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MPC Snowspeeder


Alain Gadbois

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  • 2 months later...

Hi all!

 

Wow! 3 months have passed since the last update!

 

I cast all the fins I needed and made the 2 smaller types in styrene only as there are only 2 of each.

x7VzH0V.jpg

 

There are additonnaly some teeth right under the leading edge of the front of the Snowspeeder. I scratched a small part in styrene based on the smaller Bandai kit and produced the required amount again in resin.

jOtkFh8.jpg

 

Next it is time to engrave all the details still missing under the craft. Somehow I thought it was mostly complete when I last worked on it, but there is still quite a bit to do!

I am following the Bandai kit here also, but the heavy raised line on the kit are actually spot on. So I am sanding it off almost completely, then enhance the still faintly visible lines in pencil and rescribe mostly with the small model Olfa scriber.

Hd0uUvx.jpg

 

The rectangular white styrene bits fill the support stand openings

VCKAIuB.jpg

 

You see here the center part of the under fuselage section. Curiously the only part of the model with finely engrave lines! Below are the first raised panels that will be added in this area of the kit.

8cHyXI0.jpg

 

Made more progress on this today so I will post more very soon!

 

Thanks for watching!

 

Alain

 

 

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Hi all!

 

So this is the underside essentially complete with the scribing and all the additional plates done. It is really interesting in this scale that essentially the same techniques used by the original modelers are duplicated here.

lyjA7QW.jpg

 

With the central section held in place just to show:

8zxpb3x.jpg

 

Looking at the Bandai kit, it seems the 2 triangular shapes (brightly lit above) are actually intakes, so cutting out is in progress.

iLub2MD.jpg

 

Thank you for watching!

 

Alain

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On 11/19/2022 at 11:34 PM, Mark M said:

i have this kit in the stash, thanks to you it will now start looking at me!!

 

good job mate

Thanks! 
Quite a handful to get it right, but a really impressive model can result!

I was looking at the instruction sheet and there is a nice drawing showing top and bottom details. Now I believe this is an original from the film production and you can see all the correct panel lines on it. 
 

 

On 11/20/2022 at 1:27 AM, LSP_Ray said:

That is a huge improvement! Well done!

Yes, I was really happy on how nicely all the scribing turned out when the primer was applied.

 

On 11/20/2022 at 1:55 AM, LSP_K2 said:

Looking excellent, for sure.

Imagine if MPC had done it right at the time. At least it is easier when you know you can follow the existing raised kit lines. The Bandai kit helped a lot to confirm that.

 

Alain

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23 hours ago, rigor said:

Nice had this kit when I was a kid but I'm pretty sure I blow it up :D

Ha ha! I can say most of my early production ended in fiery crashes! I didn’t have access to firecrackers, but the solvents in the garage were put to good use!

 

I also remember shooting a few battleships floating helplessly in a metal pail with a BB gun.

 

Alain

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello!

Here is a bit of progress to show you, plus unexpected surprises that will need to be tended to!

 

After finishing the underside, I turned my attention to the rear, as I noted there are details to add around where the airbrakes are attached. Just finding bits that fit in the available spots. I also glued on the rear end parts of the guns, and his is when I realized something just did not look right.8YJfQVd.jpg

 

Look at the side view and see how this end part seems to fit quite a bit too low, as it is actually glued to a short section that is, for some reason, molded off-center to the main section forward. 

DbDOHXw.jpg

 

A couple solutions were considered, but the best was to just remove the end part, and cut off a good section of the kit. I have a copper tube the has the correct diameter, and will be cut and installed with the end part.

3YwPgs2.jpg

 

I noticed looking at references, that MPC molded in very soft details in the areas shown, and also in the corresponding areas right behind. I will add bits to replicate the very busy look you can actually see there. Funny I had never noticed the very obvious missing details in the kit beforehand! 

Sxg3ccq.jpg

 

Bye for now!

 

Alain

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