That looks really nice. The detail on that is first rate. Look forward to seeing it painted.

Deffinetly added to my shopping list for next year.

Just about ready to start slinging paint on the TIE Interceptor. How far off canon can we go? I while researching alternate paint schemes, I found something called the TIE Interceptor Warhead. From what I could find, was an experimental version of the Interceptor with warhead launchers outboard of the solar wings. I'm thinking it would look awesome as a First Order ship.

I don't know how detailed I can make the pods, but it will be interesting.

As long as it looks like it belongs in the SW universe, its fine by me. NAd that deffinetly does.

PB: Ohhhh that SD looks sooooooooo nice!!! I guessing from your hand in the photo that she's a bit less than a foot/30cm long?

Lew: That looks cool! Reminds me of the PC game 'TiE Fighter' and tossing concussion missiles at A-Wings. Always made me laugh, the Rebel pilots didn't have any type of chaff or jammers or even try to evade the missles. You'd launch them and then BOOM the Rebel would pop! 

Hey! Been a while for me and FSM...but I'd like to get in on this. Buttloads of SW kits in the stash that I've been chomping at the bit to get to, so this would be a great excuse.

Got a contest on the 20th of October I'm finishing some things up for, but after that I'm in! 

Blimey, didn't think we would be seeing you back here, good to have you back. let me know what your building and i'll get you down.

Oh wow Dupes as Bish said haven't seen you in forever! Good to see you again. Hope things are okay? 

Things are great! Still modeling a ton. Have a kid now (who just turned six...already), been building Gundams with him at a pretty feverish pace. :D

I ended up leaving this forum because of the whole Manstein's Revenge thing quite a while back. Looks like he's gone, and hopefully any remembrance of all the sh*t he used to pull.

What are people using for photo hosting services these days? The Photobucket fiasco still doesn't seem to be resolved, so I'm guessing not that.

Hope you all are well! Going to try to get myself back here regularly.

Oh, Bish - will probably bang out a 1/24 Saltire Technologies Jedi Starfighter. ;)

dupes

What are people using for photo hosting services these days? The Photobucket fiasco still doesn't seem to be resolved, so I'm guessing not that.

Hope you all are well! Going to try to get myself back here regularly.

Oh, Bish - will probably bang out a 1/24 Saltire Technologies Jedi Starfighter. ;)

I use imgur... it's free. If you use it and people click your picture to zoom, they won't see adds for hot singles in their area, etc.  I have no problem waking you through how to post a picture.  The first time is not intuitive but it is not difficult, just a weird process.  You can do it from a phone too- that's what i do. 

Hope to see your starfighter.

T e d

Ted4321

The first time is not intuitive but it is not difficult, just a weird process.  You can do it from a phone too- that's what i do.

Let me set up an account, I may take you up on that tutorial! Yeah, being able to do straight from phone cam to image service would be WELL worth the trouble.

Agree, that TIE Warhead looks cool. 

Gamera, you got it--SD is exactly 30cm long. 

And I don't know all of the players here, but also welcome back, dupes! Gather it's been a few years?

And second the use of Imgur. I switched after Photobucket blew itself up, and haven't looked back. You have to navigate a bit around all of the social media stuff to get to photo libarary, but not too hard. 

Finally, found some time to prime the bottom of the SD with Vallejo medium gray (bought to use on the Viper in the background), will get to the rest sometime next week after a weekend trip. My plan is to mask off random rectangles, then spray some kind of gray/white mix. 

PB: She looks good! I may have to pick up one of these- the Zvesda kit is a little on the large side. 

Dupes: I use Image Shack. Haven't used Imgur but I've heard good stuff about them. I pay Image Shack about thirty bucks or so a year but frankly it's worth it not to have to put up with the endless pop-up ads PhotoBucket does. I wish I'd switched over years ago. 

Okay, finally some work to show on Han. No pupils or eyebrows since I'm still tinkering with the face. And the black stripe down the side of his vest/waistcoat from where I put a wash on his hair and it ran down his front.

Somehow there's gunk all in the paint, there may have been some dust on the model when I primed him. I've sanded some out, that's been taking me so long. That and dropping him and cementing him back together...

Thats coming on nicely G. You have the start of a really nicely painted figure there.

Thanks Bish! I'm going to TRY to get this one finished on time!

Still got 2 months to go, plenty of time.

Looking good, Gamera! I admire you guys who can paint figures, I just can't! Machines are easier. :-)

Thanks PB! Had to work this weekend but still I got a lot of work done on painting and shading his white shirt. Will try to get some photos up soon. 

Ahhh, Han Solo has no Han(d) !!!! 

Started work on the Warhead yesterday. It turns out that some Bothan spies took the plans to my Interceptor and left plans for an A-wing in their place, so I went to the interwebz to see what color to paint the cockpit, I found that it was Neutral Gray. Shot some primer and semi-gloss black for the displays and switches on the seat, then masked them for the neutral gray.  I used some Tamiya AS Neutral Gray from the rattle can. It should be dry by the time I get home from work.

One of the things that definitely stand out on the First Order TIE Fighter is the solar panels. Rather than being mesh like, they more resemble actual panels so I had to figure out how to replicate that. I was thinking I would have to scribe the panels by hand, but while I was getting some sheet plastic and tubing at the local HobbyTown, they had some v-groove sheet stock for the railroad guys. They had several widths between the grooves and I picked one that looked appropriate.  Now to fabricate the panels.

Step one, use Tamiya tape to create a template.

Step two. Apply template to plastic and cut out.

Step three. Glue in place.  I left the tape in place in case I got some glue on my fingers. Figured it would be better to get glue on the tape rather than have to try and clean up the plastic.

And the left wing is done.

If everything goes as planned, I should have the TIEball assembled and the right wing done after I wake up tomorrow (later today whatever. these overnights throw my schedule off).  After that, CAD (cardboard aided design) work on the rocket pods will begin on Monday most likely.  In doing research on the TIE series and looking for alternate schemes, I ran across the Barons from one of the animated series. They painted their ships red with black solar panels.  Since I really have a dislike for things that are gray, I'll be going with this scheme.

PFJN: Haha, didn't know Han(d) Solo had two artifical hands too? Take that Luke! Actually they molded the hands separate from the arms. Not complaining- it makes it much easier to paint.  

Lew: That looks cool! Love the updated solar wings! 

Thanks Gamera! Your Han Solo figure is coming along nicely.

Woke up yesterday afternoon and lollygagged a bit before hitting the workbench. I pulled the masking tape off and this was the result. I also added the pilot figure. I realize he should be multiple shades of black, but he won't be that visible.

The view through the forward bulkhead.

Installed in the TIEball.

I just noticed a little flash on the forward bulkhead. I was going to just let it go because no one will see, but I'll probably scrape it off when I get home. No updates until the weekend because as soon as I wake up this afternoon, I have to go back in to work. Will probably glue the TIEball together and start on the solar cells for the right wing after I get back home tonight.  For those that are still building, keep at it and post pics.

That looks good! Think you made the right call, not sure I'd do much more work on the pilot either.

Thanks Gamera. I've seen some finished builds and he isn't real noticeable. Got a little bit of work done. Installed the glass that's above the pilot's head (nothing pic worthy). It actually traps the hinge for the working hatch that is one of the kit's features. The only problem is said hatch is actually the engine compartment, and I doubt Seinar Fleet Systems designed it to lift out of the way for pilot entry.  I do have the TIEball almost assembled. 

The view from the rear.

Going to need to be careful with the putty because some of the seams are character lines that form the doublebubble shape of the hull.

View from the front.

A little seamwork to deal with, but not that bad. The fit of this kit isn't too bad. Of course,I've put it together and taken it apart half a dozen times so that may be part of it. Hope to have the engine pod (for lack of a better term) glued in place tomorrow.  Until next time.

Lew: Ohhhhhh that looks cool! Looks like just the two long seams on the bow and two more on the stern. 

Coming on nicely there lewbud. Your right, the pilot is hard to see once the pit is closed up.

Lew, that red paint scheme is going to be sweet. 

I made some progress. Feet, arms, and hands.  Clear and decals next.  

T e d

Thanks Bish, Gamera, and Ted.

Ted,

Your K2SO is coming along nicely.

Did some really basic CAD (cardboard aided design) today. The launcher looks a little short when compared with the concept art, but you'll get the gist.

As you can see from the second photo, I've upgraded the solar panels on both wings and have installed the engine pod. I was wondering how I was going to attach the rocket pods, but then I realized that the kit has two pieces (one per wing) that lock it in place if you build as a snap kit. The hole they fit into is the right size for the plastic tubing I bought for mounting if I leave them off. I'll have to visit the local hobby shop tomorrow for a tubing cutter as I can't get a square cut with my miter box (too shallow).

Ted: Great job there on K2SO, looking forward to seeing how he looks with the decals on. 

Lew: Very cool, good to see the missile launchers coming along so well.