Heavily Modified YT-1300

[Junkie]

All this YT-1300 talk has whet my appetite and I am going to revisit my old MPC build that I kinda started during the MFGB. I've been chatting with John about possible designs and thought it would be fun to toss around ideas here so that several of us can get in on a brainstorm. I've decided to not copy an existing design but to try and make something unique. Something a bounty hunter / smuggler would own.

The goal is simple: modify the MPC Falcon kit into a variant of the YT series. I'm am wide open to ideas, inspiration and suggestions. Cut, chop, move, scratch, bash...whatever.

 

[Jaitea]

Well you know I like this idea

Theres a lot of cool variants in the Haynes Falcon Manual,....some of those ideas could be chopped up and blended into your design

One of the designs in the book had got me thinking of designing my own, I liked some of it's features but I felt it could add some of my own

I'll send some ideas when I get home

J

 

[Junkie]

Coolness. Thanks.

John emailed me some pics and I thought I'd share em. There's a few more than this but these are the basic ideas I'm looking at.

Here are some variations.

I dig this design. I like the centered cockpit.

And the YT2000. Love this, but I am not going to try this. It's quite a bit different than the 1300 and deserves a scratchbuild to do it justice. Hackcore rocked this a few years back.

Again, dont plan to copy a design. Just looking for inspiration.

 

[Jaitea]

Yep Scott, this was the one I was thinking about:

& i agree I think its the (Cooler frames) centre cockpit

What I didn't like was the lack of mandibles, perhaps moving the cockpit back turning it into a larger ROTS Jedi Starfighter style ship:

This would mean removing the centre gun turret, but placing guns more star fighter type on the mandibles etc.

I'll draw a mock-up tonight

J

 

[Junkie]

I hear you on the lack of mandibles. If it's meant to carry cargo then you would almost need them right.

I had considered moving the radar to but moving the central gun area but moving the the cockpit there hadn't crossed my mind. Interesting. It just may work.

 

[JohnSimmons]

I think this could be doable with the MPC kit, really this is just the Falcon back to front....put the cockpit in the middle of the rear facing the opposit direction and move the engines back....I've confused myself. : I like the escape pods at the rear as well, makes sense, who wants to escape towards danger? lol

 

[nicholassagan]

rad! now i don't have to scan my book!!! haha! although...there is that cargo pod mod i was thinking about patterning as a 1/144 add-on/conversion kit. who'd be interested in that?

 

[Junkie]

Not sure what you mean by a cargo pod mod. ??

+++

Here's a quick photoshop mockup. Put the twon guns where the escape pods are. Make one escape pod where the bottom gun is. Rest is self explanatory.

Just an idea though..

 

[nicholassagan]

oh theres a small image, i forget what page, that shows the standard YT with a bunch of cargo pods piled on top of the saucer. it might be on the same spread as the pontoons...

 

[JohnSimmons]

I like it. I've just messed with it though on a rubbish iPad app lol what do you think? To like the YT2000?

 

[nicholassagan]

i like the idea of the turrets on the side, for sure...dish on top is cool, too.

 

[Junkie]

i like the radar top center. Not sure about filling on the madibles.

One sec...I've been choppin, gotta get my camera.

 

[JohnSimmons]

What about the trimmed sides?

 

[Junkie]

Trimmed sides....Right. Could work for sure. Changes the feel of the ship which is cool. Let's get back to that.

Here are a few mockups.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FIVE (didnt' like four and changed it here to that Nicolas' thought would be here with the others)

 

[nicholassagan]

i like #3 but put the saucer back in the dorsal turret position

 

[Junkie]

Like this you mean.

FIVE

 

[JohnSimmons]

Yeah 5! Long menacing mandibles 8) Is it finished?

 

[nicholassagan]

oh ha! nice edit. took me a sec to see the difference between 4 and 5. but yeah! long mandibles!!!
you could also hack the bottom half of the cockpit tub and embed it in the "tongue" top, and maybe put the face of the canopy on the front on the "tongue"...

does that make sense??

 

[Junkie]

I get it, that just might work.

John I think I'll keep the sides as is simply because I want to twist that armor plating up around the edges and moreso because it's less work. I don't want this to turn into a 80 hour build.

+++

With that said...what about the rear engine deck and stuff...should I chop? I could always just detail it different.

 

[Junkie]

And to rant a sec...

We now have symmetry. The Falcon was so cool partly because it was asymmetrical but this isn't' the Falcon and I really don't intend it to be, nor am I trying to make it, as cool as the Falcon.

The sidewalls won't be as exposed as the MF either. I think I'll bash them, but leave some panel covers on. Not all exposed. Just to be different than the MF.

Just sayin.