Els Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 This is a kit that I have had in the stash for about 11 years. It is supposed to be built with the two TIE fighters flying over a portion of the death star but I want to try to do something else with it. I bought wood plaque and strofoam ball and I am going to try and make a dio of one of the TIE's hitting and asteroid while the other barely makes it by. Here is what I will be starting with: Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Absolutely cool! 😎 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Great idea! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lodni_k Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Great idea! I've built those two OOB and the display is kinda neat! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 I didn't take any pics while building this first TIE because it is going to be the one that crashes. I wanted to throw it together so I could see how big it is and start trying to figure out how I am going to destroy it for the crash. I might actually have a reason to bring out some firecrackers.... Here is a picture next to some Tamiya to give an idea of the size of the kit. I will probably start working on the asteroid tomorrow. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 Started working on the asteroid yesterday. This styrofoam ball was used as a base. It was then chopped in half so that some styrene that I cut and shaped could be inserted. This will give me something to connect to the rod from the base into. Since asteroids are not usually round, the styrofoam ball was roughed up to change its appearance. It was then wrapped in papertowels soaked in Durhams putty to give me a surface to work on. This morning when the papertowels had dried and hardened I started laying down some epoxy putty. I put a little on at a time and used a piece of pumic to texture the putty before it cured. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IrishGreek Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Looking good and great idea. Will be looking for more! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Benner Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 interesting idea, looking forward to seeing how this turns out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 Sculpting on the asteroid is done. I put a wash on it to bring out the detail, I will finish it off with washes and drybrushing after I figure out how I am going to do the TIE impact and attachment of the second TIE. I am not that happy with how my crater turned out but it is not a problem because that is the area where the TIE will be hitting the asteroid. I wish I would have make the asteroid a little bigger, it is about the same size as the TIE fighter. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Neato space rock :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 I attached the asteroid to the base I plan on using. I also painted up the TIE that is going to crash. it isn't the most detailed paint up but a lot of it will be cut away or messed up in the crash. Somewhere along the line I dropped the top hatch and cannot find it anywhere. The carpet monster must have been hungry... After I chopped up the TIE, I glued it to the asteroid. When the glue dries I will start adding debris and building something up around the impact areas. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Fondlebottom Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 This is turning out awesome! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 18, 2014 Author Share Posted September 18, 2014 Thank you Sir Fondlebottom. While it doesn't look like a lot was done yesterday, this bit took me about four hours. I started adding some debris to the crash. I then had to start trying to figure out how to pose the second TIE. I decided it would be best to run some wire through the crashed TIE to hold up the other one. Since the solar panels on this kit are one piece and are not thick enough to run the wire on the inside I have decided to try and run it along one of the solar panel spars. Hopefully it will not be to visible after the build. I bent a piece of Piano wire the the shape I needed. This took a while to bend a little test fit, bend a little, test fit, repeat, repeat, repeat. This stuff is very hard to work with. Some of the solar panel had to be cut away so that the wire could be run inside the body of the second TIE. Some material also had to be dremeled off the crash TIE so that the wire will be able to be epoxied in for strengh. I hope all the angles are right because this wire is to hard to bend after the parts are glued. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Great progress! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
toadwbg Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Great Stuff! Reading this over some Saturday AM coffee and love it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Thank you. I have been having a lot of fun with this build so far. I am not sure how much fun adding the second TIE will be... Since I am not lighting this kit I has sprayed some heavily watered down red around the cockpit to try and simulate the lights. It looks like there might be a little to much red in the pictures but it is hard to see once the cockpit is closed up. The solar cells were also masked up so they can be painted. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Gorgeous work!!! I´m seriously impressed! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 I had some time to work on the kit today so I messed around with the base. I thought that if I added a couple of smaller asteroids to the base it would add to the illusion of being in an asteroid field. After gluing them on I don't think that it really works. I also added more crash debris to the TIE and did some dry brushing on the asteroid. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 I am going to call this one done. I am pretty happy with how it turned out. I will post some more pictures in the finished tab. I had a hard time trying to take good pictures of it becuase of the size, it is about 18 inches. For me the jury is still out on the rocks on the base. I may add more or take them off after I look at it for a while. I didn't get the bend that holds the upper TIE as close to the crashed TIE as I would have liked. In the movie there is a blueish white explosion when they crashed. I tried to put a little of that on the top of the crashed TIE but it doesn't show up very well. I have no idea where I am going to put this, it is to tall for all my shelves. May the Force be with you. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Benner Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 pretty cool, congrats on a well done build :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Great looking display! Love it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Awesome awesomeness on a stand! :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Fondlebottom Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Turned out really nice! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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