The ILC set did not come with any sort of a display stand, so today I raided my parts stash and cobbled together a simple plate and trans-clear brick version.
It'll do in a pinch.
Stay tuned...
This post covers the assembly provided by the final two bags of the set - numbers 8 and 9. These build out the hinged top section of the ship's prow.
Parts bag 8 builds out the detailed central structure and one of the slanted hull panels, and bag nine finishes up the opposite panel and top mounted gun turrets.
Here is some pics of the finally completed model:
After having just completed installing the parts from bag #7 onto the Imperial Light Cruiser model, I took closer notice of the small structure in the center of the bridge vignette.
This is a table-like structure with control panels that holds a red standard coffee cup element top center.
I'm not quite sure what the coffee cup is intended to represent.
Perhaps it is some sort of ship control device or communication equipment. I'll have to go back to the last episode of The Mandalorian to see if I can figure it out.
Anyway, I definitely found the humor in having a bright red coffee cup situated so prominently in the scene.
And me being me, I just had to come up with an appropriate cartoon about it.
So, out came a couple of minifigs and the camera.....
Today's post covers the seventh bag of parts for the good Moff's spaceship model.
Focus is turned back on the forward part of the ship. The bottom angled surfaces of the hull are built up and attached to hinge elements that were put in place back in the bag -1 part of the build. The sides of these assemblies iare adorned with lots of detail elements (greebling).
Additionally, more of the fixtures and detailing are built up in the center of the bridge area.
Only two more numbered bags left to go...
Now for the coolest part of the ship - the 'business' end!
Here the three large cylindrical propulsion units are built up, along with a lot of the aft detail.
The hull plates covering the center engine are again well executed, with hinged parts being used to define the correct slope toward the port and starboard engines. It's looking a lot like a spaceship, now.
During the construction of this phase, I focused on studying the structure and planning how I would later go about routing wires and installing LEDs to light these bad boys up. It may take some creative chops.
Anyway, here's the pic:
All ready to jump into hyperspace !!
Continuing on with the Light Cruiser, I now tear into the fifth parts bag of the set.
Here, the build starts becoming more interesting: the central structure and bridge section.
The assembly is built up using many SNOT pieces, slopes and tiles. Quite a bit of the final exterior detail is put into place at this point.
The only real challenging part is in getting the bridge window decals (stickers?) precisely aligned and applied.
After this build is completed, I plan on devoting a post here on the blog to the method I use for the fine art of attaching stickers to LEGO parts.
One cool feature I found with this new bridge section is that it serves as a very sturdy carrying 'handle' for the model, since it is built onto a strong Technic assembly embedded in the ship's structure.
The fourth bag of the ILC contains the parts that flesh out the top and sides of the central part of the ship. A few sections of fine detail start showing up at this point in the build.
Marching on..
The next step of the ILC build focuses on the mid section of the ship.
Here, a number of plates are used to establish the main bottom platform.
Also, a very sturdy Technic structure is built in to support the future main tower and bridge section.
The second bag of the ILC set consists of the parts to build out the 'skeletal' support structure for the prow of the ship.
A pair of Technic beams are constructed and attached with clever hinge assemblies to situate them at the correct angles.
This part of the build also introduces a few of the bridge vignette details in the form of slope elements adorned with control panel stickers.
I have left these last items off as I am still on the fence about including the whole minifig scene. These parts should be easy to add on later should I happen to change my mind.
The construction of the Light Cruiser has now officially commenced.
The first parts bag lays out the base of the ship including a long Technic structural beam along the aft section.
The prow plate structure will constitute the floor of the hide-away minifig bridge scene.
I may remove the parts that make up the launcher mechanism at the front. I likely won't be shooting micro T.I.E fighters across the room.
The final minifig of the set that requires modification is the Dark Trooper.
Even though the minifig is very well rendered with the detailed print on the helmet and body parts, and the addition of shoulder armour, it is very lacking in one area - size and stature.
On-screen, the Dark Troopers loom large and menacing, towering over all the other characters.
This just can't be pulled off with the standard sized minifig components.
In my opinion, this Dark Trooper looks kind of wimpy when set alongside the other minifigs in the set. Heck, it turns out that Mando is even slightly taller than the sinister- looking droid!
So, where do I go from here?
The parts stash, of course, to see if a more serviceable Dark Trooper can be brick-built.
Here is the collection of black elements on which I settled to build up the 'big guy'.
The droid's arms and legs are largely made from 1x2 plates modified with clips, bars, and hinges to make them posable.
I even managed to pull off a reasonable representatation of the figure's shoulder armor.
All in all, the only elements retained from the original minifig were the head piece and helmet!
Here's the final product:
And the scale is much better, as well:
In the near future, when I figure out how I want to light up minifigs, this bad boy's getting some glowing red eyes.
Lastly, my LEGO doppelganger is shown here relegating the remainder of the original parts to the 'minifig spares' box:
Moving right along with the ILC Minifigs, the first thing on the agenda is to do something about Moff Gideon's Darksaber.
The set rendition of this weapon is horrendous, being merely a black bar element stuck into a light saber handle.
Methinks this can be done much better.
After a quick search through my minifig weapons, tools, and accessories box, I found the perfect substitute - a Samurai sword from a Ninjago set.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL LEGO PURISTS TO TURN THEIR HEADS AND LOOK AWAY!
Yep, the rest of the post involves using modeling tools to convert a stock piece into a custom part, which I understand is taboo in some LEGO-building circles.
First part of the process is to remove the rectangular-shaped hand guard from the weapon. This is done with the careful application of a Dremel sanding drum. The idea is to produce an extension of the round sword hilt.
Next, the hilt itself is cut off so that only the short section that will fit into the light saber hilt is left. A hobby knife attachment for a wood-burning pen is a great tool for this. Slices through ABS like butter.
Since the prototype Darksaber has a straight blade, I use a fine grit sanding block to remove most of the curvature from the Samurai sword.
The last modification is to form a longer, sharper angle on the tip of the sword. The Samurai piece was a little too blunt. Again the hot hobby knife took care of this nicely.
The final step:
"THE KRAGLE !!"
That's right, Kiddies....Glue !!
No worries though. A drop of plastic model cement into the saber hilt is just enough to permanently secure the custom blade.
There, that wasn't so bad now, was it?
It is very much more satisfying to have a realistic looking Darksaber.
 |
| "Din Djarin - would you prefer to be killed by a Darksaber or by a black gas pipe from Home Depot?" |
At a later date, I hope to revisit this Darksaber and try to figure out a way to simulate the luminous energy edges of the blade, but that's not until much tinkering and another post....
With every set I build, the usual first step is to tear into the bags, pull the parts for the minifigs, and get them assembled right away.
The Light Cruiser set comes with a descent set of the same.
Here from left to right are Fennec Shand, Cara Dune, Moff Gideon, Grogu, Mando, and a Dark Trooper.
The figures are nicely done with great printed detailing on the parts. Very true to the live action characters.
These make up a great set of figures that further fill out the growing StarWars collection.
My next couple of posts will focus on making some necessary additions or changes to three of these minifigs, after which I will turn attention to the Light Cruiser ship itself.
As with all of the builds on this blog, part one begins with an overview of the set itself.
Of course there is the obligatory pic of the bags all laid out and ready to tear into:
The set's 1,336 pieces are dispersed over nine different bags. Actually some of them are divided into more than one bag of the same number, so there are around twelve total. In addition, there is a small decal sheet featuring interior details and the windows of the ship's bridge.
Like many of the spacecraft models in the LEGO Star Wars line, the ILC is a juxtaposition between a full-sized display model and a mini-fig play-worthy 'toy'.
Because I consider myself a sophisticated, mature, self-respecting AFOL, I don't get much into the 'Swoosh' /"(Pew-Pew - You-re Dead !!" aspect of things.
Well, maybe a little...
Anyway, this model will be built solely as a display version of the overall ship itself. I will not be bothering with the built-in interior bridge min-fig scene in favor of using that space for the proposed lighting effects electronics.
The model itself depicts one of the Arquitens class light cruisers used by the Galactic Empire. Smaller than an Imperial Star Destroyer, this is still a formidable ship in its own right.
Of course, it is made famous as being the ship of choice used by the dastardly Moff Gideon for creating mayhem with his Imperial remnant force in the 'Mandalorian' TV series.
Before getting on with the ship build itself, I will turn my attention to the excellent set of minifigs included in the set.
Stay tuned for part 2.......
Yesterday my youngest daughter and son-in-law presented me with an early Father's Day gift....
Building will soon commence - and this one's getting the full LED light-up treatment.
Stand by for another DDC build series.
Last evening, I was just hanging around the house with a little free time on my hands, so I decided to pull out some boxes of LEGO parts to tinker with and see what came of it.
I ended up with a fully posable Star Wars style battle droid.
Naturally, I had to come up with a story setting for it, so out came an Emmet minifig...
 |
| "Drop your blasters, or the construction guy dies!" |
