ANH * Death Star Laser Turret

Hey guys,

Time to introduce this project to the world.

Back in early 2008 i visited the Star Wars exhibit in Brussels, with the sole purpose of taking pics of the ANH Death Star Laser Turret, Turbo Laser, Gun Turret or whatever you want to call it. I was lucky and the miniature was placed directly next to the edge of the display case, and took nearly 200 pics. God knows how i made 200+ pics of something so (relatively) simple.

I bought kits, made molds, and did 2d and 3d cad work in AutoCAD and Rhino.

Last sumer i rekindled that project while working on the APC's. So as not to interfere with the latter, i spent very very little time on it, but was somewhat shocked that it progressed much faster than the APC's. Sure, the geomotery lends itself to it, but it was obvious i had much to learn.

Now here's the thing. I will produce and offer these as partial kits, but NOT the donor kitparts. Nearly all parts will be machined from styrene or abs, just like the original. I'll break up the model, and offer each section seperately when it's ready, so you can buy whatever you like, and not just the entire model. This also shortens the 'time-to-market' if i may call it that.

When the APC's start hitting the airmailwaves, i'll slowly start up producing the parts for this model. The APC's are simply first in line.

A pre-order list will be opened before that (probably this week), and when your parts are ready to ship, you'll receive a PM or email to cough up the dough. Very different from all earlier offerings, but this is simply the way it should be done. And shame on me for not doing so earlier.

Without much further ado, here's the pics.

Earlier 3d version. The inner rings covered in the T-strip are not present, neither are the kit donor parts, except for the Mig 21 engine barrels.

Some of the kitparts that i got. Man, don't you just love that 1/48 Panther G. It's everywhere. I did buy the wrong 1/24 Panther for the rear deck, though.. aaarghh. It should have been the Jagdpanther. Something i know now due to the talented Cwkwankoo.

Bottom of the pic shows the plastruct T-strip (#T6, 4.8mm x 4.8mm x 1.5mm thick ).

The bog rolls on the left are actually papercovered, roughcut plastruct tubing for the barrels. Slots still have to be machined on those.



The base of the turret. Made up of 5 sides of 4mm styrene. Slots on the front, each rear has machined chamfered edges so they fit together perfectly. The base of the real miniature was so close to the glass, that i could take some dims, so this is probably as close to the real deal as you will get it.

Sure, the engraved lines are machined, so straight, as compared to hand made and wobbly on the original.

This is the first kit part to go up for offer, and will be made identical.



Each side, and the top, is covered in 1mm rectangular pieces. All pieces are included, and numbered, with a guide included.



The 'blocks' that sit at the rear of the barrels. Not finished yet. At the bottom of the pic is that slanted block that's underneath the Sherman parts.



Before i got the plastruct T-strip, i modeled and machined them from styrene. What a waste of time. Alas...

Cheers,

Wasili

 

You must have read my mind mate. This is the way I was going and this couldn't have come at a better time as I have most of the kitparts but hadn't started on the box as yet.
Please put me down for one. Excellent work there.

 

Cool idea, and, hell, id be in for a kit!

lee

 

I'm willing to give you another chance. I'm in for a kit as well. This seems to be done correctly...

So Mike Salzo was telling me he's about ready to start casting for the Sealab project, since the Y-Wings are wrapping up. Should I make the Laser Turret parts a priority? Good timing and all that?

 

I'm interested, but that APC project is taking so long and a preorder situation on this seems like it'll be a painfully long wait for delivery. Is there any way you can make the pieces and then sell them?

I'm kind of burnt out on ordering things that don't exist yet and having people not deliver them.

This looks great though! I'd love to use this as the base, since I've collected nearly everything else needed.

 

Cool idea Jason, I've already cast mine up but there isn't that many parts. I have cast most of my parts so if there's interest I could offer most of the rest.

 

Mike plans to pressure cast everything, so if you want to save yourself some rubber, you can!

 

Sounds good.

 

Thanx for the enthusiasm, guys....

@Scott Graham.
I can understand your sentiment. The APC is a whole different ballgame. It is so much more complex, bigger, and a truly multimedia offering. With this, i'm skipping the whole silicone mold time, the very very lengthy research and rebuilds, and so on. Also note i'm NOT taking cash upfront. Only when parts are done and ready to ship. A pre-order also lets me determine the runsize.

That said, the APC's are still first, and that is the only fair thing to do.

Btw, guys, i don't have an R2 strip yet, even though i have most of the kitparts to make one. Does anyone have a very good pic with a ruler next to it ?

Thanx.

Cheers,

Wasili

 

PM sent!! Great news!!

Steve

 

Good points wasili. I'm very interested!

It does seem that this is a much more straight forward project without all of the unknowns.

 

Nice!!!!

 

Very nice, indeed! I'd love to see a kit of this.

 

Have to knock heads Simon, well up for this, any kits we still need i can throw in the pot?


Lee

 

Awsome offering.
Please put me on the list for a full kit.

 

I'm in for a kit. Guaranteed that Fine Molds won't bring this out.

TazMan2000

 

Hey - that's pretty cool

 

I'm in for a few parts.

 

Superb work! I might be interested in one too, if price will allow me to.

 

cooool...

 

Great news, I´m in for one if the price is right!!

 

Looks like i chose the right subject to model

*********
Just to be a bit more clear. The model will be broken down into sections, and each section will be offered seperately, when they are finished.

I'll make a parts breakdown, and subsequent pricelist on thursday or friday, so we can go from there.

*********

Many thanx for the energy in here... Love it..

Cheers,
Wasili

 

Great plan for Laser turret Wasili :thumbsup

The followings are the kit list so far...
Actually, I finished most of the turbo laser excluding the details on the back side.
I'm wondering whether you can share me the pics of back side? if you don't mind...because I never find the detail pics to identify the donor kits.:cry

thanks Eric.

Airifx 1/24 Messerchmitt ME109
Airfix 1/600 Graf Spee
Airfix 1/24 P-51D
AMT 1/25 White Boss truck
AMT 1/25 Fruehauf Tanker
Aurora 1/48 M8 Carrier
Aurora Sealab
Aurora Saratoga
Bandai 1/15 Stug IV
Bandai 1/15 Hummel
Bandai 1/24 M60
Bandai 1/24 Jagd Panther
Bandai 1/24 Messerchmitt ME109
Bandai 1/24 German Tank 4 Type F2
Bandai 1/48 Panther G
Bandai 1/48 Matilda
Bandai 1/48 8 ton semi truck
Fujimi 1/76 Panther G
Fujimi 1/76 Sherman
Hasegawa 1/72 Sherman M4A3E8
Hasegawa 1/450 Yamato
Hasegawa 1/450 Akagi
Heller 1/400 LaSeine
Nichimo 1/35 Jagd Tiger
Nichimo 1/500 Yamato
Revell 1/32 MiG 21
Tamiay 1/12 Texaco Marlboro M23
Tamiay 1/12 Honda F1
Tamiay 1/12 Ferrari 312B
Tamiay 1/16 Sherman
Tamiya 1/35 M10 Tank Destroyer
Tamiya 1/35 8rad
Tamiya 1/35 Panzer III M/N
Peerless Max 1/35 1 1/2 - Ton Personnel Carrier
X-Wing Droid Plate

 

Eric... The blu ray has a 360 degree turnaround shot.

 

Yep!!! but it is not enough for me :cry

 

Hi Eric,

Thanx for your kitlist. I'll post some pics of the rear tonight when i get back, and reply more a single sentence.

Cheers,

Wasili

 

Hey Wasili, I'm in.

Put me on the list for what ever you'll be offering.

Jim C

 

Thanx Jim, and all the others, for your interest.

Tomorrow (thursday) i'll open up the JY thread with the parts breakdown, prices and the pre-order list.

I'm now going through my pics for some decent shots of the rear of the turret.

********

One thing i wanted to add regarding both the base and the top. Each is made of pre-machined 4mm sheets. You'll have the engraved lines in the front (horizontal and vertical lines), and the chamfered edges on the rear.

Additionally you can find some small rectangles scattered all over the surfaces. These are included as loose and numbered pieces.

Meaning that you will NOT get a ton of squares that cover a bare box, if you catch my drift.

********

Cheers,

Wasili

 

What a great project.

Nice work! Wasili
Thanks for all the sweat and labor.
If I had room I'd want to get one of these too
but I especially like that you using 3D Cad/Cam & RP to aid in the process.

Just Curious what 3D software you're using? , if you don't mind my asking

 

Hey guys,

Wanted to post the list tonite, but couldn't acces the rpf til now. Too late now, will do it tomorrowevening.

sorry.

Cheers,

Wasili

 

Thanks Wasili, all good, look forward to it, as stated, IN and now committed anyway going by recent kit purchases lol.

Bests.... Lee

 

Pre-order list in Junkyard is open:

***** EDIT (july 2013) : OLD BROKEN LINK REMOVED *****

Ralphee asked me transfer the names of members that stated here in this thread, they wanted on the kitlist. So please check the list (and the price, which wasn't determined when people expressed their interest), and if i need to change something, let me know, and i'll do so asap.

Have a good weekend.

Cheers,
Wasili

 

And i'll get to those pics of the back of the turret this weekend as well.

 

Wow, nice looking parts. Will keep an eye on this thread to see if I may want to upgrade some parts on my old tower.

 

What a great news. please let me in.

 

Hi Wasili,

Can you please tell me When do you post the pics of the rear?

thanks Eric.

 

Hi Eric,

Here's what I have of the back. Taken from screen photos of the TV. One is from the movie, and the others are from the blu ray revolving/turn around of the model. I wish they were clearer. They were taken with a good quality camera, but the details still get fuzzed out. It actually helps me see them clearer if I shrink them down on my screen.

The hummel vent part is easy to ID. I'm imagining that the three rectangular parts at the bottom are maybe 1/48 scale 88mm shell storage containers from the german halftrack. They look the right proportion. Also, to the left of the hummel part are a couple of those square internal engine parts with a circle on top that are probably part of the internal panther engine.

I hope that helps a little.

 

The little square boxes with the circle on top , are they not the same as the Bandai 1/48 panther bits all over the front? Also the rectangle at the bottom left is I think another radiator, possibly on the same sprue as the side ones from the 1/24 panther.

 

Also the pipe comming down from the Hummel vent is also from the hummel

 

heres a couple , not sure if the first is any better rez than scotts.



this one shows the depth and you can clearly see the stug strip sticking out between the hummel vent and hummel pipes. its the same config as on the starboard side.



Also i'm pretty sure the 3 rectangular boxes are the same as these 3 on the right.

 

Yeah those 3 rectangular boxes are 88mm anti tank gun containers.

 

I have selected the pics that show the rear, but still need to upload them.

On the left, right and above the Hummel vent/Stug strip are mostly 48 Panther G parts.

The turnaround shots from the Bluray also show that the kitparts on the base are on two sides, and not just one. Both sides have nearly all the steps broken off (see white dots from missing parts).

Cheers,
Wasili

 

Was there only one of these towers built?

 

Yup...

 

The ammo crates are out of the Bandai 1/48 kits.
I know there was some in the King Tiger.

 

Since I'll be building this model eventually, I did some full resolution captures straight from the discs. I hope they help others, too. Simon, I even grabbed one of the crane just for you!

Craig

 

These are great, clear pics. Wow!

Oh yeah, I forgot this was one of the rotating models they got backwards (because they must have filmed it with the turntable going the opposite direction than normal). The pics need to be flipped on the last 7 of them. They did it with the rebel transport too.

 

It's funny. I just checked my pics from the blu ray and they're the correct orientation. Mine don't need to be flipped. Maybe I did it after the fact and forgot.

 

I see what you mean. The turntable was indeed reversed, so to keep things straight I corrected them here.

Cheers,
Craig

 

thanks Craig you area gentleman.