Written by 6:18 pm My Builds

Completed : Fine Molds 1/72 Incom T-65B X-wing Starfighter ‘Red Five’


Kit Info
Brand: Fine Molds SW-1
Scale: 1/72
Media: Styrene
Markings: Custom

The Subject
The X-wing is a starfighter used by the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War. It is so-named due to how it resembles an X when its S-foils are locked in attack position. It is armed with a laser cannon on each S-foil and proton torpedoes. X-wings are designed for dogfighting and long range missions and is capable of unassisted hyperspace jumps. Like most of the Rebel Alliance starships, the X-wing has deflector shields that greatly enhance its survivability in combat.

The X-wing starfighter is the backbone of the Rebel Alliance Starfighter Corps and was prominently featured in the Battle of Scarif, Battle of Yavin and Battle of Endor.

The subject of this build is the X-wing piloted by Luke Skywalker, call sign ‘Red Five’, during the Battle of Yavin.

Source:
Wookieepedia – T-65B X-wing starfighter

The Kit
Before this kit, a modeler’s options for Star Wars kits were all from American Manufacturers like AMT or Ertl which for one thing, didn’t use a consistent scale and worse, were really bad kits. Then in 2001, Fine Molds released their first licensed kit for Star Wars and it was of course, of the ‘hero’ X-wing starfighter. Fine Molds would go on to release a few other Star Wars vehicles although they stopped before managing to kit all of them.
In any case, besides the very good proportions and very nicely done recessed panel lines, the kit features:
  • a canopy that can be posed open or closed
  • a standing or seated pilot
  • option for R2-D2 or R5-D4 in both the droid socket and a standalone figure
  • option for landing gear down or in flight
  • a stand to display the X-wing in flight
  • opening and closing S-foils (a note about this below)
  • decal options for Red Leader, Two, Three and Five

All in all, this kit basically blew the competition away upon its release and before Bandai’s turn at the X-wing, this was the definitive one to get.

The Build
As far as I’m concerned, Fine Molds is almost on the same level as Tamiya. This kit came together very quickly and generally pain-free with the only fitting problems being the nose and the engine nacelle halves. A note about the S-foils, they really need to be cemented open or closed. Without cement, they won’t stay fully opened or fully closed.
In any case, this was very much a trouble-free build and I was done in no time.

Colors & Markings
I’ve done an X-wing before in the color scheme of Wedge Antilles’ Red Two and decided to finish this one in Luke Skywalker’s Red Five scheme.

I’d had much better luck painting white this time but it’s more due to switching to using Tamiya and Mr Hobby acrylics which are a lot easier to use than the Vallejo, AK Interactive and Mig AMMO that I’d tried before. The lesson learned? Sometimes the tool does matter.

The decals haven’t stood the age of time and shattered upon getting wet so I had to mask and spray everything instead. Overall, it wasn’t too bad: just that it took quite a bit of masking. I used screenshots from Star Wars: A New Hope, Bandai and Fine Mold’s instructions as references for Red Five’s markings. Where there were conflicts between the three I just deferred to the screencaps.

Painting the scheme after that was straightforward although I had to custom mix the dark red.

Finishing
I began with sponge chipping using white, medium gray and gray black acrylic paints. These were used for older and newer chips with the white especially useful for the areas that were red.
After that the panel wash was done with Flory Models Dark Dirt Wash which was easily wiped off once dry. The wash also ended up warming up the overall color scheme which I liked. I then added minor streaks around the kit using AK Abteilung Starship Filth. I then misted a flat coat over the kit.
Final assembly involved just attaching the wingtip lasers and gear doors which I had kept separate for easier painting. I also cemented the S-foils shut at this point so they closed without a gap.
I’m quite happy with the result and comparing to my Red Two build, I think I’ve improved when it comes to my approach to weathering and finishing.

Build Log
> Construction & Finishing

Number 3 of 2022
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