Bandai Star Wars A-Wing on Yarvin 4 vignette

[Tim R-T-C]

 

At the Milton Keynes model show back in May I found a seller with a pile of the 144th Bandai Star Wars kits which I had eyed up for a while, but decided to finally pick up.

 

On chatting to the seller, Keith from Cozmic Models, I discovered they made a selection of 3d prints suitable for Star Wars scenes, but mostly in 72nd scale. Well it turns out that Keith is actually quite local to me in Yorkshire and was encouraged him to join the Keighley IPMS club which he did and he gifted me a box of Star Wars type figures made especially in 144th scale.

 

Obviously I had to find a use for them, so settled on the A-Wing to make a little scene.

 

 

Like most of the Bandai Star Wars kits in the scale, it is a rather basic model intended to be displayed in a pair on a small flying stand. There is only a small parts count and no landing gear or cockpit, but the surface detail is very good with lovely panel lines.

 

 

The kit is designed such that you don't even need to paint - just use provided stickers for the red coloured sections. I painted instead with Citadel base grey, followed by a hull red for the coloured section.

 

 

To give the nice dirty appearance of many vessels in the Star Wars Universe, I added some Starship Filth - but unfortunately the thinner was too hot and took some paint off. As a result I decided to strip the paint off entirely and start again, putting a lacquer varnish layer over the top before weathering.

 

 

Next step was the landing gear. The model actually has the gear doors represented in the underside lining, but rather than cut these out I used them as stencils with some sheet styrene to cut out the right size doors. The ski legs (no wheels of course, that would be too easy!) were cut from a girder and fitted with brass rods.

 

The end result probably won't win any awards, but makes a nice facsimile of the landing gear only briefly seen on the screen anyway and not too visible under the model on its base.

 

 

The base was painted with texture paints onto one of my standard canvas boards. I was hoping to represent the edge of the iconic temple, but there wasn't space on this one, so maybe something for another build.

 

The printed pieces were all ready to go off the sprue, so I picked a nice selection of figures and droids to complete the scene and called it done.

 

 

 

 

 

Just to emphasise the scale of this tiny model.

 

 

Thanks due to Keith for the beautiful little diorama accessories, check out his other work at www.cozmicscalemodels.com

Edited December 6, 2022 by Tim R-T-C

[John Laidlaw]

That is brilliant - what a result!

[FG2Si]

Great looking diorama. Tiny too!

 

Carl

[moondrome]

That's a great star wars scene. Good job 

[Pete in Lincs]

Very nice detail for such a small model. I like the figures.

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Great Dio - whats the base made from it looks like the 'frame' part has some form of texture like woven fabric?

 

TT

[Tim R-T-C]

17 hours ago, TEXANTOMCAT said:

Great Dio - whats the base made from it looks like the 'frame' part has some form of texture like woven fabric?

 

TT

 

It is a canvas board, 10cm x 10cm canvas wrapped wood. Something that has become my standard staple of late. I like the consistency of them and with the exposed white edges they are eye catching and have a pleasing consistency on show display tables.

 

Edited December 9, 2022 by Tim R-T-C

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Excellent thanks for that - I too now standardize on a white (usually MDF) base or a white chunky picture frame from Wilko- I print the names on Mr Decal Paper and then apply them to the base and cover with a coat of Klear. Looks fairly professional unlike the standard of my modelmaking!

 

 

[tiking]

Nicely done. 

[Hunter Rose]

Really like it, very impressive at that scale