Darth Vader Tie Fighter Inconsistency

A

adphill

Member

• Sep 21, 2018

• #1

I'm sure this has been discussed somewhere here already, but I am just beginning the MPC/AMT Darth Vader Tie Fighter kit, and I noticed that the front cockpit wall differs dramatically between the cockpit set and the filming miniature.

Here's a screengrab from the "despecialized" version of Episode 4.



And a photo of the studio model (found on modelermagic.com)



As you can see, nearly half of the viewport in the studio model is obscured with that panel thing, while the cockpit filming set has almost no obstruction. The wall is present in the MPC kit, as well as the Fine Molds and Bandai kits.

I'm curious what others have done with these kits. Has anyone cut down the wall to more closely match the cockpit set?

 

TazMan2000

Master Member

• Sep 21, 2018

• #2

Have you noticed the front cockpit glass is also rotated 22.5 degrees in reference to the Studio Model? Unfortunately this happens a lot in film making. The ones who build the miniatures are often not the ones who build the sets.

TazMan2000

 

A

adphill

Member

• Sep 21, 2018

• #3

I missed that part entirely!

Just more options for us, I guess. I actually prefer the rotated version, because it provides a slightly clearer view into the center of the cockpit.

 

portland182

Well-Known Member

• Sep 23, 2018

• #4

If you rotate the frame you'll have nothing to attach the 'rear view mirror' to.

 

D

Dedalus5550

Sr Member

• Sep 23, 2018

• #5

You ever get a bug to go splat on your windshield where it's directly in front your line of sight? Or worse yet, an actual crack that is permanent until you replace your windshield? Drive's me bonkers. For this reason alone, I always build TIEs with the windshield rotated like the cockpit set. Not a totally valid rationale, but it's like a phobia. And Phobias are, by their very nature, irrational.
Mike Todd

 

Treadwell

Legendary Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Sep 29, 2018

• #6

The same thing with the Millennium Falcon.

 

3Dsf

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Sep 30, 2018

• #7

Kind of. The Falcon’s window bars weren’t rotated like the TIE fighter windows. But one of the full size set’s window frame bars was removed for filming a scene in ANH and wasn’t put back for the forward-facing scenes. You can see, in making-of shots, the notches in the window frames where the bar was supposed to be. The cockpit interiors also differed from set to models.

 

JeffBond

Well-Known Member

• Sep 30, 2018

• #8

Vader's TIE also has a rear window in the interior that would be impossible to locate anywhere on the exterior...

 

Pedro

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Sep 30, 2018

• #9

Maybe it rotates to deal with the whole bug splat situation?

 

Hunk a Junk

Sr Member

• Sep 30, 2018

• #10

"If you're wondering how he eats and breathes, and other science facts... Just repeat to yourself 'it's just a show. I should really just relax.' "

 

Richard Baker

Sr Member

• Oct 1, 2018

• #11

JeffBond said:

Vader's TIE also has a rear window in the interior that would be impossible to locate anywhere on the exterior...

Click to expand...

I read somewhere that the rear view in Vader's TIE was a monitor display instead of a window. Either of course is not very practical due to Vader being unable to check six behind him, but then again his X-1 was a prototype for a new series of TIE being considered so his personal limitations would not matter for a production model.