Nice-N Gold Leader to Gold 3 (MOM) Y-Wing Conversion

kokkari

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I was lucky enough to get a hold of one the Nice-N/Salzo Gold Leader kits a few months back. I already have a Tie Killer so I'm going for my next love the MOM Y. I've loved its paint scheme and unique pipes ever since I laid eyes on it in the Lucas Archive book. I love the dual racing stripes on the canopy and pure dinginess of the brown tones. I'm also pretty excited because I'm not sure I've seen a competed MOM yet.
Star Wars - Gold Y-Wing Lucas Archive.jpg

One thing is for sure is that she has seen some definite changes and wear over the years. I can't confirm, but I heard that she may have started as a pyro and then was retrofitted with more detail around Empire. Other speculation is to whether or not it saw any screen time. One thing for sure is that it was around during the original filming of ANH. Here she is in her original state with no forward guns with John Dykstra.
swi-142-pg2011.jpg

No extra forward guns or Ferrari 312T4 pipes, It has the Bf-109 guns, and has the same M23 McLaren top mounting plug as Tie Killer. One thing I can't figure out is why the torpedo exhaust doesn't extend over the yellow markings. the streaks on the top of the forward fuselage don't stretch across the yellow markings either. Maybe the yellow was repainted later on???
MOM 1.jpgMOM 2.jpg

Here she is later on after she was refit with the Ferrari Pipes and a different top mounting plug, but appears to be another part from the MCLaren kit. then back to an unmodified version of the McLaren plug. At some point the rear mounting plug was changed also, but it started off with the one that all the other Y's seem to have.
BW Top.jpgBW Bottom.jpgMOM Top.jpg

Here are some rough part maps from my notes. These are only meant to illustrate how the parts are different or configured different from other Y's, namely Gold Leader and Red Jammer. Yes, there are more differences along the top and bottom and nacelles, but thought I'd share these basic ones.
Part Map Right Side 2.jpgPart Map Right Side.jpgPart Map Left Side.jpg

So when converting the Nice-N kit I started by removing some of the molded on detail along the neck and sidewalls. It was pretty hard and sad to actually remove detail.:cry From what I can tell the Ladd and MOM are pretty much configured the same with their detail along the top and bottom. The sidewalls are also configured almost identically. So it has been easy to find hi-res reference. I got real lucky and found just the one Ferrari 312T4 sprue with the additional pipes on ebay real cheap. I sanded off all the little tire block tabs along the rear edge of the nacelles and replaced them because I felt they were a little over-sized. The left Nacelle was a beast to put together as the two halves did not line up correctly. Anyone else have this issue on this kit?
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I also sanded all the little raised detail on the cockpit and put on the corrected ones in there position. I am in the process of re-scribing the panel lines.
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Thanks Ron! My plan is to make the turret on top of the canopy interchangeable with the Bf-109 guns. Has anyone ever identified these?
P6130326_JPG.jpg
 
Great project. I have some info at home about the (ion) guns and do believe the donor kits were identified.

I have also spotted the ship in Ep IV - it is visible outside of some of the windows in the "all wings report in" sequence. I have some screencaps I'll put up later.

Timely that you're doing this - I've been working on an Ep IV version of this same ship myself, but in Bandai 1/72 scale.
 
Those guns are parts D13 and D14 from the Tamiya 1/12 Honda VF750F motorcycle model (Kit # 14021). They are the front shock absorbers for the front wheel, and are in chrome metallic on the original kit. See step #11 on the instruction manual here.

There it is! thanks! Looks like the little scope looking pieces on top are a separate piece? I don't see it in the instruction image. Maybe another piece from the kit?
Honda Cycle.jpg
 
I think these are the cannons as SK says.
View attachment 761550

Some screencaps from Ep IV and V.

View attachment 761551View attachment 761552View attachment 761553
I've seen those Empire flybys and have always hoped that they are MOM, but it's really hard to tell with the motion blur. That screen grab from ANH is 100% confirmed though. You can match up the streaks on the bottom and marks on that left side. this may be old news to some, but new to me, so very exciting! Thank you!
 
I've seen those Empire flybys and have always hoped that they are MOM, but it's really hard to tell with the motion blur. That screen grab from ANH is 100% confirmed though. You can match up the streaks on the bottom and marks on that left side. this may be old news to some, but new to me, so very exciting! Thank you!

I've convinced myself it's the MoM ship based on the white stripe on the side of the cockpit. That can be made out in the film, and no other Y wing has ever surfaced with white stripes on both sides of the cockpit as this one has. Plus check out this last blurred screenshot - you can make out the blast marks (albeit blurry) on top of the cockpit as well as the white stripes.

star-wars5-movie-screencaps.com-14387.jpg
 
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I've convinced myself it's the MoM ship based on the white stripe on the side of the cockpit. That can be made out in the film, and no other Y wing has ever surfaced with white stripes on both sides of the cockpit as this one has. Plus check out this last blurred screenshot - you can make out the blast marks (albeit blurry) on top of the cockpit as well as the white stripes.View attachment 761568
Well I'm a believer. I've seen some shots of pyros in the archive with a white stripe on the side, but the chances of it having engine lights makes it unlikely.

On a seperate note after Studio Kitbash identified the kit, the ebay listing I was watching disappeared real fast. Coincidence??? LOL
 
Not with my kit in front of me -- but the scope part might be part #B21 from the same kit. Will check later tonight/tomorrow.

The same front shock absorbers can be found in the Tamiya 1/12 Honda CBR400F kit, which is where I got mine (Keiko´s picture with blue background ;) ) from. The little scope part on top is from the ubiquitous Tamiya 1/35 Flakvierling.
 
The same front shock absorbers can be found in the Tamiya 1/12 Honda CBR400F kit, which is where I got mine (Keiko´s picture with blue background ;) ) from. The little scope part on top is from the ubiquitous Tamiya 1/35 Flakvierling.
Thank you very much! I knew I saw that picture somewhere before. LOL
 
This is one of the last parts I haven't ID'd on this Y. Someone suggested it may be from the 8Rad, but I can't find it on that kit. I realize that this photo is of the Lad Y, but it appears on the MOM also and is much clearer here. Any ideas? Thanks

SW_ANH-YWing.jpg
 
If you need any more convincing that it's MoM in ESB: check out the rear plate colouring in this screencap from the movie compared to Joe Johnston's 1977 picture.

Compare.png

PS: Don't forget to remove this detail:

20170926_095002.jpg
 
PS: Don't forget to remove this detail:

View attachment 762260

I'm honestly torn about that 8Rad detail. I see this image and it almost looks like I can see an outline of where it used to be, but then again I believe that the top and bottom were complete 1 piece casts with that detail already embedded in the cast. So I'm torn.
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