MPC Lambda Class Imperial Shuttle w/Custom Lightsaber Base

[skahtul]

I decided to depart from my normal posts and actually create one with a recent project that I actually finished and not a work in progress. Well, outside of some final weathering, it's like 95% done...

I have been working on this for about a month and it's a kit that has been on my wish list for years and is also one of my favorite Star Wars ships of all time. About 3 months ago I finally found one online for a reasonable price.

In addition to the partial saber base, I made a few very minor improvements which involved adding some details inside the wings as these come pretty bare. I also made some slight improvements to the main cannons and added some fiber optics and lights. I also had to do a bit of work to get the tip fin/wing straight as it seems to be pretty common for these to come warped and mine was no different.

I will work backward and start with the mostly finished kit and outline just a few of the changes I made.

 

[skahtul]

It looks like Revell is re-releasing a version of this sometime this year so I am sure I will pick one of those up also. The Revell version has a lot of changes in it and to me does not look nearly as accurate though it might be based on some other version of the actual model.

For now this is the one I was able to pick up:

I actually looked at the parts and thought I would be able to knock this out in a weekend but that really never happens..

Testing some LED options here and figuring out how I would mount this kit.

For the mount, I went pretty traditional and used some lamp parts from the local hardware store. I did end up putting in some extra metal to beef up the lower section.

I have said it before and I will keep saying it, pick up a stepper bit, they are so much cleaner and safer on these types of holes than a drill bit.

 

[skahtul]

For the base I found some files from printables for Vaders Saber, I thought it would make a unique base for this particular ship. I normally like to use a pretty simple and clean base but once I stumbled upon this idea I just had to execute on it

Parts fresh off the printer.

I picked up a small wooden platform and then printed off the top section with my Prusa Mini in PLA to fill out some of the details.

I can't seem to find the thread where a member here suggested this primer but whoever it was THANK YOU! This is literally the best primer I have ever used and is my new go-to primer. It adheres like crazy, seems to work with all the paint I have, and dries so fast.

After a bit of sanding and more prep, I was ready for the final paint and assembly of the base:

 

[skahtul]

For lighting I wanted them to flash, I am not sure if they do in the movie as I can't remember but I wanted them to so I ordered a set of sync lights from Evan Design.

For lighting up the wings, I ran a separate set of LEDs there and also used some fiber optics as there is not a ton of room between the wings at the edges.

For the rear, I used my smaller Dremel, small files, and sanding sticks to get the engine section cleaned out.

I really struggled to find a way to defuse the light and ended up cutting up an old Archive-X bottle and sanded that down

 

[skahtul]

To straighten the top fin and add some rigidity to it I tapped and then epoxied these small aluminum tubes in there and it seemed to really work well.

Time to get it all closed up, one can never have too many clamps!

 

[skahtul]

Last up was to put a few finishing touches into all of the wings. While I made no effort to replicate the original, filling this out really adds some much-needed detail to the wings.

I cut up some random kits parts and used the aluminum tubes to add the details to both wings and the upper fin:

A few of the larger main cannons in this kit were bent badly so I decided to cut off the ends and make my own. I think these also better replicate the version from the ones I saw in the "Sculpting A Galaxy" book.

 

[skahtul]

For anyone interested, this was my basic painting process and the paints used. All primary paints were Archive-X.

The base coat was a 50/50 mix of Reefer White and Concrete.
The dark panels were SP Lark Dark Grey.
This was followed by laying down the weathering with my airbrush using both SP Lark Light and Dark Grey for the first pass.
Steaking was done using AK interactive watercolor pencils.
This was followed by a light application of 60% (Reefer White)/30% (Concrete)/10% (ILM Armor Grey).
The final pass was done with a very light misting of 80% (ILM Armor Grey)/20% (Reefer White).

That's about it, enjoy and thanks for looking!

 

[Analyzer]

Excellent!

I have one of these that I started ages ago, but shelved until I could figure out how to scratch build a new cockpit.

It is nice to see a finished one of these. It has inspired me to revisit mine

 

[skahtul]

Excellent!

I have one of these that I started ages ago, but shelved until I could figure out how to scratch build a new cockpit.

It is nice to see a finished one of these. It has inspired me to revisit mine

thanks! Yeah, I took the lazy way out and blacked out the cockpit I have some okay stls to print one for a diorama and that one I would like to really detail out the interior.

 

[Sym-Cha]

I too have made one of these when I was a teenager ... alas my paint skills then were non-apparent so it still remains in a half-build badly painted state ... then I realised the cockpit was based on the stage-set Imperial Shuttle not ILM model, so I was lucky to find a used model-kit without a cockpit ... alas I still haven't purchased the quite expensive 3D Shapeways version to finish it ... so until now same story as Analyzer ... so if you ever decide to scratch-build a new more accurate cockpit, do make it available for less, please?

Well done skahtul ... especially your skills with lighting!

Chaïm

 

[JediMichael]

Turned out really good and the base is really cool. I have the same one I built a few years back. The sides were cracking, which I fixed with some apoxie sculpt, but than its been in a roommates room for the past 3 years...long story. Just got it back like a week ago and its recracked again.
I think the biggest issue with the cockpit nose is to angled and pointed down, but its still a pretty nice kit for being so old now.

 

[division 6]

I have an original that I built then later took apart.
Been wanting to rebuild it in a diorama possibly like in the Endor survival map in Battle Front.

Now that the TV shows have them and with the new added actual engine details there are even more possibilities.

 

[skahtul]

I have an original that I built then later took apart.
Been wanting to rebuild it in a diorama possibly like in the Endor survival map in Battle Front.

Now that the TV shows have them and with the new added actual engine details there are even more possibilities.

That would be pretty sweet! I am looking to maybe 3D print one and use it in a diorama withe re-released Revell AT-AT as a diorama from Return of the Jedi where the Shuttle is on the landing platform and the AT-AT is down below. I always loved that scene.

 

[skahtul]

I too have made one of these when I was a teenager ... alas my paint skills then were non-apparent so it still remains in a half-build badly painted state ... then I realised the cockpit was based on the stage-set Imperial Shuttle not ILM model, so I was lucky to find a used model-kit without a cockpit ... alas I still haven't purchased the quite expensive 3D Shapeways version to finish it ... so until now same story as Analyzer ... so if you ever decide to scratch-build a new more accurate cockpit, do make it available for less, please?

Well done skahtul ... especially your skills with lighting!

Chaïm

Thanks! If I can ever get around to it, sure thing!

 

[skahtul]

Turned out really good and the base is really cool. I have the same one I built a few years back. The sides were cracking, which I fixed with some apoxie sculpt, but than its been in a roommates room for the past 3 years...long story. Just got it back like a week ago and its recracked again.
I think the biggest issue with the cockpit nose is to angled and pointed down, but its still a pretty nice kit for being so old now.

Agreed, that nose part is really bad... very duck-like I really think it would be cool to do another one and fix that, but I also have a decent set of files that I may use to print a larger-scale one and light it from within instead.

 

[JediMichael]

Agreed, that nose part is really bad... very duck-like I really think it would be cool to do another one and fix that, but I also have a decent set of files that I may use to print a larger-scale one and light it from within instead.

Another route I've seen people go, is the toy, that in 2006, was Target exclusive. Although it had been released many years before that.
They seem pretty costly now...should have kept mine, but needed the money year ago, and before they went way up in price.
This would still need a good amount of work to get that "toy" look away, but its cockpit is much more accurate, so at least something to base off of as well.

 

[Sym-Cha]

As you can see the cockpit needs a complete haul-over and the dorsal wing needs to be addressed too before the MPC and Revell model-kit even remotely represent the original Shuttle Tyderium ... and indeed the Kenner/Hasbro does come close

Chaïm