Imperial Probe Droid Pod - 232 Version

Well, it's official.....I'm no longer a virgin.............
I've just finished my first SS model.

I decided to do the 232 probe droid pod to put into our local modelling competition for the weekend (10th and 11th). I had all of the parts, including the plastruct stuff and decided to build it from all original bits, no castings (this time....).

It took about two weeks, working for 2-3 hours per night (all the time I had). The hardest parts were aligning the hulls and measuring and masking the markings on the domes.

I used styrene strip (cut from sheets) and fine rod to help align and support the hull joins (picture 2). Each end had a pentagon backed with styrene discs to support the central tube/armature. I put thin discs on the outside of each end pentagon to help aligning the T-34 wheel and the Lotus rim.

The "armature" is simply different widths of styrene tube slipped into each other, with a piece of rod as the centre stopper. The metal model support rod from the base, slides into the central tube from the front of the pod and rests against the styrene stopper rod. This way the pod can be taken off the base for transport.

The pics show the progression from pile of kits to unpainted complete pod, with two schematics for the "armature" (slide 1 & slide 2).

The second set of photos show the primered pod to finished weathered model on the display table. i think I may have gone a bit overboard on the "soot" around the engine(s), but I kept the weathering fairly light on the rest of it.

Colours used were Tamiya Haze Grey (rattle can) and German Grey, with flat black soot. Drybrushed with pastel chalks, then sprayed with Testor's Dullcote to finish. I tried to give the engines a bit of a burnt ceramic look (as with the insides of jet exhausts), a creamy brownish colour, but the Dullcote seemed to wipe it out pretty well.

As to the competition.........it came second in its class.............out of two!

The comp was mainly military and planes and they were'nt looking for gaps between components, open holes and visible ejector pin marks!

Anyway, it was primarily built for me and the comp was just motivation to get it finished.

Thanks go to Lee for the most of the initial interest and ID's for this thing, as well as Jason and Allen H's builds for inspiration and photographic guidance for the placement of parts. Also thanks for the reference from all of the other pod builders here that have gone before me. You all know who you are and were a great help in determining how I tackled the build.

Cheers and enjoy,

JT

This should of got first place mate. Next year we'll have ten Ss models instead of two. We should have our own category. Murray can you sort it for next year? We'll only need about eight tables. Nice work mate , now build a bloody x-wing already.

Ps need to catch up and cast off some sprues.

Great job JT, good to see you pop ya cherry so to speak . You know what happens when you complete your first SS project, there a SOOOOO many more waiting for you.

lee

JT, nicely thought out and great execution. That's what I like to see!

Marvin

Awesome build of an awesome design from an awesome film!! Congrats!!!

Looks great! I love how clean these look with just the primer on.

I've seen all the build threads in this forum, and I've read the pioneering work done by Ralphee. I'm just curious as to what you guys use as reference for these pods? Each other's great work?

I have the 4 or 5 photos that have been publicly posted. I only ask because I've been reading and learning so much on here. I'm a 3D modeler, but I have an itch to get my feet wet with the real thing.

Thanks guys.

Simon, I was fairly and squarely beaten by a better competition model. That Mule was nice. As to X-Wings, I need to have a life as well, and an X-Wing would take me months You realise that for the last two weeks I haven't done any housework!

Jason and Lee, much appreciate your builds for reference and Marvin, your pics of your 223 version helped my thinking on the "armature", so thanks again.

Tsophika, all the reference I used is in the 232 pod threads in the Studio Scale Models section right here. I just did various searches for 232, lr232, droid pod, etc. and read all of the threads.

Cheers, JT