Stabilize your rear deflectors... watch for enemy fighters!

[jvasilatos]

Okay, until Master Replicas puts one out (and I hope they do someday since I'd love one that is as close to the shooting model as possible), here is my studio scale TIE Advanced. It's an accurized version of the kit put out by Chris Kelley.

I never want to accurize a kit again lol.

It's a very easy kit to build if you do an out of the box buildup, but of course I had to go insane and add engine and cockpit panel lights and re-plate the hull for fear the original panel lines would get lost when I spray painted it. And I also wanted to get it as close as I could to the shooting model by using the various Magic of Myth photos to replicate as many details as I could. I don't think I would do interior lights on another TIE fighter since they are practically impossible to apprecaite anyway unless you look at the ship from a certain angle anyway.

It's not perfect, and I KNOW the cockpit ball is a little smaller than it should be (I had no idea how to correct that), but I cheated some details with the canopy sizing and other surface details to try and fool the eye, so I hope you all enjoy the result of the effort.

JV

And some leftover buildup shots before final construction to show the panel detail...

Oh yeah... and a pic of it compared to the Code 3... which looks great head on but the back looks all toy.

 

[REL]

Oh man that's sweeet.. I like it a lot.

 

[ralphee]

Jv as always, fantastic work, youve made that kit shine, studio accurate or not be very proud sir.....lee

 

[streetjudge79]

I love it, the base is a great touch too..

 

[Pauleysolo]

Very nicely done.. Any CU pics of the cockpit?

 

[jvasilatos]

Oh yeah, this was a way back before I sealed up the two halves and I still have to add the control yoke attached to Darth's hands through the front viewport.

 

[PHArchivist]

Looks like he's tuning in his 1950's vintage AM radio in that last pic (see the Vader Sessions thread in the OT if that throws you a bit.)

Very nice work, especially on Vader and the cockpit. The compositepic looks a little clean, but also looks heavily lit, so that may be part of it. And of course Imperial Navy ships are somewhat clean...

Well done.

 

[Pauleysolo]

I have you now.

 

[Kuhn Global]

Jerry,.... Duuuuuude.,...

(using my best Jedi Mind Trick and waving my hand slightly)...

YOU ARE A MASTER...

LOL ... OK...I geeked out there for a second. LOL

Very...VERY NICELY DONE....

 

[jvasilatos]

<div class='quotetop'>(PHArchivist @ Aug 5 2006, 02:29 PM) [snapback]1294440[/snapback]</div>

Looks like he's tuning in his 1950's vintage AM radio in that last pic (see the Vader Sessions thread in the OT if that throws you a bit.)

Very nice work, especially on Vader and the cockpit. The compositepic looks a little clean, but also looks heavily lit, so that may be part of it. And of course Imperial Navy ships are somewhat clean...

Well done.
[/b]

I just about died of laughter at the point that radio tuning gag kicked in... after watching the movie for so many years and wondering what the hell was he adjusting... now we have the answer. He needed to tune in "Piano Man" while blowing away Red Squadron.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA.....

<div class='quotetop'>(Kuhn Global @ Aug 5 2006, 04:31 PM) [snapback]1294486[/snapback]</div>

Jerry,.... Duuuuuude.,...

(using my best Jedi Mind Trick and waving my hand slightly)...

YOU ARE A MASTER...

LOL ... OK...I geeked out there for a second. LOL

Very...VERY NICELY DONE....
[/b]

Thanks Kurt.

I'm most proud of the replating, even though it was a mind numbing ordeal. I still wish I could have done something more to compensate for the cockpit sphere... but aside from that, this was a great kit and at least I have Vader to add to my collection of studio scale craft (along with the Standard TIE and my CC X-Wing I commissioned someone else to do that can handle weathering.) Now all I need is a Y-Wing to add and I may have a source on that also and my ANH studio scale fighter collection will be complete.

I wonder if MR is considering Vader's TIE as a future offering. Has anyone heard anything?

JV

 

[Kuhn Global]

<div class='quotetop'>(jvasilatos @ Aug 5 2006, 09:59 AM) [snapback]1294496[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>(PHArchivist @ Aug 5 2006, 02:29 PM) [snapback]1294440[/snapback]

Looks like he's tuning in his 1950's vintage AM radio in that last pic (see the Vader Sessions thread in the OT if that throws you a bit.)

Very nice work, especially on Vader and the cockpit. The compositepic looks a little clean, but also looks heavily lit, so that may be part of it. And of course Imperial Navy ships are somewhat clean...

Well done.
[/b]

I just about died of laughter at the point that radio tuning gag kicked in... after watching the movie for so many years and wondering what the hell was he adjusting... now we have the answer. He needed to tune in "Piano Man" while blowing away Red Squadron.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA.....

<div class='quotetop'>(Kuhn Global @ Aug 5 2006, 04:31 PM) [snapback]1294486[/snapback]</div>

Jerry,.... Duuuuuude.,...

(using my best Jedi Mind Trick and waving my hand slightly)...

YOU ARE A MASTER...

LOL ... OK...I geeked out there for a second. LOL

Very...VERY NICELY DONE....
[/b]

Thanks Kurt.

I'm most proud of the replating, even though it was a mind numbing ordeal. I still wish I could have done something more to compensate for the cockpit sphere... but aside from that, this was a great kit and at least I have Vader to add to my collection of studio scale craft (along with the Standard TIE and my CC X-Wing I commissioned someone else to do that can handle weathering.) Now all I need is a Y-Wing to add and I may have a source on that also and my ANH studio scale fighter collection will be complete.

I wonder if MR is considering Vader's TIE as a future offering. Has anyone heard anything?

JV
[/b][/quote]
I have heard both a YES and a NO on that....both from what I consider to be reliable sources. I would lean toward the YES at this point, but can't be quoted.

How about pics of the New Hope Collection Jerry? VERY NICE.

 

[jvasilatos]

<div class='quotetop'></div>

I have heard both a YES and a NO on that....both from what I consider to be reliable sources. I would lean toward the YES at this point, but can't be quoted.

How about pics of the New Hope Collection Jerry? VERY NICE.
[/b]

Well so far, you've seen both TIEs, and I am waiting for my X-Wing so I will post pics when I have it.

JV

 

[Deleted]

The cockpit is awesome. (the rest of the ship too, of course)

Tim

 

[Hand Solo]

My theory is that the cockpit ball on the Kelley X-1 advanced is not too small, but rather the wing supports are a bit too long.

To test that theory, I modified jvasilatos' original composite photograph by moving the wings inboard. Then I played around with the color balance, contrast and lighting effects.

Let me know if I'm off my rocker or on to something.

Naturally, shortening the wing supports means modifications to details ON those supports and the rear deck, but I think it will bring the ball back into proportion with the rest of the X-1.

It will certainly be easier to fix it this way than trying to modify the ball itself.

The filming miniature for comparison.

 

[jvasilatos]

<div class='quotetop'>(Hand Solo @ Aug 7 2006, 04:09 AM) [snapback]1295318[/snapback]</div>

My theory is that the cockpit ball on the Kelley X-1 advanced is not too small, but rather the wing supports are a bit too long.

To test that theory, I modified jvasilatos' original composite photograph by moving the wings inboard. Then I played around with the color balance, contrast and lighting effects.

Let me know if I'm off my rocker or on to something.

Naturally, shortening the wing supports means modifications to details ON those supports and the rear deck, but I think it will bring the ball back into proportion with the rest of the X-1.

It will certainly be easier to fix it this way than trying to modify the ball itself.

The filming miniature for comparison.
[/b]

THAT sir, is an interesting and workable solution.

Now I am wondering if I should try to hack my wings off and attempt the mod. The main problem though, is that the recessed areas in the wings that the arms fit into would be too small to receive the ends of the arms if they were shortened this way because they would then have more girth than could fit into the sockets...

 

[Hand Solo]

<div class='quotetop'>(jvasilatos @ Aug 6 2006, 09:13 PM) [snapback]1295320[/snapback]</div>

THAT sir, is an interesting and workable solution.

Now I am wondering if I should try to hack my wings off and attempt the mod. The main problem though, is that the recessed areas in the wings that the arms fit into would be too small to receive the ends of the arms if they were shortened this way because they would then have more girth than could fit into the sockets...
[/b]

I know.

It's not without it's risks. You'd probably have to recut and reposition the openings in leading edges of the wing supports too.

The other drawback that I can see IS the wing support girth issue. Proportionally, they would still be too large in relation to the ball, but the eye is more likely to be fooled on that particular size relationship.

 

[jvasilatos]

<div class='quotetop'>(Hand Solo @ Aug 7 2006, 04:15 AM) [snapback]1295323[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>(jvasilatos @ Aug 6 2006, 09:13 PM) [snapback]1295320[/snapback]

THAT sir, is an interesting and workable solution.

Now I am wondering if I should try to hack my wings off and attempt the mod. The main problem though, is that the recessed areas in the wings that the arms fit into would be too small to receive the ends of the arms if they were shortened this way because they would then have more girth than could fit into the sockets...
[/b]

I know.

It's not without it's risks. You'd probably have to recut and reposition the openings in leading edges of the wing supports too.

The other drawback that I can see IS the wing support girth issue. Proportionally, they would still be too large in relation to the ball, but the eye is more likely to be fooled on that particular size relationship.
[/b][/quote]

One more comparison shot for the mix...

 

[Hand Solo]

Yeah.

That grab has obvious aspect ratio problems...but even so, I can see that the ball stands a bit taller at the poles in relation to the wing supports.

I think if my mod is going to be tried, it should be on a fresh Kelley and not a built one. The amount of work you'd have to do to your completed one might not be worth the attempt.

 

[Kuhn Global]

WOW..

GREAT CALL Bob. You actually going to venture this Jerry? That's would be something. And... a whole can of worms..lol.

 

[jvasilatos]

I just realized one other mod that would have made this work since I replated the surface if I had shortened the arms would have been to recenter the front recessed access areas.

Everything looked right when unassembled, the specific scale issues were not apparent until the hull was mated with the wings and painted.

And the pole issues are the ones that throw off scale, although only when looking at the model "head on" as in the trench shots in the film when he was bearing down on Luke's X-Wing.

Argh. I may just leave this alone and keep hoping MR does one down the line lol.

JV