Salzo ver 1 Red 5 build up!

[ralphee]

Hey all

Some of you know me, some of you dont, so im looking to change that, but the guys that do know me, yeah i know, its about time i contributed something to the board huh lol.

Anyways, here is an X wing build im doing for a very nice man here in England, its been slow as ive hit snags, been sick and im generally a slow ass builder, but just thought id share the progress over here and say howdy!

lee

The wings were a bit pitted on this one, i took my good buddy Matt Meyers advice to styrene plate the leading edges and get a super neat finish.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing004.jpg

R2's little nook!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing008.jpg

Bleding in the nosecone, i tend to wet sculpt this is rather than sand a lot later, it works out better as to chance of opening any unwanted bubbles.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing005.jpg

The black undercoat applied, this is then shot with gloss white and the obligatory rubbing...and rubbing with fine wire wool!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing017.jpg

Basic applications of markings, this was all worn and chipped with Latex masking.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing030.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing028.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing038.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing035.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing059.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing054.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing058.jpg

First fit on the upper wings, these are double pinned for my guy to just slot and glue on delivery!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing065.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing067.jpg

The butt lol. Engine tips are fitted with red acetate to try get a real ILM feel.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing069.jpg

Starting to weather the wings, its looking like Red 5 now....i hope LOL.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing071.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing072.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing074.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing077.jpg

Thats all till i get back to her this weekend, hope you like her so far!

[R L Bleecker]

Comin' along nicely, Lee!

[ralphee]

Thanks Bob, you kinda raised the bar on this bird as have a few others, so god im doing my best to keep up with X wing builds, and damn its a hard path to follow lol.

lee

[R L Bleecker]

Wait till I get back to work on the NiteStar Red Five! Your build has put me wise to some things I missed on the Kuhn Global build that I won't miss this time.

[Max Zephyr]

Lee I know Red 5 isn't one of your favorite X-wings but buddy your nailing this one 100%! Keep up the killer work my friend.

[Boxster]

As usual with your work, Ralphee! I love it!

B

[REL]

Wow that's some of the best weathering I've seen on an X Wing. Very freaking nice, Lee.

[Kuhn Global]

Absolutely FANTASTIC Lee!

I really love what you have done with that beastie CC kit!

Simply WONDERFUL!!!

and.... duuuuuuuuuuude! ;) :D

[ralphee]

Thanks guys, Matt i may not be a big 5 fan, but she's sure grown on me of late lol.

lee

[Apophis]

Excellent Lee!!

[The Cat]

Nice! I especially like the British-Interior-Green looking color on the rear deck.

[rider]

Wahey!!! Looking fantastic Ralphee. Can't wait to see more. :grin:

[3D-builder]

Lee this 65 is a real PROBLEM.....that means it's hot!!:D Your really holding class with this build buddy!!;)

Regards,
Michael

[ralphee]

Michael, as always, its great to hear from you bro. Yeah im pretty happy so far, as it goes, i do look to the future and think of what i can achieve with future 65 builds.
I think i tried to follow those Revell pics as much as i could and there are several judgement calls i had to make paint wise, but i feel i made the right calls.

I think with any news from Mike on a new kit will probably spur me to nail Reds 2 or 5 for myself now!

lee

[superjedi]

Holy crap! That's spectacular!
I continually kick myself for not picking up one of these SS X-Wings. . . the build ups and paintjobs I've seen on these just make me shake my head and drool.

[ralphee]

Found the time to get a bit more done today, mostly painting the lower wings, cans and engines!
Started out on the weather and pecker tracks too, so i think ill maybe get what we see here done sunday and move on to the guns to finish, maybe another couple of saturdays and ill see if i can find time to dig out the chromakey gear maybe lol!

lee

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing081.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing082.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing083.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing084.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ralphee/CommisionXwing086.jpg

[Jades Dark Heart]

Looking really good Lee

[ralphee]

Cheers Greg, any movement on your two builds buddy? Its been an eye opener getting this thing to look like those pics we know and love lol, its amazing how mashed the ILM boys really painted these, but to the eye....i dont know, i think im getting it..... kinda lol.

lee

[Kuhn Global]

Indeed! This looks FANTASTIC my friend!

LOLOLOLOL.... you said 'pecker'.... LOLOLOLOL ;)

I know... the juvenile in me just came out... ;) LOLOLOL. It must be my reliving the Beavis and Butthead episodes.

This beastie sure has come a LOOOOONG way, and is certainly TOP NOTCH WORK. I can't wait to see how it ends!

[ralphee]

Ahh the days of Beavis, lol loved that show hehe! Kurt thanks man,its been a long journey but then ive always been slow with any of these things.
Itll get done reall soon though!
Hopefully my cloud car will come along a lot quicker as wow Bob is now making great progress on your bird.

lee

[REL]

Man Lee, you knocked it out of the park with this build. Fantastic!

[ralphee]

Thank you Rich, i can get things done when i get the chance lol, then again, maybe i spend too much time on bloomin sci fi boards LOL.

lee

[R L Bleecker]

Looking SPANK-TACULAR, Lee!

[777]

Very cool. Great "blaster" marks!

[ralphee]

Thanks guys...as for the scorch marks, i keep getting asked over and over how i do this, so ill do a tutorial soon, nothing far out, but i explain it over and over and i still get "huh?" lol.
There airbrushed through ripped holes on sheets of masking tape, you mark out the track (im not saying pecker as Kurt will bust a gut lol) punch irregular holes in the pattern with a scalpel, then apply the tape to the model.
From here, you shoot your black or whatever color through the holes with the airbrush, and boom! Job done.
Then you can just apply a scorch trail or haze around it with the airbrush.

Ill go into it a bit better maybe with some pics soon as ive been asked on the RPF now a few times!

lee

[PetarB]

Ralphee, thats outstanding work, simply outstanding!

[swfan]

Stellar as usual!

Isel

[ralphee]

Thanks fellas, i just read that Moe Moeslund sold off his hull to Mike, hmm could this be Ver 3 lol?
If so, youll be seeing another X from me in the near future, gotta bust Red 2's balls LOL.

lee

[3D-builder]

The unreal part about Lee's finishing of these birds is..... he is able to capture the studio look of the model, with it being a million times more polished in the final effect!! Very hard to do...thats why I don't do it!:D

Regards,
Michael

[Boxster]

Ralphee mah man! Darnster, that look freaking sweet!!! I really like what I am seeing my friend!

B

[ralphee]

Thanks bro, yeah thats the goal everytime, to make it look like the prop and not too pussy footed i guess is the word that springs to mind lol. Its what Chris (the guy im doing this bird for) wanted...a prop...not a fancy model!
You kinda have to unlearn what you have learned lol and go for it.

Red 2 will happen from me sometime this year...thats one i intend to out do anything ive done before...maybe a glut of OE parts from the F4's and Saturns too, really nail it!
Cant say id wanna build these for the rest of my life, but i sure could paint Xwings for many years to come, its a blast LOL.

lee

[R L Bleecker]

Man Lee, you knocked it out of the park with this build. Fantastic!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/txkarenr/txkarenr2/HelloHanSolo.jpg

" Knock it out the box, Lee. Out The Box! Knock it out the box, Lee. OUT THE BOX! Knock it out the box.... LEE.... "

[R L Bleecker]

Bump. Because the updates were never finished on this thread!

[ralphee]

She went out Bob and Chris was very happy with her, he's not taken any pics of her all put together as yet, but i talked with him the other day on me building his TIE, and assured me he wil have pics up soon once he gets the chance!
Im eager to see her all in one piece too lol.

lee

[Kuhn Global]

Awesome! I would love to see them!

Your work always impresses me Lee! Top Notch my friend! :D