Scratch Build: ROTJ Concept Speederbike

[marvin]

Hi All,

After a long absence due to another project (customisation of a Harley Davidson Night Rod Special) I'm slowly making my way back into Studio Scale modelling Although I'll be finishing my old builds (hopefully soon) I've decided to start with a new model: the concept speeder bike used in developing the final speeder bike for Return of the Jedi.

My basic modeling principles for this model are:

• I'll be making an idealised model, so I won't be recreating glue blobs or screwed parts
  
• I'll be modeling it only with the mounting points that I need to display my model and not necessarily with all the mounting points on the studio model
  
• I don't know yet how I will be painting it, since the paint scheme on the concept model isn't really to my liking
  

A lot of ID's were made in an old thread (http://www.therpf.com/f10/rotj-speed...needed-119135/), but we got stuck at a certain point. Perhaps putting one together will help spark the fire and we will get more ID's going. A few are still a mystery to me, but perhaps you guys can help with those.

Thanks for looking!
Marvin

[marvin]

These are all the reference images I have so far. If anyone has any more and is willing to share please send me a P.M. I'm only looking for reference images of the concept model, not the filming model or the full scale model.

[marvin]

Alright, this is the part list as I have it up to date. I will update with new finds and ID's once they are made.

[marvin]

So this is the first section I was able to put together. I redid this section because I wasn't happy with my first try and the parts are cheap anyway (except that 312B cowl). The threaded bolt in the belly gun holds everything together and allows the gun to swivel.

[marvin]

Next I made a backbone to which I'll hang all the parts. It's a square brass profile within a styrene profile for each of glueing styrene to styrene. Don't mind the greeblies on the support. I did that just in case there's an angle from which you can look inside/under the 312T cowl that will go on top. I think there isn't.

[marvin]

I've just started on the upper body. The front is definitely the Tamiya 1/12 312T cowl, the back is definitely the back-end of the Tamiya 1/20 BT-46. The middle part is hard to ID. For now I'm going to guess it was scratch built. The back-end was also heavily modified with styrene to get the shape in the reference pictures.

[JAWS]

Kool!

[Guy Cowen]

Nowhere near enough pics, I love this lil model and am thinking of doing one after Slave, really great stuff

[marvin]

Hey Guy. Yeah she's a fun build. Too bad there are so few pics. I'm guessing we won't be able to ID everything, especially the underside engine parts.

I started work on the forks as well. I wanted to keep in line with the original by using paintbrush handles, but I couldn't find the correct size. So I bought oversized ones, stuck them in my lathe and sanded them to the correct shape.

[dbhs]

Wow. This is very cool. Can't wait to see more

[Ralphee]

Really happy to see you back at this Marvin, you know, i still have a box of all the parts i trimmed off sprues way back when we ID'd it when the RPF was actually a functioning SS board.
Looks really good, maybe one day ill get to it, and follow what you have done, it looks so good buddy, and for once, a build i don't have to buy anything for lol.

bests.......lee

[marvin]

Really nice to hear from you Lee. I was wondering what happened in my absence. So little SS activity at the RPF. That's a real shame.

It's comming along nicely. I should be done to the level of our ID's in a week or two. I'm hoping that seeing it put together will spark some interest to try to ID some more parts. More to follow soon...

[marvin]

Next step. I'm calling the front section done except for a few blemishes that need to ironed out. I had to take a few liberties here, since I chose to straighten the model somewhat. This meant I had to be creative with the placement of some of the kit parts.

[Ralphee]

Sooo nice Marvin, sooo tempting haha, those parts of mine are calling me, just need the energy, flawless work mate, really live it! Please, no camo paint haha!

Lee

[marvin]

Thanks Lee. You musssttt heed that part call and build.... :-)

Next up is the fork / vane assembly.

[KrokoHunter]

The thing I hate the most about this project, is how much it tempts me to start up another project myself ;-)

Looks awesome and flawless mate

[Ralphee]

It wasn't all that long ago i was chatting to Guy about this build, and the fact, the centre engine block, shares the same contours, as the Space shuttle hull Marvin, food for thought at least.
I think there are a couple of pics you can adjust to show this, not sure I've got them in the iMac though.
Still feel the centre removable cowl, is an F1 intake, its two join in the centre possibly, not sure, just doesn't look scratch built to me, in fact, very little is in this IMO.

lee

[Ralphee]

Ah, thought id mentioned this on the other board, but IMO, that centre cowl, is made from the 312T side pods Marvin!

lee

[kbilly]

It's so annoying that there aren't just a couple more good photos of this model.

The front section that you've built looks awesome. The 88mm part looks like it's probably the right piece.

[marvin]

Yes one or two more pics would really solve a lot of questions. I'm dreading the whole underside cause it is all barely visible in the pics.

Lee i've not fully checked the shuttle for the engine block yet but I remember the discussion in the old reference thread. Regarding the intakes, i've looked at the intakes a few times but cant get it to work with the 312T. Also i have found the alpha romeo backside is indeed modified to fit with the midsectiom. So they did modify some parts of the body to get it all alligned. I'll put up a diagram when I get around to this part. First the front vane assembly.

[marvin]

Oh and kbilly. I can say with confidence the parts i used so far are all correct ID's we made a while ago. Everything just fits too perfectly.

[Ralphee]

Marvin, yeah i pulled the part, see what you mean, its not up to spec, hmm, still think its kit mate, ill keep looking.
Yes Kbilly, the parts you see here are bonafide finds made by a few of us way back, the finds came thick and fast for the most part, but the engine block section is the killer.
I keep looking at the lozenge detail, and it always screams F1 monocoque, but so far nothing seems to work, but i do feel the inner shape is that of the Space Shuttle hull sides, as i matches the profile of the outer nose/panniers perfectly.

lee

[Ralphee]

If you have a 1/32 F14 too, id check the cockpit hull halves Marvin, just for prosperity, an interesting and familiar profile in that, slatted vents where the intakes fit, its worth looking at.

lee

[marvin]

I'll have a look at some F14 scans since I don't have any kist myself yet. I think I checked the Space Shuttle hull before, but also could't get it to work. I'll check it agin later.

BTW KBilly als made many ID's from the plans that I posted in the second post. They came in very handy and all seem to be correct. Thanks again for that!

[MonsieurTox]

Yeah the Space Shuttle hull doesnt work nor the 312T parts on the side

[marvin]

OK guys I am back at this. I'm putting we have so far together and should have some nice pics soon. At the meantime I'm stumped when it comes to a part. Finding it would really help to move this build a long.

It looks to me like a bulkhead for a 50's style race car or an airplane but I haven't been able to find the correct one....

[marvin]

Parts list added to the third post of this thread. Will update when new ID's have been made.