by Chris Spindler

I have always wondered how they managed to do any maintenance work on fighter with no landing gear and protruding, delicate solar panels. Anti-grav is all very well until you have to shut down all of the power.

This vignette depicts a Sienar Systems TIE fighter undergoing a routine, hundred hour inspection in the the maintenance bay of an Imperial Star Destoyer.

The model is a 1/72 scale Fine Molds TIE. Molding and fit are excellent as usual.

Construction was very straightforward, with no modifications to the kit other than to pose the cockpit hatch open. A simple hatch hinge was made from a thin section of plastic tubing, with 1/3 or the ring removed.

The cockpit interior was painted RLM 02 grey and finished with a light black wash. The instrument panels were painted German Grey, which was more aesthetic than authentic. The circuit panels were drybrushed and washed to add a little depth.

The exterior was painted Light Ghost Grey, with the exception of the cockpit window framing, which was also painted German Grey. The supplied cockpit masks turned out to be a little trickier to use than expected. They were self-adhesive but not pre-cut.

Once the base coat had been applied, the entire model was clear coated with Future, decaled and then lightly weathered with a dark grey "sludge wash". A "sludge wash" is simple mix of equal parts of paint, water and dish soap. Applied over a clear coat and allowed to dry it wipes off easily, leaving a nice residue in the recesses. The soap prevents adhesion to the clear coat but without the clear coat you have a small disaster.

Once everything was dry, the model was flat coated.

The base represents a repair deck, complete with an elevator and control landing. The arms supporting the fighter were scratch built from the girders that formed the base that came with the kit. The wall is simply plastic sheet with an applique of various rectangles of plastic. The roll top doors were made from v-groove plastic stock, trimmed with 0.040 square rod.

The figures came from several sources:

• - Airfix RAF Personnel set (altered)
• - Preiser German Tank Crew
• - Hasegawa US Pilot/Ground Crew set

Image: Left side

Image: From above

Image: Front view

Image: Cockpit