B-Wing - Bandai 1/72

[Andy Moore]

 

 

 

I've just got back from the post office, having paid the usual ransom fee to claim my own property , but it does mean that I've finally got my personal Star Wars holy grail, the B-Wing.
I know it's nothing new at this point, having been around in the US for a couple of months due to the SDCC exclusive, but I'll post some sprue shots for those that haven't seen it up close yet.

 

Before I do though, a quick mention of the box art. It's a bit of a 'greatest hits' for Bandai, with X, Y and A-Wings and the Falcon all making an appearance. More importantly, though, lurking in the background you can see Home One, Ackbar's flagship from the battle of Endor. In the past, Bandai has shown subjects in the background of box artwork that have subsequently gone on to be released as kits, so I'm going to call it now. We'll be getting a box scale Mon Cal Cruiser at some point in the future.
You heard it here first.
Unless I'm wrong... then you definitely heard it somewhere else.

 

I digress though, so back to the sprues.

 

Sprue A

The standard Bandai multi-colour sprue. Cockpit parts, visor, engine intake and guns

 

 

Cockpit detail looks good, with the seat moulded onto the back wall. The big lug that Bandai always add to seats to secure the pilot figure is a bit ugly, but you'll need the figure in place anyway, as there's no landing gear included so no option to have it on the ground.

 

 

The instrument panel looks nicely busy.

 

 

As usual, Bandai gives you the option for a glazed canopy or an open frame.

 

 

The guns aren't hollowed out at the ends so they'll need drilling.

 

 

Sprue B

The main parts for the blade aerofoil and the two smaller S foils.

 

 

There's nice detailing on all the wing sections.

 

 

 

Sprue C

Fuselage sections and the cockpit outer shell.

 

 

 

The cockpit shell isn't slide moulded, but it is a single piece so no seams to clean up.

 

 

This sprue is where you'll also find Ten Numb. Nice detailing and he looks a bit better proportioned than some of Bandai's earlier pilots, particularly with the arms/hands.

 

 

Sprue D (x2)

Two small sprues holding the engine nozzles and other detail parts.

 

 

Sprue FB-1

The clear sprue for the multi-part stand. I'm not quite sure what this is made from. It's slightly softer and more flexible than normal styrene. It could be a hard PVC or just a soft grade styrene.

 

 

Sprue SWE1

Finally, you get the usual Bandai laser blast sprue that absolutely no one ever uses.

 

 

Instructions are standard Bandai fare, albeit in a stapled booklet rather than the fold-out sheets they've used in the past. Also standard is the option for waterslides or stickers. I've never been that keen on Bandai's decals as the printing is often a little rough and pixilated, although they generally go down well. These look okay apart from the colour of the Hinomaru markings, which are far too yellow and should be more orange.

 

 

I've got quite a bit on at the moment, but hopefully the build should begin before too long.

 

Andy

[Mike]

I got mine today too, but it snuck through, thankfully

 

It's a lully kit innit?  Funnily enough, it's been the one I've been most excited about when I opened it up too Mon Calmari Cruiser in 1:72?   I hope if they do it, they'll do it in a scale that will either match the existing Star Destroyer or something else in their range that we also don't know about.  A 12" range of larger "capitol" ships from both sides would be rather neat

[Andy Moore]

 

40 minutes ago, Mike said:

Mon Calmari Cruiser in 1:72?   I hope if they do it, they'll do it in a scale that will either match the existing Star Destroyer or something else in their range that we also don't know about.

I think it would be in the box scale line if it does come out. We've got the Tantive coming later in the year, so a Mon Cal cruiser would be a good follow up to it. The length of the 'real' thing is 1.3km compared to 1.6 for the Star Destroyer, so it could be done to the same scale as the SD although, as a model, it would be a bit on the small side.

 

Andy

[Mindmax]

Hi Andy,

I am still waiting that amazon is listing this model here in Germany. And the price will be interesting too. Thanks for posting these pictures! Looking very much forward to see what you will make out of it! 

Best,

Mark

[Yeoman1942]

B wing and AndyRM it doesn't get any better than this 😊

[Mike]

1 hour ago, Yeoman1942 said:

B wing and AndyRM it doesn't get any better than this 😊

Add the 01 and you're even better!

[Yeoman1942]

There can be only one AndyRM101

[Nocoolname]

On ‎9‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 4:17 PM, AndyRM101 said:

This sprue is where you'll also find Ten Numb. Nice detailing and he looks a bit better proportioned than some of Bandai's earlier pilots, particularly with the arms/hands.

 

 

 

Mine arrived week before last but has a little 'bloke' instead of the above! 

[Mike]

30 minutes ago, Nocoolname said:

Mine arrived week before last but has a little 'bloke' instead of the above! 

Mine's got Ten Numb too - I'd be interested in seeing your little feller... in a non-biblical sense, of course

[Nocoolname]

16 minutes ago, Mike said:

Mine's got Ten Numb too - I'd be interested in seeing your little feller... in a non-biblical sense, of course

Here you go! Sadly, as well as lacking the modelling skills I also lack the photography skills of Andy but hopefully you can make out the main features. His flares aren't quite as bad as the A-Wing driver. 

 

 

[Mike]

Looks like a generic resistance pilot.  Did you get yours from the US?

[Andy Moore]

You've got the SDCC exclusive then. I was going to say he looked a lot like the pilot included with the A-Wing, but having just checked, he's different. Possibly a new sculpt, unless he's the one from the Y-Wing.

 

Andy

[Andy Moore]

I got a little work done on this last night. The build starts off with the cockpit, the first step being to add the little collection of sensors and blasters that poke through the nose of the cockpit. The blaster barrels are moulded solid so I drilled out the end of the larger one and cut off the two smaller ones and replaced them with micro tube. I've also thinned down some parts such as the half-round opening that sits above the blasters.

 

 

 

I think the cockpit on this kit is probably the best Badai have done so far. There's an amazing amount of moulded detail.

 

 

That unit then plugs into the back wall of the cockpit.

 

 

 

Then the whole assembly slides into the cockpit shell. I also thinned down the edges of the shell where the blasters/sensors poke through, although you can't really see it in this shot.

 

 

The canopy can them be clipped into place. It holds in place very well without glue, so I'll probably paint it separately and add it at the end. Interestingly, while sorting through a box of spares, I found the canopy from the original MPC B-Wing that I had as a kid in the early '80's. I'd forgotten just how small it was.

 

 

Most of these bits are painted now. Just waiting for it to dry a little longer before I add an oil wash.

 

Andy

[Nocoolname]

17 minutes ago, Mike said:

Looks like a generic resistance pilot.  Did you get yours from the US?

Yep! From CultTVMan. Always cracking service from them. 

 

18 minutes ago, AndyRM101 said:

You've got the SDCC exclusive then. I was going to say he looked a lot like the pilot included with the A-Wing, but having just checked, he's different. Possibly a new sculpt, unless he's the one from the Y-Wing.

 

Andy

Yes, it's the version with the tiny button lights for the engines in the back. Amongst other mods from my 'ready and resilient' imitative I'll be adding some more lighting especially around the cockpit. But I've a lot of custom engineering (PE and 3D Parts) to be working up over the next few months before my next build sees the light of day.

[Nocoolname]

3 minutes ago, AndyRM101 said:

The canopy can them be clipped into place. It holds in place very well without glue, so I'll probably paint it separately and add it at the end. Interestingly, while sorting through a box of spares, I found the canopy from the original MPC B-Wing that I had as a kid in the early '80's. I'd forgotten just how small it was.

 

 

Most of these bits are painted now. Just waiting for it to dry a little longer before I add an oil wash.

 

Andy

I went full on nostalgia with my back catalogue which culminated in this...

 

 

[Andy Moore]

It was the same Airfix four pack that I had. Sadly that canopy piece is the only remaining part I've got from it.

 

Still not got the washes on the cockpit, but I'll post some shots of it as it is now, with most of the main painting done.

 

We'll start with Mr Numb (fun fact for the day, it's Nien Nunb with an n and Ten Numb with an m)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy

[Will Vale]

This is the WIP I've been waiting for all year  Lovely detail and painting in the cockpit, I look forward to seeing it all take shape.

 

Oh yes, and I think the stand is in ABS plastic - your description is spot on, Bandai use that for some Gundam frames, and finally it says "ABS" on one of the tags 😛

 

(It's the same stuff Lego is made from.)

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[Portaler]

Nice stuff Andy. Looking forward to the rest !

 

I consider myself a pretty big Star Wars fan, but I never knew the name of the Mon Cal Cruiser was Home One. Learn something every day !

 

My personal wish from Bandai is a 1/72 Slave 1. It's gotta be the next big kit after (and to go with) the Falcon surely.

Edited September 10, 2018 by Portaler

[Andy Moore]

9 hours ago, Will Vale said:

and finally it says "ABS" on one of the tags 😛

Err... yes, that, of course, was just a test. Well done Mr Vale. Obviously, I hadn't in any way missed the fact that it says ABS in huge letters on the sprue. No, not me. I never miss things like that 

 

Andy

[Mike]

2 hours ago, AndyRM101 said:

I hadn't in any way missed the fact that it says ABS in huge letters on the sprue. No, not me. I never miss things like that 

Why Mr RM101, I do belive your nose is growing!

[Hockeyboy76]

Great work so far Andy as usual, desperately taking notes. 

[Andy Moore]

8 hours ago, Mike said:

Why Mr RM101, I do belive your nose is growing!

Nah, I always look like that Mike 

 

I've added an oil wash to the cockpit parts and stuck them all together, and this is now ready to be installed in the outer cockpit shell.

 

 

The next part of the build is the rear of the cockpit section. This is built up around a central tube to which three panel pieces are added.

 

 

Most of the fuselage panels, including these, feature tiny indented rivet fasteners along the panel lines. Some of these are a bit indistinct especially on curved pars due to moulding limitations, so I'm drilling them all a little deeper with a 0.3mm bit. There's a weird thing with the rivets on these rear fuselage panels though. For some reason the line they follow is completely out with the actual panel lines and the edges of the panels, You can see better in the shot below. This is exactly how they were moulded. I've just drilled the rivets deeper.

 

 

It would be very unusual for Bandai to make an error like this so I can only assume it replicates the rivets on the studio model. Either way, it looks a bit odd.

 

 

Putting that aside, the front and rear cockpit sections can then be pushed together.

 

 

Going by the instructions, the cockpit is then clamped between the two fuselage halves. Doing it that way will make painting a bit trickier though, at least for me as I want to paint the cockpit assembly separately.

 

 

This shouldn't prove to be a problem though, as I think I'll be able to join the two fuselage haves first, then plug the front and back cockpit sections into the ring on top of the fuselage from either end, if that makes sense. There are also a couple of detail panels that sit behind the rectangular openings in the fuselage side, and I should also be able to add these after the fuselage is together, meaning I can paint them separately too.

 

 

 

So the next step will be to stick the fuselage together and hope I will be able to fit the cockpit afterwards 

 

Andy

 

 

[Wulf]

I already know which build i'm gonna use (again) as a template for my B-Wings. 😁

 

What diameter is the tube you used for the blasters? I'm currently ordering some tubes for my Resistance X-Wing and may add some more to the basket if necessary.

Any special reason to use aluminium over brass?

[Nigel Heath]

Lovely detail painting (as ever).

[Andy Moore]

8 hours ago, Wulf said:

What diameter is the tube you used for the blasters? I'm currently ordering some tubes for my Resistance X-Wing and may add some more to the basket if necessary.

Any special reason to use aluminium over brass?

 

The tube I used here was 0.5mm and came from this Albion Alloys mixed pack. I generally use aluminium because it's easy to cut but brass would work fine too.

 

Andy

Edited September 11, 2018 by AndyRM101