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The Star Destroyer Project
The first time I tried this project was 1981. It involved a lot of cardboard, masking tape and several precariously wired 60 watt light bulbs. Probably a good thing it didn't make it too far.
Just a few short years later, I was ready to try it again. Although I've recently played around modifying models, this is my first serious attempt at a scratch build.
The basic frame was initially scaled and tested using poster board. Once I was happy with the shape, the poster board was used as templates to cut out the wood. This would have been around early November, 2004
More support added to the ribs and a piece of styrene cut and laid out. (I bought two 4x8 sheets of styrene for the project)
The underside roughed in.
Once the bottom was glued to the frame, the Main Hanger was the first section I started to detail.
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I started adding the lights, the Main Hanger has eight LED's providing indirect light. The rest are fiber optics.
A closer look.
I then roughed in the engine area and did a lighting test. The smaller thrusters are LED's and will always be lit. The primary thrusters are made out of flashlight parts, using the reflector base to provide a wide and bright spill. These can be turned on and off while leaving the rest of the ship lit.
Inside wiring and fiber runs. The side panels are made up of battleship parts, I built a 12" master, struck a mold then cast resin duplicates. After gluing the resin pieces in place, I was able to super detail and disguise the replicating pattern.
A closer look at the side panel.
Another detail shot, the launch bay was later detailed and tiny TIE fighters added (8 hanging from above, two on deck and ready to go)
The underside with side panels attached.
Starting on the top.
Starting to rough in the super structure. (March 14, 2005)
The Super Structure finally in place ... just a tiny bit of detailing left to do ...!
... and about a thousand more fiber stands.
I've had a few requests to see the tiny TIE fighters.
Go to
Inner Rib Measurements:
A few people have asked for the measurements I used when creating the frame for this beast. The numbers can be found here.
Other Projects:
The 24" Star Destroyer Commission
24" SD Commission #2 Updated: 8/6/06