STAR WARS Hero X Wing Scratchbuild from Maxi Brute

incrediPAUL said:

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thanks to PHArchivist for that comprehensive fuselage comparison.

No problem - my pleasure. I've since acquired a V3. I should redo the shot. Then all that would be missing would be the Icons and the eFX.

NItto 1/35 Sdkfz251/1

kh39 said:

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NItto 1/35 Sdkfz251/1

Thanks for that... I knew there was something off about that Tamiya part.

I missed some PMs when my Inbox was full. Please resend or share here.

I've got a v3.1 I plan to make into red 2. Mike was sure to give me the correct parts for the inner wing engine details.

This is the first time I noticed that the engine details were different, apart from the turkey feathers.

What kit are they based on (if anyone knows)? Or is it just that the added details are different? I'm assuming since Jason's is a scratch detailed part, that it isn't a known kit part. Thanks in advance for any help.

moffeaton said:

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Here's Blue 1 (Red 2)'s engines:

Tough call on the kit part IDs, considering most of it appears to be 'conduit' details. The only parts I can spot are from the Fujimi 1/76 Jagdpanther. This is consistent with the engine we are all familiar with as it uses other parts from the same kit. Specifically u bolts/brackets and exhaust. Forgive any errors in kit-armor terminology.

Some of the flatter segments of the Red 2 engine with tiny raised details are all from the same part. You can just barely see the little raised parts catching the light. It must have been cut in segments and used throughout the design. Without better reference I coudln't say for sure but it looks like the tiny triangle with raised pegs could be a bogey from yet another jagdpanther part.

Is there Red 2 reference out there that could reveal more? I am wondering if these engines have panel lines as well.

What intrigues me is that the panels added along the seam of the engine halves are the same on all X engines. We can also see one of the bent conduits is in the same location as well. Perhaps some molds were made before the engine master was completed? Or the Red 2 engines are based on a modified version of the 'standard' engine. Either way when you factor in the intricacy of the design and consistency of the location of the parts... its seems certain these were cast parts.

Begging the question: why don't we see these engines on other birds? They sure are purty.

I reckon they weren't seen on other birds because this one was in England when the majority of work was done on the other Xs. Same reason that the Red Y has some differences (neck details "mirrored" from all others).

The engines I have are mastered by a friend, who indeed found everything kit part-wise. I'm not naming names, unless he wants to make himself known (and get a bunch of "me too!" PMs, lol). But I do know all those Blue 1 engine details are off of positively IDed model kits - no scratchbuilding. Again, not my place to say what they are, and honestly I didn't write it down/remember anyway, sigh.

For this one, I'm going to try to make it a straight replica of Blue 1 - no droid, cockpit, pilot, canopy glass! Just an empty hole that shows the armature. Also, the mounting plugs on the bottom/sides are different - and A LOT of panel lines on the fuselage are different - even the Artoo hole is in a different spot!

V3 (red 3/4 representation) and Blue 1 parts:

Surely they didn't send the molds for the engine overseas? I should change my phrasing as well. I should have never said Red 2... as it was certainly the Blue 1/Leader engine first.

Looking forward to seeing that Blue X... no doubt you'll do it up proper, and IMO the perfect 'excuse' to show off that metal underneath.

That's a seriously cool engine Jason!

The rear engines for all of the models were castings. For the hero models, the rear engines were cast as one part, just one half of the engine. Then two of these castings were attached to the aluminum tube that was the armature housing for the engine lights and wiring.

The rear engine pattern for Blue Leader/Red 2, which was the first X-Wing built as Jason mentioned, was unique among all the models. The rest of the models, hero and pyro all used the same familiar base pattern. I agree that it would be interesting to understand why they switched patterns.

The pyro rear engines were cast whole. No lights, no wires, no need for a metal tube.

Ah, just noticed that you're Beaz!

Scott Graham said:

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Beaz should win an award for his x-wing ID effort!

Thanks!

Yeah when it comes to X-Wing, Beaz is the best !

I don't understand the way the droid strip ends before the r2 unit in Jason's pics. I'm assuming it's the red 3/4 configuration. I've noticed it before on some versions of the salzo x. I've looked at pictures of red 3 and haven't noticed that on any the studio models either. And I have a pretty good collection. Maybe I'm just missing it.

Can anyone explain that please? On which versions would it stop short?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

I think that this must be why. The droid strip seems to be sanded on an angle and the front is still curves around the droid. Something Frank had mentioned in another thread that showed a squared off front of the strip threw me for a loop. Or am I still wrong? This is a pic of red 3.

Sorry Incredipaul. I'll shut up now...

MonsieurTox said:

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Yeah when it comes to X-Wing, Beaz is the best !

Indeed... and kudos to those re-reading the threads in the first post. Anyone scratching an X should at least send Beaz a thank you card. Seriously someone send this guy a Yavin medal... and cue the music.

Scott Graham said:

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Sorry to keep hijacking...

I've collected data from the forums here that the turkey feathers are from an f-4j phantom or an f-15. Does anyone know the correct answer?

The Phantom F4E is what I used to make my engine and it has the correct feathers. Having never purchased an F4J I cannot confirm but it is my understanding this is where you will find the shorter versions of the same feathers.

Scott Graham said:

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I think that this must be why. The droid strip seems to be sanded on an angle and the front is still curves around the droid. Something Frank had mentioned in another thread that showed a squared off front of the strip threw me for a loop. Or am I still wrong? This is a pic of red 3.

Sorry Incredipaul. I'll shut up now...

If you have the photo of the Hero fuselage top you will notice that the angle is incorporated as part of the buck and there is no hole for the droid. The droid mounting point would be drilled and the strip is a separate assembly attached later. This is why you see variation in its location as it would have to be cut out on the R2 end.

Please post away... it'll keep this thread active while I finish the remote.

I am in need of expert help with kits...

I've got the Nichimo 1/500 Yamato or Musashi down for those lovely tiny round things w/rivets on the droid strip. I've also got a lead on a 1/550 Musashi... should I bother?

I had read of a modficiation to a Yamato tooling. Is this something else to consider? Or does the modified tooling only apply to the Tamiya releases?

Give us a lesson on the many Yamatos... any help would be greatly appreciated.

incrediPAUL said:

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I've got the Nichimo 1/500 Yamato or Musashi down for those lovely tiny round things w/rivets on the droid strip. I've also got a lead on a 1/550 Musashi... should I bother?

You'll definitely want to stick with the 1/500. The 1/550 kits are not the same.

incrediPAUL said:

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I had read of a modficiation to a Yamato tooling. Is this something else to consider? Or does the modified tooling only apply to the Tamiya releases?

Yes. The Tamiya Yamato gets mentioned around here a lot because it was used extensively by the ILM shop. You won't need it for your X-Wing build, though. It was retooled recently (in the 90's?) so if you need one for another model, you want to be sure to find the vintage tooling.

As far as I know, there was only ever one version of the 1/500 Nichimo Yamato/Musashi.

incrediPAUL said:

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The Phantom F4E is what I used to make my engine and it has the correct feathers. Having never purchased an F4J I cannot confirm but it is my understanding this is where you will find the shorter versions of the same feathers.

You can use either F-4E or F-4J for the rear engine housings. What's a lot of fun is that some F-4J kits came with the shorter afterburner cans and the rest come with the longer cans:



Both of those came out of F-4J kits. It's luck of the draw, in my experience. Just part of the fun of building these.

I owe a LOT to the good people here at the RPF - people like Beaz, Lee, Allan, Julien, Ryan, Steve Neisen, etc - when people team up, magic happens!

Indeed ! “Two heads are better than one”!
In another words, you guys are “SEVEN SAMURAI”!.

Paul,

attached is the parts from the incomplete Sea Lab III I got stung with. You said you needed the bits in the centre line which you can have mate. You can have all the parts marked 'YES' if you need them as you went out of your way to help me out when no one else would. I have a full Sea Lab III that was unopened. I had to open it just to make sure the kit was actually in it Just PM me with your shipping specs & I'll send it off in the next day or so. Oh the clear piece had pieces glued to it & isn't in 100% condition. But you can have the spare orange piece that is in 100% condition which is exactly the same. Maybe I could buy some castings of your Droid Strip, Butt Plate, Engines............

Wow, could anyone make molds of those parts used on the X-Wing ??

omes72 said:

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Paul,

attached is the parts from the incomplete Sea Lab III I got stung with. You said you needed the bits in the centre line which you can have mate. You can have all the parts marked 'YES' if you need them as you went out of your way to help me out when no one else would. I have a full Sea Lab III that was unopened. I had to open it just to make sure the kit was actually in it Just PM me with your shipping specs & I'll send it off in the next day or so. Oh the clear piece had pieces glued to it & isn't in 100% condition. But you can have the spare orange piece that is in 100% condition which is exactly the same. Maybe I could buy some castings of your Droid Strip, Butt Plate, Engines............

THANK YOU! It feels like Xmas already... .

Tox, I would be happy to help anyone with sealab parts but you might be asking the wrong guy. Check with omes72 first... *cough*pressure pot*cough.*