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This is my second x-wing kit, the first having been built shortly after the kit was originally released. This one is from the Jedi re-release. There is no indication on the box regarding the scale of the kit, but the size of the cockpit suggests something larger than 1/48 scale. I built the kit almost straight from the box--the only changes being to the cockpit and torpedo launch tubes. The former was detailed with seat padding and a targeting scope, while the latter entailed removing the plastic prongs and replacing them with hollow aluminum tubing.
Since the cockpit area was so totally incorrect, I made some minor attempts to make it more true to the film. I didn't use the canopy provided with the kit, I felt it was too thick and lacked the streamlined appearance seen on the studio models. I scratch-built the canopy from thin sheet styrene for the frame with clear styrene inserted between for the glass. Though it took quite a while to actually get right, the final effect was worth the effort. I think that the electronic x-wing kit recently released addresses some of these issues, but since my current backlog of kits is so big, I've decided to wait a while before getting that one.
The decals were added normally, but after setting, some small flakes were scraped off to give a worn appearance. Numerous panels were colored using chalk pastels. Two of the torpedo launchers were colored with a blue spiral in the same manner. I used thin masking tape to keep the width more consistent. The R2D2 figure just behind the cockpit adds a nice color contrast to the rest of the ship, and draws the viewer's eye to the detail in the area. If I ever get around to another x-wing, I'll put in a pilot.
