X-Wing Fighter: T65 MPC

[ismaelg]

Hello,

My sister got me this for Christmas.  It is the reissued MPC snap-tite X-Wing Fighter from Star Wars.



The kit is very basic.  Almost crude. Not really suited for superdetailing.  For that I have the much better but smaller scale (1/72) Bandai X-Wing kit. I also have the old MPC 1/43 X-Wing kit which is bigger, but been AMT we know it is a turd of a kit.  I plan to eventually build the Bandai kit as Luke's ship: Red 5. 
But back to this one:  This kit is even simpler than the B-Wing I did last year from the same series.  Everybody builds this as Luke's Red 5 (included decals).  I want to do something different. I'll build it pretty much box stock but will try to replicate the Red Squadron Leader, Red One, piloted by Garven Dreis.  This character was played in the movie by actor Drewe Henley, who died in 2016 but appeared posthumously again as Red Leader in the movie Rogue One by using archived footage and audio from 1977.

I started by removing the snap locator pins on the engine parts for a more precise fit. Glued together. Each engine has 3 parts.
  

Engines, intakes and cannons are staring to get together.  This is one of those rare occasion where assembly is done prior to painting.

I'll do my best to keep it simple and box stock. Nothing serious. Just for fun.

Thanks,
Ismael

Edited January 14, 2023 by ismaelg

[Madhatter]

Nice one Ismael! So, what scheme you going to paint it? Partisan? Something of your own creation?

Which ever, will be watching!

[ismaelg]

Thanks Simon! 

As of now, the plan is to be Red Leader.  But I also considered Blue Leader.  Partisan is a cool scheme too.  Heck, I need a whole squadron to do them all ?

Repeat with me: BOX STOCK...   B O X   S T O C K 

Sooo, the laser cannons in the kit are wrong. The arcs are wrong. They should be vertically oriented, not horizontally.  A glaring error. But not that hard to correct. Just cut and rotate 90 degrees. In the process, I cut and added a sleeve ring just for fun.  Drilled a small hole to pin them for proper alignment.
 

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello,

OK,  I can explain.  This may look like I blew up R2-D2's head and machined a new R5-series astromech head...

And that is exactly what I did 

Thanks,
Ismael

[David G.]

Nice work so far!

 I can't wait to see where you go with this.

David G.

[ismaelg]

Hello, 

It looks so good and sinister in black primer I'm tempted to leave it like that...  But NO! Continue with the plan I must!

 

Thanks,
Ismael

Edited January 16, 2023 by ismaelg

[David G.]

It does look good in black. 

Hmmm..... Ghost Squadron, maybe?

David G.

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Pre-shading

 

Base color done. Ready for detail painting, decals and eventual weathering.

 

Thanks,
Ismael

[stavanzer]

Looking Good!

I remember building the "big" MPC kit when it came out in '77/78. 

I should try again to build the reissue.

Your's looks great.

[David G.]

The pre-shading looks like a good camouflage scheme for the Hoth Squadron.

Nice progress.

David G.

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  I don't "suffer" from Project Hopping Syndrome.  I enjoy it...  

Here is a classic example of hours of masking for literally 50 seconds of airbrushing.







Very happy with the laser sharp results.

Thanks,
Ismael

[David G.]

Very Cool!

David G.

[ismaelg]

This one is done and posted Under Glass / "OTHERS"

Thanks,
Ismael

[mustang1989]

Just catching up on this beautiful build Ismael!! I'll be going to the Under Glass section to check it out alright but I really like what you have done with this bad boy. I use the marble/ warble pattern for basework for all my "worn" paint jobs on military aircraft and it works out great as shown in the final photos of your work on this. Beautiful work man.