1/15 Nostromo Airlock (Alien 1979)
Scratch built model of the Airlock from the movie Alien (79). Built from polystyrene sheet, Evergreen, & 3D printed styrene. I mostly worked from a production sketch by concept artist Ron Cobb, and a few frame grabs from the film.
The styrene parts for the doors were cut with a Silhouette Portrait desktop cutting machine, which I had just got on sale. The indents on the doors were vacuum formed from .75mm styrene and glued in from behind. The padded elements were printed with polystyrene filament. The tubular wall mounted racks were bent up from some Evergreen rod using some homemade fixtures and a heat gun. The only kit parts used on this model were the 12 circular vents which were made from some wheels from a 1/72 Zvezda Topol kit.
The model was painted with Vallejo acrylics and lightly weathered with oil paints.
17 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Dan Lee said on June 25, 2020
That is one really cool detailed model!
Peter Foti said on June 26, 2020
Thanks, Dan. I appreciate it.
Robert Royes said on June 25, 2020
Nice!! And your dream job should be model maker for Sci-fi movies.
Peter Foti said on June 26, 2020
Yeah, definitely my dream job, but not to be…thanks computers😢
Andrew H said on June 25, 2020
That is awesome building right there! Thank you for sharing your build shots, they inspires, especially given the variety of methods you chose to employ. Very very cool.
Peter Foti said on June 26, 2020
Thanks for the nice comment!
Stellan Schroeder Englund said on June 25, 2020
What, an airlock!? Of course you build an airlock, why wouldn’t you. I see true dedication when I look at those fixtures. Any figures to inhabit the airlock?
Peter Foti said on June 26, 2020
Thanks. I had started to sculpt an astronaut figure for it, but I decided that I didn’t want to draw attention away from the room itself.
Stellan Schroeder Englund said on June 26, 2020
Yes, good thought. However, I wouldn’t mind some human presence like a helmet or so…also gives away what size the airlock is.
Andrew H said on June 26, 2020
My impression was that you don’t need an alien, as in the movie it could be a moment of suspense not knowing where it is..
Jimmy Zed said on June 25, 2020
Really cool work. You have played Alien Isolation on Steam? It has an Ellen Ripley and Jonesy scenario in the Nostromo included.
Peter Foti said on June 26, 2020
Thanks! I actually just got it for the Switch a few days ago, but I haven’t started it yet. I’m really looking forward to it.
Stephen Andrews said on June 26, 2020
Hi Peter,
I really like you choice of subject and the way you built it. The pre-CGI models built for films like Alien and TV series such as Space 1999 got me hooked on model making when I was a kid. It’s great to see that spirit kept alive. Inspiring work. Thanks for sharing it.
Peter Foti said on June 26, 2020
Thanks, Stephen. Yes, same here. I was pretty obsessed as a kid with movie special effects, miniatures especially.
Spiros Pendedekas said on June 26, 2020
This is a wonderful build with out of the ordinary techniques, Peter.
Congratulations!
Peter Foti said on June 26, 2020
Spiros, Thanks for the nice comment.
Greg Kittinger said on June 26, 2020
Way cool!