Star Wars: DS2 Reactor Port with Falcon

[joeydee]

Do you remember the Falcon attack and the destruction of Death Star 2 in "Return of the Jedi"? There was a nice support structure on the surface, I thought this would be a suitable dio for a mini falcon. I started this project three weeks ago.
I'm still not sure about the falcon model. I started with the Revell EasyKit Pocket, it's pretty detailed for its price (and easy to order in germany). Maybe I can get a Bandai Mini one day. Depending on the final model, the scale will be 1/320 to 1/350 then.

This is the scene I'm talking about:

source: starwarsscreencaps.com

110mm Revell Falcon before...


... and after repaint.


First support frames, layout plan and size comparison.
It's difficult to estimate the real size from the screenshots. In one shot, the diameter seems to be about 4 times the width of an X-Wing, in another shot it seems that the falcon could land on the rooftop of a single frame. I'll take the X-Wing estimation, so it doesn't fill the whole living room


Endless hours cutting frames.


Assorted greebles for prototyping some typical tiles.


Each tile has a length of 19mm.


Scratch work.


Different scales of the same pattern were mixed up in the studio model.


A typical grid structure (will be red in the end).

[John Everett]

Nice!

[Leon]

Looks like an awesome project!

[dierk]

Cool project! Looking good.

[deafpanzer]

HOLY COW!!! You have my attention too!

[tobias5555]

Cool idea

[joeydee]

Thanks for your interest


This is a raw mockup (1/4th scale) how I want to present the surface.



The base grid to hold it all together. It's a bit shorter than the wooden bars, about 80cm in with.

[jpc1968]

That scratchbuilding is awesome!

[joeydee]

Some more greebles for the port structure:








Cutting the surface (polycarbonate hollow sheet as used for carports i.e.):






Test fit:

[Leon]

WOW.....That is looking fantastic! Your doing a great job on the scratch building.

[jpc1968]

Awe struck

[joeydee]

Thanks very much.

Couldn't resist adding primer and some color
For the next steps it is important to have an opaque layer and the framework doesn't look too messy when composing the surface.

[Leon]

Nice to see a little color! I like it.

[TRM]

This is just cool!! LOL Interesting concept and some fine scratch building!!

[deafpanzer]

Looking forward to the result I really am!

[dupes]

Ho ho, SWEET!

You could totally market resin copies of those Death Star tiles you made. Seriously.

[joeydee]

Thanks all

Nov 21, 2017 20:02:20 GMT -5 dupes said:

You could totally market resin copies of those Death Star tiles you made. Seriously.

Unfortunately I would have to get a Disney license first.


Scratching different frameworks for the smaller pieces:


Left: previous try with 1mm struts, right 0.5mm (in 1/350 scale, that would be 175mm struts for a 10m tower).









DS turret outline. There will be some additional parts on that piece, some plating etc.

This is one of my references for generic DS2 framework:
www.fxguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/EP6_BTS_2969_D.jpg

[dupes]

Wouldn't need a license if you called it..."generic space station surface squares" or something along those lines.

Great scratch work on the turret!

[406 Silverado]

wow that is some serious scratch work. very cool idea and turning out great so far.

[joeydee]

Thanks;
dupes : you might be right, exept the prominent horseshoe pattern eventually. But when it comes to casting and selling for others vs. scratching a new project for me, it's scratching

Did some more work on the turret yesterday:

[Leon]

Turret is coming along nicely!

[joeydee]

Building some towers on a rainy saturday afternoon ...
The Tie is just a raw mockup for size comparision. Very helpful when modeling uncommon objects.

[TRM]

Looking great Jochen!

[Leon]

Towers are looking good !

[thenylongag]

Fantastic sir

[joeydee]

Sorry, totally missed to post some updates

first resin castings

test paint

Surface with size ref and original film scene below

starwarsscreencaps.com/star-wars-episode-vi-return-of-the-jedi-1983/78/

Quick illumination test for the explosion - not final (nice on photos, but still weird by daylight, of course)

[Leon]

WOW...That is looking awesome!

[wbill76]

Good to see you're still working on this one, the layout you've chosen looks pretty massive!

[joeydee]

Detailing some of the larger pieces for the inner structures.

Scratching a Tie Interceptor (need only one or two for this dio, but I'll try to cast and "save" it of course)

The cockpit window.



Wings and paint test. Made with a hobby cuting plotter on overhead sheet, as well as the window.
Such plotters have their limits, but I'm really happy with it

[Leon]

Awesome work Jochen!