[MOC] Minifig-scale B-Wing (with instructions and LDD)

[ScottishDave]

I just finished this:

Many thanks to:

- Renegade Clone (and his brother RenegadeClone) for the original design

- Krispy for his excellent LXF files

- The Bear for egging me on.

Built in Dark Red, because life is too short to wait around for overseas bricklink orders.

BTW if anyone in Scotland or the UK is thinking of building this, you'll probably find that (besides the Sand Blue parts) you might struggle to locate sufficient numbers of:

44126 6 x 2 curved slope

6180 Tile 4 x 6 modified with studs around the edges

(Especially this week, as I've just been through).

The slopes can be replaced by 4x1 curved slopes or 4x2 curved slopes plus a couple of plates.

This model owes a lot to both Krispy's design and to Renegade Clone's original framework (referenced elsewhere in this thread). I took great pains to make it as stable and solid as possible. I wanted to make sure that a certain six-year-old could swoosh it without worrying too much about breaking it. For example, I used Krispy's nice and sturdy framework to join the cockpit to the ship, the Clones' engine covers (with some mods), and The Bear's wing attachment mod. There are similar blendings of different versions throughout the model.

Krispy, rather than give detailed feedback: I'm planning to do an LXF documenting exactly what I built - would it be OK with you if I posted it here?

Finally, just for fun, some cockpit comparison photos:

Dark Grey Jedi Interceptor:

Light Blue-Grey Jedi Interceptor:

UCS B-Wing:

[Renegade Clone]

Hey ScottishDave

Great looking build! I have a soft spot for Dark Red too! And getting those pieces in Sand Blue did take a fair bit of time I have always been especially proud of my B-Wing's stability and 'swooshability'.

Nice to see a fellow Scot on the forum. It's great seeing all these B-Wing builds based on my design - many thanks to Krispy for publishing the instructions.

Looking forward to seeing more B-Wings in the future.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Renegade Clone

[krispy]

These look awesome indeed. We can start a B-Wing club if this keeps up!

Krispy, rather than give detailed feedback: I'm planning to do an LXF documenting exactly what I built - would it be OK with you if I posted it here?

Sharing is caring! Post away. I'm curious to see what modifications you did

[ScottishDave]

Sharing is caring! Post away. I'm curious to see what modifications you did

I'd better get on with it then.

[TheBear]

Congratulations on completing your build. I have a 3.5 year old and all he wants to do is open the cockpit!

Maybe I will change my mind about that UCS windscreen, it looks good from above but not so good side on.

[ScottishDave]

Congratulations on completing your build.

Thank you for your help and encouragement.

I have a 3.5 year old and all he wants to do is open the cockpit!

Maybe I will change my mind about that UCS windscreen, it looks good from above but not so good side on.

Well, yes, about that....

The good news is: With some droid arms and a few tiles, it slides forward and then opens just fine.

It really is quite sturdy: only the front guns are prone to dropping off if you look at them funny.

Edit: fixed. I used a bracket instead of the pair of minifig neck brackets pictured in the photos.

The bad news (Well, not so much bad as bad-ish, in a "You have to laugh" sort of way) ... In order to slide the canopy forward two bricks, to a position where it can flip open, you need a cockpit piece with a 2-brick-wide cutout at the back to get over the 2x1 axle bricks.

The only 6 x 10 x 3 canopy I've ever seen with such a cut-out is... well:

... unless the new Jedi Interceptor has one?

Here is an LXF for just the modified cockpit.

Comments, suggestions, improvements all very welcome.

Edit: I just updated the LXF. The link remains the same. The hinge brick thin top plates make the canopy piece stronger. The side guns DO connect to the nubs on the hinge plates, LDD is just being thick.

Edited March 6, 2014 by ScottishDave

[TWP]

I think your opening cockpit will be a good thing!

... unless the new Jedi Interceptor has one?

Yes, the mold has been changed. I do not have the new jedi interceptor yet, but I am sure it has the new mold.

Even 9494 (green) jedi interceptor from a few years ago has the new mold (and I do have that one :) )

Edited March 7, 2014 by TWP

[krispy]

That's a clever idea!

It would seem that the newer part (no. 10312) has the square cut-outs (at least according to Bricklink)

It seems I'm gonna have a pretty long list of modifications to do on my model!

[ScottishDave]

It would seem that the newer part (no. 10312) has the square cut-outs (at least according to Bricklink)

Yes, the mold has been changed. I do not have the new jedi interceptor yet, but I am sure it has the new mold.

Even 9494 (green) jedi interceptor from a few years ago has the new mold (and I do have that one :) )

Thanks chaps! I was worried that I was restricting people to an unpopular canopy choice.

Looks like I'll be buying a Jedi Interceptor this weekend.

[Bob De Quatre]

Hey guys, would you please stop making me want to build one!!

[ScottishDave]

Hey guys, would you please stop making me want to build one!!

Fair's fair... I'm trying to resist building an Arc-135 just to see if it's possible in real bricks.

[Bob De Quatre]

Fair's fair... I'm trying to resist building an Arc-135 just to see if it's possible in real bricks.

We might have the answer soon

The B-wing is my favorite SW figther, and I've always wanted onen but I don't like TLG ones... I'm sure I'll end up building this model as it's really great!

[TheBear]

The good news is: With some droid arms and a few tiles, it slides forward and then opens just fine.

You're a genius, thank you so much for doing this. I really wanted an opening cockpit from the start but I had no clue how it could be done.

This review confirms that the Jedi Interceptor has the new style canopy. I'll probably also get one over the weekend and give it a go, I wanted that new R2-D2 head anyway.

Edited March 7, 2014 by TheBear

[krispy]

I'm a little gutted... like 2 weeks ago a local toystore had two for the price of one on selected Star Wars lego sets. And this one was among them...

[ScottishDave]

You're a genius, thank you so much for doing this. I really wanted an opening cockpit from the start but I had no clue how it could be done.

Thank you for suggesting this mod in the first place! I hope you and the kid are happy with the result.

The key insight for this mod came from - ironically - a Jedi Interceptor which I saw on MOCpages. Check out that rear landing gear. Droid arm + a pair of handles = 2 stud slide-out. I always knew I'd find a way to use that little snippet of info someday

(And yeah... the Jedi Interceptor whose purchase I am planning will never, ever be built as Lego intended. But that's another MOC, for another thread.)

On to the next B-Wing Mod!

One thing that has been bugging me I'd like to change about this model (no offence intended to Renegade Clone or Krispy) is the lack of integrated landing gear.

To my surprise, I can't find any refs or pictures for actual landing gear. In ROTJ you see the back or top of the cockpit (as a matte painting), or the craft in flight: never the entire ship landed with the gear visible. The closest I've gotten is from some photos of the Hasbro "Dagger Squadron" toy. Oddly enough, I'm not about to treat that as a primary source.

Before I start footering around with my own design (perhaps inspired by the Hasbro lump, perhaps not) can I please ask:

- have any of my fellow B-Wing squadron members added landing gear which I could take a peep at?

- Or do you all have accounts of failed attempts, from which I can take dire and solemn warnings?

- Does anyone have any bright ideas or suggestions?

- has anyone turned up a better reference for the actual landing gear than the Hasbro model?

Edited March 7, 2014 by ScottishDave

[Scott-S6]

I have the original ROTJ toy, if that helps. I do not believe that any of the movie models had any landing gear.

[krispy]

Thank you for suggesting this mod in the first place! I hope you and the kid are happy with the result.

The key insight for this mod came from - ironically - a Jedi Interceptor which I saw on MOCpages. Check out that rear landing gear. Droid arm + a pair of handles = 2 stud slide-out. I always knew I'd find a way to use that little snippet of info someday

(And yeah... the Jedi Interceptor whose purchase I am planning will never, ever be built as Lego intended. But that's another MOC, for another thread.)

On to the next B-Wing Mod!

One thing that has been bugging me I'd like to change about this model (no offence intended to Renegade Clone or Krispy) is the lack of integrated landing gear.

To my surprise, I can't find any refs or pictures for actual landing gear. In ROTJ you see the back or top of the cockpit (as a matte painting), or the craft in flight: never the entire ship landed with the gear visible. The closest I've gotten is from some photos of the Hasbro "Dagger Squadron" toy. Oddly enough, I'm not about to treat that as a primary source.

Before I start footering around with my own design (perhaps inspired by the Hasbro lump, perhaps not) can I please ask:

- have any of my fellow B-Wing squadron members added landing gear which I could take a peep at?

- Or do you all have accounts of failed attempts, from which I can take dire and solemn warnings?

- Does anyone have any bright ideas or suggestions?

- has anyone turned up a better reference for the actual landing gear than the Hasbro model?

I haven't seen the Hasbro model, but does the original even have landing gear? I've been googling a bit, but there's no reference or hint of the B-Wing having any landing gear other than resting on it's S-foils. There's no mention of it in the Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels (= my bible) either.

[Renegade Clone]

The closest image indicating the location of landing gear that I've ever found is this pic (I've circled the struts).

Potentially you could squeeze something inside my sandwiched plate hull and technic framework, but it would still probably not stop the B-wing rocking forward without some heavier weight near the exhausts.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Renegade Clone

[ScottishDave]

The closest image indicating the location of landing gear that I've ever found is this pic (I've circled the struts).

Fan-dabby-dozy, that man. All I found was a bunch of film stills

but it would still probably not stop the B-wing rocking forward without some heavier weight near the exhausts.

It's that rocking forward that I would like to eliminate. The gun on my S-Foil keeps bending and/or dropping off.

How about a 1x1 round tile on top of the jumper plate in the mid-top of the engine? In dark red, it would hardly change the look, and it would give the engine one more solid point of contact. I've tried it with a square tile, and it works pretty well. Combined with my opening cockpit and a temporary stand, I have four points of contact, and I have to go some to get it to rock forward.

I have the original ROTJ toy, if that helps.

It might well do. Does it have the same gear as the Dagger Squadron model pictured in the page I linked to, or different gear?

[Scott-S6]

Certainly similar. A folding leg under the wing and a retracting block under the engine.

[ScottishDave]

Certainly similar. A folding leg under the wing and a retracting block under the engine.

Thanks, Scott-S6. That's a great help. I hadn't thought of a retracting block on the engine. Not entirely sure if that's possible, but we'll see.

[TheBear]

It turns out my dark grey canopy was the new style so I didn't need to rush out and buy a Jedi Interceptor, I will wait until the light grey ones are on bricklink.

I applied the cockpit mod over the weekend and it works fantastically well, thanks again David!

[ScottishDave]

I applied the cockpit mod over the weekend and it works fantastically well, thanks again David!

No problem, TheBear.

Nearly there with the 1.2 LXF now... just the lower engines to do. I should have it ready to post in the next few days.

[ScottishDave]

Please find, for your consideration:

B-Wing 1.2

I have included notes with the file, reproduced below. I know, we've covered most of it in topic already, but someone might get the file without the having read the topic and I want give them a fighting chance.

Before anyone asks: no landing gear in this version. I'm still footering around with real bricks.

Feedback, either on the model or the notes, expressly welcomed.

File History:

Original design by RenegadeClone.

20130111 v1.0 by Krspy

- initial release

20130115 v1.1 by Krispy

- Strengthened internal framework

20140310 v1.2 by ScottishDave

- Strengthened engines and framework - based on original work by RenegadeClone.

- Strengthened wing mount, as suggested by TheBear

- Added opening cockpit

Notes:

Reference

This file and its contents are extensively discussed in this topic on Eurobricks.com. Please look there for the latest version of this file and for further building tips and advice.

Hidden Bricks

Bricks in "bright blue" are hidden by other bricks. You can therefore substitute any colour you like. I seriously doubt that you can get some of these bricks in bright blue, so please don’t even try!

Colour

This version has Dark Red squadron markings. For the most part you can build the Sand Blue version the same way: however, the wedge bricks and slopes on either side of the engine should be substituted with Light blueish gray bricks - if you can find them.

Also, due to part limitations, I used six dark red 1x1 brick with stud on one side to attach certain parts.

If building in sand blue, you should use three 1 x 2 brick with Studs on 2 Sides.

If building in dark grey, you should use six 1 x 1 brick with Studs on 2 Sides.

LDD problems

The 7-long technic lift arm will not attach to most studs. Rather than include an extra part, or weaken the framework for the sake of that beam. I've left the beam "floating". I trust that it is obvious where it should go.

The outer guns under the cockpit refuse to attach to the nubs on the sides of the thin 2x2 hinge plates. They really do attach, and rather securely, in real life. Once again, they have been left floating.

The rear of the main wing looks OK as it is in the LDD. However, in real life I built it half a stud further outwards towards the gun pod (Notice that all the parts I use to hold it on have hollow studs). LDD refuses to allow this, as it causes part collisions inside the gun pod. LDD is being silly again - real plastic flexes!

There are two pneumatic hoses missing from the LDD, which make a nice loop with some detail parts between the Proton torpedo launchers ( or to get technical, the big blunt cylindrical thingies). Krispy discusses one of them in this post. Both are visible in this picture from RenegadeClone’s instructions. I used two different lengths:

At the rear I used one which was 11 studs long. I had to trim it slightly, so 10 studs long will probably do.

This loops through a 1x1 technic brick also left off the model, this time due to part collision with the engine covers.

At the front I used a six-stud length

Rare Bricks

At the time of writing, and especially in Scotland & the UK, it is very difficult to get hold of:

Large Hard plastic wheel in LBG

- Dark grey looks good.

2x6 curved slope in LBG

- use 2x4 curved slope or 1x4 curved slope + plates (thanks to TheBear for the suggestion)

4x4 wedge brick in LBG

- this is why I used Dark Red. Your only other choices are black or dark brown, or use another part.

4x6 modified tile with studs around the edge in LBG

- Any old plate will do

Ribbed hose with ends, complete in light blueish grey

- you can purchase the hose and the ends separately. You can get away with only one end per hose, as the hose will push into the “O” clips securely.

Anything in sand blue

- use Dark Grey, or Dark Red... or get creative! Dark Blue also looks good.

I strongly suggest that you check availability of those parts before starting this build.

Edited March 11, 2014 by ScottishDave

[Bob De Quatre]

Thanks for all your work. I don't know when, but I'll build it