Open Source Studio Scale TIE Fighter Thread

[mbraz]

Inspired by jcoffman99 and others, I have decided to share my journey into constructing a studio scale TIE fighter (target: ANH version) and will post links, data, and progress here. My motivation is similar: a lot of the data is not easy to access, there are countless dead links to images and defunct websites. There are apparently parts maps and discussions on another forum, but that has proven difficult to get access. I'm starting this at the part ID research and kit collection phase and aim to start sharing build progress early in the first quarter of 2025.

At present, my IDs are incomplete (see images in the part maps link) I have IDs for much of the exterior hull and wingstar hub; I've done the top and bottom "hatches" and front cockpit dash, but not yet made images (dreading doing the cockpit interior!). I'm updating these and posting them here:

Draft TIE Fighter part maps

Draft TIE Fighter donor kit list

As the links say, these are drafts and the maps are version-marked as "beta". Major-point "release" versions will then go into an RPF-hosted album and/or somewhere at least equally permanent. Comments, suggestions, hints, or outright IDs would be appreciated.

These lists would not have been possible without RPF, the awesome SciFiKitBash forum and all of the work done by folks who have painstakingly scanned and uploaded images of their kits. I am eternally in your debt!

RPF studio scale TIE Fighter link roundup:

SS Builds:
swgeek's detailed build chronicle: My SS TIE Fighter
vectorzero's TIE Advanced build (contains details relevant to TIE Fighter): TIE Advanced Build Log (Nice-N Base with Modifications)

Greeb IDs and kits:
Cockpit ball "seam cover": Seeking help with Tie greeblie ID
Some dorso-lateral cockpit ball parts: Tie Fighter parts identification
mbraz's unresolved mystery piece (as yet, unresolved): Troublesome TIE fighter greebly ID
thawn_es's 1:1 part exchange lists kits used on ANH TIE: New studio scale and 1:1 change/trade parts!!!
See also links for SS builds (as these have part IDs and useful images)

Measurement and ILM model details:
ICONS casting with some good discussion of measurements: EDIT - ICONS Tie Production Castings.....
Wing thickness discussion: Studio scale TIE wing thickness info if you can
Same thread: Cockpit ball diameter courtesy of moffeaton's production casts
Wing T-beam: Studio Scale Tie Fighter wing question

More will follow. I've tried to keep this list of links limited to threads that still have extant images/links. I will update this OP as I organize current info and collect more. All are welcome to contribute!

NOTE: As a rule, I will not share any information if it is shared privately with me unless you give me express consent to do so. I ask that others respect the same.

 

[mbraz]

I've updated the part map files for the wingstar hub and cockpit ball exteriors yesterday. I've also recently updated some enumeration errors and typos in the wingstar hub map. I've made some success identifying some of the parts I've seen queried in the past by other builders, so I thought I'd post some details of my current IDs here.

The first is a dual rod #28: I believe this is part E1 from the Tamiya 1/25 Centurion with the ends trimmed off:

The second part, #68, is I believe 275Y from the AMT 1/25 International Payhauler:

Sorry I'm showing the reverse side of it relative to the TIE model (the scan on that side appears to be a bit less resolved).

Very nearly have IDs assigned to all wingstar hub parts (which isn't to say all the IDs are right). The last few stragglers are these usual suspects:

I gave #14 its own thread. I haven't seen a SS tie that convincingly has this part right (sometimes for lack of images, sometimes because two or more models clearly conflict—unlikely to both be right).

#43 is a rectangular box with 6 peripheral rivet or fastener details. Somewhat non-descript and could be cut from the body or hull of a tank and I just keep missing it. One of my major weaknesses is spotting parts cut out of the surface of larger vehicle body panels!

#65 and 66 seem to be lights from an armoured vehicle. This style of covered light is common in IFVs and self-propelled howitzers. You see similar forward lights on Bradley FVs, but those weren't produced until 1981, and these parts were definitely on the ANH model. I've come across a few candidates, but nothing definitive. Nichimo Abbot is a possibility but I don't have a good scan.

 

[swgeek]

#43 is from the Bandai 1/48 8 ton semi truck.

 

[swgeek]

Don't know if this helps?

 

[mbraz]

Amazing! Thank you! Missed it because I was looking at a lower resolution scan for that one.

 

[mbraz]

Don't know if this helps?

View attachment 1875746

This is brilliant. Thank you!

 

[mbraz]

Want to examine the hinge part of the rear hatch of the TIE, since some of the public information about this is either incomplete or unclear.

Below is the well-known part map that I believe originates from the Studio Scale Modeler's forum.

I agree with all the part IDs in here, most are straightforward and from very well-known kits. Part 11 can also be sourced from the M36 Jackson, as I believe this has the same sprue as the M10 and was available at the time. For similar reasons, I believe 16 can as well be sourced from the 1/48 King Tiger.

The outstanding parts I've identified as:

6: Tamiya 1/48 M60 US Medium Tank parts A10 & A11, cut to accommodate the end of part 11 in the figure.

It's possible that other 1/48 M60 variants have this part, too. I haven't checked. An equivalent part can be found in the 1/35 kits, but they appear to be too big. They also differ in having four rivet details across the short margin, whereas the greebly on the TIE has three, just as in the 1/48.

12: This one's a bit interesting because I think (I'm not sure) some models might have scratch-built this. Looking in closely:

This appears to use a par cut down from one of the "saddle halves" of the Aurora 8" Howitzer:

I have to thank Studio Kitbash for pointing me to the Aurora Munitions Carrier in my other thread, which caused me to look at the 8" Howitzer in more detail.

That does leave a question about the part it is sitting on, highlighted here:

I'm not yet fully convinced this was scratch-built (I am open to it!), but I have a feeling it's a kit part; the green area might even extend all the way under the M10 suspension part, but it's hard to tell. I've put the boundary at what looks like a seam. However, in pictures that I've seen of the isolated rear hatch, there is no corresponding "seam" across the top of this feature. I welcome any thoughts on this or suggestions about what it might be.

 

[mbraz]

Things are pretty busy at work, so I have not had time to compose any kind of detailed post. But the first few parts maps are now complete enough that I've updated them to 1.0 "release" versions for the wingstar hub and the cockpit ball (I'm going to do the hatches separately, but they're pretty easy). They still have some missing ID's, things I'm not 100% sure on, and I'm sure a few errors. I've had a start on the wingstar spars/struts. I've ID'd most but still far from all of the parts here. Images are hard to come by. I've had to use Vader TIE images to supplement, as these are often better. If anyone has good images of the TIE spars, I would love to see them (I will not re-post them, but hope it's OK if I use them to inform my searches). In the meantime, please enjoy the current versions of the part maps. As always, the latest versions are accessible through the link in the OP. Kit list has been updated at the same location.