Wavey
Sr Member
I don't know if this prop has already been made and all the greeblies found, so here goes with a fairly cheap and easy build that should end up looking something like the original X-Wing control stick.
I'm at the parts gathering and ideas stage at the mo so this could take a bit of time to complete. Eventually I want to end up with one control stick made from all vintage parts - this one won't be totally screen accurate but I like the idea of using all real parts to get close. Then a second stick molded from the first that with a little modding should be very close to screen accurrate.
Starting with the control grip. After some research and comparing with the limited amount of movie caps and set photos available it became aparent that the grip may not be a real aircraft stick. So following an idea that a number of gadgets for Star Wars were bought from 'Dixons' (including headphones, turntable parts and possibly Eumig cameras), I found the Chinon 722-723 range of 'Super 8' recorders. These were sold exclusively through Dixons from the late 60s onwards - so there's just enough logic behind the idea to suit my purposes, even though the look of the camera grip doesn't exactly match the X-Wing's at this stage. After cutting a hole, the trigger switch can be turned the other way and remain usable.
Next up, the top greeblies. Two mid 1950s RAF parts, a relay by Hendrey Relays and a switch by PYE. I'm 99% sure the relay is this type used in a Vickers Vanguard as it inlcudes an extra rubber grommet base. However, being a hard to find part I may use this second type of relay (for Hunter to Vulcan to Victor) as it has almost the same dimensions and a slight extra detail on each end - a thumb grip indent on one end and a small hole in the other that I will put a red LED behind.
The PYE switches are available on the Project Runs thread.
More to follow....
I'm at the parts gathering and ideas stage at the mo so this could take a bit of time to complete. Eventually I want to end up with one control stick made from all vintage parts - this one won't be totally screen accurate but I like the idea of using all real parts to get close. Then a second stick molded from the first that with a little modding should be very close to screen accurrate.
Starting with the control grip. After some research and comparing with the limited amount of movie caps and set photos available it became aparent that the grip may not be a real aircraft stick. So following an idea that a number of gadgets for Star Wars were bought from 'Dixons' (including headphones, turntable parts and possibly Eumig cameras), I found the Chinon 722-723 range of 'Super 8' recorders. These were sold exclusively through Dixons from the late 60s onwards - so there's just enough logic behind the idea to suit my purposes, even though the look of the camera grip doesn't exactly match the X-Wing's at this stage. After cutting a hole, the trigger switch can be turned the other way and remain usable.
Next up, the top greeblies. Two mid 1950s RAF parts, a relay by Hendrey Relays and a switch by PYE. I'm 99% sure the relay is this type used in a Vickers Vanguard as it inlcudes an extra rubber grommet base. However, being a hard to find part I may use this second type of relay (for Hunter to Vulcan to Victor) as it has almost the same dimensions and a slight extra detail on each end - a thumb grip indent on one end and a small hole in the other that I will put a red LED behind.
The PYE switches are available on the Project Runs thread.
More to follow....
