X wing model kit HELP

[timekid]

Hi guys I am a green horn and know as much about modeling as I understand how to work a space shuttle. I need some guidiance on what I need to get or practice on. Any help on how to start would be great.
I only know that the X wing came from star wars movie and that is about it.
Thanks.

 

[Watson]

Who is the manufacturer?

 

[pyxl]

Good, honest question...Timekid.

Can you help us out a little by answering a few questions?
1. Do you have ANY experience putting together models or painting them?
2. What equipment do you have/are willing to invest in (or can afford)?
3. Do you know anything about the x-wing beyond it's name? (i.e have you seen Star Wars?).
4. What is the scale and manufacturer of the model.

Some general answers: Reference is critical. Get whatever you can. There are lots of excellent books that have pictures of the actual models used in the movies. Anyone here can probably give you a list of a dozen or more. The internet is a gold-mine. There are literally thousands of images available to help you get it right. You have lots of decisions to make, though. Do you want it to look new, or "used" as in the movies. Do you want it to appear to be flying, or sitting on a landing pad or in a display as if it was deep in a swamp. Get the drift?

Once we know more about what you know, we can direct you where to get more info, advice, add-on parts, etc. If you're a novice who's never used an airbrush there is very different advice than for a seasoned airbrush artists who just happens to never have put a model together...vice versa, maybe you've built some models, but don't know about lighting them up or adding special "add on" kits.

Best of luck to you. It's a great hobby and there are people here who will help you and give you support to keep at it.

 

[TFrosst]

I`m also going to be building an x-wing. a fine molds x-wing to be preceise. Are there any add-on kits for this (does it really need it?)?

 

[Watson]

Are there any add-on kits for this (does it really need it?)?

This kit has so many different options you coulnd build one of at least six different X-Wings from this one kit. It really is about the best plastic model there is out there as X-Wings go.

You build Red one, Red two or Red Five, there are different R2 unit heads, different R2 decals, in flight with wings open, in flight with wings closed, landing gear down with Pilot standing outside the ship with R2.

The possibilities are endless with this kit. You will love it.

Greg

 

[timekid]

Hey guys
thanks for the responses.
I bought my model kit from MGM studios at the Tatootine(aplogies if spelt wrongly) traders store.
The brand was rcertl:http://www.rcertl.com and also starwars.com was printed on the box
It claims to have movie prints included.
I wish to make it weathered and flying mid air.
Thanks man.

 

[Watson]

Is it the snap kit or is it a glue kit?

JDH

 

[Jedi Dade]

Well regardless of hte kit there are a few basics Open the kit and wash the plastic parts with warm water and mild soap. Rinse thoroughly and let dry overnight. With model building in general the best thing you can do is WAIT between steps. I can't tell you how many models I've totally screwed up because I didn't wait long enough between steps.

Usually if you carefully follow the directions it will turn out nice. some models are just intolerable bad - any of the X-wings that I know of will at least make a decent model straight out of the box. Not entirely accurate etc. etc. but a decent model

The next advice - Test fit everything before applying glue. Always always walways put the parts together and see where you may need to clamp things together to make them fit properly. using clapmps rubberbands tape etc you can usually make things come together. In more advanced modeling you can use filler to take care of particularly bad gaps along the seems most x-wings I've seen don't have that problem.

Next advice - use as little glue as you can get away with. Its tempting to apply lots of glue to make sure a tight bond is made - especially when your trying to close a seam line. You can take that approach but be careful not to go to far (its easy to do) its usually better to sand the high areas down to close the seem then to try and force the seem to close and use a lot of glue to keep it shut.

Painting advice - there are a TON of really good painters here that can give better advice then me here but this is tid-bit is constant - let the stuff dry - I know that sounds like a no-brainer but really paint in many small coats and let it dry between coats. the easiest way to completely ruin a paintjob is to touch it while its wet or tacky... go back to tip number one WAIT. If you built and painted the model in one night - you've probably screwed it up.

Good luck,
Jedi Dade

 

[yt]

Go to www.starshipmodeler.com , they have the answers you are looking for.