Pyro X Wing Red Leader - Printable Version

Pyro X Wing Red Leader - Printable Version

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Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-10-2020

I had already began an exacting replica of the X Wing using all the correct source kits. After preparing a Maxi Brute fuselage to Hero configuration, I stopped. Then, there was a brief opportunity to get in on a run for a copy of a real Pyro X Wing. It completely changed my approach to my own project.

TEN YEARS LATER

I just want one nice finished X Wing at home. The Pyro has the pedigree and the work feels important.

Despite the careful reconstruction of this blowed up bird, it was still missing some things. Some of the chips were changed or removed. A few panel lines drifted mid repair or were completely covered. The engines were broken and reassembled before duplicating and two of the engine cans are by all evidence late additions. Two of the cannons are modified originals, maybe in an effort to make left and right pairs. Two matching wings also appear to have been reassembled slightly crooked.

Time to put it all back the way it was originally. We’ll go through it piece by piece in excruciating detail.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-11-2020

One of the great perks of Frank C’s Pyro copies is a duplicate of that classic egghead astromech. Perhaps the first ever miniature R2?

At the top, the original source and on the bottom, the now heightened copy.

[Image: E8658-B7-E-1-DBA-40-A3-8-E17-37-CD5-C46687-E.jpg]

Unfortunately the circular detail inside the leg/shoulder was nonexistent. I’m almost certain that if this detail wasn’t hand pressed, it is a 1/76 tank wheel. The originals were two part molded front/back so there would have been some flash there to trim. It was possible to extend the existing geometry of the raised panels and determine the correct shape of the front arm.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-11-2020

The engine has immediately recognizable detailing with familiar blobs and bubbles, many of them are native to the original. Even the number 39 is still there from the Sealab on the wing mounting point. The original Pyro engine master would have been made from two identical copies of the hero engine half plus sealab part. Also the tapered piece that meets the back of the engine can and the turkey feather... all cast as one piece. Almost all of it is still here, but unfortunately not all on one side.

[Image: 6-C13-A4-E5-C363-47-BF-8-CD0-1-D861-C7-DD5-A0.jpg]

Sadly all four engines are copied from the same damaged source. You can see where the break was on the outer facing side at the exhaust end. The new turkey feathers were previously attached in a way that sort-of compensated for irregular geometry introduced by the repair. There are details from the Phantom donor parts and panel lines gone completely or changed.

[Image: E07-D8-DF1-C99-D-428-D-BEF0-C8133-F0178-A2.jpg]

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - JAWS - 06-13-2020

Welcome back.
Looking good mate.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-13-2020

My main man, so sorry it has been so long. Even picked up an unbuilt ICONS X Wing along the way. Still no Red 1 hanging on my wall. But this one feels worthy of a true conservation. I hesitate to call it a restoration, I admit it is that, but with as little interpretation as I can possibly contribute.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-14-2020

I sliced and diced, putting it back using only itself.

On the left is an original from production, on the right the restored copy.

[Image: 13214942-A192-48-AF-93-C1-01701-F8-EDB09.jpg]

I’m not trying to do this seven more times. Some more fine tuning maybe but this is the new pattern for creating hero style engine halves.

I have found no evidence that the heat sync detail found inside the hero models would have existed on a cast-whole Pyro engine. The images I have indicate a flat surface with only a circular indentation at the center instead.

My feeling is upgrade to hero engines and add lighting.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-16-2020

The included engine cans, simultaneously disappointing and incredible. Among all four, only the two on the left are original. The two Monogram based cans on the right must have hopped on later.

[Image: A4413-B7-A-6-C41-4375-8-CF4-EABA85-C702-F8.jpg]

Red Leader Pyro had two cast-whole cans on its underside. The shallow depth of the intake gives it away. The visible top can appears deeper, with likely the other on top also being made from the long-rectangle Saturn V half, matching the hero model. This is consistent with the other highly detailed Pyro X Wings. For whatever reason it would seem they only cast the ‘standard’ engine can.

[Image: ADB4-C1-CE-BFD8-45-EA-9874-B76566-ECFC38.jpg]

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-23-2020

The hollow fuselage is cast in two pieces along a slightly wandering part line. The work goes slow in removing the excess for a good fit. Even slower than that was restoring the chips on this side from leftover lumps. Some had already been replaced entirely. Panel lines were missing too but I put it all back referencing the original pattern. With only the two little chips to go this side is mercifully finally resolved.

[Image: 7-FB1-B8-DE-90-AB-40-BD-8-F93-CC639-C756610.jpg]

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 06-29-2020

Rejoining the two halves of the fuselage has been an exercise in insanity.

[Image: BF70669-D-F29-A-4-F9-F-861-C-0348-F5-F28-E22.jpg]

The goopy brushed on material inside is a nightmare to work and if this was anything else but a production casting copy I would have used power tools. There is a remnant of another part line indicating there was a slight shift to a previous generation, that can now be realigned. I wonder if it is a second or third generation copy of the original as it’s still nearly an inch longer than the ICONS fuselage.

Almost there.

[Image: BD10611-B-C81-C-470-D-A9-C5-8-C788-CEEB365.gif]

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - Turrican - 07-21-2020

Cool, looking forward to see some paint on it.
Do you know what paint you will use?

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 08-01-2020

(07-21-2020, 12:44 AM)Turrican Wrote: Cool, looking forward to see some paint on it.
Do you know what paint you will use?

When my local hobby shop closed forever about five years ago I bought their entire remaining Floquil inventory. I don’t have every color but it’s over 200 jars, plus they threw in the rack and color chip cart.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - Turrican - 08-08-2020

200 jars of floquil...man that's insane!!

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-02-2025

Enter the Dave Jones copy and I’m not sure I will continue with the Eaves fuselage for this build. Complete engine cans, a full size R2, unmodified cockpit, and droid plate. It’s great to have both to work from, the Eaves copy still boasts the uncut backplate and having both sources lands a builder in a unique position of possibly assembling an accurate model all from production sources. However neither have completely accurate chipping and I’m trying to put it all back. Maybe I’ll yet complete an X wing after all this time.

Not sure if I can declare that procrastination wins again but wow Red Leader Hero and Pyro have both turned up. The reference is amazing. Although the Pyro model was modified to Red 3 during production, it still solves some mysteries. No Hero style engine cans from the Airfix Saturn V after all. Unique decals, and some fuselage-halves sizing/mismatch resulting in some fun asymmetrical panel lines.

New plan, build a Red Leader Pyro, before it was repainted. Maybe with some cleaner engine copies and less crunch here and there.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - wizardofthenorth - 10-06-2025

Hi, I was wondering if you could post some comparisons of some JE parts, to the DJ parts?

Particularly interested in the engine cans, phantom engines, and the gun mount part.

Like you, I realize now, from the JE set...only the one set of cans are original. The gun barrels part (that mount to the wing), I am suspecting are not original pyro parts either.

The phantom engine parts, and maybe even the entire wing? Going by an old post on the RPF, may actually have been the masters. I compared the wing at least to a V5...and almost exactly the same size...maybe a mm off at most, so I think at least the JE wings...are VERY good.

ty

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-06-2025

Sure I can post some comparison pictures.

The base cylinder of the guns on the JE copy, if I am remembering right, only two were ‘correct’ as it looked like to my eye like there was now a left and right handed version. As far as I can tell the production models were all cast the same.

Both sets of wings have their own nuances. The JE, I recall scraping some raised bits out of the recessed areas and noticed some details had been replicated. Like the octagon gas flap looking detail on the wing box. The DJ version also has some redone chipping I noticed here and there. I don’t think either of the sets were working from the master pattern wing.

The phantom engine on the JE may have been the master, but damaged and repaired. I think that’s why we get all the kit part detail on what became a low spot you can see in my earlier picture above of the production castings. On the DJ it’s sort of filled at that point. The JE also has some remnants of the Frog landing gear by the sealab mounting part just like the production copies, while the DJ breaks that piece out separately. Not sure if that makes any sense until I can get back with some pictures.

I am really trying to get forensic on these parts. While going through my inventory I noticed the DJ cockpit parts had some floating remnants in its bag and most seemed like meaningless flash from the casting except for one little square. I’ve got two copies of this part and this one actually has what I think of as the ‘joystick’ now reattached with some level of precision. Since this donor kit part remains unknown to me it was a nice moment to be able to reclaim some missing detail here especially since I could have easily missed it completely.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-06-2025

The phantom engines, DJ at the top and the JE on the bottom. The panel lines differ at the end of the JE likely due to the repairs. This is why I previously rotated the end 180 degrees as the two rectangular chips on the topside were maybe recreated but still original on the bottom. One fun detail of the DJ is you can just make out a tear/part line that even appears on the hero models.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - wizardofthenorth - 10-06-2025

Thank you for the details...look forward to the build.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - wizardofthenorth - 10-06-2025

One thing I am pretty sure, and may explain some of the variances...is the masters were likely molded multiple times.

Ex...comparing the auctioned master, to DJ, to JE...I suspect the DJ is an early cast pyro (and is possibly Red 3?)...then some chips and or mods were made to the master...then the JE was cast.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-06-2025

If the Red Leader Pyro was made like the rest during production, pyro engines were hollow-cast as one-piece complete with the turkey feathers and sealab part.

The DJ copy is nice because they are cast in halves with the interior diameter ready to receive the transistor detail. I cut the exhaust ends off of the JE since they appeared to be aligned slightly differently than the production and perhaps just a little longer.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-06-2025

Sadly I don’t think the Eaves copy is as original in its chipping comparing to the master pattern. Almost all of the rectangles on the starboard side heading to the nose do not match the production pieces. I recall Frank explaining it was loaned out for the ICONs replicas, damaged in the process, and restored by Eaves himself.

My understanding was the Eaves/McCune model origin was the Red 4 Pyro model in the Joe Viskoli production photo and the DJ copy was an unused production model. Both fuselages are also missing the raised chips on what would have been the access panel on the bottom as well as some other bits along the seem. I think the missing details on the DJ version is because they were sanded off while putting the fuselage halves together.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-07-2025

More mysteries. Comparing to Red Leader pyro, the gun bodies are slightly different in their panel detail.

The bodies are a match but the squares/panels on the JE are different and I can’t match them to a production source. The construction of the DJ pieces makes for a nicer model and appear to be copies of the production parts but broken out, begging for some fun lighting.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - wizardofthenorth - 10-07-2025

That is what I was thinking to. I supppose it is possible they are some unseen production lineage, but for sure not the gun pods from the main pyros.

But most likely they are either later reproductions, or highly modified/restored originals.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-07-2025

I went outside of my Pyro reference folder and noticed the JE gun body is a nearly identical match in its two-rectangles when comparing to the upper port cannon on the Red Leader Hero model. Each cannon on the Hero models appears uniquely constructed so perhaps one was referenced. But it’s nuances, I cannot rule it out as maybe having a lineage to a production source. If I was going to build a hybrid X with some hero details and unique Saturn cans I would reach for the JE part.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-11-2025

Welp, after further scrutinization neither the JE or the DJ cannon body matches the Pyro models from production. In the case that someone might read this and has one, please contact me. Early castings from the McCune shop would have the a copy of the original part.

Other details of significance… never realized pilot’s arms are also uniquely detailed. Although obviously pulled from the 1/24 Messerschmitt there is some extra padding added, so it’s nice to have them.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - wizardofthenorth - 10-11-2025

It would be awesome if some original/unaltered cannon body shows up.

RE: Pyro X Wing Red Leader - PB BB1 - 10-19-2025

Re-chipping the Jones fuselage to match the production master pattern, also carved the nose stepped panel detail back even though that area seems missing on Red Leader. It will be sad to see the corner fasteners go.