GreenStrawberry Star Wars Star Destroyer Update Sets (for Zvezda/Revell 1:2700)

[Mike]

Star Wars Star Destroyer Update Sets (for Zvezda/Revell)

1:2700 GreenStrawberry

 

 

The massive Star Destroyer kit popped out of Zvezda's marketing department with a flourish last year, and caused quite a stir because for a start it wasn't from the usual license holders (until Revell reboxed it), and that it was humongous! At that scale it is around 60cm long, which of course lends itself to super-detailing and of course lighting!  The kit detail can be best described as adequate, but there are areas that really do need something extra.  Along comes GreenStrawberry, who if you hadn't worked it out already really like Star Wars, with a couple of sets that will go a long way toward improving the detail. 

These sets from GreenStrawberry are engineered to appeal to the more advanced modeller who will end up painting their creation, and you WILL need Super Glue (CA) to attach the parts to your model.  The PE set arrives in a flat re-sealable pack, with a black themed backing card, a chunk of thick cardboard to keep the PE safe, a set of instructions (both of which are hidden within), and the sheet of PE brass on display in the front.  The resin/PE set is supplied in a box, with the contents encased in carbonite Ziplok bags for extra security.  Both are designed to improve both detail, accuracy to the scale/CGI models, and add a scale-thickness to otherwise over-scale parts.

 

 

Star Destroyer Upgrade Set (03517)

Supplied on two frets, work starts with the blanked over garbage disposal port that is first seen in SW:TESB is folded up into a box, with an octagonal insert completing the shape, which then slides in through the aperture that the modeller must first remove.  Two more small launch bays on the sides of the hull are also cut out and lined with a boxed out bay part, which has detail skins lid in on the ides.  The returns on either side of the bay are also skinned with detail parts to complete the look.  These "returns" are present in two other places in the trenches on side of the hull, and they too are skinned with new parts.  The SD's most visible armament is found in rows on either sides of the superstructure, with re-used anti-aircraft emplacements from ship models playing the part.  Two detail parts are supplied for all eight of these at the front and rear of the emplacements.

 

 

Moving onto the superstructure, the central "array" sensor between the shield generator balls on the bridge is upgraded with additional detail parts to turn a rather bland part into one with much more visual interest, , while below it a little kit detail is removed from the bridge face at the centre to add a trapezoid bridge part with etched-out windows, as seen from the interior shots in the films.  If you wanted to detail the interior however, that's down to you!  Speaking of the shield generator orbs, all the kit supports and the little overscale antennae on the top are removed, and a new base is fabricated from a base with individual legs glued into marked pads on it, with new antennae on the top of the orb, and more straight supports added to the bottom.  These fit over the top of the kit bases, and next to them small ladder-shaped parts are added to the bases of the sensor.  The final act is to add a few missing parts to the grab in the main hangar bay, but if you're going for the excellent 3D printed main hangar bay off Shapeways, you may not need this.

 

 

Resin Engine Bells (03417)

 The kit bells are a bit lacklustre if you're going to stare at them for any length of time, so it makes sense to busy-up this important area of the model with some more detailed parts.  This set includes the three large sub-light engine bells (in three parts each with PE baffles), plus the four smaller light-speed engines that are positioned either side of the centre bell in pairs.  Once liberated from their casting blocks the main bells have a cylindrical lip added, and a trio of baffles added to the lip in turn, which are formed from a double-layer baffle and two triple-layered actuators for each one, requiring nine in total.  The light-speed engines are two parts fitted concentrically for maximum detail, and a scrap diagram at the bottom of the instructions show the correct orientation for each bell, as the details aren't symmetrical.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Given the sheer size of these kits, it seems churlish not to make the most of the build, and these two sets allow you to do just that in spades.

 

Very highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of