DbM-ready 'Swoosher' starfighter

[vynsane]

DbM Swoosher by vynsane, on Flickr

Taking a break from the Modular Starfighter System, I wanted to really give DbM a try before they closed shop.The only time I really worked with the DbM palette was when I first discovered LDD and I quickly learned about Universe Mode and never looked back.

I figured a small 'swoosher'-style starfighter would fit the bill and not break the bank - boy was I wrong! All 185 pieces here can be yours for the modest sum of $50.66! Yikes! Maybe I'll go with a Rover instead! Seriously, I'm perfectly prepared to pay a modest premium for the convenience of having all the pieces I need packed up and shipped to me, but that's a bit ridiculous.

I tried coming up with a clever alternate starfightery meaning for the DbM acronym, but I'm home sick from work today with a 48-hour flu courtesy of my wife and daughter and the DayQuil is just not helping my thought process.

Anyway, as I got more into the design I realized I could probably build this thing out of the actual physical bricks in my collection, thus fully negating the need for DbM in the first place, and if I find the time I may do so.

If you want to play with it in the virtual world, download the DbM Swoosher LXF file.

[Brickdoctor]

Nice. The thin wings work perfectly here, and I love the smooth chunkiness of the engine area.

But...yeah, that's a ridiculous price.

[vynsane]

Thanks, Brickdoctor! There's a small half-plate gap in the rear that I'm not too happy about, but otherwise I think it's a pretty solid design. I guess I'll really find out when I build it for real.

Edited November 20, 2011 by vynsane

[vynsane]

DbM Swoosher ver. 2.0 adds a few pieces to the interior of each engine (including a 1x2x2 bracket, a 2x2 brick, a 1x2 plate and 2x2 plate), adding a level of stability to the construction. It also pushes the 'exhaust' out by a brick and two plates, which looks cooler.

I built this in real bricks yesterday and intend to get pics of it today. I made some running changes to the construction due to part limitations in my collection and I'll be posting a 'ver 3.0' LXF file with those changes when I post the pics.