Dun...Dun...

Ahoy!, Arrrrr!, Aye Mate-y! Okay, so my only knowledge of the sea is from pirate movies and...Jaws. The latter is the influence for my next project - The Orca. So stay tuned for the online build of my first scratch built model boat. Unfortunately, I know nothing about boats so this is going to be interesting.

Y-Wing Beauty Shots

I think they speak for themselves...enjoy.

White

Well, not quite white. After the primer was left to dry for a day I moved on to the paint. I used Floquil paints again and the more I use them the more I like them. The only downside if the smell, so make sure you use proper ventilation and wear a good mask if you try these paints. Anyway, back to the not quite white. I mixed white paint with a hint of gray in it so that the white isn't so bright. It gives it a nice subdued color for the base. After the white was left to dry I sprayed a coat of Testor's Dullcoat over it before I moved on to weathering with pastels.

Primer

Is Primer a scratchbuilder's best friend or worst enemy? Well, it can be both depending on how good of a job you did before you sprayed it. When you spray that first coat of primer all those bits and pieces that you glued together finally congeal and become one creation. And that is what should happen! But if you cut corners and rush through your build the primer will shine a spotlight on every defect and magnify it a thousand times. So, the lesson is to take your time and get it right otherwise you will be just setting yourself up for disappointment. More than likely it took you months to get to this point so why rush it now when you're in the home stretch? But, if you do come across any problems this is the time to fix them. So, go back and fill, sand, wet sand, and prime again until it's perfect.

The best part of the Y-Wing - all those greeblies!

A Whole Lotta Brass Tubing

A distinct feature of the Y-Wing is the twisted network of pipes that cover the fuselage. ILM used brass tubing that was covered in plastic, but getting all the sizes needed was a problem. I decided to just use plain old brass tubing. All of the pieces used are solid brass because it's easier to get clean bends with it as opposed to hollow tubing which tends to kink. I used pliers to cut the pieces to length and then sanded the edges down on the sanding wheel.

I also used brass tubing for the guns at the front.

More Canopies & Cockpits

The cockpits of the original models were never really detailed so you can use the fullsize props as a guide. For the most part I just had some fun and made it look functional. It's mainly some tank parts and a few pieces of scrap wire. I chose not to do any lighting on this model so there was no need to run any fiber optic in here. That did allow me to get through this pretty quick.

And after a coat of primer it all comes together...

To get the shape of the canopy I first carved it out of balsa foam. When I was happy with that I built the pieces over the shape. As before I first cut all the shapes out of poster board and then used them as a template for the styrene.

California is Burning

There are some serious fires burning here in California today. Fortunately, we have some of the best firefighters and they do an incredible job keeping us safe. Thank you to all the fire fighters that have been battling these fires.

R5-D4

Yes, R2-D2's ugly cousin. I knew when I started this project I didn't want to put another R2 unit in it. I wanted it to be different from my X-Wing. So, I went ahead with the version that had the R5 unit. Construction was no different from the R2 I made previously. The main structure is a styrene tube covered with a bunch of styrene bits.

It's amazing how a simple coat of primer brings everything together.

L'eggs & The Easter Bunny

Okay, so there's no Easter Bunny but there are plastic eggs involved. If you're not familiar with one of ILM's favorite "found" parts then you didn't recognize what makes up the front of the engines. Back in the 70's a very common package that pantyhose came in was a plastic egg. Specifically L'egg's which they no longer use to package their product. Instead you have to hunt them down on EBay. Unfortunately, there is group of people out there that collect them so getting a hold of them is easier said than done so when you do get one - make a mold!

The front of the engines uses the top of the egg container and the back of the engines uses the bottom. Cutting the container to the correct size is a bit of a challenge. After some trial and error I filled the egg with expanding foam. After the foam was dry I cut then down to size on the table saw. It worked like a charm.

Mounting Holes & Flanges

Like I mentioned in the last post I lost alot of the early pics so I'll have to do my best to describe what we're missing.

The main body was first fashioned in balsa, but like the X-Wing the wings were acrylic covered in styrene. The acrylic will hold the weight of the engines at the ends without sagging. I just want to mention the mounting points on the model. Unlike the filming models I don't need to have mounting holes in any specific area based on shot requirements so it was up to me to find the appropriate locations. I chose to put one mounting hole in the rear and one at the bottom. Having two mounting points allowed me some flexibility during construction. I like to use galvanized plumbing pipe to mount the models because of the strength. Inside the body I recess a coupling and secure it with epoxy. The other end is attached to a piece of wood with a pipe flange mounted to it. I clamp the wooden base to the workbench and it keeps the model from falling to the floor. It's a method I use when I work on a sculpture and it works well here too.

The shape of the nose that holds the cockpit is tough to get right. That took me the most amount of time. After shaping it in balsa I had to cover it in styrene but the curves made that harder than it sounds. If I had to do it again I would vacuum form the styrene over the balsa. It would not only be alot easier it would look better. The cockpit canopy is another really tough shape to get right. I first carved the shape out of balsa foam and then built the styrene pieces over it. Before I started cutting the styrene I did a mockup in poster board in order to make templates. Working things out in poster board saves you from ruining your more expensive styrene while you get things just right.

Scratchbuilt Studio Scale Y-Wing

After I finished the X-Wing I was hooked on scratchbuilding and so the search for my next project was on. The whole time I was working on the X-Wing I had the idea of doing the Y-Wing next but the amount of kits to fill it up seemed overwhelming. Eventually I got up the nerve to begin working on a set of plans and so it was back to the bible - "Star Wars Chronicles". As with most of the models there is a great picture of one of the Y's so I started by blowing it up to the SS size. I had a reference photo that showed it was approximately 28" long so I had a good starting point.

Unfortunately, during the build I had a computer crash and I lost alot of my progress pics. I now backup alot more often! So, instead I am going to have to explain how I started this bird. As with the X-Wing I made the initial shapes out of balsa wood. The main body of the ship is a lesson in geometry under all those layers of greeblies. The one tool that became invaluable was my mini tablesaw that is made by Micro Mark.

If you don't have one I suggest you get one. It is well worth the investment and will pay for itself in a short amount of time. If you're not familiar with Micro Mark it's worth checking out. They carry alot of tools and supplies specifically for model makers.

Just Some Beauty Shots