Start off with a POTF2 Darth Vader Prototype Tie Fighter. Try to find one on clearance as you will only need the wings, cockpit and seat. Make a trip to the hardware store and purchase 2' each of 3/4" and 3" schedule 40 PVC pipe. Get a couple of end caps for the 3/4" and a couple of reduction fittings for the 3" stuff for engines. (also if you don't already have it you will need PVC cleaning fluid and PVC glue)

Step 2

Pictured (new window) is all the PVC you will need for the project.  Cut two 3" PVC pieces 6 3/4" long. Cut 2 pieces of 3/4 PVC, one 6 1/2" and the other 1 3/4" long.  The other parts are two 3/4" PVC end caps (no thread inside!) and two 3" reduction fittings.

Step 3

Now lets cut up our Tie Fighter. Remove the wings, unscrew the body so you have the two halves, set aside the clear window and cockpit seat. Now cut off the cockpit front from both halves about 1/2" in from the front of the ship. All that needs to be done on the wings is to unscrew the and remover the clips that did hold the wings to the body.

Step 4

Here you will make the basic fighter itself. The two 3" sections get the reduction fittings glued on the back of them. These make up the main body. (Use Galoobs tiny scale Tie Bomber for scale reference on this part of the project). Drill a 1" hole (the 3/4" PVC actually measures out to between 1" and 1 1/16" so you may have to waller out and sand the holes) in both tubes where the wings get attached. Run your length of 3/4" PVC through the two and cut to length. Unscrew the clips from the inside of the toys wings. Drill two 1/4" holes in the 3/4" PVC end caps and screw the wings on the end caps. Now you can attach the wings on the ends of the 3/4" PVC and you have the basic fighter. Glue it all together except the 3/4" end caps as you will need to remove the wings for ease of finish building and painting.

Step 5

For the front of the 'ammo carrying' part of the fighter you will need to make a simple mold and cast it. I used a plastic bowl, glued a large nut in the middle, glued cut up pieces of a disposable razor blade handle for the outside diameter details and poured in a 1/2" of Bondo auto putty.   Break the bowl off your cast and walla, the piece you need. The key to getting the Bondo out of the bowl is not a miracle but timing, I pull it out while the bondo is still hot in a semi hard state. this takes patience and timing!

Step 6

Glue the chair inside the pilot compartment body section. Glue the cockpit and cast piece on the fronts of the body sections. (I prefer using a 2 part epoxy for strength). Putty and sand these to mate the 3" PVC perfectly so no one can tell that you did. (This truly is the key here). Please remember to tape the clear window in the cockpit or else you will ruin it while you finish up the project.

Step 7

The rest is a matter of 'look and do'. Find as many pictures of this thing you can and copy it to your model. Use sheet styrene to make the parts your parts box cannot fulfill. (Years of modeling and having a deep spare parts box from all those models you never built really help here). If you have no spare parts just buy some junk models from some model store they don't want anymore for next to nothing and start one, that's what most do. It is conceivable to hand make every part you need, it will just take longer.

Step 8

Lastly, prime and paint this thing. Here again I can give you no advise other than set those wings down next to your paint and start mixing. Trial and error is the only way to learn!!! I use an inexpensive Badger air brush because everything I do is customized and requires me to match some unheard of color. For those that care I use Tamyia Acrylic paint from Japan. They are expensive (about 3 to 4X's that of Testors.) but the performance is superior and you don't have to get a headache from breathing in some toxic fumes!

Recipe provided by:  Roger Wilsdorf's Homepage Roger Wilsdorf