I took the Jerac X-wing challenge! 75218 X-Wing MOD/MOC

[LDigital]

I read something Jerac wrote once saying that if you want a challenge, try to build a decent looking X-wing.  I tried it and it was bloody hard.

I have the instructions for Jerac's X-wing but wanted to see if I could make some improvements to 75218 before stripping it down for parts.  This is probably the best looking X-wing lego have made (I didn't like the size of the UCS one) but the one thing they have never been able to do in any set is really capture the nose area, which always seems to blocky and rectangular.

This is my attempt at a smoother no studs nose design.

 

Credit goes to Ron Mcphatty for the excellent engine, landing gear and hidden x-foil mechanism mods.  They are all incredible and can be found here. 

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-36569/ron_mcphatty/red-5-x-wing-t-65-set-75218-mod/#details

 

My mods focused entirely on the nose and cockpit area which I rebuilt a few studs longer.  The cockpit is raised and angled and stud shooters removed.  I built a little holder for Luke's lightsaber as it always annoys me when they don't put a weapon holder in.  I have tried to taper the nose as best as possible. 

There are a few illegal moves in this mod with a dodgy technique I'm pretty sure I invented to achieve the upward slope underneath.  

 

I have managed to retain Ron's excellent landing gear at the front

 

The stand is a combination of my own design built upon a  base design by Barneius

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-17386/barneius/x-wing-display-stand-lego-sets-75102-75149-75218-75273/#details

 

I  hope you like my x-wing Mod

 

[wolfie]

You've got me staring at my UCS 1 now wondering if there's a way to sort it out damn you lol

 

[AIex]

This is surprisingly very good, it retains much of the set's spirit while also being a great departure from one of its weakest elements. I am quite curious as to what that illegal technique you've invented is, you never know what else it could be useful for after all. The only thing I'd do differently is try and find a solution for the sides to get rid of those big curved slopes, they round off one of the ship's blockiest areas, and stick out like a sore thumb among all the amazing improvements you've made.

[Lfm55]

I have gone through a similar path.

Coming from 9493, modded into 75218 to end with the moc of jerac.

If you like to swooch your ships (i am sure you do, you didn’t even removed the shooters on the wings ), keep this one a little longer before dismantling it for parts. Jerac’s is the most beautiful, but not the sturdiest.

Now having a 4 years old boy who want to play with daddy’s spaceship, i am glad tlg released the 75301.

 

And yeah, the ucs..

I don’t really like what’s not around minifigs scale, but those small engines are really too painful to watch. It didn’t age really well in my opinion. 

[wolfie]

4 minutes ago, Lfm55 said:

I have gone through a similar path.

Coming from 9493, modded into 75218 to end with the moc of jerac.

If you like to swooch your ships (i am sure you do, you didn’t even removed the shooters on the wings ), keep this one a little longer before dismantling it for parts. Jerac’s is the most beautiful, but not the sturdiest.

Now having a 4 years old boy who want to play with daddy’s spaceship, i am glad tlg released the 75301.

 

And yeah, the ucs..

I don’t really like what’s not around minifigs scale, but those small engines are really too painful to watch. It didn’t age really well in my opinion. 

I dont understand what Lego was doing with the UCS version. Too many things way out of proportion which does agitate me but after just completely modifying my ucs at st to look more like it should the x wing will probably be my next challenge

[LDigital]

32 minutes ago, AIex said:

This is surprisingly very good, it retains much of the set's spirit while also being a great departure from one of its weakest elements. I am quite curious as to what that illegal technique you've invented is, you never know what else it could be useful for after all. The only thing I'd do differently is try and find a solution for the sides to get rid of those big curved slopes, they round off one of the ship's blockiest areas, and stick out like a sore thumb among all the amazing improvements you've made.

Thanks, I think you are right, I’ll look at making a slight revision in that area

[LDigital]

I have made a slight revision based on Alex feedback.  It reveals more than I would like but  I agree that things stick out far less

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by LDigital

[AIex]

Excellent work

[wolfie]

12 hours ago, LDigital said:

I have made a slight revision based on Alex feedback.  It reveals more than I would like but  I agree that things stick out far less

 

Nice work. Have you tried 2x2 slopes instead (Part 15608)? Might give a more gradual blend with no gap