Four foot X-wing (ILM tribute)

[427 Cobra]

(12-13-2009, 02:32 AM)79 Daytona Wrote: I guess when doing a model suck as this there is always something that has to be redone again and again but your work is really outstanding and i really can't wait to see what you do next.

Thank you once again for your compliments. This has been an arduos (difficult) journey so far! Unbeknown to any of us here,Your comments were a forshadowing of what's to come next - more redoing! This was to happen before I even posted those pictures. I found this out when looking at the brass pieces that I made for this later that night. (These are the cooling lines on an actual F-4 Phantom engine.) The acrylic rods I was going to use for the Whitley bomber landing gear are too small by 1/32" of an inch in the scale that the cooling lines are bent to. I had to go back to the hardware store,and get 1/8" inch diameter aluminum tubing. This makes it now correct according to the ILM models' proportions.

(12-13-2009, 09:55 AM)Wombat Wrote: I might not post much in this thread but what you are doing is pretty damn amazing.
That you are tackling such a build is pretty full on,that you intend to make it a kit is just a real nice gesture for the fan's out there.
Good stuff CC,i'm sure it's gonna turn out just fine and be a very popular kit for the others to enjoy also!!

Thank you Phil! This was my intention from the get-go. I wanted to make the most accurate model of this when I first saw it. I didn't think about making a four foot version,but I was going to make an original seventies ILM version with this paint detail. I was later inspired to do this in this scale when I read Lorne Petersons' interview about how this was filmed,and never used. What a waste....

Any way,I hoped to offer the Return of the Jedi version in all its' accuracy,and not just a four foot seventies model. This one has a lot of detail - more than even the models of the original movie did! I myself didn't like some of the features of this Jedi model at first,but I wouldn't blame anyone that bought one of these kits,and changed it to look more like the seventies version. I just wanted to make a tribute to the ILM guys with the accurate version of this model available to the public.

I want to thank everyone who has looked at this build,and waited patiently for the next step. If you think what you've seen so far is good - wait 'til I get to the R2-D2,and pilot figures! ~ Cobra Chris

OK. With that said,here's the latest. I haven't much more progress to show,as I've had to bend all the copper wire by hand. This stuff is very rigid. It's also coated with enamel,so I'll have to strip this coating off before I can solder these parts to each other. This will make a solid joint. I've also had to put a slight radius into all the metal,as it's very delicate,and I don't want to twist,or distort these parts. I have to very careful while doing this,so that these parts will be true once cast.

It's been even worse,as I have to straighten out the copper wire from being rolled onto the computer components I took it from - I drew this multiple times in between my thumb,and a 3/8" (1 cm) drill bit to smooth out the kinks. I further straighten the wire with a pair of needlenose pliers. This takes most of my time while making these pieces. That,and rebending the wire to copy the contours of each part to identical specifications. After making a master part - I have to go back,and change the bend in some of these parts,so that they are perfectly identical in shape.







The mess that is my work table.









Freshly minted piano frames. The one on the far left is the original. The solder joint from the original connection was too far into the part. I hate to waste anything,so this will be straightened,and reused for something else. Needless to say,I had to make a new one. This isn't too much trouble other that duplicating this shape by HAND. The small bend at the bottom was made by wrapping it around a 3/32" inch drill bit. Each one of these took about fifteen minutes to make - there's a lot of bending in each of these,including the cylinder radius.








Freshly cut new aluminum rods. The ends of these will have to be soldered shut,so they can be cast without tearing the mould while being removed. Silicone will fill every tiny crevice,and hole,so I have to master every part of this model accordingly.



A closer look at the latest brass cooling line I made. These took about a half hour to make altogether. Remember - these are all handmade with no bending device,other that a pair of needlenose pliers.