Brickdoctor

[MOC] T-16 Skyhopper

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This is in my view one of the most under-appreciated vehicles of the saga. Granted, it gets about 5 seconds of screen time and isn't the focus of the scene, but it's a really nice vehicle, chock full of angles, with a distinctive shape.

That shape was a pain. I wanted to do everything is SNOT, but I hit a snag right from the beginning as I was building the tail: TLG doesn't make a slope for either the front angle or the back one. Or a wedge plate, for that matter. I solved it by tipping the whole fin backwards, but now the red strip is a little off. I decided in the end that it was more likely the paint department would be off by a couple degrees than that the shape would be formed incorrectly.

Then in the end, for the same reason (angles), I had to resort to traditional plates and tiles for the wings. Overall, though, I'm happy with it.

It looks a bit big compared to the minifigs (and especially compared to the set and Wookieepedia stats), but if you scale it to the width of the minifig as compared to the studio model proportions, it's just about right.

And yes, it's missing the griffin on the side. There exists no official sticker for it and I couldn't do it in SNOT shapes.

Rant off; more pics:

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Unfortunately, if there's any bit that's out of proportion, it's this area. But, there aren't very many good shots of the studio model from this angle, so I took some creative liberty. Besides, all the bits matched up so nicely, I didn't want to tinker with it.

You'll have to excuse the stand - this model is big and fragile. It has a 13.5 inch wingspan and it's 14 inches tall, with thin pieces sticking out. Needless to say, it's a pain to photograph. I really don't think the pics do it justice.

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I loved this part of the build. I have all these white bits sitting around that I usually don't use and I grabbed them and just started tacking on greebles.

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This area is a little to cramped for my tastes, but Technic structure takes up the rest of the 'interior'. And until TLG starts making triangular trans-clear panels, it's an open cockpit. You can see the other side in the inset. I had to cheat a little and remove the seat to get the guy to sit nicely without knocking the panels out of place whenever I breathed on him. :-P

For anyone interested, here's the source material.

Finished February 2010; also on flickr.

C&C welcome, thanks for looking!

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Excellent MOC Doc! The SNOT build of the top fin looks great, though I would have wished the wings were built the same way for overall consistency, but I understand the explanation you stated above. The blaster and the engine thruster greebling details are very well done. Great job overall, and thanks for giving some love to this often overlooked SW vehicle. :thumbup:

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Excellent MOC Doc! The SNOT build of the top fin looks great, though I would have wished the wings were built the same way for overall consistency, but I understand the explanation you stated above.

Thanks. Actually, technically, very little of the top fin is SNOT - it's all built straight up. :laugh: In the future I may revisit the wings; I think a SNOT rim of tiles, plates, and hinges could do it some good.

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Wow, this looks really good! The wings almost look bad because they're not SNOT :laugh:

Did you know? T-16s are also produced by Incom Corporation! And because of that, it has cockpit controls similar to that of the X-wing, which is why the Alliance used the them as training vehicles.

In any case, you've done a fantastic rendition of this ship. I really like the solution you've devised for the angle of the top fin - very creative!

The only thing you've really missed is the protruding bit on the bottom that acts as the stopper for the wings, and the bottom suffers a bit because of that. I think you could also emphasize the overlap on the side panels a little more.

I see you're making good use of the reference site I've linked to multiple times. I didn't know this thing actually had two cockpits!

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Wow, this looks really good! The wings almost look bad because they're not SNOT :laugh:

He admits it! :laugh:

Did you know? T-16s are also produced by Incom Corporation! And because of that, it has cockpit controls similar to that of the X-wing, which is why the Alliance used the them as training vehicles.

Yup, I knew that. And before you say it, I do realize there is but one more prominent member of the T-series that I haven't made yet...

The only thing you've really missed is the protruding bit on the bottom that acts as the stopper for the wings, and the bottom suffers a bit because of that. I think you could also emphasize the overlap on the side panels a little more.

Yeah, I know. Originally that was because I had planned a permanent stand, but then this stand I did to work on the model worked well and supported it well, and I never got back to that part of the model.

I see you're making good use of the reference site I've linked to multiple times. I didn't know this thing actually had two cockpits!

That I did. Besides, the pictures on Wookieepedia are ugly compared to the studio model, and we both know the Essential Guide is no help.

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Great job! I didn't know much about this ship, but this looks very accurate to the studio model. Before this, I thought the official set was good. I actually never knew this ship was as big as this compared to a person.

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He admits it! :laugh:

Well, only because it doesn't look as clean as the rest of the model.

Yup, I knew that. And before you say it, I do realize there is but one more prominent member of the T-series that I haven't made yet...

Oh, yeah - and it's going to have SNOT wings, right?

That I did. Besides, the pictures on Wookieepedia are ugly compared to the studio model, and we both know the Essential Guide is no help.

That it isn't...

Great job! I didn't know much about this ship, but this looks very accurate to the studio model. Before this, I thought the official set was good. I actually never knew this ship was as big as this compared to a person.

Well, 4477 was certainly a nostalgic little set...

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Well, only because it doesn't look as clean as the rest of the model.

Excuses, excuses. :tongue:

Oh, yeah - and it's going to have SNOT wings, right?

:oh: How did you guess that? Can you read minds or something?

Well, 4477 was certainly a nostalgic little set...

Total 'Where the heck was that in the movie?' moment for most people though, unfortunately.

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:oh: How did you guess that? Can you read minds or something?

Well, if you are planning to make one, I'm also expecting a lot of cheese...

Total 'Where the heck was that in the movie?' moment for most people though, unfortunately.

Yeah, that's me and anything LEGO makes that's from the new series - like that Savage Oppress guy.

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Well, 4477 was certainly a nostalgic little set...

Oh yeah. I remember being a kid, seeing the set and going 'dad, let's get this cool speeder that wasn't from the movie!' default_laugh_new.gif .

This is an amasing job, so much better than the small official version. Well done!

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I actually never knew this ship was as big as this compared to a person.

Same here, actually. I started building the separate portions, and I started putting the bigger ones together, and I was going 'Woah, is this more of UCS Scale?'. So I had to stop for a half hour while to did the math and compared to different pics.

Well, if you are planning to make one, I'm also expecting a lot of cheese...

Would you like single, double, or triple cream? Cave aged? Mild or strong? Firm or creamy? I'm partial to triple cream cambazola myself. Very creamy with a taste that's a combination of a brie and a gorgonzola. Really good with sweeter varieties of crackers.

:laugh:

I'm running dangerously low on all colors of cheese except trans-clear - might need to make an order for my next MOC.

Yeah, that's me and anything LEGO makes that's from the new series - like that Savage Oppress guy.

That makes two of us!

Oh yeah. I remember being a kid, seeing the set and going 'dad, let's get this cool speeder that wasn't from the movie!' default_laugh_new.gif .

:laugh: I'd just like to know how many kids did that. It's just too bad, because this is really a lovely ship once you get to know it. Also too bad the set wasn't finished in time for AnH, otherwise it might have been quite iconic.

Which reminds me, fallenangel, do you know if the underside was purposely made white, or is it because the studio model was never finished as far as a paint job is concerned?

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default_laugh_new.gif I'd just like to know how many kids did that. It's just too bad, because this is really a lovely ship once you get to know it. Also too bad the set wasn't finished in time for AnH, otherwise it might have been quite iconic.

It's just too bad, the shooting schedule for ANH- it's ironic how many things went wrong and people didn't want to be apart of what would become one of the most iconic and revoloutionary movies of all time.

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Great creation! I think you've done an excellent job, given the difficulty of accurately representing all of the weird angles on this particular ship. But despite it's accuracy in size, etc it still looks like a fun model.

Awesome work. :thumbup:

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Would you like single, double, or triple cream? Cave aged? Mild or strong? Firm or creamy? I'm partial to triple cream cambazola myself. Very creamy with a taste that's a combination of a brie and a gorgonzola. Really good with sweeter varieties of crackers.

:laugh:

Well, you've succeeded in making me hungry... but I thought I wanted cake with liver and onions on top? :laugh:

Which reminds me, fallenangel, do you know if the underside was purposely made white, or is it because the studio model was never finished as far as a paint job is concerned?

It's probably the latter, as they could have just left it unpainted after they learned it wasn't going to be in the movie. One of the things Lucas should have done with his Special Editions is include the Beggar's Canyon scene from the radio drama where Luke threads the Stone Needle so this thing could have gotten some action (instead of stuffing the film with useless CGI...)

Great creation! I think you've done an excellent job, given the difficulty of accurately representing all of the weird angles on this particular ship. But despite it's accuracy in size, etc it still looks like a fun model.

Despite? More often than not, accuracy makes a model more fun to build! Why else would I have built so many X-wings? :laugh:

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Well, you've succeeded in making me hungry... but I thought I wanted cake with liver and onions on top? :laugh:

Actually the point of your story was that that was what you didn't want, and you wanted a dessert. So while we're on the subject of cheese, how about cheesecake? Flan? Does a baked brie with fruits and nuts count, or is that an hor d'oeurve?

Despite? More often than not, accuracy makes a model more fun to build! Why else would I have built so many X-wings? :laugh:

Well generally accuracy can mean a stability sacrifice. The accurate models usually are meant for display. My T-47 can't do barrel rolls, the T-16 can only move forwards, and swooshing the UCS STAP is out of the question. Edited by Brickdoctor

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Great Moc Doc! :thumbup: Love the built up middle wing and cockpit. :wub: The Snot is great! The bottom with the gun is pretty cool. Looks spot on with the source pic! :thumbup:

CF

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Brickdoctor, this looks amazing! With all the detailed greebling, it almost looks like a UCS model even though it is figure-scaled. The wings, the engine at the back, the cannon underneath it...all pretty perfect. However, when I was making my own (far more inferior) Skyhopper mod (of 4477), I tried to build it with a closed cockpit, because the reference picture I showed what I thought was a closed cockpit. After looking at your reference though, I must say you nailed it.

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Brickdoctor, this looks amazing! With all the detailed greebling, it almost looks like a UCS model even though it is figure-scaled. The wings, the engine at the back, the cannon underneath it...all pretty perfect. However, when I was making my own (far more inferior) Skyhopper mod (of 4477), I tried to build it with a closed cockpit, because the reference picture I showed what I thought was a closed cockpit. After looking at your reference though, I must say you nailed it.

Wookieepedia states that the 'real' one has a closed cockpit, but I couldn't find any good way to make it and the studio model doesn't have one anyways. (presumable because the vehicle was cut from the movie so the model was never finished)

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Very nice Brickdoctor! I see you finally put some of those stickers you never apply to good use. :laugh: I do like the feeling of movement in the first shot. :thumbup:

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Very nice Brickdoctor! I see you finally put some of those stickers you never apply to good use. :laugh:

Thanks.

I've done it before. The red stripes on the nose of the UCS Alpha-3 end in stickers from the cockpit of the '08 AT-TE.

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Hello!

The shape is perfect! :classic: It's quite a difficult design with all the triangular corners. I like the combination of top wing which smoothly merges with the nose element a lot. Well done!

Cheers,

~ Christopher

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Yeah, hey, wait a minute... two cockpits? Does this mean it needed two pilots? Maybe I've been ignorant, but this seems like a significant piece of information. Could Luke have flown it on his own? If it required two pilots (or plus a copilot) what are the implications for the similarity between these controls and the xwing?

Anyone know the meaning of the griffin symbol?

Good job, Brickdoctor. I've been thinking about tackling this one myself... now I don't know what I'll do!

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Wookieepedia states that the 'real' one has a closed cockpit, but I couldn't find any good way to make it and the studio model doesn't have one anyways. (presumable because the vehicle was cut from the movie so the model was never finished)

I see, thanks for clearing that up! I figured out a way to do a closed cockpit; I think I'll return to that model and put some pics up, but it will never compare.

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