1/72 Fine Molds Incom T-65 X-Wing

[madcat911]

Sci-fi is not really my thing but I've always been somewhat attracted to the fighters used in Star Wars. This is my take on Luke's Red 5. I deviated slightly from the painting instructions provided by Fine Molds and painted the spine area and engine pods in a metallic colour. Could have done a little more weathering though.

Anyway, enjoy the photos. Feedback is most welcome. I have a Bandai T-70 in the stash as well as another Fine Molds T-65 but in 1/48 and could use some input as to how I can make them better. Cheers!

Mark

[Andy Moore]

That looks great. Although you could go further with the weathering, I think the cleaner look you've got here is equally effective. Very nice photography too

Andy

[Hunter Rose]

Very nice job, like Andy said its fine for a cleaner build, but I think it could just use some more paint chipping. But really weathering is just personal taste thing really.

[fernwood79]

Very nice shading. I actually rather like to see a more factory fresh finish. After all the T-65s were new once! It is easy to over-weather, especially at this scale.

[su27rules]

Nice!!

[madcat911]

Thanks for the feedback and comments. Will definitely use them to improve my next build.

Mark

[Air-to-Air]

Now here's a man after my own heart. Up until quite recently I had always believed the engines were a natural metal finish, as was the spine, at least that's what they'd always looked like to me flashing by on the big screen. Much to my surprise I recently discovered that most of the engines and spine were actually painted white and it was the dirty weathering on them that made them look metallic when whizzing past on screen. White painted engines, really? Could have only happened in a galaxy far far away...

To me, something that looks like an exposed engine should look exactly the way you have painted these: in natural metal finish. Similarly with the spine and the exposed engine parts between the wings. In my opinion, you've nailed that part of it.

Suggestions for your future build? I only have two.

Firstly, let your imagination run free. Always ask yourself, is this what it would look like if we were operating it under those conditions? The natural metal finish on the engines is a perfect example of that kind of thinking.

Secondly, let yourself be inspired by the field maintenance undertaken on Earthly service aircraft. Repairs are usually painted in a different colour because the factory paint is not available in the field, you use whatever is to hand that meets the required specification. Luke's X-Wing was a perfect example of this. It was covered in a real patchwork of different greys, whites, yellows and creams. Take a long focused look at some reference images and you'll see what I mean. I honestly think that as the "Johnny come lately" at the Battle of Yavin that Luke was actually given a spacecraft that was undergoing scheduled maintenance, that it was fast tracked back into service just so they could get another pilot out there for that crazy last ditch (or should I say trench?) attack. Why do I think that? Well if you look at still frames on the Blu-Ray you'll discover that there's a whole section behind the cockpit on the starboard side that is a natural metal finish. It's as though it's been into the panel beaters but they didn't have time to repaint it before pressing it back into service. Anyway, I am going to stop myself there, I could go on and on. Sometime in the next few years I am going to do my rendition of Skywalker's X-Wing and these are the kind of things that will constantly be on my mind.

A great little build and I look forward to seeing your renditions of the T-70 and the 1/48 T-65.