Question on MPC/AMT large X-wing pilot figure

OK, people - here's the scoop on the original "X-wing pilot. This was a dragster figure that MPC recycled in the seventies, hence the oversized hands, and racing helmet. This was done to save retooling costs for an entirely new figure. The fire suit zips up in the front. I scraped that away with an exacto knife, then made a new lifeforms monitor (the box on his chest) with sprue. I shaved his helmet down a lot to resemble the actual version used in the movie. I didn't use any putty on my version, but I did use an 0.18 guage guitar string on my figure for the coupling (hose) that connects to the cockpit computer.

Other than a little sprue, shaving, and some creative paint techniques, it wouldn't be too hard to alter this to a better likeness being as small as he is. The proper scale for the X-wing is 1/48 as stated on the original MPC model box. This kit when fully assembled is 12' inches long x 10" 1/2 inches wide.  Meaning the life size studio X-wing is 48 feet long. Yes people - this is  the actual length as measured out by the set decorators. This sounds big, but it's the size of a small plane, or six feet longer than a standard school bus, which is 42' long.

                                                                       ~ Cobra Chris

Good ideas HvH, and of course my memory has played tricks on me since 1978, I remember what a nice little figure came in the kit but... guess for a 12 year old it was ok.  Since my 8 year old son will be building this one I think the original figure can be made to work, he also has a Monogram Cobra kit which may give us a decent head.

Dave

davecww1

Hi, my first post in the Sci-Fi section so I'm sure someone knows about the original X-wing kit made by MPC.  This is the large scale one approx. 11" long, no scale is listed on the box. I remember having one as a kid in 1978, and it came with a nice Luke Skywalker pilot figure. I recently bought a newer release of this kit, the AMT X-wing fighter plus pacdk kit # 8433. This was a 1997 release. We looked over the contents, and it did not include the pilot figure, although all other parts look identical to the original issue including the clear stand and optional landing gear.  So at first I thought the pilot was missing, but it does not show him in the instructions. So for some reason AMT probably deleted the figure in this issue. so my question, are there any aftermarket figures available for this kit? or does anyone have an extra one in thier spare parts box?

Thanks

Dave

Dave, I built the MPC kit several times back when it was first released and, not caring about scale accuracy between 1/48th and 1/43 (the 1/43 thing came years after the kit was released and was never "official"), I made mine 1/48th by using a 1/48th Monogram "Huey Hog" pilot for the "Luke" figure in an "In-Flight" version, and the standing pilot figure from the Monogram F-86 for the "Hangared" build.  It only took some putty-work here & there and little masking tape, along with some filing of the parachute to "Rebelize" the flight helmets and flightsuits... (Dontcha LOVE how they added Luke's "bangs" under his helmet in the original kit figure?) 

On the standing figure, I cut the legs off just below the knee and added the lower legs from another Monogram figure in order to model Luke's "jackboot"-type flight-boots.   If you don't feel comfortable doing that, a little strategic filing and sanding of the Monogram figure's lower legs will probably work well too...  The life-jacket on the figure is almost perfect size for the vest worn by Rebel X-Wing pilots, although the parachute pack has to come off (If you place him where that back can easily be seen, that is), as well as the O-2 mask and googles, OR use the head of the other Huey Hog pilot. 

For nicely detailed SW kits I still say go either for Fine Molds or the SS-scale Resin kits.

Fine Molds has now the 1/48 X-wing,  1/48Snow-speeder out and will soon release the 1/48 Tie Fighter.

Granted smaller kits but the pleasure of seeing them fall(literally) together and detail level are worth it, IMHO.

Sheesh, that pilot is awful.  I guess I know which X-Wing kit I'll be prioritizing for an "on the tarmac" application.

Yupper. That pilot is soooooo bad... the helmet looks more like an astronaut, not chest packs, no detail at all. I've seen worse, but this is pretty darn bad. Get out the Apoxie sculpt.

I'm inclined to agree. i built the ROTJ version and a pilot was included, but looked like a blob of indistinct plastic. it took quite a bit of modifiying just to get it human looking.

i'm sure someone will have one they can part with, else you may have to modify a ww2 pilot. Isn't o-scale about 1:43?

http://www.easybuiltmodels.com/spare.htm

http://www.reynaulds.com/catalog/dept_359.aspx

I'm afraid you memory has failed you, the pilot doesn't even resemble a rebel pilot and would need extensive rework to look the part.

Estimated scale of model is 1/43.

I have one if you want it, just PM me your address.