MCRN Corvette Class

ROCINANTE
Model by: Michael Grosberg
Grosberg.michael@gmail.com

General Instructions
Please read the instructions carefully before construction. Some parts may require some fitting or trimming – this is
indicated in the text of the instructions.

Paper Weights
I used 170gsm (~65lb) paper to build this model. Some parts are custom-fitted for this thickness.
The former pieces are planned so as to use 1mm thick cardboard. You can use 1.5 mm – cut along the dashed red
lines to fit them to this thickness.
The page after the former pieces contains Joining strips; print on thinner stock, such as ordinary printer paper.

Coordinate System
In the Expanse show and novels, the Rocinante is described as standing on end, so that the drive is "down" and the
bridge is "up". However in order to make it easier to differentiate the sides on the model during the build, I used the
standard aircraft scheme as seen in the drawing.

This model is fan tribute to the show “The Expanse”. I do not charge money for this. I do not claim copyright over the design or any registered
trademark. The Expanse is copyright SyFy Channel and Legendary Entertainment.
 Drive Module

Close C1, C2, into cones with the printed side facing
Former piece: Slide two K1 parts into groves in two
outward, and C3, C4 as cones with the printed side facing
otherK1 parts. Glue K2 on one side and K3 on the other.
inwards. Use joining strips as indicated. Connect C1 and
C2 using joining strip P3 and C3 and C4 using joining
strip P4.
Close C5 into cone using joining strip P9. Close C6
temporarily into an inward-facing cone without glue and
slide into C5 to check the fit. If the fit is correct, glue
inside C5. If not trim a bit off one end before connecting.
Glue C5+C6 into the back of the drive.
Slide C3+C4 into C1+C2 and glue the rear end’s
perimeter.
Glue the entire construction into the back of the drive.

Form A1 and A2 into a single closed shape using joining

strips P1 & P2.
Close the rear opening using part A3. Fold the extruding
triangles over the remaining tabs.
Apply glue on the inner side of A3 and outer side of K2 on
the former piece, and insert former into construction
making sure it’s centered. Form B5 into an octagon. Fold
the tabs on A4 90 degrees inward and slide B5 into A4
until the white area on B5 is not visible from the outside.
Glue the tabs to the white area.
Fold the front tabs on A1/A2 inward. Slide the combined Fold 6x C8 into open-bottomed tapered boxes and glue
A4/B5 into the gap between the former piece and the on 6 blank areas near the rear end and on the six slats.
folded front tabs on A1/A2. Cut the marked area out of
B1. Cap the opening on B5 using B1. Fold 8x C7 as shown in detail – first fold sides inward,
then fold two tabs on each side inward 90 degrees, then
glue the edges of the forward part onto the tabs. Don’t
glue to drive module yet.
Cut a single B7 and fold into an elongated box open at
both ends. In theory the B7 should be cut along the line
between the two small triangles, but inaccuracies in the
build can change the needed length. So cut the full length
first, Test the fit, and then cut away until it’s the right
length with the flat end touching a C7 and the angled end
touching one of the light-gray squares on B2.
Use this length to cut all B7 pieces, then glue each set of
two B7 and one C7 at a time, as indicated below.

Form B3 into an octagon and A6 into a square, folding

their tabs inward. Glue both on the blank area on A3 – the
dotted area marks the position of A6. Cap with C5.
Fold the tabs on B2 inward. Glue B6 on the outer
perimeter and B4 on the inner perimeter.
Glue the result on A3.
 Cargo Module
Score the fold lines on E1 and E2. Glue assembled D2,
D3, D4 units into place with the tabs under the surface of
E1 and E2. E2 is recognizable by the blank areas
indicated with a red circle.

Cargo hold former: Slide two L1 parts into two L2 parts.

Slide L1+L2’s into slits in L4. Slide M6 in front. Attach two
M2 and cap with L3.

Fold two D2, D3 and D4 into semi-enclosed shapes as

indicated. Fold E1 and E2 using 45 degree angles between each
surface, and use joining strips as indicated (on the inside
of the parts – the drawing above is only for reference) to
form the indentations at the front and ensure they hold.
Next, glue joining strip P14 to one side edge each of E1
and E2. Glue together on one side, then wrap E1 and E2
around former piece and glue the other gap.
Lastly swing front and rear tabs and glue onto surface of
the former piece.

Fold 2x E3, E5, E7 . Form 2x E4, E6, E8 into half-

cylinders.
Glue white areas on sides of E3, E5, E7 and equivalent
areas in D2, D3, D4, and assemble into place. Next, glue
E4, E8, E6.

Glue E3 over folded tabs at front of E1+E2. Attach 2x D7

(top and bottom), D6 on right and D5 on left, using the
tabs at the bottom to shape them into tapered boxes.
Next fold and attach F2, F7, E9, E10 parts as indicated in
drawing. Asterisk marks parts to be attached on opposite
side as well.
Fold G11, G12 and G13 into open-bottom boxes and
attach to E1 / E2. If you want to avoid edge-gluing, use
M10 as the bottom side of G11 and M11 as the bottom of
G13.
 Service / Crew Module

Form I1 using joining strips P15/16 to close gaps as

Service module former Piece: indicated. Glue joining strips P17,18,19 to bottom of I1.
Assemble M4 and M5 pieces into
an open rectangle, according to the
diagram. Glue M3 and M6 using
the light gray markings as guides.
Slide M7 and glue on light gray
marking.

Slide I1 around former piece until snugly fit. Form H1 and

glue to bottom of I1’s joining strips. On rear of assembled
unit, glue top and bottom tabs to former piece. turn
remaining tabs (three on each side) inward and attach to
service module, gluing tabs to indicated areas on D1 and
the socket and slots on the two former pieces to each
other.

Close D1 and slide over M3-7 assembly. Fold and glue

front and rear tabs.

Form J1 and J3. Fold tabs on rear of J1 inward, then slide

J3 inside, so that the inward-facing tabs on J1 are glued
to the white area on J3, and the tabs on J3 are glued to
Crew module former piece: assemble as indicated. the inside of J1.
Form J7 and glue on J5, then glue J5 on front of J1.
Lastly form and glue J9 on side of J1.
Repeat steps for J 2/4/ 6/8/10
 Service / Crew Module (cont.)

Form G1 and G2, using former piece K4 to shape the rear

of the pieces.

Form and glue F1. Form I2, I3 as indicated, without using

glue at first. Place on bottom of crew area and hold in
place. Test-fit F1 on areas in G2, H1, I2, I3. If piece
doesn’t fit, cut areas at front of I2, I3; then glue all parts in
place.

Glue J1 on left (notice five stars should be on top left) and

J2 on right. Glue G1 on top of assembled crew module.
Make sure rear of G1 aligns with rear of H1.
Glue H2 on remaining white area of H1, then glue G9
and G10 to front of G1. Form and attach I4, I5 (they are
not quite identical so notice left/right position of each), H5, Use four toothpicks or equivalents (length 66mm /
H6, H7. diameter 2.1mm) and wrap around them pieces as
indicated in drawing. Fold over H20 and H21 to achieve
double thickness and two-sided color and glue in place as
indicated.

Turn over. Attach G2, other G9, G10 same as G1. Attach
H4, I6, I7, G3, G4 on front. Fold over H8, H9 to double thickness. Punch small
Form and glue G5, G6, G7, G8, attaching them as circular holes in H8, H9a/b, I8, I10, indicated by red “x”
indicated. marks. Partially form I8, I10, keeping one side unglued
and open. Glue H8 and H9 inside as indicated. Slide
toothpick ends of antenna parts and glue in place. Close
"lid" and then glue I9 and I11 to close the parts. Lastly,
glue I8 to I3 and I11 to I2.
 Final Assembly Display Stand

Attach I8 to I3 and I11 to I2.

Cut parts 1-7 from 1.5mm thick cardboard.

Assemble according to instructions above – orange
Assemble all three modules into a single craft, using the indicates edges to apply glue to, that will not be exposed
tab-and-socket combos in the former pieces. after construction.
Paint suggestion: paint matte black, print labels an high-
quality paper and glue in place.

Form parts F3, F4, F5, F6 (two pieces each). Glue to

indicated places around the cargo module.
And that’s it! you’re done.