1/24 Hero X Wing Build with Maxi Brute Fuselage

[JAWS]

Its high on the get done list buddy.

[Blue 5]

(11-25-2009, 01:58 AM)427 Cobra Wrote:

(11-24-2009, 08:02 AM)PB BB1 Wrote: But look sharp. Red 1 is on the table twice in the shot of the proud modelmakers. One Hero, one pyro.

Actually,look CLOSER - NO THERE ISN'T! That's Red 2 you're truly seeing. I'm going to put this falacy to rest once,and for all! This is a myth perpetuated by the members of the RPF,but it's not true. They think they're seeing something that really isn't there. I think it's because of this first photo that isn't very clear. How do you get a hero version of a model that's slated to be destroyed? Besides,that picture is too grainy,and fuzzy to get any real detail from.


How do they figure that the model behind Red leader (already finished) is another version,when most of these have yet to be finished painted at the time this picture was taken?! This is a falacy that is being perpetuated by Nwerke of the RPF - he thinks the model in the back (behind Red leader) is the " hero version" of this PYRO model! As you can see - there's no way to tell which one is which,except for the characteristics that only these three models that are decorated have. Yellow canopy - Red 4,red laser canon of the left wing - Red 6 (behind Red 4),and of course,Red leader in its' finished state. The model behind Red leader is a pyro model,as it's wing details are boxed in just like the other pyro models were. This could very well be Red 3,as this wouldn't span the wing enough to be seen from this angle. The laser canons' back edge further obstructs the view of the wing number.





I understand that they look similar,but Red 2 also had a very clean nosecone albeit with a yellow colour (that washed out with the harsh lighting),and a little dirt spot on the same side of the fuselage as Red leader. But the poor quality of this photo,and the bad lighting makes it hard to see the second stripe on the top left wing. Look at the top right wing after Red 5 - you'll see a very small second red stripe beside the one that looks like it's attached to the chevron. Also - look at the nosecone of Red leader,then look at the nosecone of Red 2 - the one that you think is a "hero version" of it. Red leaders' is dirty - Red 2s' isn't.

Maybe the same guys that painted Red leader started to paint Red 2 the same after having a few too many beers on the job? Who knows? No two modelers worked completely on the same model to keep from repeating the exact same paint sceme is my guess. This doesn't mean that they wouldn't include a few of the same characteristics from one model to the other. This photo was furnished by a member of the RPF who also knows that there was no hero version of Red leader. There are 7 models on this table - the last being Red 12. Therefore,we know that these are the only X-wings that exist. This was done,as to show their work was finished,and that they were proud of it.

Where does this picture of the four X-Wings and 2 Y-Wings (cropped off on the picture above) come from? I've seen this on RPF.com, but I'm not sure where it was published or if there are better scans available. It does appear to be shot during production as the "triangles" Y-Wing which was pyro-ed is in the shot along with Red 6 which suffered the same fate.

[JAWS]

Bump!

[PB BB1]

Hey Jase. I haven't forgotten about you guys here, or this project.

A larger update is in the works, but for now have a look at my Star Wars style pilot. I always wanted one like they used in the models, but with a clear visor so I'm trying to get all of the tiny details on the helmet sorted.

[JAWS]

That will look very kool Paul.
Im still very interested in this build & information it contains.
Started to catch the X bug.

[Oldcoyote]

Hello, seems to be some confusion about the origin and birth of the Estes Maxibrute X-Wing fighter. Well, I was there! I am the Charlie Webb mentioned above and indeed it was rather nice batch of photographs I made back then. There are major errors in the assumption of the beginning, of our Estes involvment in Star Wars. To burst most everyones bubble, our R&D department designed every single part we used from "SCRATCH" to build our prototypes. Every item was designed with the use of nothing more than "PHOTOGRAPHS" many of which I personally provided them with. ILM or Lucas did not supply our R&D [/u][/size][/font]with anything other than pictures. Not one single schematic or drawing was shared with us.! I am amazed by what the world seems to believe, but truly all the "Experts on the Estes MaxiBrute " are nothing more than Hot Air! Ron McClaren designed and built the prototype of our X-Wing plus the TIE fighter and flying R2 with nothing more than his knowledge and hands. Ron and I are the only ones left that was there in the trenches, we did the best we could with what we had. Only Ron and you now know the true story, Charlie Webb

[JAWS]

Thats great.
Thank you so much for sharing this information with us.
I am very greatful for all of the members & the community.
Information like this is hard to track down & thus legends are born.
Welcome Charlie & maybe hope to see some of those pictures you mentioned.

[Oldcoyote]

Hello again,
Whoops, What I said about " every single part of the Estes Maxibrute was scratch built" was close, but not exactly correct. Every part of the main body (fuselage) Wings and nose was scratch built. The same model parts that most everyone else has used for detail came from the existing model world, tanks, cars, model trains etc. The only reason
I am making these comments are to hopefully make it clear that Estes R&D had little or no help from ILM or Lucas in the development of the Estes Star-Wars line of flying model rockets. When we Estes began developing our Star-Wars models, Lucas was still filming on the movie. We were provided a script of the story line and some idea of what the ships roll would be in the movie. The cover title was simply '' THE ADVENTURES OF LUKE STARKILLER". After reading the script we were all hooked. We still are! The images I made at ILM were mostly shot for Estes, there fore the majority of the negatives (color and B&W) remained in their files . I do have several duplicate images that I made for my own pleasure in my files. Perhaps one day............................................................................................

Charlie, AKA Old Coyote

[darkimmitator]

I think the fact that the old coyote himself took the time to come onto this forum and share the facts about the estes Star Wars line with us is just as precious as the info itself . ( Agreed Gentlemen or Ladies ? ) I think of it as our world wars veterens . Every year that goes by there are fewer and fewer of them left to tell their stories which is historical as they were there . Once these great souls are gone ,so are the history lessons , and that is a shame .
So I want to thank you Charlie for sharing some history on a genre that has touched myself and I am sure many hundreds of thousands more to that inner child that is kept inside so many of us to dream or chase dreams of what might be !!! Reading a book is one thing , but having the author read that book to you is PRICELESS !!!
Thank you sir ........... Ken ...aka Darkimmitator

[JAWS]

Totally agree with Ken on the fact you have shared this with the community here at 'studioscalemodelers'.
Considering how hot a topic of conversation this is in the community.
Won't belong before a couple of the Xperts drop in to ask a question or two.
Cheers mate.

[Oldcoyote]

Hello, 427 Cobra

I was reading through some earlier posts and came upon the following:

"Aren't you putting your foot in your mouth just a little? You basically contradicted yourself in this post. The Estes Corporation wouldn't have a reason to lie about this! Look at ALL the posts here before you post a reply! Look at the comparison shot,and see that this is dead on to the original ILM model. Now there may be a few differences between the original model that was cast for the Maxi-Brute model,and the final version offered to the public. There may,or may not have been some changes made,but since no one has an original ILM model to compare to,everyone is assuming with their ignorant input as to this models' lineage."

Sorry , however what you have stated on this forum is dead wrong! You may make all the comparisons you want however all of the material stated as fact here is wrong and has been made up. I assume this screw up on the MaxiBrute's origin was simply made up by someone
seeking center stage and popularity. but that was not how it was!!

ILM furnished us (ESTES) with absolutely nothing! At no time did we have any input from them other than phone calls and meeting with us at ILM. It is no surprise to me that the our MaxiBrute was so close to models housed at ILM. What the hell, our entire R&D staff were all "master modelers" the only one who did not have more than 20 years experience
designing and building prototype models, just happens to be the one who designed our MaxiBrute line! We had no blueprints, just McQarrie's sketches . We did exchange a few times 4x5 transpariences. The Estes Maxi Brute twas totally done by the three of our R&D members. Their work that brought the studio sized MaxiBrute to life using nothing other than my photographs is all there is to the mystery PERIOD!!!!

You talk about supporting details and statements, again, "Hell, I was there. I saw and watched every part carved from wood, vacuum forming as it happened.

Any one that thinks what I have said here is inaccurate in any way speak up!

Old coyote AKA Charlie Webb, Manager of the ESTES Photoservices and Printing operations 21 years.

[PB BB1]

Charlie Webb!? Wow, I really don't get on here enough. Sorry I'm late.

I am thrilled you were able to clear this up for us, and a huge thank you for taking the time to post here.

We have often debated the pedigree of the Maxi Brute X Wing, and since my work began on this scratchbuild I was able to aquire a copy of an original X Wing fuselage. Even though it had undergone repairs, I was still uncertain of the Maxi Brute X Wing origins after comparing the two. Amazing what Ron McLaren accomplished from your photographs. Through careful modification and layering styrene on the top of the Maxi X Wing fuselage, it actually measures up to the original.

Our hopeful legends persisted because the rocket is that good. I noticed the bottom is more shallow compared to the original. We have an article that explains the model makers had to increase the depth to accomodate the motors for the wings. I was kicking around the idea perhaps the rocket was derived from their original shallow bottom version. Now I know it was just a rationalization in my mind.

I think I wrote earlier in the thread that it was probably the 77 Christmas Catalog that were the source of the rumors. Its easy to get your hopes up after reading the article and seeing you guys standing next to the original models. Here is a link to the pdf.
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalog...stxmas.pdf

The original X Wing models from Star Wars are mostly gone. We don't have a lot of refernce material and we are nuts about the details. I like to think that our diehard fan replicas are a way of preserving what no longer exists. We'd love to see some of the photos you took if they are still around.

Thanks again Oldcoyote. Its a real treat to have you here.