# Revell Star Destroyer- Simple Mods



## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Giving this kit a chance since I've read so much good stuff about it. I started out by gluing all the flappy landing gear in place and filling those in. Pretty straight forward there.

The major mod I did was fix the angle of the bridge. As built, the bridge is parallel to the trench, it should be parallel to the superstructure. I removed the sliver in the picture below. This angles the bridge down just right.










Next, I opened this area up so the front of the neck could drop down a bit. Keep in mind that this brings the bridge a bit closer to the superstructure, but it still looks good.










Looks much better so far!










For this build, I'm only lighting the main engines. I'll keep the tedious fiber optic work for the larger Zvezda kit that's coming my way. So with that, I have the engines wired with 5mm white LEDs. 










Stand is also mocked up. The wood base is just temporary for now. I still have to decide what to do with it.










All in all pretty happy with this kit. It's growing on me and will tide me over until the Big Z arrives!


























Stay tuned for light test tonight. As far as the paint goes, I'm thinking grey primer followed by Tamiya fine white primer. Maybe a dark grey wash to finish it off.


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## veedubb67 (Jul 11, 2003)

Looking good. Mine should arrive today!


Rob
Iwata Padawan


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Engine lighting test. Ditched the included electronics and replaced with 5mm white LEDs. This is as far as I'll go on this. Saving the fiber optic work for the Big Z.


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

Look at those lens flares! Did you get JJ to shoot those pics for you?


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Very Funny edge! :wink2:


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## Hunk A Junk (Jan 28, 2013)

That a single LED in each engine? Can we see a shot with the LEDs off to see whatcha done there dude?


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Sure. I'll grab some more pics tonight after work. If you have the kit or look at pics of the parts, the bells are two pieces, The large bell itself and then a small clear blue center detail piece that snaps in place. I just drilled a hole in the clear part, pushed my LED in and then snapped it in the bell. I'll post some pics tonight.

Oh, and yes, one 5mm LED per bell.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Man, that's nice. Imagine doing that pre-LEDs. You'd probably use those old school flashlight bulbs so you could unscrew and replace them when they burned out. 

Always impressive work!


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Thanks guys. Here is how I did the engines.










































For painting I'll just remove the clear insert.


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## INVAR (Mar 28, 2014)

Most excellent! I think I will mimic that effect in mine as I bought an extra one at $15 on Amazon when you did for the purpose of tricking it out and discarding the electronics and lighting it myself. The only addition I will do is some minor fiber optics and lighting the garbage chute in the back. I'm going to keep the first one as it is out of the box with electronics so my grandkids can play with it with my vast collection of open Hasbro/Kenner action figures when they get a bit older.


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

I had considered running fiber in this, but with the nicer Zvezda kit coming I didn't want to repeat myself too much. This will be my ANH Star Destroyer!


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Moving along. Added ANH/R1 style baffles to the engines. 

Looks pretty good. Six more to make.









Not too shabby!









And of course all lit up. Pretty!


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Love the baffles- any closeups or cutting specs?

Are you using the sensor/deflector dome as a switch? I see wires leading up to it in a photo ...


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Thanks! No specs, pretty much just eyeballed it. I took a strip of Evergreen strip and cut a length off and trimmed until I liked the size. I didn't have any rod in stock thin enough, so I just stretched some sprue. Cut legs longer than needed and glued them together on a sheet of glass. Once set and dry I slid a razor blade under them to pop them free from the glass surface. Trimmed each leg to the desired length (eyeballed again) and secured them to the bells with cyano.
I can take some close-ups tonight after work.

The switch and battery will be in the base.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

The baffles really make a difference. I don't know why (other than, of course, being of the generation that was forever imprinted by the opening shot in Star Wars  ) that adds so much to the entire 'look' of the Star Destroyer. 

I'm sure the reason they added them was because it looked cool and maybe it helped hide that the engine bells were off-the-shelf 'construction/work' lights. 

Hey! It was 1976/77! They were probably using incandescent, maybe even halogen bulbs there! Why didn't all the planted-on detail melt?


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

The engine bells on the ANH SD were L'eggs Eggs (pantyhose) containers.


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Since I stood the antenna up I needed to add some detail to the hole it left behind. I just used some styrene chips and stretched sprue to spruce it up a bit.



















Oh, and just a quick comparison between the F-Toys, Armada, and the Revell SD!


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## trekman (Apr 2, 2007)

*Nice neat job!*

Cool and clean. Clever use of styrene chips and I love the new lighting,upgrade complete!


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

I think I'm calling it quits with the mods. I'm going to try and get some paint on it today.


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Laid down some Duplicolor primer the other day. Started the masking this morning. Once that is done I'll shoot it with flat white and remove the masks. Once that is dry I'll shoot it again with flat white to blend the grey panels in.


















Not screen accurate, just my own whimsy.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Great job on the modifications!

This is the (85-1638)1/4000 scale kit???


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

crowe-t said:


> Great job on the modifications!
> 
> This is the (85-1638)1/4000 scale kit???


Yep, that is the one. Really not a bad kit for the money. You just have to deal with the mess that is the bottom.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Can you post some pictures of the bottom? Possibly some before and after pictures.


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

I'll need to get some pics of the bottom when I get off work tonight for you. Here is a before shot showing the sanded and puttied areas.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

robiwon2 said:


> I'll need to get some pics of the bottom when I get off work tonight for you. Here is a before shot showing the sanded and puttied areas.


You are doing a great job on this kit. I have to get a Zvezda and maybe one of these Revell kits now that I'm seeing all the good work you are doing.


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## robiwon2 (Jun 26, 2016)

Sorry guys, I thought I finished this thread off. Here is the finished ship. Still needs a base though.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

It came out real nice! A big improvement.


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

Man, those engines look nice! Great job Robiwon.


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## Hunk A Junk (Jan 28, 2013)

Great work, sir! I'll give Revell props for making a kit that is light years better than the AMT. Proportionally, it's a fair replica of the original. Your upgrades make it even more so. Really nice!


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