To start out with, I'll be applying some of the decals that came with the kit.
I haven't done a model with decals in decades. Now technology has even improved things for model makers. I'll be using Micro Set, which is a solution to help adhere decals cleanly to a model.
So I start out by getting a little on a paint brush and applying it to the surface of the model where I'll be placing my decal.
I then soaked the decal in water to loosen from the paper and carefully slid off the paper onto the model, using a toothpick to carefully move the decal into it's final resting postition.
I then repeated the process for the rest of the 9 decals I'll be applying.
And all decals applied.
I'm using some nice high res photos of the filming miniature of Gold Leader for my painting. As with the Falcon, there are little hash marks around the ship. So as I did with the DeAgostini Falcon, I'm using a Sharpie to do the little hashes, as well as some the the small blast marks. Again, trying to place them in the same position as the filming miniature.
I then went around the ship with some Vallejo Dark Rust wash and applied, matching the filming miniature.
Then I went of the entire ship with some black wash, filling in deep areas and bringing out the fine detail.
There are also areas of the filming miniature that has some green/gray tinted areas. So I mixed some Tamiya clear green with a touch of Tamiya medium gray and applied to those areas.
At this time I decide to do the weathering and charring of the ships engines. So I removed the pylons from the engines to get better access for weathering.
I then used Tamiya rust and soot pastels to smear around the outer edges of the engines.
It was then time to do some airbrushing. I'm using my new Paasche Talon airbrush with Tamiya flat black paint.
And using a post it note for some streaking control.
Because this was a new airbrush and I'm not completely used to it, as it operates much nicer and different from my previous airbrush, I had my air pressure a little low, which caused a little bit of spattering and speckling while painting. Rather than increase pressure though, I kind of liked the added weathering and detail it gave to the model, so I left it that way and continued painting the rest of the kit.
Using the same clear green/gray mixture I had used before, I lightly airbrushed a little over some panels around the outer area of the disk vectrals.
So it's time to move on to all of the piping around the Y-Wing, which is one of the coolest features that makes it so unique among the starfighters.
Primed...
black paint...
then Tamiya AS-20 paint
There are a bunch of pipes on the filming miniature which have a orange copperish color to them. So I'm using Tamiya clear orange with a touch of the Vallejo dark rust added and then go around the spru and paint the necessary piping.
And here you can see the dozen or so pipes that have been painted.
So it's time to start installing the pipes in the appropriate places.
This is actually by far one of the more difficult parts of the model. Even more than the electronics. The pipes are so small and fragile.
So I now have all piping added and the model fully painted.
So now that mine is fully painted, here is a side by side comparison of the filming miniature next to my build. Mine is a little heavier on the blast streaks, but overall I think I got it very close.
So it's time to mount this puppy to my base. So I slide the black painted brass tubing over the wires coming from the bottom of the Y-Wing...
and glue in place to the model.
I then take the wires and run them through the top of the base and through to the bottom.
Where the power wires and trigger wires can now be soldered to my boards to operate the models LED lighting and sounds.
And here is my base completely wired up and working.
So at this point...
I now present you my finished Y-Wing starfighter.
Thank you again for following me with the build.
Next up will be the Bandai First Order Executioner kit, then on to the Bandai 1/48 scale X-Wing.
So stay tuned. Much more to come.
