[MOC] Imperial Star Destroyer ISD Midi-Scale - Alternate Build of 75356 Executor SSD

[Wurger49]

My First Imperial-Class Star Destroyer Alternate Build
As I was going through my MOC collection, I realized I was missing the iconic grey wedge—the Imperial-class Star Destroyer. That unforgettable opening scene from A New Hope is etched into the minds of all Star Wars fans, and I wanted my collection to reflect that.
To my surprise, set 75356 Executor still doesn’t have a full-sized alternate build of an ISD, so I decided to take on the challenge — and this became my first Star Destroyer alternate build.

Starting the Build
The lack of 3x6 wedge plates made it difficult to nail the classic wedge shape. I began by designing the wedge base that would support the two large hull plates. After a few hours, I still wasn’t sure I was heading in the right direction — and just like that, the first night was gone.
The next night, I changed tack and focused on the hull plates instead. I combined dark bluish gray and light bluish gray wedge plates to extend the hull length. Adding a notch along the sides helped me stretch the length by four studs. A red 2x16 plate provided excellent structural strength — a real game-changer.

Building the Hull
Once the plate size was locked in, I went back and forth between the three main sections to ensure they integrated smoothly. To create the sloped shape of the hull, I placed the front two hinge bricks one plate lower than the back two. It’s technically an illegal technique, but it’s surprisingly strong and stable for play.
Sloped and curved bricks formed the central spine and guided the shape of the hull. To finish it off, I added ingots and grille tiles to fill the gaps between sections and bring out the greebled texture.

Underside Features
The ventral hangar bay is represented using plating around a black 4x12 plate — clean and effective. I even managed to build the solar ionization reactor using a rounded bottom piece, which I tucked just behind the display stand connector.
For the engines, I knew I needed to convey power. While the set has trans-light blue 1x1 round plates, I didn’t think they gave the ship enough gravitas. So instead, I went full-out with triple large square exhausts to represent the ISD's main thrusters.

Superstructure & Details
The rectangular superstructure beneath the tower went through several iterations using different plate and tile combos. I ended up using door rail plates at the top to close the center gap — a simple but effective solution.
Surprisingly, the set has exactly eight 1x1 clip tiles, which let me accurately build the eight turbolaser turrets flanking the superstructure. It’s rare to get a perfect match like that in an alternate build!

Command Tower & Bridge
The command tower was one of the last sections I tackled. I got creative with the leftover parts — even borrowing four-stud-on-one-side bricks from the display stand to build it up. Grille slopes form the tower’s angled sides.
For the bridge, I drew inspiration from the classic 8099 Star Destroyer, especially the way the deflector shield generator domes and communications tower were built. I debated using round tiles atop the cones, but they added too much height — so I left them off to keep the proportions right.
In the end, I’m really proud of how imposing and screen-accurate the command tower turned out.

Finishing Touches
I even managed to rebuild the display stand, leaving room to showcase the 40th Anniversary Return of the Jedi tile. The model is sturdy and can be swooshed around with or without the stand.
I’m extremely happy with how this midi-scale Imperial-class Star Destroyer turned out. It looks fantastic next to my Venator from set 75304 — a fine addition to any LEGO Star Wars collection.

Instructions are on Rebrickable: https://reb.li/m/224895