image: Closer look at the cockpit

by Mark Sleppy

This model of the F/A-40 Intruder II is based on the movie Independence Day (ID4) or rather the aftermath of the alien attack portrayed in that movie. In my estimation, the aliens in the movie were just the first wave. Another alien “mother” ship arrived almost five years to the day. This time we were ready for them, but the “virus” didn't work, as they were by this time aware of this tactic. We had five years to prepare and prepare we did. We learned a lot from the hardware brought down in the first attack and we push new weapons systems into production quickly and efficiently. It was in this hectic period that the F/A-40 Intruder II was developed. This craft allowed earth's heroic pilots, like Major Steven Hiller (Cpt. Hiller in the movie), to be able to meet the alien attacker craft head on and to hold their own against the worst the aliens could through at them.

This is a model of a trans-atmospheric attack fighter in line with the A-6, AV-8 and F/A-18 traditions. It has a two person crew - pilot and tactical officer. It is armed with two large ion cannons and two small pulse lasers. It is powered by a fusion reactor that delivers ionized air to the main hyper-linear mono-spike engine and hover engines. This aircraft has been equipped with an advanced energy/force shield similar to, but better than that the aliens employ.

The model was built from scratch using mostly parts from office supply, craft and hardware stores, as well as, some plastic scratch building materials from the hobby store.

List of “parts” and their usage:

• Pencil sharpeners for upper forward fuselage (cockpit area)
• Plastic sun glasses to wear over prescription glasses for the upper middle fuselage
• Sheet styrene (plastic) for upper aft fuselage and main engine nozzle
• Triangle Plastic canvas for the inlet grill
• Plastic Easter egg for lower forward fuselage (cockpit area)
• Various correction tape dispensers parts for lower middle fuselage, ion cannons, large nozzles and lower surface clutter
• Inner parts from an old calculator for lower aft fuselage and lower surface clutter
• Shampoo bottle top and shiny glass bead for sensor on lower forward fuselage
• Various ball point pen parts for lasers, large conduits and small nozzles
• Fancy large beads, doll eyes, and stuffed animal noses for lower surface bumps, blisters and clutter
• Fancy elastic chord for conduit and pipes (interesting surface texture)
• Mirror and window screen mounting parts for clutter on lower surface
• Milliputt - modeling putty for blending everything together
• Some aircraft detail parts for the cockpit: seats, control panels, pilot figures, etc.
• Brass photo etched aircraft detail parts for some surface detail
• Aircraft decals
• Flexible metal straight edge and scribe for scribing panel lines
• Weathering and wear done with artist oils, pastel chalk, and art pencils