Monsieur Tox, thank you for your input. I must note that I had read the proposal that the engine bells were from an 1/48 A-10 kit in the older "B-Wing thread" (and for the record, as a 'lazy guy', I have scoured through *all* of the threads/posts still extant on RPF that contain the phrase 'B-Wing'). I found the raised details on the bells do match the pattern found on either the Revell (#4503) or Tamiya A-10 kits, though I have not yet been able to dig out my specimens from the stash to confirm which is which (I was going from memory and seem to recall the Tamiya kit had raised panel lines, at least back when first issued - but I could be confusing it with the Revell kit, which although somewhat basic, is still quite accurate in shape.) I used a Tamiya A-10 kit parts scan to confirm the pattern was correct, but the current issue of the Tamiya kit has engraved panel details not raised. Whether the original release was raised or not is still to be answered (update: the original issue was raised detail), though my supposition is that the Revell kit, issued around the same time as the Tamiya kit, may have been something of a copy of the Japanese kit but used the more economical raised panel detailing. The point is, for this project, a 1/72 scale A-10 (Hasegawa or Revell kits being candidates) can provide the needed shapes. The A-10 engine pods certainly are the right size and shape, so perhaps we can add this to the "B-Wing database" when we're done.
In the meanwhile, here is a teaser from parts images of the Tamiya kit from Flevo Aviation website [
http://www.flevoaviationhobby.net/images/kitreviews/1-48/tam61028/tam61028.html]:
View attachment 584790
As VacFormed indicated, there is a great deal missing from prior discussions simply because images used for illustration are now dead links. My original query regarding the possible sources for the quad engine body aka 'intakes' & the cockpit nose cone is based on the information not being available elsewhere within the forums. I did finally come across a statement re: the 'nose cone' being vacuformed in, I believe, a FM B-Wing resin kit build, however it was not clear if this mean the original or what the modeler himself was doing (again, missing images...) However, this makes sense as I simply cannot locate a part that 'fits the bill' - and I have been looking! So another 'clue' to solving the mystery, now independently confirmed by yourself.
RE: the use of the 1/32 F-14 wings for the primary wing, I made this determination from several clues. One, the kit was undoubtedly used as a donor on the B-Wing (drop tanks, figure bits to start.) Two, the taper is an exact match between the two. Third, the wingtip curvature is visible on the front & plan views of the main gun mountings:
View attachment 584821View attachment 584820
This said, I suspect the kit wings either served as a core for the wings, being reskinned, or were used as 'bucks' for vacuforming. Either way, this provides useful information for fabricating a 1/48 scale version.
Vacformed Hero, I was a bit confused by your 'parts map' question. As far as I know, there aren't any B-Wing parts maps available, at least not to me. I am working just from the images on Modelers Magic, not Studio Scale forum (which is apparently not taking any new membership requests, or at least not mine...) A quick Google search and [
http://modelermagic.com/ ] is one of the links that results. I'm also looking through the parts scans provided here (though many of those have
also gone 'dead' or are linked to image archive sites that are not publicly accessible.) Keep in mind, VFH, this is a project to build a
1/48 scale B-Wing model - not to build a replica of the filming model. Of course, if I find anything of use to SS modelers, I will share it, but I will be building only what I see in the pictures, so the number of features shared with the original model (such as multiple mounting points and halogen engine lights) will be just coincidence.
Bighead5, as MT has indicated, creating vacuforming tools is not difficult. I once even made a vac box from a cardboard shoe box, some window screening, a coat hanger wire and duct tape. The plastic holding frame was roughly cut from scrap masonite siding (tough stuff that!) with thumbtacks to hold the plastic sheet. I cut a hole for a vacuum cleaner hose and used the kitchen oven to heat my plastic sheet. It really isn't a big mystery... I recommend you start searching on the Internet for Vac info (I think I may have even authored a bit of a vac-kit primer on our model club's website - hamptonroadsscalemodelers.com - that may help you get started. I say this because you are really going to need to vac parts (such as apparently the nose cone.) For example, the F-14 drop tanks have a bunch of 'plating' on them. Because the tanks are of complex curvature, you cannot simply glue plastic sheet to the tanks, you'll need to vac a 'skin' over the kit parts in order to make the plating (not to mention the nose cone...) One alternative is to mask off the panels with tape, then lay in some glazing putty to build up the plating, but that would be very time consuming given the amount of plating used on the B-Wing. However, sanding
can be therapeutic! ;^P
So, that is it for now. Kind regards, Robert
PS: It also occurs to me that the plating might be depicted using self adhesive foil tape, as used on air ducts. The foil is fairly thick and being aluminum, can be burnished over complex curvatures... just a thought.