[MOC] RZ-1 A-wing interceptor (updated)

[atlas]

Hi. Here's some photos of my work in progress at the moment, the RZ-1 A-wing. This is drawing deeply from the models of Jerac and others. I'll add more to this post shortly.

flickr album link: https://www.flickr.c...157659454465594

First stage

Optimised stabiliser design, completed greebles on the rear, cannon added, experimenting with solutions for the front taper, other minor changes

Let me know what you think below or on the flickr comments ! (:

Edited October 16, 2016 by atlas

[Tyutyu]

Im no A-wing expert (I never looked at it closely), but I do see that Jeracs and those that are based on it are the best so far. This makes me want to sell my TLG one to get money to build this.

[All in the Reflexes]

Looking good, always wanted to do this model as TLG model is a bit lacking for the purist in me

[TheBear]

Great job, I am doing exactly the same thing myself and have had it sitting half finished for months. The only difference is that mine is mostly light grey instead of white to match the McQuarrie prototype colours.

[Hold0511]

Sweet - I could see a nice little flight of these in my collection....

[Junior Shark]

How sturdy are those stabilizers? It looks like they're just connected with that L-shaped plate. Otherwise, awesome!

[Lord Tyrus]

Looks great so far!

[bootz]

This looks great so far. I actually just built my own A-Wing in the same color scheme, though mine is essentially a recolor of the green squadron A-Wing from the Home One set. I love how these look when done right like this though, the curve of the side looks great and your solution for the ring on the rear is pretty accurate. The rear of the ship is very nicely done, TLG has never done that part accurately but you nailed it.

[atlas]

Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate your comments !

This looks great so far. I actually just built my own A-Wing in the same color scheme, though mine is essentially a recolor of the green squadron A-Wing from the Home One set. I love how these look when done right like this though, the curve of the side looks great and your solution for the ring on the rear is pretty accurate. The rear of the ship is very nicely done, TLG has never done that part accurately but you nailed it.

Thanks so much. The back was a real challenge, so far the dark grey isn't really sunk in a little bit as it should be. It's flush with the top and bottom surface. Not ideal, but It will satisfy me for the moment. With the vector thruster thingies, originally I wanted to put four of the 1x2 curved studless slope piece in light bluish grey held in between the thrusters and the elastic bands, but that idea only held together in my head. Impossible without glue. It still looks alright though.

The idea for the vector rings on the engines with that piece is one I appropriated from picardsbricks on Flickr. The curve is mostly owed to Jerac's as well. I'm really glad you like it all .

How sturdy are those stabilizers? It looks like they're just connected with that L-shaped plate. Otherwise, awesome!

Thanks ! Nowhere near lego set sturdy but surprisingly strong. I'm playing around with solutions to fill the gaps you can see on the top on either side of the cockpit section, some of them allow for reinforcement of the top 'wings' with a 1x2 plate, some don't. Ideally I want to allow for that but we'll see. It's adequate for the moment though.

I'll add some more images of the progress of this in between the photos in the OP below. Plus some more developments.

[atlas]

(how can I make these enormous images just load as thumbnails unless you want to blow them up?)

Okay, so this is nine days after the first pictures in the OP:

 

12 days after those:

5 days ago. Some cockpit detail if you can see.

Edited January 11, 2018 by atlas

[Brick Capone]

Looks awesome! A-wings are one of my favourite Star Wars ships, and you've brought one to life. Great work!

[Junior Shark]

Thanks for those WIPS! I wonder how this will stack up to the rumored 2016 set.... (Spoiler alert: yours is probably better!)

[LegoPercyJ]

Looks sleek and fantastic.

[TheBear]

Thanks for those WIPS! I wonder how this will stack up to the rumored 2016 set.... (Spoiler alert: yours is probably better!)

Obviously this (being based largely on Jerac's A-Wing) is far more accurate than any official set is going to be, but it is also far too fragile to be something that children can play with. All the most accurate models (for example Psiaki's X-Wing) are like this because to get that kind of accuracy you have to trade robustness. For this reason I think it is unfair to compare these kinds of models with the official sets because they have totally different goals.

[atlas]

Obviously this (being based largely on Jerac's A-Wing) is far more accurate than any official set is going to be, but it is also far too fragile to be something that children can play with. All the most accurate models (for example Psiaki's X-Wing) are like this because to get that kind of accuracy you have to trade robustness. For this reason I think it is unfair to compare these kinds of models with the official sets because they have totally different goals.

Correct. There is a good reason that most Lego sets save for ones specifically targeted at teenagers and adults and built in quite a simple fashion. The main fuselage on my model is so far quite strong and stays in one piece. However, the exterior details, I.e the engines, guns, nose assembly, rear greebling, is quite weak so as to provide for the most detail I can achieve. It's a model rather than a toy isn't it. I'm still excited for the Rebels A-wing though. More pilots, probably Ahsoka, maybe Sato. Yes please.

I could post some pictures of the guts if some of you would like. I've also made some minor advances in the past few days but nothing major.

[Smitty500]

Shouldn't you be stu

(how can I make these enormous images just load as thumbnails unless you want to blow them up?)

Okay, so this is three days after the first pictures in the OP:

this is great progress and all. but. Shouldn't you be studying for an exam??

Edited December 6, 2015 by Smitty500

[atlas]

Shouldn't you be stu

this is great progress and all. but. Shouldn't you be studying for an exam??

Hahaha. I appreciate your concern. It's just an old exercise book with some revision my brother did years ago.

[Junior Shark]

I could post some pictures of the guts if some of you would like. I've also made some minor advances in the past few days but nothing major.

Mmmm gut pics please.

[atlas]

As you wish. The model is basically organised into 6 modular components.

Edited December 8, 2015 by atlas

[atlas]

Worked out how to embed the images in the post. They should appear now

[Junior Shark]

Wowzers! That's pretty crazy on the inside! Those gut pics make me love this model even more.

[Hold0511]

That looks a fun build as well as a fab little ship!

[MilkPls69]

It's nice to see the finished product Anon I love the side guns

[atlas]

Thanks everyone. Almost finished now, just the nose and some parts need replacing and completing

[TheBear]

Great progress, it is looking excellent. Did you use Krispy's LDD as a starting point or did you figure out the internals yourself? It looks quite different in places to Krispys.