Studio Scale Tie Fighter Build - Nice'N Model Designs

Corellianexports

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RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
I'm using an older kit from Nice'N and Model Designs. This is a kit I purchased around 2005 from the Junk yard. It went into storage and I recently came across
it, so I started cleaning it up.

Tie Fighter Icons Base:
Tie Fighter Base.jpg

I was actually surprised at the amount of cleanup this piece required. I've been working on it off and on since the beginning of this year. I have a friend who use to work at Icons and he happened to have an original mold which was falling apart. In fact, this is probably the last pull from that mold.

Wings:
WP_20150614_004.jpgWP_20150614_005.jpg

Just about done cleaning these up. One corner is slightly warped. I'm not sure how to straighten it out without causing more damage, but I may give it a shot at some point
with a heat gun.

Pod with misc. parts, including interior with Pilot:
WP_20150712_001.jpg

It looks like the pilot may just be cast of a Hasbro figure. I'm hoping to find a Harrier Pilot to replace him.
I don't know yet if the interior pieces are accurate or not. I'd like to hollow out the pod at least partially
to get the pilot and interior pieces to fit. I'd also like to get lots of lights installed or at the very least, a couple of
LEDs for the rear engines.

Blaster parts:
WP_20150712_002.jpg

I just found the actual, LED clips this weekend. No luck finding the acrylic rods, but I did discover that there are no "orange" acrylic rods out there; only red.
3/16" should be the correct diameter. Using some standard, red LEDs may be easier to use. Has any one actually lit these up?

More photos coming. ;)
 
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Could you use a pot of hot or boiling water, dunk in the warped part of the resin cast, then straighten it? I tried this a few times on some warped resin casts, and I had varying degrees of success.
 
I recently used a heat gun to make some major adjustments on a TIE Pilot Helmet resin kit and it worked like a charm. Running it under cold water afterwards seems to lock in the shape. As with everything, take care and don't apply too much heat.

TazMan2000
 
I can try it but the real trick seems to be straightening it out. Do you use a clamp with a couple of wood boards or just hang it after dunking it in hot water?
 
Ok. I'm finally back on this project. :)

The rain clouds have lifted, so I'm was able to get outside and hollow out more of the cockpit to make room for the interior pieces.

Progress photos pending. ;)
 
Hollowing out the cockpit:
WP_20180421_002.jpg

Assembling the pilot:

WP_20180421_004.jpg
WP_20180421_005.jpg

I couldn't find an actual Harrier Jet pilot figure, but the Tie Fighter Pilot/Figure should do.
WP_20180421_006.jpg

It looks like the chair used in the model isn't accurate at least compared to some original blueprints...but
sstiefighter03 - Copy.png

I came across this photo and it doesn't look like the original model had a chair, just a backing.
There are some interesting model parts used to detail the cockpit. Any one know what they are or where they're from?
 
WP_20180426_002.jpg
I gave it some more thought and realized that modifying the pilot figure could be done fairly easy.
And there's some thing about that prototype Tie Pilot that looks amazing, probably because Hasbro never produced one. :D
 
Where is this original pilot figure from? Isn't that the same one used on the Y-Wing and/or X-Wing, the famous 1/24 "Race Car Driver" that was used all over. But I've never seen posted the original kit figure. Was it a Tamiya figure? If so, anyone know which one?

Hollowing out the cockpit:
View attachment 811647

Assembling the pilot:

View attachment 811648
View attachment 811649

I couldn't find an actual Harrier Jet pilot figure, but the Tie Fighter Pilot/Figure should do.
View attachment 811650

It looks like the chair used in the model isn't accurate at least compared to some original blueprints...but
View attachment 811651

I came across this photo and it doesn't look like the original model had a chair, just a backing.
There are some interesting model parts used to detail the cockpit. Any one know what they are or where they're from?
 
The front piece was too thick, not allowing much room for the dash part, so I sanded it down:
WP_20180505_001.jpg

The back panels were machined out of aluminum, along with the side panels, but....

WP_20180505_002.jpg

I realized that they could be seen through the canopy:
WP_20180505_003.jpg

I could see right away what ILM had originally intended, although I would have liked to have opened it up so the pilot could be seen
from the top and rear.
Keeping in step with the original filming model, all the parts had to be moved forward:

WP_20180505_005.jpg

And from the rear, the aluminum pieces can be seen..
WP_20180505_006.jpg

So I machined a new set that are longer, reaching the very top of the canopy.
So this is what a top view should look like:
WP_20180505_007.jpg

It would be nice at some point to create an interior that matches the original blueprints with what was possibly McQuarrie's original concept
with the pilot seated horizontally with the rear port directly behind him and the canopy directly above with full view of the interior.
It could be done fairly easily with an off the shelf Tie Fighter model kit. Alas, another possible project to add to the long list of projects. :p
 
Time to hollow out the back to make room for the electronics:
WP_20180513_001.jpg
A couple of taps with a hammer actually helped remove the main section:



WP_20180513_003.jpgWP_20180513_004.jpg

Not sure exactly how to attach the rear hatch at this point. I might use two key holes.
 
While doing some research on the SS Y-Wing model, I came across a reference photo of a Y-Wing pilot which looks a lot like the original Tie Pilot figure. :p
WP_20180519_013.jpgWP_20180519_014.jpg

It's a nice side view, so I'll be able to add some detail to my prototype.
There's also a great shot of a Nice-N version within their Y-Wing instruction Manual for the Red Jammer:
WP_20180519_015.jpg
More great detail there. So now that I've verified that the pilots are basically the same, I'll have to make a mold of this one so I have a pilot for my pending Y-Wing project. :D
 
So while I'm waiting for the paint to dry on the pilot (which is turning out to be a long, drawn out process),
I decided to take a look at the wings and get them ready for assembly:
WP_20180519_011.jpg
WP_20180519_012.jpg

I've got the whole "left" and "Right" wings figured out after starring at reference photos of an original ANH Tie Fighter and the EFx version.
Just for grins I also looked at some Icons references and for those who had doubts about that model, they checked out against the ANH/EFx photos, so they definitely did their homework. :)

It looks like the best way to attach those small panels is probably going to be with an earth magnet which will probably be the same story with the rear "hatch".
 
1/4" diameter earth magnets had to be ordered, so while I'm waiting on those, I thought I'd fix the tiny details on the small panels:

WP_20180521_001.jpg

I'm using machined down rivets since the metal is softer than steel brads. Both are very close to the 1/16" diameter of the "pins" used on the original.
 
While waiting for the primer on the pilot figure to dry, I decided to go back to the Death Star Base just to keep things interesting.

WP_20180602_003.jpg

There were some missing corners and a few bubble holes so I've started filling those in with some new, grey modelers putty I found at a local hobby store.
I also came across a few small sections that had indentations, possibly from the heat of the drying resin.

While working on it I realized that over the last 10 years or so, the dust and particles from the old newspaper clippings (packing material) had accumulated on the piece,
so a good washing was long over due.

WP_20180606_003.jpg

It was also time to hit it with at least a single coat of primer to help find all the rest of the bubble holes, indentations, etc.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a single bit of information online about exactly what paint or shade of grey was used for these bases made by Icons
way back in 1996/1997, so I contacted a couple of old friends who created the originals and verified that Krylon Grey was used.
Incredibly, I had already started using Krylon Grey on this piece.
 
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