Why can’t an entry be about me putting together the new Red Five X-wing? So yeah here it is to tease and tantalize. UPDATE: Didn’t like the slideshow automation so I switched it back to pictures with more writing.
Ok. So this was something I’ve had on my towant (didn’t see this word on google so it’s my new word creation) list for some time now, pretty much as soon as I saw it was going to be offered. The box of course is big. Thankfully I meet the age requirement so I opened it up and began with the construction. Along the way I took notes on the construction process but of course those disappeared when it came to writing this up.
The box with a flash reflection
The box of goodies revealed. Three instruction manuals, stickers and numbered bags. I’ve only been into legos for a few years now and I’m plus/minus on the numbered bags. Yes they correspond well with the instructions. They do make it easier to put it together. There is a significant amount of time NOT spent sorting pieces and actually just building. I don’t know. Part of the fun was the searching around for a piece and cursing that a piece wasn’t put in the bag until that moment you find it under something else.
The pieces still in bags ready to be joined together in holy lego goodness
Most of the rest of these pictures are just various stages of the construction. I am amazed at how the creator, praise his name, thought to put things together to make it work. But I guess that’s why they are master builders. I’d bet they have a computer program as well for 3d modeling with the pieces and if they don’t that would be really awesome I think.
Some mechanism that will be used I’m sure.
Probably for the wings only because I watched the developer video.
Ahh.. the mechanism for the wings.
Another piece of the puzzle
I like it when things come together and make sense.
The rear mechanism to open and close the foils
The full mechanism to open and close the foils.
Just covered up now
I realized at this point it was going to be big.
Joined together and getting all that much closer to finishing.
It’s ok to turn off the targeting computer Luke I read the script.
I put it in the caption but putting the stickers onto this windshield kinda sucked. You really have to get it aligned right since it falls onto the other side. Maybe I just need more practice. It’s like how horrible I am putting the screen protector on my phone. As an aside, the phone had a screen protector on it with the companies logo. How about next time you (the company) make one with a second tab for a top layer that can pull the logo off when the customer buys it and the protector stays on. Huh? Please? It would save people a lot of time and dust particles.
I wasn’t happy with how the stickers when on this ‘windshield.’ I would have preferred separate stickers for each pane. R2 fits in really well.
Even without the wings this thing was getting big. You can see that it’s already tipping back on the stand.
I like the way it sits on the stand and you can take it off easily.
The foils work in a balancing action. Nice mechanism.
Almost ready for takeoff.
Just twist this here knob and the wings open and close.
Need these engines. Nice detail on them.
Well.. the engines mounted I suppose to make it go.
Testing foil mechanism. It works well in either direction.
Just need some final touches for some offensive power and we’re off.
almost there
The finished product but no pilot. Guess R2 will just have to hang around for a while.
I had to clear the Calvin and Hobbs and Farside anthologies to make room for this but it sits well next to some of my technic legos. I dig the motorcycle. It’s crazy the way some of the prices increase so quickly.
Finished X-wing. I did a slight mod on the stand to get it to stay up straight. It was back heavy and I was worried it might tip over backwards. I also didn’t like the way it looked pointing up. I think it looks better now with a more stable stand and forward facing.
Overall I still enjoy building these and would love to keep building more and more. It’s just where to put them all. Some of these take up quite some space. Then in the buying process I contemplate buying now to build later as prices can go up (and down) and it may get retired. I’m still upset with myself for not getting the carousel with the moving horses when I had the chance. I know others that wish they could still get an UCS Falcon without the crazy prices on it. Oh well. Perhaps one day I’ll just join a lego exchange group and just build and return.
In the related article is a 1:1 production. I don’t have a shelf for that one.
-Santa’s Fallen Angel