Is it already that time of year again?  A week from now students will be here and we will begin this whole adventure once again.     My summer was awesome, as I hope all of yours were too.    I know many have asked where is the 2024-2025 Project thread....well, you found it!  I've again felt a little overwhelmed with where do we go next.   There are no more open, unutilized pods remaining.     As we did the last couple years, we will be adding and updating an existing display.    We will actually have two different areas of work this year, and it may seem a bit disjointed, but I've wanted us to tackle one problem space for the last couple years, and just didn't get to it.  I think this year will be a great time to take on two projects.    

We will get into all of that in just a bit.

Many of you have contributed, followed along, and read these threads for the last 12yrs now.  Here we are again, and I know you all, again, will be great team members.  My ideas for this year are a bit thin, so I know what you all come up with will take us to places I didn't know were possible.

These threads always energize me and get me excited to be back in the classroom.    The more enthusiasm ARFCOM and I have for the projects, the more I see it in my students.   I've got paperwork, orgainizing, materials to set out, and general planning that needs done, but this will set the tone for the year, so lets get this thing going!!!!


A brief history for those who are new to these threads......
ARFCOM has been an essential part of the adventure my students' experience with the building of permanent large installation projects here at our high school.   I know that this year and next will be no different, and our success will be attributable to the incredible help that so many of you provide.   This will be my 29th year teaching.   These projects have rejuvenated my teaching style, given my students something they love coming to school for, and providing experiences that they truly value.  Thank you all, again, for being such a great community.

My Art classes will again work with CAD students, Welding students, Woodworking students, and Robotic students to try to create our next display.   For those new to our adventures, roughly 60-80 students from grades 9-12 will work the entire school year to build from scratch a permanent 3D display in an area roughly 17’wide x 24'long x 20’high.  Some students might only spend an hour working on this, some three weeks,  and some might spend several hours every day the entire year.  Our last four projects have ended up costing between $2500-$3500 each(Last year really showed inflation hitting us hard).  The generosity in both funds, equipment, and advice in our previous years have made all the difference in being able to spend that much money on such a project.    Since the UBoat project(2015), ARFCOM has covered the costs of every single one of these projects.    Not a single dime has had to come out of my classroom budget.   We will again have to have a t-shirt sale(later, much later) to celebrate the adventure and raise the funds needed. The fundraiser will be near the end of the project, so not for almost a year.  We should be able to have some pretty epic designs with our new topics.

So what is the Project??????  
We are revisiting one of my favorite displays.......  It's one, continuously, students suggest we left money on the table.  It's a big room, and they don't think there is "enough."


We just barely got our F-22 weapon's bays working last spring, after 3 years!  So, what else can we possibly fit in there.......?
Above the hangar.....




I want to see a B-17 nose coming out of the corner above the hangar.   Maybe engines, moving props, if there is room.   I want to see swirling clouds moving behind in the background.




Yeah, the nose art on this one, made me think of our "Marvin" sculpture.   He may have to end up on our B-17's nose.   The glass nose is absolutely push our abilities a bit, but I really think we can do this.  


Ok, so what else?  
Well there is another corner that is pretty lean.


Right behind the F-22, maybe a 6th gen fighter nose coming out of a cloudy corner?   We rebuilt the F-22's nose, what? twice; so this should be easy, right?






If we can figure out how to make it work, I'd also like to see a floating HUD, kind of like a mobile.   I'd like to see it lit up, handing somewhere in the display.  


And, what needs done.   Our "Panther" taxidermy display out in the commons was an amazing work, but displayed so high up, it being so skinny, it just doesn't look right.   Unfortunately, many have found it "cringy".    So, it will be moved to our Wild Fire display, and we will be making a new Panther to replace it.  



With the stand being so big, the cat will also be oversized.  I'd like to see us build one that is Mech-like.   I'd like to see lights in the eyes, a moving jaw, and a twitching tail.   We will see how this goes.  The Dragon from last year, gave me confidence we can do this.  Added to the base, I'd like to see models and symbols from our previous projects. Those would need to be painted to look similar to the base stand.  







I'll update this thread daily, as we get going, and link previous projects for those who'd like to see what we've done in the past few years.  I hope you all help contribute ideas, cause we are going to need them.  I'm going to start shopping for plastic models that we can use for references, and getting proportions correct.  

Some of our previous adventures.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/The-2nd-Age-of-Vikings-Student-Project-Thread-2023-24-Update-5-29-All-Finished-pg33/5-2665862/?







https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Firebomber-and-Smokejumpers-Student-Project-2022-23-Update-5-25-Adventure-Complete-pg33/5-2578121/








https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/-/5-2479438/?r=-1&page=1





https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/ALARM-U-Boat-Type-VIIC-2015-Liberty-Ship-Edward-Avila-Update5-4-pg71-ships-up-/5-1781084/




https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/-/5-2247089/?r=-1&page=1


https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/1-3rd-Scale-17ft-Marine-One-Helicopter-Project-ThreadUpdate-6-17pg54-magazine-article-/5-2133113/


https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/ALL-ABOARD-1-3rd-scale-Baldwin-4-4-0-Locomotive-Update-5-24pg29-The-End-is-here-Video-/5-2025503/



This last pic brings tears to my eyes....   My youngest son showing off his t-shirt and his work on our Space Shuttle.  Now, almost 8yrs later, starting his 4th year working for Raytheon Missile Defense as a Computer Engineer.

Tag

Awesome!!  

Cannot wait to see what you all do!!

Awwww yeah, the B-17 is my favorite aircraft ever.  I love these projects!

Usually,  if I'm around, yes.   It helps to have a bit of warning.    

Great info, I was hoping someone would explain the differences.  

I'm kind of a purist,  so the early, clean model appeals to me, but love the idea of the turret moving too.  

We may have.to see how deep the robotics student bench is.

Love all that!   Great ideas!

Another epic thread.

That's a great idea.  

I will pass that on.

Tag.  Did I get on 1?

--ETA:  F-32 above below the biplane coming from hangar area.   Same scale as the F-22.  I don't like the idea of going backward more with just a porcupine nose of a  bomber, something that shows off mad skill more than 40s era aircraft building.

If it were easy, everybody would do it.  

I can't wait to see how this year's project progresses. Rated this thread Epic already!