I’ve been working on updating the 10019 Rebel Blockade Runner, which so far has gone quite smoothly apart from the engine block on the back - I could really use some ideas for part substitutions.

The original model has many rare parts on each engine:
 

33211 spoked wheel (long out of production), 
2515 Wheel in Light gray (can be recoloured to pearl dark grey), 
2903 wheel in dark red (unique),
3961 8x8 dish in light bluish gray (never made),
3934/3933 Wing 4x8 in white (hard to get in bulk).
There were also stickers across multiple pieces to provide some additional detailing on the cylinder shells.

I’m struggling with rebuilding this, and my attempts so far are shown below:
 

Firstly, replacing the dark red wheel is a nightmare because of the limited number of parts available in that colour.  I tried using 1x3 curved slopes (left) to build a circle, but the circle works out at something like 8.2 studs and you can’t sit the engine cylinders next to each other.  I also experimented with a pentagon/circle technique I found online (middle) which kind of works but it’s awkward to mount on the cylinder, and I’m not sure how strongly I can attach the 2515 large wheel that forms the engine nozzle.

My current preference (right) is for 4x4 round corner plates to build up the red stripe, but I don’t see how to mount the large wheel securely - any ideas?

I’d also like to avoid the stickers on multiple pieces, by rotating the 8x8 cylinder 45 degrees - that way, the sticker should fit on just one shell.  Problem is, all the turntables seem to spin freely - is there any compact way to lock lego bricks at a 45 degree angle?

 

Edited July 9, 20177 yr by NathanR

I would suggest looking for parts to make the engines smaller than 8x8. There need to be spacing between the engines and the engine section is already way to big as it is.

So what exactly is the purpose of your project? Are you merely updating rare parts with more readily available parts or you updating the entire model to modern standards? I've always wanted to an updated version of the blockade runner, redoing the hammerhead so it doesn't have those awful rubber band holding it together, adding the missing section between the engines and docking modules and etc. Do you have pictures you're willing to show of what you've got so far? Sorry I'm not very helpful regarding your query. 

If your goal is to keep the model as close to original as possible, but make it cost effective, than the easiest way by far is to swap out the colors of the wheels and spokes to dark bluish gray. 

Other than that, you're better off doing a complete redesign.  As Mortesv stated, the engine proportions are way off.  The only reason I haven't changed mine is because I like the fact that it's such a rare collector piece.

Also bear in mind that only TWO of the engines have red rings. Even if you want to stick to the original design - getting this details correct - and saving rare parts should be a win-win :)

When looking at the engine section from behind it should be the upper left and the lower right engines - see here: 

 

I'll be honest - that model is such an enormous mess, I would be inclined to either sell it to a collector or part it out and see what's reusable in putting together a smaller, but more robust (and usable) MOC.

23 minutes ago, ProvenceTristram said:

I'll be honest - that model is such an enormous mess, I would be inclined to either sell it to a collector or part it out and see what's reusable in putting together a smaller, but more robust (and usable) MOC.

Indeed, but I think Nathan's goal is to simply redo old UCS models with modern bricks, with only minor modifications.

Thanks for the suggestions, you've certainly given me a lot to think about.

My original plan was to simply update the original model to use modern parts, in the same way that Lego recently updated the 10188/75159 Death Star - replace the old or outdated parts with more readily available alternatives.  This is what I have so far, and so far it's only minor alterations to the central body, and a case of rebuilding the display stands:

 

The Rebel Blockade Runner always struck me as an odd ship.  While the Rebels TV show and the photos of the original studio model show a long and slender vessel, there's something about the opening star destroyer chase that makes it seem short and chunky, like 10019 and the schematics that have been around for years:

I want to focus on preserving the look of 10019 for now, though you've certainly inspired me to a separate MOC with greater accuracy.  I'm already thinking along the lines of 6-wide cylinders with a 3-stud gap between them...

On 14/11/2016 at 5:01 PM, mortesv said:

Also bear in mind that only TWO of the engines have red rings. Even if you want to stick to the original design - getting this details correct - and saving rare parts should be a win-win :)

Good call! I never saw that before!

On 14/11/2016 at 4:13 PM, Schneeds said:

If your goal is to keep the model as close to original as possible, but make it cost effective, than the easiest way by far is to swap out the colors of the wheels and spokes to dark bluish gray. 

I'll keep that in mind. though I'm still tinkering with ideas for a red ring.

Edited July 9, 20177 yr by NathanR

These schematics are not based on the CR-90 studio model - but maybe the CR-60 from EP III.

It could seem that lego made their Corvette using the CR-60 design - which is shorter and has a much more blocky engine section.

When building my moc I found many pictures of the studio model used for ANH and a schematic based on the same model (CR-90).

If you are curious go to modelersmagic.com and search for Blockade Runner studio model.

No, those schematics date from the guide to vehicles and vessels first published in the 1990s. Not sure if the author just winged it or not, but they predate the prequel trilogy by quite a wide margin.

Edited November 15, 20168 yr by ProvenceTristram

Yeah, a lot of the schematics made after the movies are improvised. Many Star Destroyer schematics are for example wildly disproportionate compared to the movie models. I had the same problem with the medical frigate - the most common schematics had little to do with the model used in the movies.

When predating the prequels, the schematic could in theory have been the inspiration for the CR-60 Corvette concept, but I don't know :) But it is interesting to note that the 10019 is much closer to this schematic than it is to the studio model.

11 hours ago, ProvenceTristram said:

No, those schematics date from the guide to vehicles and vessels first published in the 1990s. Not sure if the author just winged it or not, but they predate the prequel trilogy by quite a wide margin.

You just saved from digging out my copy to check!  10019 is almost spot on to these specs.

51 minutes ago, mortesv said:

When predating the prequels, the schematic could in theory have been the inspiration for the CR-60 Corvette concept, but I don't know :) But it is interesting to note that the 10019 is much closer to this schematic than it is to the studio model.

Actually the CR-60 corvette came about more or less by accident.  In order to help Episode 3 bridge the prequel and original trilogies together, they threw in a few ships from the original trilogy.  The Episode 3 rebel blockade runner was supposed to be the CR-90 Tantive IV from the opening of ANH, but the CGI model they built had so many differences that it became a new class of ship, the CR-60.  

I suspect the schematics were derived from still photos of the original opening - unless you know what to look for, the perspective of the shots after the opening crawl seems to shrink the blockade runner, and hides the length of the mid-section.  Theres probably quite a story somewhere...

This the reference material I always use. 

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/starwars/smith_sw.htm

There are some great shots of the film model here: http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=57848

Honestly, I wish they'd do a "normal" release of the Tantive IV - I own 10198 and I almost regret buying it; the thing is too big to fit in with the scale I model, and still rather on the fragile side. It strikes me that they could probably do a ~$100 kit in the same ballpark as the recent 75158 and probably still feature some kind of small interior + passable detailing without too much issue.