Revell Republic Star Destroyer, Venator Build with heavy mods'n upgrades

I've been building working on this build for over a year, and every time I think I see the end in sight, I find something else I want to do it.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll start to post some of the progress I've already made, and hopefully catch up to where I am.

A few goals I'm trying to accomplish with this build;
1. Light the model. Ill be using a mix of different LEDs, mostly 3mm and 5mm prewired for a 9V power source. I'll use a combination of straight LEDs, fiber optics, and backlit windows made from Micro Krystal Klear. I may use a couple of SMT LEDs on the flight deck.

2. Replacement of the existing hanger bay on the lower hull with a 3D Printed upgrade from Shapeways. I also have a set of 3D printed engine nozzle inserts.

3. Using small gauge brass/aluminum tubes/rods, and small gauge magnetic wire, add additional details/piping to the engines and heavy turbolaser recesses.

4. Scribe additional panel lines to the hull, and scratch build up the hull using styrene sheets and shapes.

5. The most ambitious part, which could make or break the build, modify the upper hull to display an open flight deck, complete with full squadrons of ARC-170s, ETA-2s, LAATs, V-wings, clone war Y-wing, v-19 torrents, Jedi starfighters. Flight deck will include Fighter and vehicle hangers.

I started out with two bottom hulls and no top hull (don't ask) but I was able to obtain a top hull half. Some of the early pictures show my first attempt at scratch building the top hull.

I also don't know why I chose the bridge lighting to be Red, chaulk it up to the flight deck being open and squadrons about to take off.

Beautiful job so far!

Going to attempt to use photobucket for the first time. If this works I'll post more tonight when I'm not work and I can use my laptop, doing this using my phone is a pain.

Nice work.... I know how you feel, I'm always doing way more detail than I originally intended. My biggest issue is building a part or a section, not liking it, then rebuilding it....sometimes 3 times. I have SO many "first try" parts I've scrapped. Anyway, can't wait to see the lighting. I'm currently at that stage too on my x-wing.

Here are a couple of shots of the engines.
I wired them with blue flickering LEDs, the kind used in restaurant tea candles.
Gonna prime then black then build up the colours from there. I'll use a sanding stick on the added pipes to scuff them up a little and get the metal to come through. Also had to sand the inner diameter of the engine nozzles in order to get the 3d printed nozzle inserts to fit.

I'll post pictures of the engines lit up soon.

Here are some picture of the 3D printed parts from Shapeways. I was able to get all the fighters in 1/2256 scale. They're small enough that I can get a couple of squadrons on the flight deck of each type. I was able to get them in both flight modes and landing modes, so some of them will hopefully be in the process of taking off.

I made the flight deck out of styrene sheet, and then made the entrances to the vehicle hangers from two styrene square tubes glued together. Once they set I cut out the centre out and filed down the nubs to make the entrances. I've been experimenting with using micro Krystal Klear to fill in these entrances to simulate the atmospheric shield between the vehicle hangers and the flight deck. We'll see...

The lower hanger bay:


The engine nozzle inserts:


The 1/2256 scale fighter:


Fighters on Deck:
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I was going to post more sooner, but life happens, and I busted my phone that had a lot of work in progress photos.

Here are some updates:

The engines and nozzle inserts before painting:



The engines painted a glossy black before an application of Alcad II Stainless Steel.











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I picked up a dremel drill press and attached a proxxon micro compound table to it.



This made it a lot easier to drill the sidewalls for the fiber optics.





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Had to modify the upper and lower hulls to be able to install the sidewalls with the fibers installed.





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And skipping forward, upper hull has been primed and painted, turbo canon barrels replaced with brass/aluminum tubes, runway lights have been run using fiber optics and the runway painted. The flight deck doors have been painted but I haven't permanently attached them and yet.










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And a couple of shots with the flight deck loaded with fighter squadrons and jedi starlight starfighters. Some of the flight deck fiber optics snapped because of the tight bend radius, but some of the effect comes through.









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It looks absolutely incredible. Just started building one and would be happy if it looked half as nice. Amazing job.

WOW!!! That is just the most awesome! Where did you get the all the star fighters?

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From Mel Miniatures on Shapeways
http://www.shapeways.com/product/RWCY7L69P/revell-venator-fighters-land-mode?optionId=59449728

Awesome!

Freeliner said:

And skipping forward, upper hull has been primed and painted, turbo canon barrels replaced with brass/aluminum tubes, runway lights have been run using fiber optics and the runway painted. The flight deck doors have been painted but I haven't permanently attached them and yet.

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Click to expand...

AWESOME! I recently did a Venator myself and got another one because I want to mod it how you've done yourself with the fight deck open. May I ask how you removed the upper flight deck? Really need the advice and tool tips!