1/3 Speeder Bike

DerekStanley

DerekStanley

New Member
Hi Guys, New to RPF. I started a 1/3 scratchbuild of the Imperial Speeder Bike way back in 1988 and it's still gathering dust on a shelf in the garage. I managed to get the main bike body ,engine and 'panniers done and cast but had to keep changing things as more reference material became available.When i started this thing there was no internet, books or forums to get reference from.All i had was the ERTL IP model so i took loads of measurements from that and multiplied by 3 , drawing plans up from there -I think the ERTL is 1/9 scale- so this is bigger than the Sideshow one and looks about the same size as the stop-motion model.It has a powered turbine which I planned to be switched from the console.It also has a foam rubber seat (lots of trys at that one)Got a bit stuck when I came to the handlebars & ducting but will pick it up again soon.I Also wanted to make a stop motion puppet to sit on it.Keep getting the urge to press on when I see the work being done on here so keep it up
Cheers Derek
 
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Sorry Guys...I do have some photos somewhere from 1988 but remember ....me no gotta de digital camera then!! Only 35mm. They weren't very good mind .I'll try to find them and scan them to post but I will dig the bike out and take some new pics just for you.Stay tuned
 
ok guys ....i cant find the mains adaptor for my scanner so I've taken some photos of the photos.They're not very good but will give you an idea of the size of the bike.I took the dimensions from the ERTL kit & scaled it up making paper patterns for the X & Y cross sections
the body was sculpted using a plywood skeleton cross section which was filled out with scrap wood then overlaid with car body filler...(Bondo to our US brothers).This was used purely because I was in the motor trade at the time so was plentiful (and FREE!) and it's very easy to shape & add more to , setting quickly.An idea of scale can be gained from the bike's 'nose' that I'm holding
 
The seat was sculpted using the bike seat area for it's main shape (masked up) then filler applied directly. Once the seat started to take shape it was removed from the bike and shaped properly and the seat pattern scribed in. I then made a two part resin mold of that into which I tried various ways to get a 'padded' seat.I tried black silicone but that was too hard.i tried latex -dyed black- which was painted in then pieces of sponge laid inside which worked ok but i kept getting deformities.
I also felt that the seat should have a vinyl texture so i sprayed 'wrinkle finish' automotive paint into the mold which gave a 'scaled down' texture.RESULT!
 
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Dont forget, you lot, that all I had for reference then was the ERTL kit. Way too small & lacking in detail. I did take a bit of liberty with some things and using crappy still VHS freeze frame (eh!) from the Film didn't make life any easier and the Internet was some years away !!!!
MY GOD!!! You don't know how lucky you are!
I decided i wanted some sort of movement seeing as there was nothing to illuminate. So,I set to.making a live turbine which I intend to be operated from the console via a micro switch (probably disguised as one of the main switches seen between the handlebars. This was constructed using tube (actually deodorant caps and some plasticard and glue ) for the outer housing which also holds the electric motor. the motor is a simple toy motor and the turbine is another domed cap from a spray deodorant with plastic strips glued in for the vanes.when it spins it makes a fantastic whine (actually the turbine rubbing on the outer shell!)
 
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Cheers! This pic of the rear seat area next to the ERTL kit shows the size.Overall the finished piece is around 3-31/2 feet long. cant remember exactly as I've not worked on it for a while. I also have the engine block done and have made the ducting pipes -although i've never been happy with those and need a rethink. Same again,I made the scoop/spoiler that slings under the front but the perspex i used is too thick so will re- make that too.I'll dig her out of the garage and take some more pics ( now we are digital and got interweb and stuff! )
 
Unfortunately the Internet , and sites like this mean you can't get away with a 'that's near enuff !' attitude. Although I dont expect it to be 'screen accurate' it's a subject that is instantly recognised. So, if it is to be scrutinised to the minutest detail and nitpicked at' then so be it, but it will be what it is. Besides ,the movie offers variations between the full size prop and the miniatures so what do you do?
I think the studio built the full size prop first for the live action sequences then the model-makers had the job of reproducing it for the stop motion work. might explain the lack of kit parts on the model although the odd shaped piece on the back of the bike is familiar.
 
Wouah that's big !
That's a very fine work !

Like most of the ROTJ models, they used less kitparts and they scratchbuilt most of the parts !
Although, they build a proto model of the spiderbike using a 312T body (front and side), flak38 shields for the bacl flaps and back side were made from F-15 E parts (I think does are additional fuel tanks in both side of the intakes on the real bird).
 
Here's some pics of the ILM speederbike (Luke's) I took in Belgium :

P3052550.jpg

P3052553.jpg

P3052551.jpg

P3052552.jpg


And here a pic took by ILM, it's 32" !

speederbikecote.jpg
 
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