A question for all those studio scale x-wing builders???

[bwize]

I have been working on a large scale (note I say LARGE scale, not studio scale)of the x-wing based off the large hasbro toy (yes, I have read nearly all the posts in the 1/24 x-wing thread). Now, I know that the toy is off as a whole by about 15% scale wise, but I have reworked her quite abit and she is looking nice. I plan on doing a variant based on the pre-production painting on the cover of the Art of Star Wars book and will use the Saturn V pieces, since they will be a bit large for the hasbro scale, they will work out great. I already have the Saturn parts on order and have the 1/72 sherman parts as well ( the sherman part on the buttplate still fits nicely, even at this scale.)

What I was wondering was, would any of you that still have the original parts, be willing to sell me some castings of a few parts that I would still like to use. The r2 strip on my model turned out to be 1" in width(after modification), roughly the same size of the r2 stips I have seen for your studio scales.

I would like the parts from the following kits:
messerschmitt(r2 strip)
scharnhorst( if you have the piece already trimmed down, width wise, that would be great)
hawker hurricane(r2 strip)
ticonderoga(r2 strip)
monogram 8rad #91 or 92
airfix 1/72 panther hull
hummel part#51 (x2)
would like the shiden part as well, don't know if it will fit?

I hope that I am not overstepping some boundry. I know the hard work alot of you have put into your studio scales and the tremendous amount of info you all have provided here. I thank you all so very much, if it were not for you all, I would never have attempted a project like this. All your fine work is a great inspiration to everyone.

Bryan

 

[Jeeves]

Bryan -- sorry i can't help you out myself, but I've got to say your project sounds cool! Please share some more info (perhaps over in the scale modeling forum) on your project when you get a chance!

Good luck,
-Raj

 

[bwize]

Thanks anyway Jeeves. I though it would probably be a long shot since the 1/24 x-wing thread is a couple years old and with Capt. Carboard's most excellent kit (unfortunatley no longer available) having been produced during the run of the thread. But, I will give it a few more days before abandoning all hope. Since I may not be doing an accurate x-wing, I may just use bits from the spares box. But, I will get a better idea once I get the saturn parts and put them up against my piece. I may go forward with an as accurate rep as I can get, not sure. There are so many deatails about the hasbro that really match the studio minatures that it almost feel like a travisty to not get it as accurate as possible.

I have the MPC 1/48 scale x-wing as well and may decide to make it into the early production version instead since it really not all that accurate. I will try to take some progress pics this evening and post them tomorrow. Maybe that will inspire someone to help me out.

Bryan

 

[Treadwell]

From the parts you need, I take it you're remaking the R2 strip and the buttplate? I have those kitbashed up, and would have happily poured some casts for you, but I haven't made molds yet and it's probably going to be a while before I do.

 

[bwize]

Thanks Treadwell. Yes you are right. I am needing parts just for the R2 strip and buttplate. My R2 strip is roughly the same width as the studio scale, just a bit short for the kitbashed strip. So, as the parts on the kitbashed strip have some play in the spacing, I figured that I could still use the same parts if I spaced them closer to one another. As for the buttplate, same goes for the kitbashed piece you have. It would be the wrong size for my x-wing. I still used the 1/72 sherman hull, but as my buttplate is 15% smaller, it takes up more room. That is why I think the shiden parts will not fit. I plan on scratching it at this scale. I could use the tamiya 8rad piece since it is a bit smaller, BUT since I still am using the sherman hull, the monogram piece would look better. The rest of the details can be easily scratched.

I have a 1/24 spitfire that has some parts that with some work could look very close to the hurricane and messerschmitt parts, and I think that I will use the rims/tread rollers?? from a 1/35 sherman as I noticed that the 1/72 parts looked very close to the studio scale parts for the ends of the laser cannons.

I know that most would have used the estes rocket, but after going through the 1/24 thread and after getting the hasbro in my hot little hands and seeing how much the rocket is going for these days, I decided that I would rather give the toy a chance. Even though the toy is not "studio scale" as touted, it is still very close and will make into an impressive piece. Also, the toy is much more rigid and forgiving. to date, I have removed the cockpit, opened the cockpit windows (the frame is very good), reduced the width of the R2 strip and have removed the handle piece on the lower fuselage and replaced with sheet styrene and recontoured the area. That was the the one part that gave the most fear that I could not get it to look right as it basically involved reaplcing most of the bottom rear section of the lower fuselage. Well, after the fact, it looks great and realy stoked my motivation for this project. I will really try to post some pics tomorrow for those who might be considering the toy as well.

Bryan

 

[bwize]

Well, here a few progress shots of my x-wing. Sorry if they appear a bit dark/grainy, I need to increase the light level when i take these pics next time. Adjusted them to help.

Anyway, maybe this will inspire someone to help me out. Like I said in my last post, I have removed the cockpit framing and have opened the windows up (not seen) and have begun the base for the cockpit itself. I made the dashboard?? last night, but i think that it is too long and does not set up high enough. Mind you, I am going for the look of the full scale prop rather than the small scale filming minature. I have also reduced the width of the r2 strip by adding strips of styrene and changed the angle of the upper fuselage area around the r2 strip to better represent the filming minature. I also extened the r2 strip closer the the rear of the cockpit, as it sat too far back. I have noticed that the overall shape of the upper fuselage around the r2 strip and particulary the area that blends into the buttplate, closer resembles the large scale minature, you know the nearly 4ft one. I have also removed the handle that was molded into the underside and replaced it with sheet to match it with the contour of the lower fuselage. enlarged the wing openings in the fuselage as well as removed the large panel detail on either side behind the cockpit because it was placed too far back and was too toy like in quality. I will be adding a scratched detail in its correct location later.

I have also droped a couple of pics of a little further progress on my Ertl Flacon, mainly the rebuilt upper gun and some added detail on the underside. I added the detail on the sides of the docking clamp arms and have used parts from a 1/24 spitfire to scratch a better looking gun. Doesn't exactely match the scale model, but looks way better than just the stock piece. I detailed it to follow the details of the 5ft.

Enjoy
Bryan

http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585x-wing_cockpit.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585x-wing_cockpit_side_view.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585x-wing_cockpit_interior1.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585x-wing_underside.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585x-wing_top_view.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585x-wing_buttplate.JPG

http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_underside.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_gun_side.JPG

 

[bwize]

OOPS!! I have copied this thread over into the General Modeling forum as I feel that it really belongs there. Sorry for any missuse of this forum. If I could delete it I would. Please see the new thread over there.


Bryan

 

[boatbuilder1]

looks great but I thiunk you will have the same problem I did the fuzzy is not wide enough
I used the hasbro toy as well and Ihad to add 3/8 of an inch in the middle of the fuzzy so all the parts would line up propery on the butt plate
it was a pain cutting the fuzzy in half then fitting all back together again

 

[bwize]

Thanks Boatbuilder1 for the encouragement, especially from someone who has done a FANTASTIC job with their model. I have seen your work over in the yahoo group. WOW! I took all that into consideration before deciding to use the hasbro rather than the estes rocket. I also see that you extended the length of the fuzzy on yours. That probably eliminates much of the scale issue with the hasbro (adding Length and width). But, the hasbro is much more rigid and sturdy than the rocket and has all the right details to make a very nice representation of a x-wing in a very large scale. I had considered just getting the pro-shop and making it as accurate as possible, but the fuzzy is just too wrong, the hasbro came much closer to how it should be.

As for using some of the same kits pieces that the true studio scale model used, well most still fit, some do not. The sherman hull still fits, but the shiden will not, so I will scratch something similar to fit. I believe that all of the r2 strips parts will still fit 'cause I noticed that on the studio scale, there is some play in the spacing between these parts. I realized that I am willing to allow some degree of inaccuracies just to be able to have a large scale x-wing. I really don't think that my skills are up to the challenge of the likes of what you are doing to yours. I also am pretty sure that the saturn v pieces will be a little too big for the hasbro, but they should work fine for what i want to do, something in between the official design and the one seen on the Art of Star Wars book. Also, I am planning on using ertls anakin's podracer engines for the rear engines. They appear to be just about the right size and are deliciously detailed. Will know for sure when I get them tomorrow.

In the end, what I will have is a version the X that really culls from both all the studio scale miniatures, they all did after all vary quite abit in their details, and the production variants. Yet, one will still recognize her as the X.

Bryan

 

[PHArchivist]

Any recent pics of this project....?

 

[bwize]

OOPS. Sorry I missed this. I was actually able to obtain one of Mike's kits and have since shelved this project. The fx toy that I used had sooo many holes in it. Man, it was crazy. I had actually gotten as far as devising a way of making the wings positionable based of a photo I saw of one of the original models. Look forward to seeing how yours turns out.

Bryan