Vader's TIE from old MPC kit

[Toadmeister]

So wanted to try something else new n this build, printed 3D parts.

An online friend offered me a stl file of this greeble here for the side of the cockpit window. It was full scale to the studio model, so I just had to shrink it down, I did some measurements and went about 50%.

So just needed to resize and print myself. I tried our local library, it cost me a whopping 10 cents to print 4 of them!

As you can see, the resolution of the print is rough, so I will clean them up as best I can and trim them to fit. Here’s a quick fit-up

 

[Toadmeister]

Yeah those rough 3D printed parts aren’t working out due to their resolution. So I started scratchbuilding my own pieces.

The little u-shaped details: I searched many a spares box and stash kit to find the perfect greeble, seemed like a dead end. So I’m bending some square styrene stock into the u-shape needed. It’s tricky as you can snap the material and getting just the right bend spacing takes a lot of iteration. Going to let them “cool” in a clamp fixture overnight

 

[robn1]

Yeah those rough 3D printed parts aren’t working out due to their resolution. So I started scratchbuilding my own pieces.

I was thinking scratch building would be easier than cleaning up the prints. Cutting the U from sheet might be better than bending square stock.

 

[sztriki]

God almighty, you are a champ...this was the first kit I did when I got back to model building at the age of 22 or so. I remember I ditched those boxes from the wing stubs cuz the fit and the detail was horrendous, I scratch build the top hatch, because it's too small in diameter and should be flatter, that was also the first time I used LEDs and fibreoptics in a kit. But I never went this far, it's coming along great!
Regarding the engine LEDs, I actually used the kind of coloured ones that usually come in remotes or guitar pedals (google Boss pedal and you'll know which ones I mean, no idea what they're called). They gave a nice red glow like on screen but hardly any projected light like the clear bright LEDs.
The Vader figure is gonna be largely obscured but if you want it to be somewhat visible painting the mask with the black/gunmetal pattern and using brighter silver helps it stand out a bit more. Also painting the nose and the mouth tusks white will stand out a bit better too.
This is coming along great!

 

[Toadmeister]

Tackled those U-shapes this morning after some leftover pizza for breakfast.

Tried searching for some other u-shaped pieces, looked at common staples but these were too thin and don’t bend well either, yes they are already in a U-shape but not the right profile.

Found a brass C-shape that was near perfect in profile. Cut a piece but upon fit up still didn’t feel right

Went back to bending the styrene and just did more trial and error, I can get some good u-shapes but getting 2 that are perfectly symmetrical/mirror images of each other is the challenge. I finally got some that were close enough. I gently used light amounts of Tamiya liquid cement to coax them on and hold them to shape. This itself is tricky as once liquid cement is applied the shapes tend to want to memory back to their original longitudinal extrusion a little, but I wrestled with them and held them in place.

Satisfied. I’ll add the other small bits after these cool down for a while. I’ll sand them down a touch too to level them off some.

 

[Toadmeister]

Happy after a couple hours of work!

Starting to look the part

I’m a little baffled why they overlooked this prominent detail original in the kit. On second thought, NO, it doesn’t surprise me...

 

[Attirex]

Definitely following this build for sentimental reasons. My dad bought me this kit when it was first released, and the two of us built it in a day (fast as possible, no paint, natch). Somehow, it survived the intervening 40 years (one of the few, if not only, model from my childhood that did) and now sits in my home office.

 

[jake88]

Doing great so far. Keep going with the scratch building. Its going to be epic!

 

[Toadmeister]

Fouble post

 

[Toadmeister]

This is my attempt. Got those tan parts from a 1/35 M2A2 Tamiya kit. That squareish Box is the fuel cap and guard from that kit. Gotta love using armor kits for greebles!

This rear area looks sufficiently busy. Time to move on to other areas.

 

[Analyzer]

All those added details are amazing!

 

[Toadmeister]

Happy New year, thought I'd share a pic of the workbench and reference materials I use.

TV screen with the Amazon firestick let's me view my reference photos on the Amazon cloud. Books are important too.

 

[TazMan2000]

Your work is a huge improvement on this classic kit.

TazMan2000

 

[Toadmeister]

Finishing things up before priming. Working here in the chin area. The laser cannons are another example of plastic turds and suffer badly from a lack of mold alignment. They will get replaced. Just tacking them on for now as they also form part of their housing/fairing under the fusalage.

You can see I used a few PE and brass bits in the center there.

 

[Analyzer]

Nice!

 

[Toadmeister]

Cut an “X” about 1/16” deep cut on some appropriate sized aluminum tube and cut to length. Inserted one a diameter smaller and viola, I have laser cannons. Hard to make out the detail in the shiney aluminum.

Next dilemma, Do I replicate the amber tips look of the studio model or leave them hollow barrels? I’d appreciate insight or opinion on this one.

Note how the “X” cuts on the studio model are not clocked the same! Love little artifacts like this.

 

[robn1]

I really have to praise MPC for one thing at least, the detail panel in the cockpit window. It's damn near perfect. How did they get that obscured interior part so right and miss so many exterior details that are out in the open?

 

[Toadmeister]

I really have to praise MPC for one thing at least, the detail panel in the cockpit window. It's damn near perfect. How did they get that obscured interior part so right and miss so many exterior details that are out in the open?

I had thought the same. Maybe a different guy worked on mastering that part for the kit and he was fired for being too competent and making everyone else look bad.

 

[Analyzer]

Gun barrels look great.

while not studio accurate, I would go with hollow gun tips unless you are going to light them, then I would do the studio amber tips

 

[rbeach84]

Toadmeister, you're really kicking this! I had a thought on making those U-shaped pieces, unfortunately too late to help you, though perhaps a useful 'process' for future projects. You *could have* made a small wooden form that had the cross section of the interior of the curved part. Then, using hot, but not boiling water, heat up a section of the strip plastic to make it more pliable, then wrap it aroun the wooden form and clamp it. Then heat the water to boiling, give the whole shebang a quick dip and then allow to cool. Using the form would allow for consistent pieces with less 'fiddling'.
Does this make sense?
Again, wonderful job (and I 'second' your thoughts on armor kits and greeblies... invaluable for projects like my mash up project, described here: Something New from Something Else – a Kit Mash-Up Adventure | Hampton Roads Scale Modelers
Regards, Robert