Daniel Underwood

49 hours into the build: frame, cannons, hanger, and command tower are complete. All that's left are the engine area and body panels. I'm posting pictures of the progress on Flickr (where I also have pics of the Brickvault/Cavegod Sandcrawler I built) https://www.flickr.com/gp/194811659@N08/Ufiv421D0r

The size of the cannons threw me off at first, until I did some digging. There are 2 designs out there: The Devastator and the Avenger. The devastator was made for A New Hope (and remade in CGI for Rogue One), the Avenger was made for Empire Strikes Back (thought the Devastator was using in some scenes in ESB). Almost all the star destroyer pics and models out there are based on the Avenger, which is a much larger model, more detailed, and more complete model. There are 3 primary differences in the designs: turrets, radar, and the garbage door. From the films it is actually very difficult to see the difference, because most of the shots of the star destroyers are looking up at it, causing the cannons to be out of view (or so small they cannot be seen/discerned). The Avenger cannons are much smaller and each cannon turret has 4 cannons on each side. The Devastator has 4 large cannons on each side that look like WW2 tank turrets. The Devastator has an X-shaped radar that sticks upright on the bridge between the shield generators. On the Avenger, the X-shaped radar lays flat on top of the bridge. The garbage door on the back of the Devastator is at the base of the bridge tower. The garbage door of the Avenger is higher up on the tower. The cannons and bridge are a little over-sized on Charles Andersons Intimidator (which was modeled after the Devastator in Rogue One primarily), and he explains that is to have extra accuracy in the details.

I need help. none of the front panels line up with each other. The instructions are clearly wrong. How do I modify the design so that 5 panels in the front fit together properly?

Unless you buy the brown panels in quantities less than 5, you have to pay $20 USD/panel. That's over $1800 USD for the set. I know a couple of lego fan that are scared away from ever attempting this set (and they discourage others from doing so), because the panels are no available. I know it is time consuming, but can't it be redesigned using 1x1x5, 1x2x5, and 1x2x2 reddish brown bricks instead? I am having to redesign the instructions to use those because the panels aren't feasible. I know it will take a lot of time to redesign to not use panels, but if you want people to buy the $60 instructions, the pieces need to be available. Why would anyone buy instructions for a set that they cannot build? I am willing to share the redesign ideas I am working on. They will avoid the use of panels, but will only change the bricks, not the decorative plates and other types of pieces used to create features, rust, and designs.

P. 11 in the underbody-entrance section, there are tiles and panels inside that seem to imply that there is a ramp that can slide out, but there is no ramp in the design. Also, the design does no include repulsorlift tube that sucks R2D2 up inside. Both the ramp and tube are in the Flickr photos. P. 583 and the part list do not include the silver rims used as fans. Also, the silver lightsabers are in the cockpit design, but not the part list.