Star Destroyer #3 - Printable Version

Star Destroyer #3 - Printable Version

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RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 05-06-2011

Niiiiice. You glued the antenna down & left off the deck cage from the face? Are you not going with those scenarios

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-06-2011

(05-06-2011, 01:43 PM)omes72 Wrote: Niiiiice. You glued the antenna down & left off the deck cage from the face? Are you not going with those scenarios

Although the antenna looks good up, I want to learn more about how that was done before I commit to it. It'll come off again if it needs to. I have that ribbed piece that goes on the 'chin' that was in earlier photos. I made it so that I can have it on or off, it just snaps in place. I was waiting for the paint to cure completely before snapping it back on.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-08-2011

Did the panel lines.

[Image: IMGP0429.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - darkimmitator - 05-08-2011

DAMN !!!!!!!!!!!! I like !!!!!!!!!

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - MonsieurTox - 05-08-2011

Stunning Rick !

Your panel lines are very ILM-like !! I love their style Smile

She's beautiful in white ! I was not convainced when the ILMer who painted the 8 footer told me he painted her white, but now I am !! They used rattlecans though, she's too big to be painted with an airbrush !!

I painted my 3 footer with an airbrush and with Tamiya paints like you, they are the best IMHO !

Cant wait to see more, you're doing a fantastic job !!

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-08-2011

Thanks guys! Yes, I like the Tamiya paints. I used Tamiya spray cans first, then went over some areas with the airbrush after that. For a star destroyer, putting down a coat of gray first, then white on top of that gives it such a fantastic finish, it really brings out the details nicely. The panel lines are an art in themselves, one that I am merely mimicking the ILM fashion, or trying to. This took me 3 hours to do. I'm sure, Julien, you know all about these things. Your star destroyer absolutely blows me away!

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - dbhs - 05-08-2011

Awesome work. That bottom pic... so crisp it looks like CG.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 05-09-2011

Rick that looks awsome. I think your originallity on details is great. You haven't overdone it. Its looking as good if not better than the original. So sharp & well laid out. Keep it coming mate.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-10-2011

Wow! Now those are some of the best compliments I every received. Thank you very much!

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - star-art - 05-10-2011

That looks fantastic! Can't wait to see it in person. . . Smile

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-17-2011

I made several new friends at WonderFest. One fellow in particular befriended me and my new group of talented friends. Lorne Peterson is one of the most gracious, kind and down-to-earth guys I've ever met in the industry. We were part of his 'inner circle' at the fest. I am so grateful for the invitation to join this group for this unique opportunity. Mr. Peterson gave us all personal attention and examined and admired our studio scale work.

Lorne was gracious enough to answer all the model questions our group put to him. We sat with him for hours on end at dinners in local restaurants. Charles and I even had exclusive time with him at breakfast. I showed him pictures of all my star destroyers and other models I made for the movie '77 (5-25-77). I even showed him pictures of me as him for the ILM scenes of the film. He got a kick out of that.

Lorne talks to you as an equal, as one of the guys. He is always eager to share information about how the original models were built. Naturally, I had a few questions about the ANH SD. I asked him everything from why was it called the '3-footer' to which side of the eggs were used for the engines. I learned A LOT that will help me in my continued star destroyer construction.

One of the things he said was that what we do making replicas (finding all the pieces, figuring out dimensions, not to mention time and budget, etc.) is much more difficult than what they had to do to create the originals. When I told him that I wasn't using all the original kit parts in my build he complimented my style, adding that making it up was more like what they were actually doing at ILM. When he examined my build up close, it seemed to bring back memories of his time building the original. What I found to be very rewarding was that he would point to areas of my model, for instance, like the panel lines to share with me stories of how they did the same things on the original. He would point to it and say, "See how this line is darker than this line, and these lines overlap, but these don't?" He then told me who at ILM did the lines this way, who did them that way, etc. He even had an interesting story as to where he believes the idea for the deflector domes on top of the bridge came from.

There are 3 events that I consider the highest points in my career as an artist. Mr. Peterson's compliments on this star destroyer build is the latest. Receiving praise from the man who was charged with building the original star destroyer is so unbelievably thrilling to me, I just can't put it into words! The fact that I chose to mix what he and the other ILM guys did with my own detailing style impressed him more than if I just copied the original piece by piece. It is a validation from the highest authority.

It was a weekend that I will never forget. I certainly will never look at this build the same way again.

[Image: IMGP0445a.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - dbhs - 05-18-2011

Thanks so much for sharing this story. I really wish I could have attended this year and participated with other studio scale builders. It sounds like an amazing experience meeting Lorne and having real quality time with him. I need to start planning now so I can make it next year. It's difficult being in California and needing to safely transport large models back to the show.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 05-19-2011

Youve done very well Rick & congratulations, again. So was the Devestators starboardside detailed or bare?

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-19-2011

(05-19-2011, 06:01 AM)omes72 Wrote: Youve done very well Rick & congratulations, again. So was the Devestators starboardside detailed or bare?

Bare, no details. Lorne said that when they did the first movie they had no thought of a second. So, because the star destroyer had such little screen time, they only detailed what they had to. The starboard side was detailed and altered for use in ESB. Because production had to move along, it was made ready so they could shoot it for a few scenes before construction on the larger model was completed.

This reminded me of something else he said. Before Lorne joined ILM, they had started models like the Blockade Runner and Millennium Falcon, which he detailed the engine area where the six circular vents are located. At that time they were using 5 min. epoxy. He said it was taking a much longer time to build the models. He introduced them to super glue. At that time it was a fairly new invention. And, yes, they super glued all the star destroyer's starboard side details right to the paint, saying that it was strong enough to stick most anything together.

Lorne also said that it was a common practice to prime areas of models as they were in the process of detailing them to see how it would look as they progressed.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-22-2011

With the superstructure nearly complete, I moved on to the hull panels. I was thinking to have these laser cut, but I've never done that before, plus I didn't want to wait. Instead I chose to do the old score and snap. It works very well, as you can see, only some minor clean up with the sand paper. Soon I should be ready to build the wood frame.

[Image: IMGP0515.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 05-22-2011

Looking pretty damn sharp there buddy.
The arrows head.
Lean mean Devestating machine!
Keep up the good work Rick its definately paying off.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-23-2011

Thanks, Jase! Moving on to the wood frames now.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 05-31-2011

Here are some progress pictures. It's starting to take shape. Of course, nothing is attached to the hull panels yet, I just wanted to see it all together. The guns are not going to be on the final model. I just threw them together to fill the space for now.

Thanks to our good friend Jason I was able to acquire more original parts for the bridge! I was able to replace the lunar module landing gear parts on the side of the bridge with the correct Airfix parts. I completed the back with the original tooling Shinano parts, also located under each side of the bridge. There are only 2 parts left to complete the superstructure.

I started making detail parts for the top of the hull. The inner frames are in the works. Mounting is going to be addressed, which will affect how the frames will be built. Lots more to do. My first two destroyers were completed in 2 months each. This one has been going on (and off) for two and a half years. I want this to be far better than the first two, and I am pleased with the progress so far.

[Image: IMGP0554.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 06-01-2011

Ok Im jelous. Beautiful work Rick. She's so clean & tight. I wish I could get mine started but Im jusy holding off to gey some more researvh done..... Keep it up buddy. What else do you need?

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-05-2011

Plywood frames done. Hull panels attached with screws only for now. Have yet to cut the docking bays from the bottom, as well as the mounting access areas. As of now it mounts from the rear, though I am thinking to have mounting from the starboard side like the filming model, and bottom too. The stand under the forward section is just there to keep it from rolling. Nothing is attached to the hull yet, and I have to come up with a mechanism to prevent rolling.

[Image: IMGP0591.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - dbhs - 06-06-2011

Looking great !!!

I'd definitely do a starboard mounting point. I've seen one other like that a while back and it really gives it the sense of if floating in space as viewed from the port side when it's mounted like that.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-06-2011

Thanks, guys. Below is a photo that I didn't intend to take, but when I set it upright to make room to do other things I thought it would make a good addition to the progress pics. This shows how big it is. It is a lot bigger than my first 2 destroyer models, as this one is more than a foot longer in length.

[Image: IMGP0624.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 06-07-2011

Show off! That just rocks Ricky boy. Time to get this show on the road(mine). Im just so impressed with every picture no matter what its format. Always an inspiration.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-08-2011

Here I have the bulk of the trench detailing done. Still have to do a little sanding of resin here and there. My 8Rad parts also need the extra greeblies, though I can glue them on later, once I figure out what they are, that is.

I was both happy and sad that I found the PERFECT brass U channels. They fit the plexi edge like they were made for each other. Unfortunately, the hobby store I found them at are discontinuing ordering them, and I only have enough to complete one edge. At least I know they are out there to find more!

Next I am going to concentrate on mounting from the bottom and side. For now it is mounted from the rear where the middle engine will be. The stand is strong enough to hold it, but it is a long and heavy model, and balance becomes an issue.

[Image: IMGP0641-1.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-09-2011

I spent most of last night fixing a mounting system for the bottom of the model. It works fantastic. Now all I have to do is figure out how to make a side mounting.

[Image: IMGP0650.jpg]

I just never get sick of a Star destroyer from this angle...

[Image: IMGP0664.jpg]

You know this can't stay this way for long...

[Image: IMGP0666.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 06-10-2011

Whoa thats looking wicked Rick. Full steam ahead.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - dbhs - 06-10-2011

That's looking great. Check out the on that Tobias Richter did on "the light works" website. He did a side mount and it looks great. I can't view it now but I think i remember seeing some inside pics of the armature on that site. I'm looking forward to seeing you start detailing the surface of this one too.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - JAWS - 06-10-2011

Rick at the bottom & back of your SD's neck should be 2 x small squares with circular pieces ontop of the Bandai Panther hatches & under White Road Boss shocks. They are from the Fujimi Kongo, Kirishima, Hiei, & Haruna(Any of these ships)

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-11-2011

(06-10-2011, 05:08 PM)omes72 Wrote: Rick at the bottom & back of your SD's neck should be 2 x small squares with circular pieces ontop of the Bandai Panther hatches & under White Road Boss shocks. They are from the Fujimi Kongo, Kirishima, Hiei, & Haruna(Any of these ships)

Thanks, Jase. I was wondering what those were.

(06-10-2011, 02:19 PM)dbhs Wrote: That's looking great. Check out the on that Tobias Richter did on "the light works" website. He did a side mount and it looks great. I can't view it now but I think i remember seeing some inside pics of the armature on that site. I'm looking forward to seeing you start detailing the surface of this one too.

I don't know where to find the side mount, but I'd love to see it.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - dbhs - 06-11-2011

I found pictures here:
http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=12889

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-11-2011

Thanks. Nice.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-13-2011

I've begun work on the docking bays. I was able to cut out the openings in the bottom hull panels. I got a good start on the ceiling and trim around the main bay. Anyone know what was used to make the front wall, double bay doors? If I can't figure it out I will do what I usually do... make it up as I go. [Image: IMGP0672.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-17-2011

I am making good progress on the main docking bay. It's taking a long time to scratch build most of what's in there. I'm very close to finishing it. This is one of those areas on the model I would like to be as accurate as possible.

In the screen cap below, I've outlined the part(s) I need to make the forward, double bay openings. Does anyone know what that is made from?

Thanks!

[Image: get-attachment.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-18-2011

Well, I'm still not entirely finished with it, but the docking bay has come a long way. Nothing is glue down yet, you can see tape holding things together for now. Still need to make the 'claw.' I want it to eventually look like it did in ANH.

No one knows what the forward double bay doors were made from, so I decided to be creative. I think it will look better when it is painted.

I found that the docking bay is not an easy thing to replicate. It takes an enormous amount of patience. Eric set the standard with his incredible build. His docking bay was outstanding. I can only hope mine turns out half as good...

[Image: IMGP0711.jpg]

She's getting there...

[Image: IMGP0697-1.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - Richard_2001 - 06-18-2011

ringa,

It is looking fantastic to me I like it a lot! Since no one knows what part should be there, no one can say yours is incorrect!

Richard

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-18-2011

(06-18-2011, 02:20 PM)Richard_2001 Wrote: ringa,

It is looking fantastic to me I like it a lot! Since no one knows what part should be there, no one can say yours is incorrect!

Richard

Thanks, Richard! I guess as long as it looks right, or good enough, then that's what counts, yes?

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-19-2011

I knew this would look better painted. I began detailing the trim with the tiny part from the Bandai Panther G. Need 16 of them, but you only get one in the kit. I'm in the process of making 15 castings of it.

[Image: IMGP0714-1.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 06-25-2011

Here are the latest photos of all the pieces put together. I've begun work on some of the bottom details. Still nothing is glued down yet, as there is much more work to be done before that can happen, so please excuse the tape. Smile

I want to shout a HUGE THANK YOU to Lee for donating nine 12" brass U channels to this project!!! I could only find 4 of them here and he was generous enough to send what he had. I'm short one more, but this gives me plenty to work with for now. Thanks again, Lee!!!

[Image: IMGP0728.jpg]

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - dbhs - 06-25-2011

Wow - that's looking really great in these latest pictures. I like the head-on shot.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 07-18-2011

It's been a long time since I've posted any new photos here of my progress. There's a good reason for that.

For the past few weeks I've been detailing the bottom of the hull. It is nearly done. Like the superstructure, there are just a few more pieces that I am waiting for to complete it. One of the pieces I've not been able to find is the elliptical dome. I need one that is 3.5" wide, or about 9 mm. If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it. There are still the patches of gray here and there to paint, but I want to take a break from the bottom for now.

Anyway, now I can move on to detailing the top of the hull. I only have to do the panel lines, the chips and the edges. It will take a long time, but should not take as long as the bottom did.

So, for the latest update, here is a before and after of the bottom.
It took weeks to turn this...

[Image: IMGP0624.jpg]

Into this....

[Image: IMGP0804a.jpg]

Until next time.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - darkimmitator - 07-18-2011

The AMT fruehauf tanker trailer ends might work for the eliptical domes .
Excellent progress on this piece . Amazing details !!!

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 07-18-2011

(07-18-2011, 01:58 PM)darkimmitator Wrote: The AMT fruehauf tanker trailer ends might work for the eliptical domes .
Excellent progress on this piece . Amazing details !!!

Thanks! I'll look into the tanker trailer ends.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - star-art - 07-19-2011

I'm pretty sure those are too large in diameter and too shallow in height? They are a pretty flat shape compared to the one on the studio model. By all means, though, check it out. Mine are all in storage so I can't.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 07-19-2011

(07-19-2011, 02:50 AM)star-art Wrote: I'm pretty sure those are too large in diameter and too shallow in height? They are a pretty flat shape compared to the one on the studio model. By all means, though, check it out. Mine are all in storage so I can't.

I just bought one. Well, I hope there are other parts in it that I can use if the dome doesn't work.

Charles, the dome I told you about won't work either. That's why I'm still looking. We should've asked Lorne about this when we had the chance.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - star-art - 07-19-2011

There are if you're building a Galactica. LOL But, I don't know about any parts needed for this model.

Check out the Plastruct dome we talked about to see if it's tall enough. . .

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 07-19-2011

Just found out on RPF that Eric is also using the tanker kit for his dome. That gives me some hope. Maybe it will work after all. There was a ruler in the scan of the dome in the kit scans for this part. It looks to be the correct width. It certainly is not too large, maybe a fraction small. I won't know for sure until it arrives, but I have high hopes for it.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 07-21-2011

I thought it would be fun at this stage of construction to compare the bottoms of the original filming model (left) and mine (right)...

[Image: Bottoms-Compared.jpg]

Here's a closeup of the docking bay area...

[Image: IMGP0807.jpg]

I found out that the dome on the bottom is not elliptical as I and others thought. It was actually thin styrene vacuuformed over an E.M.A. dish dome, the bent over the hull and trimmed. My thanks to Mr. L.P. for this info.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - kbilly - 07-21-2011

It looks so good that I swear some of you pics look like a digital model.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 07-21-2011

(07-21-2011, 10:16 PM)kbilly Wrote: It looks so good that I swear some of you pics look like a digital model.

Thank you very much! I'm hoping someday that I can actually do this in CG.

RE: Star Destroyer #3 - ringa - 07-25-2011

This segment may read like a tutorial in a way, but I've learned some valuable things while building Star Destroyers that may be of use to those who want to take a crack at it for themselves.

There are four things I'll be covering this time; Domes, Panel Scribing, the importance of being able to attach and detach the hull, and finally, Nose Detail.

First the dome. As I wait for the domes I ordered to arrive I received the AMT 1/25 Frauhauf Tanker kit. I was going to use the dome from this kit before I found out from Lorne Peterson how this part of the filming model was actually made. As an experiment, I decided to prepare the part as though I were going to use it.

The problem is how to make a flat dome fit over the angled hull. On the original, a dish dome was used as a buck for vacuuforming thin styrene over it. It was then bent over the hull and trimmed. However, the tanker kit dome I found is too small in diameter by about a quarter inch. if it were to be used, the trimming technique would only make it even smaller. So I tried a technique that would preserve its size while still fitting it over the hull. By waving it back and forth over a lit candle (not getting too close as to melt the part to deformity), the heated plastic softens just enough to make it pliable down the middle. I then draped it over the hull and held it there until the dome's new shape became permanent as it cooled. I then drilled a hole in it where the mounting bar goes through it. The dome now fits over the hull like it was made for it...

[Image: IMGP0864.jpg]

If you were to use this part, when the greeblies and panel lines are put on it they could disguise the fact that it is too small just enough to get by. Now, I bought enough of the correct size domes to try this technique on one of them, since it worked so well with this one. A good alternative if you don't have a vacuuformer.

On to panel lines. I've learned that it is best to scribe the plexi hull panels before they are attached to the frame, and before anything is attached to the panels. This way you can lay them flat on a table without obstacles to work around. However, in doing it this way you create a problem because the structures that the panel lines interact with or wrap around are not there. How do you overcome this? Simple.

Prepare the plexi panels by first screwing them to the frame, then arranging all the structures where they belong. I made sure to measure their placement so they will be exactly where I want them when I am ready to attach them permanently...

[Image: IMGP0834.jpg]

Once I had all the pieces in place on the top hull, I then lightly airbrushed a mist of white paint around the edges of the pieces leaving an outline of where they will all eventually end up...

[Image: IMGP0842.jpg]

You might ask why not just trace around them with a pencil or hobby knife? Well, the most obvious reasons are because this way I have no chance of accidentally moving them out of position, marking them or damaging them. They are white already, so a mist of white doesn't hurt or move them. Now I have the areas defined where panel lines should go, and areas that can be masked where structures can be attached after the hull is painted.

Because this model is entirely hand made like the original, I should mention here that there are valuable advantages to screwing the hull to the frame, then having the ability to remove them and reattach them several times while working on this model. In the process of doing this you can constantly tweak the frames so that the panels fit their best when you are ready to attach them for good. Every time I screwed them to the frame, it seems, I would find a different area that could be improved. I was also saved from a major disaster by doing it this way. When I first drilled the screw holes on the top hull, I must have moved the hull slightly so that all the holes were off by one millimeter to the port side. That may not sound like much, but a single millimeter threw the entire hull off enough so that the starboard side trench would have been much wider than the port side. VERY noticeable in a finished model, the "kiss of death," as my good friend Charles puts it. Because I am constantly attaching, detaching, reattaching the hulls, I was able to discover and correct the problem before it was permanent. I abandoned the original screw holes for corrected ones.

Now for the nose. I mention this because on the original filming model the nose was very detailed. At some point in its existence those parts were either removed or have fallen off. There is only one photo I know of (in the Chronicles) that shows the nose with a lot of detail. Since this photo is taken from below, it is very difficult to ID any parts in there. I want my model to have details in the nose, so I did what I always do when I have little reference... I made it up. Here are the details I added to the bottom hull. They will eventually be "sandwiched" by the pieces I have lined up to go on the top hull.

[Image: IMGP0852.jpg]

In Star Wars you always see laser bolts shooting from two areas in the nose. Maybe the original filming model had small guns in there, I don't know, but mine definitely does. I also studied many photos of the Avenger nose, which is well documented, to get ideas on how to do mine, yet without going overboard with too much detail.

So, at this point I have a top hull that is ready for scribing, a bottom hull that is ready for the correct dome to come in the mail, detailing the nose is covered (literally), and I have all the areas marked for the top structures when it is time to attach them permanently. When these things are done I can finally move on to the engines.

Hope you all enjoyed this, and I hope my experiences can help your projects in some way.