[MOC] X-wing Version 8

[Churchill]

Even though I don't have anything to add at this point, I am enjoying following the discussion. One thing I've thought about is making the survival equipment to store in the cargo hold. I'm just tinkering with mine now, and it the stock cargo hold won't hold much. I might think about modding the cargo hold after you're finished fallenangel and I get a better look at your final design.

[Fallenangel]

After several days, I've finally solved the enigma that is the rear fuselage. But it's not finished yet, so I'll hold off taking pictures until it's complete. Greebling is an issue at this point.

Really? I remember at least one ofthe X-wings took off (or at least began moving toward the entrance) from Yavin IV with landing gear still down. And Luke's X-wing from ESB (yes, not from DS scene, but still) had to have landing gear.

Yes, all of the life-size models in the hangar did have landing gear. So I'm currently trying to put some decent landing skids on my X-wing.

Even though I don't have anything to add at this point, I am enjoying following the discussion. One thing I've thought about is making the survival equipment to store in the cargo hold. I'm just tinkering with mine now, and it the stock cargo hold won't hold much. I might think about modding the cargo hold after you're finished fallenangel and I get a better look at your final design.

Yes, I think survival equipment would come in handy for a Dagobah vignette, which would be very nice indeed.

The cargo hold area shown in my last batch of pictures is intended to be the final design, as altering it at this point would take too much time.

Since you are tinkering with your set Churchill, here's one thing I would recommend: following the instructions, you build the back part of the X-wing first, right? Skip it and make your own from scratch. The way I see it, the rear of the official X-wing is completely wrong; the detailing is printed, the wings are wrong, the guns are wrong, the cargo hold is off, the S-foil system is messy and unnecessarily complicated, and the back just looks terrible. One of the things that many mods suffer from is the use of the provided S-foil system for their X-wings, which force them to include the Technic bricks in between the engines and the main fuselage as well as the T-shape in between the wings, neither of which look very nice in my opinion. (It proved one of the few things I didn't like about errbt's own mod of 4502.)

[Brickdoctor]

Yes, all of the life-size models in the hangar did have landing gear. So I'm currently trying to put some decent landing skids on my X-wing.

But canonically, shouldn't the gear retract into the X-wing, regardless of whether the miniature studio models have it? It could always just be very well hidden by armor plates.

[Churchill]

The "one thing" Fallenangel? He, he. Someday I'll start from scratch... for now, I'll keep changing a piece here, a piece there.

[Fallenangel]

First page updated with pictures of the finished work.

[XimenaPaulina]

Great job fallenangel, I really like the finished product. You did everything you could with your available parts to make this X-Wing as accurate as possible to the real thing, so kudos to that!

[Ceroknight]

Ah! That looks fantastic! Very accurate indeed

[Brickdoctor]

Great job fallenangel, I really like the finished product. You did everything you could with your available parts to make this X-Wing as accurate as possible to the real thing, so kudos to that!

Agreed.

The finished product looks very nice, fallenangel327. So, the big question is...

Are you satisfied with the dimensional accuracy of this, your own model?

[VBBN]

Very nice looking indeed, the proportions are just about sport on,

And the styling of it is very classic to me, makes me think of something I would have bought from lego back in the days of yellow-fig sets, which honestly is something I like quite a bit.

--{VBBN}--

[Fallenangel]

Agreed.

The finished product looks very nice, fallenangel327. So, the big question is...

Are you satisfied with the dimensional accuracy of this, your own model?

There are a lot of things to be considered in that question, but I'll say yes, for the most part. There are a couple issues that are created by the wings being only six studs long as well as the larger engines. The size of the cargo bay area and the greebling behind the cockpit as defined by the placement of the astromech droid are also debatable. But for the most they aren't all that obvious seeing as only I, the pedantic X-wing nerd, see them.

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure about the angle of the wings. What do you all think?

Very nice looking indeed, the proportions are just about sport on,

And the styling of it is very classic to me, makes me think of something I would have bought from lego back in the days of yellow-fig sets, which honestly is something I like quite a bit.

Yes, I think that may be due to the fact that the two X-wing MOCs that influenced me the most were Bruce Lowell's and Brian Tobin's models, both of which I understand were made quite some time ago. (In particular, you can see many details taken almost directly from Bruce Lowell's model - seven-stud wide fuselage, three-stud wide nose, cockpit, etc.) Some of the more recent models (roguebantha's and marshal_banana's, for example) were also referenced, but their style of building is really different from older work so I think that may have caused me to shy from them a bit. (The fact that those two individuals didn't post many closeup shots of their MOCs is also a factor. ) And of course, I'm not a big fan of using SNOT wings for the X-wing; the studded plate look just feels better for me, something that's also reflected in the way the nose is constructed. I guess this is where I think more like an MOCer rather than a modeler. (So you see Anio and Brickdoctor, you and I are not so different in that aspect.)

[Brickdoctor]

There are a lot of things to be considered in that question, but I'll say yes, for the most part. There are a couple issues that are created by the wings being only six studs long as well as the larger engines. The size of the cargo bay area and the greebling behind the cockpit as defined by the placement of the astromech droid are also debatable. But for the most they aren't all that obvious seeing as only I, the pedantic X-wing nerd, see them.

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure about the angle of the wings. What do you all think?

I think it looks fine. SNOT wings could improve the look, though.

Come a long way from version 1, eh?

[simonjedi]

This MoC is terrible because the red 1 film model the diameter of the astromech housing was half of what your model is. Furthermore.... :P

I like what you did with it, I agree that it has a very 'OLD SKOOL' look to it, and weirdly i like the mis match of colours. It's fits in with the rebels 'used universe/salvaging what they can' theme.

Edited January 2, 2011 by simonjedi

[Fallenangel]

I think it looks fine. SNOT wings could improve the look, though.

Come a long way from version 1, eh?

We've already had that discussion...

I'm glad someone took the time to look through the rest of my brickshelf folder. Just know that I made that first version in about two hours without any reference and without having seen the film in weeks.

This MoC is terrible because the red 1 film model the diameter of the astromech housing was half of what your model is. Furthermore.... :P

I like what you did with it, I agree that it has a very 'OLD SKOOL' look to it, and weirdly i like the mis match of colours. It's fits in with the rebels 'used universe/salvaging what they can' theme.

A quick look at the nose detailing (which, by the way, is similar to that of the Red 5) should indicate that this model does not represent the Red 1 X-wing. Furthermore, to make the model more accurate and aesthetically appealing I wanted to include a full astromech droid, even though it isn't to scale with minifigures, and the seven-stud wide rear fuselage allows for that. Besides, it looks fine to me. (See how the width of the aperture for the astro-droid is the same as that of the detailing behind it, which itself appears to be the appropriate width. I realize the same cannot be said in relation to the canopy piece, but as I've already said, I was forced to use that piece since a brickbuilt solution would be too bulky. )

Yes, X-wings are supposed to be very battle-worn fighters, so I tried to mix light and dark grey, with occasional white and red thrown in. I was also inspired by someone who had painted their X-wing model kit in grey "New Republic" shades, which looked very impressive indeed.

[Fallenangel]

Okay, so I decided to compile a list of critical points I received upon posting my last WIP pic:

- Too many studs

- Fat nose

- Bulky wing section w/ clunky intakes & blocky engines

- Overly protective response to constructive criticism

I also decided to take yet another critical look at version 8, as Blackknight112 recommended, and came up with this:

- blocky, bulky engines and parts of rear fuselage

- poorly integrated canopy with nose that lacks the defining hexagonal cross-section

After taking all these points into consideration, this is what I have so far:

Please excuse the poor photography. Once the nose section is built I'll take better pictures because at that point more holistic criticism would be possible.

Feel free to ask questions or contribute constructive criticism, and as I enjoy looking at MOCs very much I request that you provide a link to your favorite X-wing MOC in your post with a short statement of why you like it.

I'm also going to request that one of the moderators remove this thread from the MOC index and add 'WIP' back into the thread title, because it's obviously not finished yet. I intend for version 8 to be the 'ultimatum'.

Special thanks to:

- errbt for pointing out the importance of 4-stud-wide engines and 2-stud-wide guns (as well as inspiring me to make an X-wing in the first place) and Brucey-wan for inspiring me to achieve the hexagonal rear fuselage.

- simonjedi for pointing out the size of the astromech droid socket.

- LEGO for showing me how not to make a good X-wing with 6212.

[Brickdoctor]

No special thanks for me?

Nice work. Why the gap between the wing and the plate under the top-left wing?

[Blackknight112]

Nice work fallenangel, I really like those tiles on the wings it gives it a smoother look. Maybe you could provide us with some pics from a different angle, other then standing on the engines. Anyway good job. I am looking forward to the next update of your wip, already

Edited March 26, 2011 by Blackknight112

[Fallenangel]

No special thanks for me?

Nice work. Why the gap between the wing and the plate under the top-left wing?

Thought it'd be implied, but here you go...

- Special thanks to Brickdoctor for providing constructive criticism and help with illegal connection methods as well as reverse-engineering the wings on BaronSat's X-wing and dubbing me the 'X-wing freak', among other things.

As for the gap, I still have to add some stuff there. It makes sense if you'll remember the last point in our PM discussion.

[BrickArtist]

I think the guns need the most work. I think it's crucial that you end them on the bar thickness. Brickdoctors suggestion of using 1x1 clips on there would look loads better on there too.

Anyways, the model looks great. Lots of interesting techniques and design in there

[RileyC]

Looks great FA! I think you have really got a great X-wing on your hands there. The shape good, it has got good greebling and the tiling and studs are in the right places. But excuse me for being ignorant, but would it look better in white? Or is grey the more accurate colour?

Though there are some criticisms I do have with it. The engines I do find a bit off. Its those bricks that I am not loving. The gaps in between them (those little square bits) just dont work. Would there be any way of replacing them with another piece? Or even remaking them, having it not to round, but eliminating those gaps?

[Fallenangel]

Okay, I'm honestly trying my best not to sound negative in any way so please don't think I'm attacking you or anything.

Nice work fallenangel, I really like those tiles on the wings it gives it a smoother look. Maybe you could provide us with some pics from a different angle, other then standing on the engines. Anyway good job. I am looking forward to the next update of your wip, already

Once the nose is built, I'll be able to change its position; at the moment, the underside isn't capable of supporting the wings (one reason there will be a third landing strut under the nose). So... glad you're looking forward to that.

I think the guns need the most work. I think it's crucial that you end them on the bar thickness. Brickdoctors suggestion of using 1x1 clips on there would look loads better on there too.

I was actually considering that myself, but I can't seem to get it to work. Do you think you could shoot me a PM with some ideas for the wingtip laser cannons?

Looks great FA! I think you have really got a great X-wing on your hands there. The shape good, it has got good greebling and the tiling and studs are in the right places. But excuse me for being ignorant, but would it look better in white? Or is grey the more accurate colour?

Though there are some criticisms I do have with it. The engines I do find a bit off. Its those bricks that I am not loving. The gaps in between them (those little square bits) just dont work. Would there be any way of replacing them with another piece? Or even remaking them, having it not to round, but eliminating those gaps?

Thanks Roncanator. As for the base color, I think it's really a matter of personal preference. While I've seen some fantastic X-wings in white, I prefer gray for my X-wing because it looks more weathered. I actually was considering a white version - I'll have to see if brickartist can build one in white once I finish this and send him some deconstruction pictures.

Accuracy-wise, the actual color is more of a dirty white - not as shiny as LEGO white, but not as dull as LEGO gray either.

How do I say this... the macaroni pieces are being used due to a parts restriction; I simply don't have enough 2x4 half-cylinder bricks. Would you perhaps know of another way I could construct these engines?

[xecom]

Wow thats really a great work

Its just awesome :)

[Fallenangel]

Good day all... I've had a little extra time recently. Here is another update:

Please excuse the sorry job on the fusial thrust engines; once I get this thing into a CAD that will be fixed.

I went with Anio's suggestion and tried a brickbuilt nose, again with some inspiration from errbt's rendition as well as 7140. I'm not quite sold on it and may go back to using illegal connections. Depends on the feedback I get...

I think the guns need the most work. I think it's crucial that you end them on the bar thickness.

Thank you. It's not fixed in the pictures, but I have found a solution that does end on the bar thickness. It's a big improvement over the 16L Technic axles, accuracy wise. (The ideal solution, though, would be 16.5L straws as used in Brucey-wan's X-wing... but I don't have any of those.)

Though there are some criticisms I do have with it. The engines I do find a bit off. Its those bricks that I am not loving. The gaps in between them (those little square bits) just dont work. Would there be any way of replacing them with another piece? Or even remaking them, having it not to round, but eliminating those gaps?

Helped a lot, thanks. I've moved the white half-cylinders so that the little square bits have been minimized (at least on the top). So far I'm happy with it... maybe I should use this? (I've been reluctant to use that piece since it doesn't integrate very well...)

Wow thats really a great work

Its just awesome :)

[Brickdoctor]

Pictures are dim, but it looks good. I like the updates you've made to the wings.

[Darth CJ]

Well Done on the moc! It is a better one than I could have done! (cus I can't do cockpits )

[Mr Man]

Nice update. It looks a little back heavy but that's just because of a lack of canopy, it's looking good. I especially like the plating around the cockpit area.