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My most recent project is for a proposed US TV series called STARWING. It is apparently a "comedy" along the lines of "Galaxy Quest", hence the rather obvious title and even more obvious design. I was asked to come up with a space fighter that incorporated many of the design characteristics of Star Wars model designs, most specifically the "X" wing configuration, which to be honest, I really wanted to avoid as it's so obvious.
But that was what was wanted so that was what I did. I managed to influence the design quite a bit though and build it within a very tight budget. The photos show the model under various stages of construction and of the model on the red planet.
The model is 1/24th scale. It is 30 inches long with a wingspan of 21 inches. The lower end wing pads fold down to become landing pads and the the front undercarriage leg deploys. The model is built mainly from plastic moulded sheet and Perspex (Plexiglass) with some brass rod sections. However, I also incorporated 12 coat hangers of various design into the model ! I also took mouldings from several different bottle tops and cast these in resin for strength. These became the various jet nozzles. The front wing intakes were cut down from some rather neat looking plastic contact lens containers! Kit detailing came mainly from the AIRFIX "Little Nellie" Autogyro kit which was re-released a while ago.
2001: A Space Odyssey
20000 Leagues Under the Sea
Alien
Blakes 7
Captain Scarlet
Dr Who
Fireball XL5
Flash Gordon
Forbidden Planet
Hitch Hikers Guide
Into Infinity
Outland
Space 1999
Star Trek
Stingray
Terrahawks
Thunderbirds
War of the World’s
Tripods
UFO
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EMA plastic and resin-cast components for Starwing |
C/U of the "wings" made from ribbed plastkard (over Perspex) with piping made from plastic sprue and "Lego" components. Also not how I recess sections in to give them a built-in look. |
Coat hangers in evidence along the leading edges of the wings and on the central section of the end wing landing pads |
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Lower wings with folding leg pads attached. Not also gun pods made from cut down contact lens containers. |
Adding pipe detailing to sides of engines. Fine grills are made from rows of metal staples! |
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More "dressing" now added to engines |
Picking out fine detailing with enamel paints. |
Model heavily sooted down. I then rubbed this off allowing it to catch in panel lines and around detailing that stands proud to give a heavily weathered effect. This method was used extensively on THUNDERBIRDS models. |
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Model nears completion with heavy weathering completed. |
The finished STARWING sits on the workbench with its landing gear deployed |
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Email Martin at: martin@martinbowersmodelworld.co.uk