Converting the 1:48 FM X-Wing into ILM hero Red 2 (Blue 1)

[Marko@Rockvoice]

UPDATE:

I know I am not much of an airbrush artist - so, I tried the best I could to make this baby look like Red 2...

The attachment of the wings are different with Red 2, too and the angle is different than on the other Hero X-Wings.

Unfortunately my 3D-printed parts haven't arrived yet - so I took modified kit parts for the photos to make the X-Wing look a little more "complete".

Besides, what's still missing is the R2, the pilot and spacer/cover where the wings are attached.

The display stand is still the Fine Molds one - I think I'll build one that fits better and looks more decent.

Here's a picture of the nose and how the shape + color + wheatering looks now:

a side view:

Here's the modified upper laser cannons. I cut the front part, added a different "wheel"-kit part and re-attached it on an added piece of tube.
Blue 1 didn't have these different upper laser cannons. As far as I know these we taken from Red 6 (?).

I tried to paint as many markings and everything as possible. Besides - the decals out there do not match the markings that were on the Studio models. These are painted on, but I'll have correced markings and have them printed as soon as I get contact to Jbot or JT or whatever company makes really good and sharp (and THIN) decals...

Thanks to Jason and Stefan (Hackcore) to help me with the small decals!

I'll take new/better pictures as soon as I have my 3D-printed parts, a new display stand and a pilot.

Any ideas concering a 1:48 pilot that would work here?
The kit's pilot looks a little small to me + the helmet need modification.

 

[JMChladek]

Don't doubt yourself man, this is a very nice paintjob. Only thing I could see to add might be the smudged tan paint areas on the upper nose of red 2 (at least they look like smudges in the publicity photos). Of course, it seems you've got the pattern there, so what I guess appeared to be tan in some shots was really a gray shade of some sort. Be proud of that effort (and be prouder when your new parts arrive).

It is certainly ironic that for all the differences the Red 2 studio model has from the rest of the Hero X-wings, it seems to be the most documented in terms of photos of it (with many of those photos being used in licensed products, such as books, posters, model kit boxes, micro machine packages etc...).

 

[imkold]

I agree, you've done a great job; it looks amazing!

 

[atom]

Hi! Marko!:love
Congratulations on completion!:thumbsup
It's awesome!.
Nice weathering!
BTW, I attach my RED2 pilot pics.
Please refer to it.:thumbsup

 

[PHArchivist]

Very nicely done! Would completely hold its own on an effects stage.

 

[Robiwon]

Absolutely stunning work! This is the way the FM kit should have been!

 

[Marko@Rockvoice]

Thanks guys!

I am afraid I got no idea what you're talking about concerning the nose.
On the yellow-grey there is some "mud"-redbrown color and some light grey. But I couldn't figure out the exact pattern of the upper nose. I there any of these colors?

 

[ILMwannabe]

Excellent job! It looks much larger than a 1/48 scale Fine Molds kit! :thumbsup

 

[tek2graphics]

At 1st I thought.. what's the big deal? Why so much work on an already great model?
Well, I WAS WRONG!!!! You my friend have made this look 100 times better!!!!! thumbsup:thumbsup Good job!

 

[Marko@Rockvoice]

Today I finally received the first 3D-printed parts.
Here you see the new droidstrip next to the Kit part. See all the amazing detail!

And - as requested - the almost finished Red2 next to my previously built Red Leader:

 

[JMChladek]

Wow, the pair looks GREAT! It looks like you could shoot them against a green screen right now!

 

[StevenBills]

I am so glad that, almost 9 years later, these photos are still intact in this thread. Your work is amazing!

SB

 

[Jaitea]

Funny I was watching Marko's video on this project a couple of weeks ago & was going to dig out this thread to have a closer look, such a brilliant modeller

J