Project Nighthawk: Skunkworks F117A

[CrimsonSky]

Ok here begins Project Nighthawk!--I'm very excited to be creating this one-of-a-kind custom PC together with Cable Organizer.com, and would like to thank all those involved in helping to bring this awesome project to life.


Here is the basic ideas behind the concept we have developed for this project:

Project Nighthawk will be a custom computer designed as a flight simulator and gaming console. The inspiration for the design was taken from the exotic looks of the Lockheed F-117A Stealth Fighter, one of my personal favorites among millitary aircraft. The shell of the PC will have lots of angles and sleek sharp edges reminding one of the radar deflecting shapes found on the F-117A.

In the concept art below, you can see that the front of the case has the look of a cockpit, complete with the gauges you'd find on modern aircraft. I'll have to do some research to see if these can actually be integrated into the case and sync up with software such as Microsoft's Flight Simulator. There are lots of alternatives, so come back often to see how this project develops, grows and takes on a life of its own.

There will also be three 17" LCD monitors, not tewo as in the drawing below. As soon as I have my artist change the concept image I'll re-post it here.

Here are the working PC specs for the project:


*MSI K8N Neo Platinum SLi Mobo
*AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
*WD Raptor Series 74GB 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Drive
*CORSAIR XMS Xtreme Memory Speed Series, Xtra-Low Latency 184-Pin 1GB(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200
*Dual nVidia Graphics Card NX6800-TD256E SLi
*Microsoft Windows XP Professional With Service Pack 2

Here are the specs for the F-117A Stealth Fighter: :D

Primary Function: Fighter/attack
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.
Power Plant: Two General Electric F404 engines
Length: 65 feet, 11 inches (20.3 meters)
Height: 12 feet, 5 inches (3.8 meters)
Weight: 52,500 pounds (23,625 kilograms)
Wingspan: 43 feet, 4 inches (13.3 meters)
Speed: High subsonic
Range: Unlimited with air refueling
Armament: Internal weapons carriage
Unit Cost: $45 million
Crew: One
Date Deployed: 1982
Inventory: Active force, 55; ANG, 0; Reserve, 0


http://www.stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_final1[1].jpg


To make a custom PC as intricate and engineered as this one, I'll start out with a paper model to help me get an idea of the dimensions and shape of the shell. The paper model will not be super detailed, however it will allow me to make all the proper measurements before I begin cutting the material. Architects create many cardboard 'White models" when pitching a design idea, and this is borrowed from that practice.

I took some foam board and cut a square to the proper dimensions of the ATX motherboard. I then used an old Radeon 9800 as a guide for making the two mockups of the dual video cards. I used spray mount adhesive to to glue on some colored paper to the foam board as well, to help make the model easier to see.

http://www.stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_white_model-(1).jpg

http://www.stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_white_model-(4).jpg

http://www.stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_white_model-(7).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

The second largest piece of hardware is of course, the full ATX power supply. I made a scale model of one from foamboard, even adding a fan grill as a guide for orientation. Studying the angles on a Stealth fighter, I made a platform for the motherboard. You can also see that I've slipped the PSU model beneath it. This project will require some pretty interesting ventilation engineering to get it running cool and comfy....all part of the fun! :D



http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_3-(2).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_3-(7).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_3-(10).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

Here I'm starting to build up the shape of the shell. A lot of cut foamboard pieces are rejected before I choose just the right shapes that give me the composition I'm looking for.

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_4-(4).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_4.jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_4-(8).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

The design begs for some sort of canopy---so I thought that a hinged (and possibly motorized) canopy with cut windows would look pretty cool. With some yellow or amber light inside it would look fantastic against the flat black stealth body. Maybe even yellow glass with white light inside--I'll have to see which would look best once we get to that part. I still havent commited to the exact position and size of the canopy--it's simply propped up on there for now.

I also adjusted the angle on the front section. Even small changes can make a dramatic difference. The case isn't going to sit flat on a table--I have plans for some sort of "landing gear" to raise the whole case up--with some really cool lighing beneath :D


http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_5-(1).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_5-(3).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model_5-(6).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

You just can't get the fine lines and final composition in a foamboard model, however i think I've found my overall shape for this design. The final case will be nowhere near as bulky looking as the paper model, so I have lots of room to shrink and finesse the size/shape of this piece as I start the styrene work :D My last bit of paper modeling will be to design the side intake vents for cooling the case.


http://www.stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model7-(9).jpg

http://www.stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_model7-(7).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

The framing for the skeleton is well underway--The shape mimics the model I built from foamcore, and will help support the outter panels. The material is all aluminum--flat stock and angle. The screws are stainless steel. I essentially created a motherboard tray and back panel, using a an ATX case as a guide for measurements. Plenty of room for the PSU and HDD's inside this framing.

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing-(5).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing-(2).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing-(15).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing.jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing-(20).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing-(11).jpg

[Kurtis]

When are you going to start talking about how you plan to actually make this thing fly? :-D ;-)

looks like it is coming along nicely so far. it's amazing to see all this stuff fabricated from scratch. i need some damn tools!

[CrimsonSky]

Yeah it does take a bunch of tools--to do accurate stuff..but not expensive ones!

[Kurtis]

well i also have the problem of having nowhere to put any tools. i don't have room for a workbench either :-P

[IronSight]

Looking pretty cool, hope to see more.

Looks like the other mods have died? :(

[Dyrewolph]

Looking pretty cool, hope to see more.

Looks like the other mods have died? :(

your kidding right? Its only just starting to liven up!

[Kurtis]

what other mods have died? my antec sonata was officially scrapped (it was a great learning experience though), but Brian's worklog is going to be picked up this summer where he left off, and Dyrewolph's working on his, Bryan is working on his, and of course, Paul is doing some kickass mods which we can't even come close to with ours :-P

[IronSight]

Well, they're not dead, just taking a leave of absense.

I want to see more progress on that DoomIII mod, that looked fantastic.

[Brian]

Awesome Crimson! I've been waiting to see this one start up. I was reading some discussion on if you would use mini LCD screens for the gauges, I think someone suggested that. Do you have any thoughts on using those or do you plan on trying to go with actual gauges?

[J2T]

wow, very impressive already. Another great mod of yours to follow.

[CrimsonSky]

Here's a few pics to that shows the direction I'm taking with cooling the PSU and HDDs. I made a dual drive rack from angle and flat stock aluminum and will be mounting a modified ThermalTake CPU cooler on the back. There is also a duct that will snug up against the TT fan to allow the warm air to exhaust out the bottom of the case. To the right of that you see the white model of the PSU I made earlier. The PSU will also have a duct behind it to vent the air out, although this box-like unit will be made from sheet styrene.

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing3-(4).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing3-(3).jpg

http://stealth.cableorganizer.com/stealth/stealth_framing3-(6).jpg

[IronSight]

Look'n fab.

More. :)

[SlipSand]

Whoah man very nice.

[PennyManDeux]

Will the styrene duct you are going to make for the PSU be sturdy enough? I don't know how strong that stuff is, but it is fairly soft plastic enabling you to work with it easily right?

[CrimsonSky]

Will the styrene duct you are going to make for the PSU be sturdy enough? I don't know how strong that stuff is, but it is fairly soft plastic enabling you to work with it easily right?

actually its exremely strong, high impact resistant material...styrene is what the housing on your monitor is made from....and a bazzilion other products.

[Brian]

I'm going to have to give styrene a try when I get time to work on modding again.

[PennyManDeux]

Hey Crimson Sky, are you busy with other things or taking a lot of time on the mod and will amaze us with some crazy awesome update?

[Kurtis]

yeah he's busy with a lot of things at once. this coming week he's going to be in cali all week b/c he'll be appearing on TechTV

[tombf2g]

I am so impatient.

[PennyManDeux]

Jimminy Jilikers Radioactive Man! I mean Crimson Sky! Where's the updates?!

I thought you were further along that what you have posted here.

[CrimsonSky]

Here are some production pics I took last week showing the interior of the "shell" and aluminum framing. Can't resist polishing the metal so there will be a combination of painted and polished metals on the frame--even though you wont see much of it from the outside, its the small details that scream "custom" :)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_prod_1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_prod-(1).jpg


The Antec Neo PSU was a perfect fit. Having a paper model of the PSU was a great help in construction.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_prod-(14).jpg

The canopy and control surfaces are in the works, and once these are finished and wired up, the interior of the shell will be reinforced with resin and fiberglass, then the rig will be painted and assembled. This entire shell breaks down into smaller parts, and can be 100% disassembled if needed. When creating a complex project like this, you really need to make everything accessable--and not build yourself into a corner by creating hardware/component roadblocks that prtevent the rig from being altered or repaired easily.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_prod-(16).jpg


I really like the angles of this shell. Fitting all the components inside was a challenge!~

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_prod-(7).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

This portion of the rig is the back panel. made from .0080 styrene, its very intricate in the way it fits on the case as you can see. :)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_back_pane-(10).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_back_pane-(11).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_back_pane-(4).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_back_pane-(26).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_back_pane-(21).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_back_pane-(33).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

Project Nighthawk will have its debut at the Le Bourget Airshow (http://www.paris-air-show.com/) in Pars June 13-19 --Cableorganizer.com will be there and it will be at their booth--Then this creation will be at Million Man Lan on the 23-26.

Since there will definetly be pilots there wanting to take this rig for a spin, there was only one choice I could make for a flightstick and throttle--the all metal Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS which is on its way to me--cant wait to try out this thing--

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/Seong-Ho_FLCS1.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/Seong-Ho_FLCS2.jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/box.jpg

[J2T]

Yay, an update. Looking pretty damn nice man. ;-)

[Brian]

Was wondering where you were! Awesome work man. This is where it all starts to take shape and it is looking great. Can't wait to see more.

[IronSight]

Nice work.

Keep it coming! Keep it coming!

[CrimsonSky]

Here are some in progress pics that i did not have time to post earlier in the project. I have a bunch more but I need some rest tonight:

Bottom of the case:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/nighthawk_finishing-(34).jpg

Fitting the touch screen Monitor:

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/nighthawk_finishing-(55).jpg

HUD area with opening for Crystal Fontz 635:

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/nighthawk_finishing-(7).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/nighthawk_finishing-(74).jpg

[CrimsonSky]

Project Nighthawk is completed and delivered!...There are a few details that were not completed in time for the Paris Airshow, like the laser etching for the HUD and some insignia...I'll get to this when its in my hands again fir a LAN event. The owners of Cableorganizer.com were thrilled with the project and are having fun playing with it. They are some awesome folks at that company, a real role model for the small to medium sized business, and I can't wait to work with them again. Anyway I just got in the door but here is a first pic. I'll put more up later. Thanks to all for following along with the project! :) :)

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_complete_1.jpg

[CrimsonSky]

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/nighthawk_pics-(33).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/nighthawk_pics-(35).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_complete-(65).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_complete-(70).jpg


Paul Holstein approaching take off speeds in a Cessna:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/stealth_complete-(78).jpg

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/projects/nighthawk/nighthawk_pics-(22).jpg

[PennyManDeux]

Awesome! That is great work as always Crimson! You really jumped ahead with the pics though. Do you have any other in-progress pics you will be showing? It would be cool to see some pics of how the components sit inside the final shell.

Are there gaming specific buttons on the case? I see several red buttons and the secondary computer screen. Did you have to do some kind of programming to get those to work with the game?

Can't wait to see the etching. That will top off the mod nicely.

Great job. Can't wait to see the rest of the Doom 3 mod now :-P

[Kurtis]

Great work Crimson. Looks really smooth. I'm also very interested in the rest of the pics you didn't have time to post. I'd love to see how you fit everything in there etc, and also it would be cool to know what you did to get that small screen to output the various dial... things...

Once again, GJ. 8-)

[IronSight]

Woah.. Well done.

[Nick]

Am i the only who thinks its funny that the action shots of the thing show it simulating a Cessna?!?!??!

That is definitely a nice looking system.

[J2T]

Am i the only who thinks its funny that the action shots of the thing show it simulating a Cessna?!?!??!

That is definitely a nice looking system.

lol, no I thought that as well.

Just to echo everyone else...outstanding job man, really awesome. :shock:

[blackjet]

That is an amazing piece of work!!!! im intrigued tho.....how did u get the dials to appear on the small LCD screen?

[CTM420]

Thats MS Flight Simulator in those pics, if I am not mistaken, which supports as many moniters as you have on your PC. I am guessing he just dragged the dials/controls window to that screen when they ran the flight sim. I've done that with MS FlightSim running with two screens, so I had a larger 3D view of the landscape and the dials were on a second smaller screen.

Some details on the final specs of the case, and components would be cool...

Kudos CrimsonSky on a sweet custom case!

[CrimsonSky]

hey thanks all for the kind feedback!--yah the cessna is the easiest to get up off the ground and flying with MS FS, so we used that to test it out. :-) funny shtuff.

Specs:

AMD64 3700
MSI Neo Platinum
Onboard SB Live! 7.1 audio
Dual MSI 6800's
1GB Corsair XMS
2x Western Digital 74GB Raptors Raid-0
Antec Neo Power 480 PSU
Swiftech MX64 Heatsink
Panaflo Fans

[Blueforest]

Looking pretty cool, hope to see more.

Looks like the other mods have died? :(

oh ,my god. best cool !