UFO Invasion at Area 51- 2.0

Step 4 Cockpit

In my original display, I used a children's dome umbrella which I painted as the cockpit. Although inexpensive and functional, I was disappointed with the final results. So for the new incarnation, I decided to bite the bullet and order custom acrylic domes (which turned out to be the priciest item used in construction). After a google search, I found a company called EZ Tops World Wide Inc which manufactures plastic domes and replacement skylights. I placed the order by phone and they were a pleasure to work with.

For the main ship, we decided on a white acrylic dome 1/8" thick x 30" dia x 15" high plus 1/8 flange for $91. The cockpit for the second ship was a 3/16" thick (which I liked much better that the 1/8" thickness on the larger dome) x 20" dia x 10" high plus a 1/2" hole drilled in top center for $47. So after a total of $138, the real kicker was that it cost an additional $157 to ship, for a grand total of just under $300. They arrived in a heavy duty package (which doubles as a case for transport and storage) and were wrapped in protective tape to guard against scratching. Overall, they were worth every penny.

The interior of the domes were lit with the aptly named UFO Tent Light which cost $10 each. Since it was battery operated, it worked great on the smaller flying saucer, but I will probably use a larger single plug in bulb fixture next time for the mothership's cockpit because the dome was so large and it created a brighter hot spot on the top.