DONE +++ 1:50 Star Wars 'TIE/E' Escort Fighter (pics @ p.7)

[Dizzyfugu]

Yes, because it is a model far outside of my "comfort zone" concerning topic and scale. Even though I think my last SW project, a converted Star Destroyer, took longer and was even more complex (with light, a custiomized display stand and a transport box because it became part of a convention exhibition). The TIE/E just takes time - esp. the work in the cockpit and the rear fuselage took several iterations, and some improvisations also needed trial and error phases. Right now, momentum is higher again, things unfold on a daily basis. 

Concerning the kit itself: I added some kill marks, as well as tactical typo markings in Aurebash (the SW language/font/symbols), improvised from single letters as a translation from English language and again put on self-made decals. I could not find any suitable place for bigger tactical symbols, and I think that this would also have become too much with all the small color highlights around the hull. Any final addition is just black, and the markings blend well into the overall look of the TIE/E.

I also started with preparations for a display - a simple, square wooden 6x6" base with a vertical holder, to become all black.

[su27rules]

 

[Dizzyfugu]

Here's the TIE/E from last evening with added markings; if you can read the stuff, you will amaze me (and proof that you are a SW nerd  ):


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


And the material for the display stand:


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[nighthunter]

Give me a day and I can translate it, lol!

[Dizzyfugu]

A good sign that you cannot read it fluently... 

Besides, varnish was added to the kit and work on the display made progress. Closing in on the Death Star, err, finish line!

[Dizzyfugu]

Further WiP documentations. A hot tip when you use Maskol frequently: a coat of polish on the clear parts not only enhances shine and finish, it also makes peeling the latex/rubber film away later MUCH easier and cleaner! What a difference, and a pleasant one! 


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Work on the display also went on. Basic construction finished and the pylon trimmed to good length for later storage in the cabinet. Since the wooden base had suffered from a  poor saw blade, I had to mend some dents with putty - but I would have spray-painted the base in sheen black, anyway.


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Work on backgrounds for beauty pics has also started. The TIE/E is pretty massive and huge, so that I have to use bigger posters than usual. Maybe, and when the weather clears up somewhat, I can start shooting tomorrow.

[Dizzyfugu]

Not much progress. Display finished, and I have glued together some backgrounds from multi-sheet printouts.

[nighthunter]

Thomas, whatever font you used, it's not Aurebesh. I can't translate it

[Dizzyfugu]

Then it must be the Sith dialect... 

Or you are simply not SW-nerdy enough! 

[nighthunter]

Then it must be the Sith dialect... 

Or you are simply not SW-nerdy enough! 

Maybe I'm just not getting a good look at it. But I am very Star Wars savvy

[Dizzyfugu]

Beauty pics are still pending. Week has been busy, and light/weather poor. I hope for this weekend, at least the backgrounds are ready.

[Dizzyfugu]

Finished, with beauty pics now:


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr



Some background:
The TIE/LN starfighter, or TIE/line starfighter, simply known as the TIE Fighter or T/F, was the standard Imperial starfighter seen in massive numbers throughout most of the Galactic Civil War and onward. The TIE Fighter was manufactured by Sienar Fleet Systems and led to several upgraded TIE models such as TIE/sa bomber, TIE/IN interceptor, TIE/D Defender, TIE/D automated starfighter, and many more.
The original TIEs were designed to attack in large numbers, overwhelming the enemy craft. The Imperials used so many that they came to be considered symbols of the Empire and its might. They were also very cheap to produce, reflecting the Imperial philosophy of quantity over quality.

However, a disadvantage of the fighter was its lack of deflector shields. In combat, pilots had to rely on the TIE/LN's maneuverability to avoid damage. The cockpit did incorporate crash webbing, a repulsorlift antigravity field, and a high-g shock seat to help protect the pilot, however these did next to nothing to help protect against enemy blaster fire.


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Due to the lack of life-support systems, each TIE pilot had a fully sealed flight suit superior to their Rebel counterparts. The absence of a hyperdrive also rendered the light fighter totally dependent on carrier ships when deployed in enemy systems. TIE/LNs also lacked landing gear, another mass-reducing measure. While the ships were structurally capable of "sitting" on their wings, they were not designed to land or disembark their pilots without special support. On Imperial ships, TIEs were launched from racks in the hangar bays.

The high success rate of more advanced Rebel starfighters against standard Imperial TIE Fighters resulted in a mounting cost of replacing destroyed fighters and their pilots. That, combined with the realization that the inclusion of a hyperdrive would allow the fleet to be more flexible, caused the Imperial Navy to rethink its doctrine of using swarms of cheap craft instead of fewer high-quality ones, leading to the introduction of the TIE Advanced x1 and its successor, the TIE Avenger. The following TIE/D Defender as well as the heavy TIE Escort Fighter (or TIE/E) were touted as the next "logical advance" of the TIE Series—representing a shift in starfighter design from previous, expendable TIE models towards fast, well armed and protected designs, capable of hyperspace travel and long-term crew teams which gained experience and capabilities over time.

The TIE/E Escort, was a high-performance TIE Series starfighter developed for the Imperial Navy by Sienar Fleet Systems and it was introduced into service shortly before the Battle of Endor. It was a much heavier counterpart to the agile and TIE/D fighter, and more of an attack ship or even a light bomber than a true dogfighter. Its role were independent long range operations, and in order to reduce the work load and boost morale a crew of two was introduced (a pilot and a dedicated weapon systems officer/WSO). The primary duty profile included attack and escort task, but also reconnoiter missions. The TIE/E shared the general layout with the contemporary TIE/D fighter, but the cockpit section as well as the central power unit were much bigger, and the ship was considerably heavier.


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The crew enjoyed – compared with previous TIE fighter designs – a spacious and now fully pressurized cockpit, so that no pressurized suits had to be worn anymore. The crew members sat in tandem under a large, clear canopy. The pilot in front had a very good field of view, while the WSO sat behind him, in a higher, staggered position with only a limited field of view. Both work stations had separate entries, though, and places could not be switched in flight: the pilot mounted the cockpit through a hatch on port side, while the WSO entered the rear compartment through a roof hatch.

In a departure from the design of previous TIE models, instead of two parallel wings to either side of the pilot module, the TIE Escort had three quadanium steel solar array wings mounted symmetrically around an aft section, which contained an I-s4d solar ionization reactor to store and convert solar energy collected from the wing panels. The inclusion of a third wing provided additional solar power to increase the ship's range and the ship's energy management system was designed to allow weapons and shields to be charged with minimum loss of power to the propulsion system.


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Although it was based on the standard twin ion engine design, the TIE/E's propulsion system was upgraded to the entirely new, powerful P-sz9.8 triple ion engine. This allowed the TIE/E a maximum acceleration of 4,220 G or 21 MGLT/s and a top speed of 144 MGLT, or 1,680 km/h in an atmosphere — almost 40 percent faster than a former standard TIE Fighter. With tractor beam recharge power (see below) redirected to the engines, the top speed could be increased to 180 MGLT in a dash.
In addition to the main thrusters located in the aft section, the TIE Escort's triple wing design allowed for three arrays of maneuvering jets and it featured an advanced F-s5x flight avionics system to process the pilot's instructions. Production models received a class 2, ND9 hyperdrive motivator, modified from the version developed for the TIE Avenger. The TIE/E also carried a Sienar N-s6 Navcon navigation computer with a ten-jump memory.

Special equipment included a small tractor beam projector, originally developed for the TIE Avenger, which could be easily fitted to the voluminous TIE Escort. Models produced by Ysanne Isard's production facility regularly carried such tractor beams and the technology found other uses, such as towing other damaged starfighters until they could achieve the required velocity to enter hyperspace. The tractor beam had limited range and could only be used for a short time before stopping to recharge, but it added new tactics, too. For instance, the beam allowed the TIE/E crews to temporarily inhibit the mobility of enemy fighters, making it easier to target them with the ship's other weapon systems, or prevent enemies from clear shots.


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The TIE Escort's weapons systems were primarily designed to engage bigger ships and armored or shielded targets, like armed freighters frequently used by the Alliance. Thanks to its complex weapon and sensor suite, it could also engage multiple enemy fighters at once. The sensors also allowed an effective attack of ground targets, so that atmospheric bombing was a potential mission for the TIE/E, too.

The TIE Escort Fighter carried a formidable array of weaponry in two modular weapon bays that were mounted alongside the lower cabin. In standard configuration, the TIE/E had two L-s9.3 laser cannons and two NK-3 ion cannons. The laser and ion cannons could be set to fire separately or, if concentrated power was required, to fire-linked in either pairs or as a quartet.
The ship also featured two M-g-2 general-purpose warhead launchers, each of which could be equipped with a standard load of three proton torpedoes or four concussion missiles. Depending on the mission profile, the ship could be fitted with alternative warheads such as proton rockets, proton bombs, or magnetic pulse warheads.
Additionally, external stores could be carried under the fuselage, which included a conformal sensor pallet for reconnaissance missions or a cargo bay with a capacity for 500 kg (1.100 lb).



1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The ship's defenses were provided by a pair of forward and rear projecting Novaldex deflector shield generators—another advantage over former standard TIE models. The shields were designed to recharge more rapidly than in previous Imperial fighters and were nearly as powerful as those found on capital ships, so that the TIE/E could engage other ships head-on with a very high survivability. The fighters were not equipped with particle shields, though, relying on the reinforced titanium hull to absorb impacts from matter. Its hull and wings were among the strongest of any TIE series Starfighter yet.

The advanced starfighter attracted the attention of several other factions, and the Empire struggled to prevent the spread of the technology. The ship's high cost, together with political factors, kept it from achieving widespread use in the Empire, though, and units were assigned only to the most elite crews.

The TIE/E played a central role in the Empire's campaign against rogue Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin, and mixed Defender and Escort units participated in several other battles, including the Battle of Endor. The TIE Escort continued to see limited use by the Imperial Remnant up to at least 44 ABY, and was involved in numerous conflicts, including the Yuuzhan Vong War.




1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:50 Sienar Fleet Systems "TIE/E" Escort Fighter, "801", based on board of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer 'Vehement' during the Battle of Endor (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[TheChronicOne]

Bravo!!!! It looks great and man I love these Glamour Shotz (TM). 

[ysi_maniac]

Just perfect!

[AXU]

That's just great Thomas