Guns Akimbo
Sr Member
Hello all, I added this little kit to my stash shortly after it was released. Being one of the first Star Wars vehicles seen racing across the screen with all of those engines ablaze made quite an impression on my young mind. Naturally, I wanted lights for my build but I knew I was in for a challenge; the model’s small dimensions offered little to no room for wiring or fiber optics, especially compared with the much larger resin offerings from garage kit sellers. Scrutiny of the internal snap-fit pegs and whatnot quickly quelled that idea…there’s simply not enough room to easily route even 2mm fiber optics to the engine block from a central light source. Then I saw the nifty lighting kit from fellow member Antsnest and promptly reached out to him.
Well, it took a while but I got it and it’s well thought out, so it looks like I’ll have my lit engines. As a plus I also plan to add light up the bridge viewport with either a single fiber optic filament or maybe even a pico LED. The minuscule dimensions of this window will necessitate my head magnifiers, the smallest tools I have and a very steady hand.
For the external livery the trim colors will be different because this will NOT be the Tantive IV. However it will have weathering typical of Rebel ships. I’m going to have to do something about those vacant escape pod sockets, so I guess this will be as good a time as any to try my fledgling resin casting skills and make a few extra pods to install at those locations.
Figuring out a game plan for wire routing:
Dry (test) fit of the major parts:
Ant's lighting kit. Included is the controller board & battery box (takes 3 AAA's), a plastic tube for mounting the completed model, a 3d printed base and 11 flickering LED's which are attached to appropriately-sized opaque inserts for mounting in the engine nozzles. The controller board and battery box clip into the underside of the base itself.
Controller board. Soldering done after threading the wiring down through the mounting tube.
Finally the LED's. They kind of remind me of gummies lol.
Well, it took a while but I got it and it’s well thought out, so it looks like I’ll have my lit engines. As a plus I also plan to add light up the bridge viewport with either a single fiber optic filament or maybe even a pico LED. The minuscule dimensions of this window will necessitate my head magnifiers, the smallest tools I have and a very steady hand.
For the external livery the trim colors will be different because this will NOT be the Tantive IV. However it will have weathering typical of Rebel ships. I’m going to have to do something about those vacant escape pod sockets, so I guess this will be as good a time as any to try my fledgling resin casting skills and make a few extra pods to install at those locations.
Figuring out a game plan for wire routing:
Dry (test) fit of the major parts:
Ant's lighting kit. Included is the controller board & battery box (takes 3 AAA's), a plastic tube for mounting the completed model, a 3d printed base and 11 flickering LED's which are attached to appropriately-sized opaque inserts for mounting in the engine nozzles. The controller board and battery box clip into the underside of the base itself.
Controller board. Soldering done after threading the wiring down through the mounting tube.
Finally the LED's. They kind of remind me of gummies lol.
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