Blue Leader - 1/29 Revell build with Falcon3DParts - In-Progress Thread

[stevee671]

After completing my Red 5 build using the Revell 1/29 scale kit, I decided that I wanted even more torture by using this same doggy kit to build a Blue Leader. Why not, I'm already familiar with all its short comings. I guess that puts me one step ahead of the first time builder of this kit.

First and foremost, this A Blue Leader build. It's not going to be THE Blue Leader. There's going to be some artistic license with this one. On my Red 5 build, I really stressed myself out trying to replicate the ILM model down to the last detail. I'm not going to do that for this build.

With this build, I decided to start with the R2 unit. I decided that I wanted him different. I scoured the internet looking at all sorts of R2 paint jobs. I found one on that I really liked, that was coincidentally on another Blue Leader build. The way Revell broke the R2 unit down is just dumb. The dome is attached to the body and there's a nasty seam running right though the middle. So, I removed the dome, fixed the seam and them repositioned the dome where the R2 unit is looking a different direction other than forward. I call him R2-DE4. I like the gold dome with the red. He's different and I like that. I decided to paint his body the traditional white and added red accents. It was then glossed and a wash was applied to bring out any detail. After the wash was dry and the body was wiped clean of any access wash, I applied a mist of dull coat to seal the wash.

I moved to the cockpit next. The kit cockpit really sucks. I really should have taken the extra step and spent the money on the Falcon3DParts cockpit, but I didn't. Oh well. I removed all of the detail on the side consoles and, once again, using some artistic license, I redid the side panels. Tried to make them look the part. The hoses were missing behind the seat. I normally use guitar string to replicate the hoses. This time, I wanted a different look and used styrene rod. I painted the cockpit with whatever shade of gray a reached for on my workbench. The electronics behind the pilot was painted black and then dry brushed with silver to bring out any accent Revell graciously decided to add.

 

[stevee671]

Next up is getting to work on the fuselage. I removed all of the fictitious patch panels Revell put all over the kit. There's also indentations on the sides of the fuselage under the cockpit area that just don't exist on the "real" thing. I did a lot of sanding an filling to remove these. I also took the extra steps to describe what ended up going away due to sanding or just wasn't there at all.

Knowing what is wrong with this model, I placed an order with Falcon3DParts for a lot of aftermarket parts:
plant-on details
back parts cluster
cannons
pilot figure

These parts are excellent quality and an absolute must for this kit.

 

[StevenBills]

OOOhhhhhhhh I love Blue Leader. Subbed!

SB

 

[thegnome]

So cool!

 

[stevee671]

Moving on to the wings...Revell did us all the great courtesy of making the assumption that every builder of this kit was going to a "5 something". Be it Red 5, Blue 5, Green 5, Periwinkle 5, or whatever. They actually scribed in the markings into the wings. Thanks a lot! I have to admit, I do like that effort to a certain extent, it does make it easier to paint the markings on, i.e., the spacing is uniform and in the same place on every wing, but what if you don't want five? I filled in four of the recessed outlines and only kept the one I am going to use for Blue One.

There are also erroneous raised panels on the interior and exterior of the wings. I removed all of those and replaced them with what is represented on Red 2, which we all know was the original Blue Leader.

On the far inboard, interior of the wing, there is a neat looking chopped sine wave looking panel, which I replicated with sheet styrene.


The wings themselves are plagued with numerous injector pin marks that require filling and sanding, and filling and sanding, and filling and sanding. Do you see where I'm going with this? I spent a lot of time getting those little suckers filled.



I removed the horrible cannon mounts and replaced them with Falcon3DParts plant on cannon mounts. It's quite a bit of work to removed the molded on cannon mounts. It's also very easy to get carried away and sand too much away.

Next up is the engines, intakes and nacelles. Revell molded the engines to the engine nacelles. It's completely wrong. I cut the engines from the aft side of the nacelles. Looking at the ILM models, I noticed that the aft side of the engine nacelle is recessed into the nacelle. I removed the aft side of the nacelle and cut a new half circle panel out of sheet styrene and placed it into the nacelle. I recessed it about 1/16th of an inch.

The forward part of the engines had the dome shaped protrusion that was supposed to replicate....something. Well, that got cut off and the hole left in it's wake was filled in by creating a circular plug of sheet styrene. I utilized a circle template to find the closest size circle and drawing it and cutting/sanding to fit the opening in all the engines. I have yet to find a suitable cone shaped greeblie to attach to the engine.

The intakes were replaced with a set of 308Bits intakes that I had planned for another project. Instead of them just hanging out, I decided to use them to replace the kit provided parts.


Once all of this was done, I decided to start applying primer to check for any rework that would need to be done. There was a few places that required some attention, but not too much.

 

[Analyzer]

It's a lot of work and cost for replacement parts, but it looks like it is worth it

 

[stevee671]

It's a lot of work and cost for replacement parts, but it looks like it is worth it

It is a lot of work. Sometimes it’s fun, other times frustrating. Like all builds, when things are going my way, I’m ecstatic. When it’s not...well, over learn to just walk away for awhile.
The aftermarket parts are fantastic. I highly recommend them. Yes, they cost, but they’re perfect fit, form and function parts. I would't get them from anyone else.

 

[stevee671]

After a little bit of rework on the wings, I was ready to prime. My primer of choice is Tamiya Gray Fine Primer, probably like a lot of other people on this board. Once the the primer was dry, I lightly sanded the entire model to smooth things out, get rid of any overspray. A few days later, I laid down a few light coats of Model Master Flat Black, just enough to cover the model and give it a nice overall black.

 

[Analyzer]

It is a lot of work. Sometimes it’s fun, other times frustrating. Like all builds, when things are going my way, I’m ecstatic. When it’s not...well, over learn to just walk away for awhile.
The aftermarket parts are fantastic. I highly recommend them. Yes, they cost, but they’re perfect fit, form and function parts. I would't get them from anyone else.

The parts themselves are so good it make me want to get the Revell X-Wing

 

[stevee671]

The first coats of Archive X Reefer White going on to the fuselage.

Once dry, I lightly sanded the fuselage to remove any over spray and smooth out the paint. I moved on to the canopy frame. I thought Neutral Gray would look good here.

I moved on to starting adding some different color panels. The initial painting involved paint light gray, light ghost gray on various panels. There will be more colors as time goes on. I then did a light over coat of light ghost gray over the entire fuselage.

Using Vallejo Dark Blue, it was time to apply the blue stripe down the sides of the fuselage and the section by the back parts cluster.

This gave me some problems. I’ve never used Vallejo paints before, so there was a bit of a learning curve. It’s not the paints fault, just my familiarity with its use.

 

[stevee671]

The Reefer White has been applied to the wings. Lots more to do over all. This was the easy part.

I also got the stand and the support rod completed. The base is a piece of oak cut with a 30 degree bevel around the edge. The support is a brass tube with a copper 90 degree elbow.

 

[Jaitea]

I love it...love your paintwork & the display...very different

J

 

[stevee671]

The custom name plate arrived today.

 

[Analyzer]

Excellent work, I love the more toned down color differences in panels. Sometimes X-Wings wind up looking like a cartoony patchwork quilt

 

[acesh007]

This looks really nice. Had a question for you with the ratio if you happened to spray the Archive-x paint. I havent figured out the right ratio as I had a lot of sputtering from my airbrush when I diluted it.

 

[stevee671]

For a specific ratio, I really don't have one. I have figured out that I have to spray it pretty thin. A lot more than what I would thin with something like Model Master paints. With Model Master, I thin it until it has a milk like consistency running down the side of a clear glass. I thin Archive X more than that. For me, it's more feel. I use an Iwata NEO airbrush with the small cup. I fill the cup up with the color to just above the hole at the bottom and then about another half way up with Model Master Thinner. That seems to work. I'm spraying anywhere from 20- 25 psi.

I don't know if this will help you. I hope it does. I just kind of feel it out so see what works for me.

 

[stevee671]

Today was a pretty productive day on the build. I started laying down colors other than gray.

 

[stevee671]

Want to see more??

Check out my blog at: www.therebelealliance.blog

 

[stevee671]

A new pic to stay at the top of the thread heap...

 

[stevee671]

A quick “walkaround”