AMT Anakin's Podracer

Why, oh why are the instructions so big!! Unfolded they take up the whole desk, how am I supposed to build this if the paperwork fills the desk 😉 

I'm starting with the engines so here's the 'pipes' sprue, lots of extra bits on these parts that all need cutting off. I'm planning to prime & paint these on the sprue. 

Most were simple enough to trim with the nippers but some were right in the bend (the two 21's) so needed to be cut off with my knife. 

A small bit of filing on these parts, easy enough with a flat file and finished with a round one,  

Engine parts glued and taped. Really fiddly as it's made up of four different sections so made two halves and let them dry then glued them together with the engine exhaust. 

Still ended up with gaps though 😠 

A bit of Tamiya extra thin and squeezing then a small bit of sanding to make it better 

Engines ready for primer. 

But how to hold them?? Cunning trick with 3mm rod and Blu-Tack to push up the ends should do the trick. 

Which works 👍, just need to be careful that they don't overbalance and tip out of the cup. 

All the engine parts ready for primer. Going to prime all of these black, then paint metallic as even the different coloured parts have at least some chipping on them so the whole lot can be painted at once. 

All the engine parts have been primed with Mig One Shot Black. 

Left the primer overnight then painted all the parts Vallejo Metal Color Duraluminium  

Main engine assemblies painted Duraluminium as well. Shiny 😎 

Engine "petals" and their brackets get a coat of black primer. Same as the rest, I'm going to paint them all Duraluminium then yellow to chip. 

Coloured engine parts. First had a coat of gloss varnish to protect the metallic paint then chipping fluid then colour - Ochre Yellow and Fire Red respectively. 

Chipping done by slightly damping the paint then using the scourer or cocktail stick to chip 

All the "pipes" are copper coloured. 

Blue areas masked then painted French Blue. 

Then I could assemble. Those copper pipes are the most fiddly thing I've ever done and the instructions are awful but I got there. 

Other side of the engine with everything fitted. Still another one to do! 

Quick update: Both engines are now assembled and both have had a wash of Nuln Oil, that stuff looks so good over metallics 👍. Next step is making the exhaust look sooty and dirty, Might try streaking it with Vallejo Metal Color Jet Exhaust but having a think on how that would work. 

Engine exhausts done! Started with the Jet Exhaust then sprayed lightly over the top of that some transparent blue then transparent red and yellow (to make orange) and it hasn't turned out too badly - makes it look like a suitably sooty & burnt exhaust. 

On to the last bits on the engines. Painted Duraluminium as the rest of it then gloss coated to protect. 

Yellow Ochre top coat and chipping with a cocktail stick. 

Decals! They are so (so) thick. Three coats of Microsol so far and still not fully settled. One more coat and I'll leave them overnight and see how they look in the morning. 

After five coats of Microsol the decals weren't getting any better so I gave them a quick coat of matt varnish and fitted them. Dry fitted the engines on the stand with the energy binding and took a quick 360 so you can see them all the way around 😄  

 

 

Bonus builder's hand in this one 😉 

 

On to the pod. Glued the parts together for the lower part of the pod which left a nasty seam gap. Some Tamiya Putty and a bit of sanding and that looks better. 

Primed with Mig One Shot black and the seam is just about gone. 

The first batch of the pod parts primed with One Shot black as well. 

The cockpit parts primed in Mig One Shot Black, Vallejo Ghost Grey and Mig One Shot Sand. Ready for painting. 

Anakin gets a lick of paint. Needs a clear coat and wash but thought I'd show it at this stage as...... 

I used all these paints 😮 but just one brush 😉 My Winsor & Newton No. 0 is really all sorts of awesome for this small work 🙂  

Anakin gloss coated, washed with Citadel Agrax Earthshade then satin coated. He's all done. 

Along with all the rest of the cockpit parts.  

Pod parts all painted Duraluminium and about to get a gloss coat ahead of assembly then decals. 

Pod gloss coated then assembled. The "controls" are still loose so I can line them up when Anakin goes in after I've added the decals. 

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!! There's two more parts that need to be added to the pod before the decals but the instructions have the decal callouts shown before they are supposed to be added. So a short wait while they both get a black primer and metallic coat then clear coat and glued on. Then I can do the decals.
(Promise I'm not trying to put off the decals as they really are needed under them and not added afterwards 😉 ) 

After a little break where I made a whole new home office with dedicated model making area 😎 

All the remaining parts for the pod got primed with black then a duraluminium topcoat and a gloss coat....  

So, now the pod has all it's parts ready for the decals. 

Decals are applied but just as wrinkly as the ones on the engine 'petals'. Lots of coats of Microsol to do! 

The stand has had a lick of paint though so is ready for use. 

Microsol really is wonderful stuff 😄 Settled down nicely and I've added the rest of the parts. Needs a clear coat to even everything up, I'll probably go for a Satin coat next then add Anakin & the windshield  

Semi-gloss clear coat added to even everything out  

Annakin gets fitted in and 'connected' to the control sticks. 

Windshield fitted, held in place with blu tack and I 'painted' (with a cocktail stick) the bottom of the screen with Micro Kristal Klear so hopefully that'll hold it. I'm leaving it overnight to cure. 

Half glued 🙁 One side stuck and the other didn't. I'll try that side again. 

Better on the second attempt, the windshield is a bit messy but in place. 

Flicked some Agrax Earthshade from the front to make some nice oily/spattery weathering. 

Time to glue everything together. Used CA glue to join the pod to the engines with the "cables" (just primed with One Shot Black), Used tape to hold the cables to the guides on the pod until it sets fully.  

I'm liking how the final assembly causes the pod to sit at a nice angle. Happy accident but good all the same. 

Removed the tape and we're all done 😄 I'll make a nice 360 against a plain background once I dig out the sheets after the move.