I experimented with Lego pieces introduced with the 2018 and 2019 sets.  I hope you like these spacecraft models.

I find the TIE cockpit a challenge to model in Lego.  It is shaped like an ice-cream scooper with two handles.  If done properly, the result should look spherical and be strong enough to “fly” with TIE Interceptor wings (pictured above) or the heavier TIE Fighter wings (pictured below.)

TIE Fighter wings are heavier than TIE Interceptor wings.  My previous attempt at connecting my MOC to the 9492 TIE Fighter wings didn’t work.  I over-applied technic pins for too many of the connections, so wings were wobbly when shaken.  This time I extend the plates all the way from the center to the wings.  Having 2 studs of overlap between plates ensures minimal bending.

I saw two 35299 pieces used in Yoda’s Hut set.  Luckily, with Defense of Crait, this piece now comes in Light Bluish Gray.  I put two of them behind a 6 x 6 Dish Inverted with SW 8 Spokes Radial Cockpit Pattern.  Result: a spherical shape although elongated width-wise.  The chin-mounted muzzles are a pair of 35480.

The cockpit ball is 9 studs in diameter.  There is enough room to fit a 4-stud diameter dish but not a 6-stud one. I originally intended to build a 5-stud wide canopy, but there is not enough space.

(update 2019-11-20)

Some of you asked: "Where's the Twin Ion Engine?"  Well here it is -- the obligatory hexagonal cavity!  This is supposedly a window or an ion discharge port.  The doughnut-shaped plate on my MOC obscures the hexagon from the camera.  I need to find a way to move or lengthen the cavity a tad towards the rear of the spaceship.

Edited November 21, 20195 yr by dream-in-bricks
Some of you asked: "Where's the Twin Ion Engine?"

Damn thats good

I've never seen that technique used before! One of the best representations of the ball shape for the cockpit. 

That’s a really good use of those wheel arch pieces, you’ve achieved some great shaping without losing the slightly chunky Lego look. I think some round Tie ball MOCs look impressive but a little bit too smooth and the balls don’t blend well with exposed studs and chunky features on the arms and wings, but not yours, very nice work!

Very strong stuff.

Very Interesting design. I like it a lot! 

Here is a small suggestion: there are two printed pieces for the top of the cockpit. For your design it might fit the smaller one, it has more resolution than the black slopes.

There is no post of the fighters back. Don't know if you had room for the Twin Ion Engine.  

Edited November 19, 20195 yr by dvogon

3 hours ago, mcphatty said:

That’s a really good use of those wheel arch pieces, you’ve achieved some great shaping without losing the slightly chunky Lego look. I think some round Tie ball MOCs look impressive but a little bit too smooth and the balls don’t blend well with exposed studs and chunky features on the arms and wings, but not yours, very nice work!

^^Agreed - this is a great looking technique!  The front oblique view of the TIE Fighter is especially good.  Well done - thanks for posting this!

Way better than Jerac's designs.

14 minutes ago, m4st3rt3ch said:

Way better than Jerac's designs.

I hope! Two years after mine it should be better, after all! :D
Thats the best thing in lego. Few new pieces and entire new way of building stuff emerges.

I do have problem with some of the gaps buuuut this is an interesting new direction which is worth exploring. Good job!

Edited November 19, 20195 yr by Jerac

Whoa this is genius! The overall shape can be still improved, sure, but the idea to use the lbg windscreens together with the cockpit window is the innovation the next generation of TIE-fighters has been waiting for. Great work!


- Samppu

3 hours ago, dvogon said:

Very Interesting design. I like it a lot! 

Here is a small suggestion: there are two printed pieces for the top of the cockpit. For your design it might fit the smaller one, it has more resolution than the black slopes.

There is no post of the fighters back. Don't know if you had room for the Twin Ion Engine.  

I took a picture of the back.  It is not quite done but the Twin Ion Engine is there.  https://www.flickr.com/photos/108145384@N05/49085541537/in/album-72157711840812502

Take a look and feel free to comment and make suggestions.

Regarding the smaller printed slope—that’s the Light Bluish Gray one on the Solo-themed TIE?  I have the Dark Bluish Gray 4-stud dish from 9492 and can try it.

Edited November 20, 20195 yr by dream-in-bricks

2 hours ago, m4st3rt3ch said:

Way better than Jerac's designs.

I did have 2 years to work on one part ;)  Eurobricks members inspire me.

2 hours ago, Jerac said:

I hope! Two years after mine it should be better, after all! :D
Thats the best thing in lego. Few new pieces and entire new way of building stuff emerges.

I do have problem with some of the gaps buuuut this is an interesting new direction which is worth exploring. Good job!

Mine has bumpy look going for it, where as yours (Jerac’s) aims for the smoothness.  By departing from the 3x3x2 dome here, l go for the sliced orange look, with the slices at 45 degrees.  I soon found TLG don’t make curved pieces with 45 degree ends.  So I compromised.

Interesting, it looks pretty good! Great use of those windshield parts. I think you could try to incorporate the top hatch thats printed, I think that'll look a lot better.

I still like Jeracs one better though

23 hours ago, dream-in-bricks said:

Regarding the smaller printed slope—that’s the Light Bluish Gray one on the Solo-themed TIE?  I have the Dark Bluish Gray 4-stud dish from 9492 and can try it.

I believe both are the same part.

The back looks promising! You could post the photos editing your original post in this topic.

The hexagon in the back has good proportions, however it gets a bit hidden by the rounded 4x4 donut piece. I cannot figure out how to expose it more, the donut piece should be somehow behind, but the way it's built the cockpit makes it difficult to do so, as the hexagon cannot be built inside the donut piece.

The way you did it is a good balance: it keeps the overall rounded shape of the cockpit and has a hint of the hexagon. 

1 hour ago, dvogon said:

I believe both are the same part.

The back looks promising! You could post the photos editing your original post in this topic.

 The hexagon in the back has good proportions, however it gets a bit hidden by the rounded 4x4 donut piece. I cannot figure out how to expose it more, the donut piece should be somehow behind, but the way it's built the cockpit makes it difficult to do so, as the hexagon cannot be built inside the donut piece.

 The way you did it is a good balance: it keeps the overall rounded shape of the cockpit and has a hint of the hexagon. 

I was thinking the same thing about the doughnut piece. The next thing I'll try is to replace that piece with another solution.  If the DBGray piece works well I'll repost pictures of that, too.  Thanks for the comments!

Very nice models.  Great work!

@dvogon, I tried swapping in the 4-stud diameter inverted dish with TIE hatch pattern (in dark bluish gray,)  Posting before-vs-after (B vs A) for comparison,

TIE hatch A, on Flickr

TIE hatch B, on Flickr

Getting rid of the doughnut piece allows for some interesting shaping, but the circular look is gone.  (Again, with the printed hatch and with the brick-built hatch.)

twin ion engine A, on Flickr

twin ion engine B, on Flickr

Part of me really like the brick-built look.

Edited November 25, 20195 yr by dream-in-bricks

Nice photos! 

To me the printed hatch fits a bit better in your design because it's symmetric with the bottom, but the dark bluish gray doesn't fit as well in practice as the light bluish gray of the Solo TIE. The brick built hatch has to me a better look from the front now due to the light bluish gray pieces. 

I think the back of the TIE is more accurate now. Maybe you could try with 2x1light bluish gray tiles instead of those 1x1 slopes to suggest the roundness a bit more.

In any case, I think your TIE Interceptor is great! 

Edited December 2, 20195 yr by dvogon

Good job!