I empathise with that dilemma. That's why if I were making DS panels for my own personal displays, I just wouldn't replicate the one with the R2 strip, for example. But when I'm replicating a specific model (as opposed to a spaceship), then I'm compelled to go ahead and use that stuff. That's part of the madness of us Studio Scale nutjobs. 
minifig, those parts were subassemblies and needed to be molded anyway. Even the elefant part had other parts stuck on it, and they needed four per ship. Even if they only made two wing molds, they still needed duplicates of those sub-assemblies to prepare the masters.
Plus, most of the hero X-Wings had scratchbuilt wings, not solid one-piece castings.
minifig, those parts were subassemblies and needed to be molded anyway. Even the elefant part had other parts stuck on it, and they needed four per ship. Even if they only made two wing molds, they still needed duplicates of those sub-assemblies to prepare the masters.
Plus, most of the hero X-Wings had scratchbuilt wings, not solid one-piece castings.
