UK_IN_US Posted November 1, 2015 (edited) Hello all, I am in the process of designing several different fighter air/spacecraft and am running into a brick wall for seat design. I've tried google-fu, but I keep running into James Bond-style car ejectors and horrible-looking seats that actually throw the minifigure. I want neither of these, so I'd like to ask here. The builds are all at minifigure scale, and I would love some help/advice on how to make decent looking seats. They don't need to actually eject or move, but I want to be able to include a parachute/small backpack on the pilot figures. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks! Edited November 1, 2015 by UK_IN_US Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YellowCorvette Posted November 1, 2015 (edited) About the eject function, I can think about some sets that have functions like that like 75087 Anakin Custom Jedi Starfighter and 8093 Plo Koon's Jedi Starfighter. The 75087 has the eject function where you can eject a astromech droid from the droid socket, while 8093 is able to eject the pilot from the cockpit. I suggest you to take a look at the sets I mentioned and see how the eject functions of the sets that I mentioned works. About decent-looking seats, you can take a look at the cockpit seat design at both 2012 and 2015 versions of Quintjet from Marvel Superheroes theme. The 31039 Blue Power Jet from the Creator theme has also a good cockpit seat design and worth for a look. Edited November 1, 2015 by ArmstrongYong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_IN_US Posted November 1, 2015 About the eject function, I can think about some sets that have functions like that like 75087 Anakin Custom Jedi Starfighter and 8093 Plo Koon's Jedi Starfighter. The 75087 has the eject function where you can eject a astromech droid from the droid socket, while 8093 is able to eject the pilot from the cockpit. I suggest you to take a look at the sets I mentioned and see how the eject functions of the sets that I mentioned works. About decent-looking seats, you can take a look at the cockpit seat design at both 2012 and 2015 versions of Quintjet from Marvel Superheroes theme. The 31039 Blue Power Jet from the Creator theme has also a good cockpit seat design and worth for a look. I'm not sure I was clear earlier, my apologies. I do NOT want a seat that actually ejects. There will be no space for a mechanism of any kind, and the windscreen I am using will not allow ejection anyway. Thank you for the suggestions for seats to look at, though. The Blue Power Jet is very close to what I had in mind. The headrest especially is nearly perfect. The Quinjet seats, while a bit further away from what I'm looking for, do give me an idea. Perhaps I could make a headrest attach to the seat body in the same way as on the Quinjet seats but while maintaining the look of the Power Jet seats? I will be back shortly... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_IN_US Posted November 1, 2015 Here's a really quick prototype I threw together in LDD: http://imgur.com/a/UsJXO Any improvements and suggestions are welcome! Particularly to shrink it down, that one is quite large. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boettner Builds Posted November 1, 2015 I worked on ejection seats for 20 years in the Navy, what do you want to know? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YellowCorvette Posted November 1, 2015 (edited) Here's a really quick prototype I threw together in LDD: http://imgur.com/a/UsJXO Any improvements and suggestions are welcome! Particularly to shrink it down, that one is quite large. Looks good, but the gap between the headrest and the seat body is very noticeable and detracts the look of the seat. The use of the cheese slopes At the headrest also make the seat looks kinda sharp and didn't have the look of what a comfortable seat should have. Edited November 1, 2015 by ArmstrongYong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_IN_US Posted November 1, 2015 I worked on ejection seats for 20 years in the Navy, what do you want to know? How to make one out of LEGO that looks good. Also, out of curiosity, what squadron? Looks good, but the gap between the headrest and the seat body is very noticeable and detracts the look of the seat. The use of the cheese slopes At the headrest also make the seat looks kinda sharp and didn't have the look of what a comfortable seat should have. Yeah, that gap is one of my problems. Do you have any idea how to make it smaller while still having the ability to bend? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
legoman19892 Posted November 2, 2015 Have you looked at the Blue Power Jet seats? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_IN_US Posted November 2, 2015 Have you looked at the Blue Power Jet seats? Yes, I have. They were already suggested by ArmstrongYong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boettner Builds Posted November 2, 2015 I'll have to tinker around this week to build one ( haven't built one before). Minifig scale, so a minifig can sit in it? Some of the Air Forces seats lean back pretty far compaired to the Navy's SJU-5's and NACES seats. What kind of fighters are you making and what's the max seat width? Also, very last on an ejection seats list of functions is comfort. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_IN_US Posted November 2, 2015 Redtrooper, I'm working on one for an F-18 Hornet, one for an Su-27/35, and one for a fictional spacecraft, the F7C-M from Star Citizen. The Star Citizen one is my first priority, followed by the F-18. The Star Citizen one has a maximum width of 4 studs and a maximum height of about 3.5 bricks or so, and ideally would be only about 2 or 3 studs deep so that I could seat minifigs in tandem without them being in makeout distance. The f-18 one has a maximum width of 4 studs again, probably 4 studs deep at max, but has essentially no restrictions on height. Any ideas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YellowCorvette Posted November 2, 2015 (edited) I just make a quick MOC of a cockpit seat. The seat is inspired by the quintjet's seat. It may not look outstanding but at least the gap between the headrest and the seat body is solved. Here's the picture: Edited November 2, 2015 by ArmstrongYong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_IN_US Posted November 3, 2015 ArmstrongYong, that looks pretty much spot on. Is there any reason for the grating at the end, or is it just to look good? Also here's a slightly modified version, does it work or is it too thick do you think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
