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1/72 Tie Striker


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Here is my finished Tie Striker from Bandai. I had some trouble with this kit in that the plastic decided to crumble in the same way that their AT-ST did when it was released. All it needed was a matt varnish to finish it and I realised the top of the wing fold mechanism was cracked through. I decided to run some thin super glue into the joint.....but alas it didn't stick at all and the plastic just crumbled apart. One of the wing tip canons did the same thing and I lost half of it. After great frustration I rebuilt the canon, and then Tamiya cemented as much of the wing mechanism together as would hold (it no longer folds), filled and sanded. After some disappointing moments I pushed through and finished it. I hope you like it. 

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9 hours ago, Rwa66 said:

Great build, is the plastic crumbling due to thinners/washes?.

 

Thanks all for your kind comments. Hi Gerrard I put a Future varnish over it to seal in the Tamiya Acrylics and then a Mig pigment wash which, I believe, is oil based. I think this had something to do with it. I will stick with all acrylic products in future Bandai builds.

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Looks great, I wouldn't have guessed you'd had issues with it.  I have some Bandai Star Wars in the stash, so I'll be sure to heed your advice about acrylics when I get to them.

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Good save, great looking result! Well done to you, but shame on Bandai for producing crumbling plastic.

 

Now, I did go to see Star Wars at the cinema when it came out. I was a child victim of all the pre-release hype with the bubblegum cards etc. And I loved the 'modern' look of the spaceships (when compared to the likes of Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds and Flash Gordon) but I do find some Star Wars designs a bit stupid. And this is one of them. Given that there is no air in space, and therefore the wings are non-functional, why place them so that they obscure so much of the pilot's view? At the very least, reverse the wings and have them trailing the cockpit, rather than sticking out in front.

 

That's my gripe aired.

Of course none of this is OUR fault!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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1 hour ago, Badder said:

Given that there is no air in space, and therefore the wings are non-functional

The TIE Striker was specifically designed for in-atmosphere operations.

 

Noel, your model turned out great! I have one as well and it's on my shortlist of possible upcoming projects.

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22 hours ago, evansdad said:

Would you mind sharing your paint color recipe?

Hi evansdad. I used primarily Tamiya acrylics. The grey is a lot bluer than in the photos. It was a mix of Tamiya sky grey, with some Model Color royal blue, with some white. My original coat was too blue, so I adjusted the mix with more grey and white. The various shades were thinned oil paints (raw sienna) brushed over an acrylic gloss varnish coat. The dark panels were given a coat of Tamiya Semi Gloss black. That got rid of the pour marks in the mould. Hope that helps. 

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2 hours ago, ScootyPuffJunior said:

The TIE Striker was specifically designed for in-atmosphere operations.

 

Okay, I didn't know that, but then the problem still exists.... a large portion of the forward view from the cockpit is obscured by the 'pointy forward protruding wings'. Then of course there'd be the aerodynamic problems caused by the 'wing' shapes and their positioning. I've yet to see any of OUR aircraft have such a layout.;)

 

Still, I'm not saying you haven't done a good job!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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On 4/8/2017 at 10:22 AM, Badder said:

Okay, I didn't know that, but then the problem still exists.... a large portion of the forward view from the cockpit is obscured by the 'pointy forward protruding wings'. Then of course there'd be the aerodynamic problems caused by the 'wing' shapes and their positioning. I've yet to see any of OUR aircraft have such a layout.;)

No ship in Star Wars could actually fly. 

 

X-wings fly in atmospheres all the time yet their S-foils have zero aerodynamic properties. The original TIE fighters have horrible visibility because of the wing panels (they also operate in-atmosphere without any aerodynamic properties). In Rogue One, a Star Destroyer hovered, in atmosphere with its engines off, over a city. But none of this matters because it's made up science fiction and the rule of cool will always prevail over real-world physics. Trying to rationalize the irrational is a path to the Dark Side.

Edited by ScootyPuffJunior
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  • 4 weeks later...

Stunning model and paint job, it really is well done.  I looked at the Striker kit myself but was put off by the many complaints over the warping of the wings but would you say it was worth a go for an amateur like me?  Thanks for sharing your amazing build!

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On ‎3‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 3:43 AM, spamfiend1970 said:

Stunning model and paint job, it really is well done.  I looked at the Striker kit myself but was put off by the many complaints over the warping of the wings but would you say it was worth a go for an amateur like me?  Thanks for sharing your amazing build!

Hi Spamfiend1970. Absolutely worth a go. The kit is easy to assemble, and actually comes in colours without having to paint it. The wings can be slightly bent, but I would recommend putting them under warm water and bending them out. One of my panels is slightly warped, but I can live with it. I find that if I listened to everyone's negative comments on a kit, I wouldn't build anything. You have to check it out for yourself and give it a go. If you enjoy it....that's what matter. Best of luck.

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cor - I saw this when you first posted it but have only now come back for a more detailed look at your work and the kit - it looks brilliant.

 

I'm puzzled by what you say about the plastic crumbling though. Sounds nasty - was it an isolated issue that the manufacturer had?

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On 5/8/2017 at 4:02 PM, Gimme Shelter said:

cor - I saw this when you first posted it but have only now come back for a more detailed look at your work and the kit - it looks brilliant.

 

I'm puzzled by what you say about the plastic crumbling though. Sounds nasty - was it an isolated issue that the manufacturer had?

G'day Gimme Shelter. Thanks for your comments. I only had the issue with the wing fold mechanism. A similar thing was happening with Bandai's AT-ST kit too. I heard a number of cases of it taking place. I think it has to do with the type varnish combined with a mineral spirits wash. The plastic just didn't like it and became brittle. 

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True, Bandai's plastics definitely do not like oil-based products and mineral spirits. Weirdly Mr. Hobby lacquers (and possibly other lacquers) do not have negative effects. As per my experiences the lacquers provide effective protection to the oils and spirits washes.

 

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