1/48 FineMolds X-Wing Fighter 

Red Leader, Yavin Base

Gallery Article by Andrew Desautels (a.k.a. "Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy") on Sept 22 2020

 

      

I started planning/visualizing this in 2002. Finally started work around 2012-13ish. Finally finished during summer 2020.

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Base kit is FineMolds 1/48 X-Wing, with massively rebuilt cockpit. Hoses made from metal guitar strings. Placards from ParaGrafix detail set. Wing cannon mounts and nosegear were also altered/corrected. 

Pilot is a Frankenstein of many pieces of Monogram & Hasegawa pilots, cut apart and repositioned into one. Helmet was modified from one being carried by a Monogram standing pilot figure. It was important to me to capture "the moment" of Red Leader putting on his helmet, an iconic moment for me from the original film of the pilots preparing to depart, most of them for the last mission.

Ground crew is mostly very modified Hasegawa ground crew. Had to change or carve heads, trade limbs, carve away jackets, add belts, etc etc. Blue-shirted Rebel Trooper is super-modified Monogram standing pilot figure (same one that donated its helmet for the actual pilot). 

Large yellow ladder is an RAF ladder used on their F4 Phantoms, which is what they used in the actual film. Mine was by Flightpath. The other ladders came from the ParaGrafix detail set. The PG set also includes the larger ladder, but I much preferred the Flightpath offering.

Ground refueling hoses are metal low "E" guitar strings, while the smaller cords are from 1/25 auto spark plug wiring.

Ground lighting units were scratchbuilt, with 2mm x 2mm square acrylic rhinestones used as the light lenses. 

I hope this brings back fond memories for others who are old enough to remember the original in the theaters. Enjoy!

Build thread:
http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/314686-148-red-leader-yavin-x-wing-diorama/

Andrew Desautels (a.k.a. "Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy")

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Photos and text © by Andrew Desautels (a.k.a. "Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy")