Best X-Wing Model?

Colin, I haven't done it to the ones I have in hand yet but did fiddle my CC and the V3 Stu has currently. It's an easy job; just sand or adze with a blade edge. Nothing to it. As for the comment, I thought I found one where you praised the curving sides on the MPC but may have misread it.

Nazgul, the X-wing on Dagobah was played by the original Red 3, which was retrofitted with an undercarriage.
 
BTW, bringing this back on topic to the original question (even if it was years ago) for the newbies, my side by side build project is coming along. The MPC kit certainly has its quirks, but overall it seems to match up with the dimensions of the studio models a little better (although I am almost totally rebuilding the guns on it with brass tubing and adding greeblie bits to it). That being said, the Fine Molds 1/48 X-Wing is literally a breeze to build! It has high detail and even though it is snap together, it isn't like a typical western snap together kit as the parts fit together very well. I am of course gluing mine for better final assemblies. Minor detailing on it also looks nice, even if some of the shapes are a bit unusual. In the final analysis, I think the 1/72 kit is still a little better as there are some shapes on it I think got nailed more properly and I like the parts and decal options better (options for Red 1, 2, 3 and 5 while the 1/48 only gives the Red 5 option for decals). But they are close.

The recently issued Revell X-Wings are also nice for quick and easy builds. The big Revell X-Wing is the same scale as the old MPC Snap X-Wing, so you can chuck those things into the greeblie bin (keep the decals though for after the Revell gets repainted). It looks like Revell took some cues from Fine Molds for how they detailed their X-Wings. Only thing I don't like about them are the vinyl pilot figures, but the smaller pocket sized kits have ones molded in traditional styrene at least.

As such, I would rank the licensed X-Wing kits out there in the following manner (licensed only rather then including the resin SS ones):

1. 1/72 FineMolds X-Wing (most options in a styrene X-Wing kit)
2. 1/48 FineMolds X-Wing
3. Revell 1/60ish scale X-Wing
4. AMT/Ertl Pro-shop X-Wing (some proportion problems, but best of the AMT kits)
5. Revell 1/125ish scale X-Wing (pocket snap kit, nice but so small, good for dioramas)
6. Argonauts X-Wing (good detail, best of the bunch in its day)
7. MPC/AMT/Ertl original 1/41 scale X-Wing (not as good by itself, but can be built nice with some TLC)
8. Estes Maxi-Brute X-Wing (want studio scale licensed kit, this is the only game in town short of a Kenner/Hasbro X-Wing. It needs a lot of work, but it can be done as the basic shapes are there at least)
9. MPC/AMT/Ertl 1/60ish scale snap together X-Wing (a distant 9th place, needs a lot of work to bring up to a good standard, but it can be done).
 
My contribution:

The Hasbro conversion on far right, next in from the right is the Pro-Shop, then standard ERTL, then smal ERTL.

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Pro-Shop

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Wow! Nice work. Pretty crazy that you went so far to chop the glass out of the Pro-shop X-Wing's canopy (or did you just scratch a new canopy using the Pro-Shop kit's canopy as a base?). I love the result though.

I wish I had THAT many TIE Fighter kit display bases to use for X-Wings as they are perfect for use with big X-Wings. Alas, my one whole base is part of a dogfight diorama and I chopped another one up to use with a Y-Wing trench display.
 
Impressive x-wings! That Hasbro looks really great too!

Cut out glass is a good way to get a ILM look imo.
 
Thanks for the list JM! What are the things you think the FM 1/48 lacks that are right on the 1/72?

Could the canopy glass be cut on the 1/48? Having the glass removed is an issue for me on the x-wings, and Id hate to get one and ruin it.
 
Wow! Nice work. Pretty crazy that you went so far to chop the glass out of the Pro-shop X-Wing's canopy (or did you just scratch a new canopy using the Pro-Shop kit's canopy as a base?). I love the result though.

I wish I had THAT many TIE Fighter kit display bases to use for X-Wings as they are perfect for use with big X-Wings. Alas, my one whole base is part of a dogfight diorama and I chopped another one up to use with a Y-Wing trench display.

Holy **** I can't remember! Honestly - I can't! But I think I may have scratched it. On the Hasbro though I clearly remember cutting out the glass panels, as it was a b****!

Take a close look at the TIE bases. Note that they are slightly convex. These are castings from a slightly warped mold. But hey - is not the surface of the DS convex as well!? ;)
 
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Take a close look at the TIE bases. Note that they are slightly convex. These are castings from a slightly warped old. But hey - is not the surface of the DS convex as well!? ;)

Well, I guess it IS slightly convex :lol

As for what I think the 1/48 kit lacks, it has a gear down option, but the canopy has to be cut apart to display it open when the 1/72 gave you both open and closed canopies. The engine pod details are for those that match the Red 5 studio model, so the S-IVB rocket stage pieces have that big tunnel rail running down all of them. So forget doing an accurate Red 2 or a couple other ships unless you are really good at removing the tunnels without damaging the rest of the details. There is also no R5 astromech dome, just the classic R2 dome. Granted that would be studio model accurate, but it is nice to have options for those wanting to represent full size set astromechs in their X-Wings. The 1/72 kit has all those options, plus the short engine burner can like what Red 3 has sported more recently. And of course the decals are only for Red 5, but that is a somewhat minor complaint. One thing the 1/48 kit has that I DO like is engine face detail inside the engines and it matches what the full size "dentist chair from hell" set piece had. I can't really go into the shape issues, given the differences between the Hero and Pyro X-Wing versions (and even the MPC X-Wings used as studio models). Overall it looks close enough to be a good X-Wing for most people, although some dimensions and shapes seem a little closer to some drawings of X-Wings from the older reference books rather then studio model shapes.

I just think in my opinion the 1/72 kit seemed to capture the essence of a studio model X-Wing just a tick better and I like the options of course. The 1/48 omissions are very minor as it can be done as a very nice X-Wing. Indeed some of the panel details on it I am using as a guide for detailing up my MPC X-Wing since the sizes are so close. If I didn't already have a few MPC kits sitting in my stash, I would acquire more FineMolds 1/48 kits for other uses. Given how cheap one can acquire MPC X-Wings for, it still has its uses when combined with styrene, brass and styrene tubing (for the guns) and a little aftermarket resin for the cockpit.
 
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Potentially. FM's canopy glass is on the thin side, although you will only get one shot at it since you only get one canopy. I would say if you slowly scribe to remove the panes, it can be done (use tape on the frames to keep them from cracking). Given the slightly lower temp melting points of Japanese styrene, if you try to use a Dremel on it, it might be a mess.
 
Potentially. FM's canopy glass is on the thin side, although you will only get one shot at it since you only get one canopy. I would say if you slowly scribe to remove the panes, it can be done (use tape on the frames to keep them from cracking). Given the slightly lower temp melting points of Japanese styrene, if you try to use a Dremel on it, it might be a mess.

Yeah, Id be really scared doing it... Better to build a new styrene frame perhaps.

Thanks for the great answers mate!
 
Old Thread I know.

I have to ask...the ARGONAUTS X Wing and Y Wing.

those sought are after? How do you guys think they compare to the FM?

I have a set of each and was curious what others thought.
 
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Ran across his thread this morning and thought I would share some photos of the Argonauts kit parts next to Finemolds 1/72 scale kit. the small parts are the FM partsIMG_8594.jpgIMG_8595.JPGIMG_8591.jpgIMG_8596.jpgIMG_8590.jpgIMG_8597.jpgIMG_8589.jpgIMG_8588.jpgIMG_8587.jpg
 
I have got to say that the Argunauts kit is still a great kit it can give the FM kit a run for its money even now. I alos think that it is much closer to 1/72 then the FM kit.
 
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