Introduction: K'NEX Star Wars Imperial Shuttle MK-II

About: Hello! I'm a maths tutor and primary school teacher and have always had a passion for making things. This started at an early age with LEGO and K'NEX. I share my K'NEX projects on instructables for others to b…

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Darth Vader - Episode IV

This ible will show you how to make an updated version of my Lambda-Class Imperial Shuttle from the Star Wars movies. The original model I made, I built in 2015. This is the 2018 version and with it comes many improvements:

  1. The ship is reassembling closer to the original, with thinner folding S-wings, better looking and easier to build cockpit.
  2. Instead of the old model, this model has 2 main functions. First of all, the wings fold in synchronization and maintain their upper and lower position much better. Secondly: There is an all new landing gear that retracts when the wings move into flight mode. They unfold when you put the ship in landing mode.
  3. It consists of less parts, but has the same size. This means it's easier to build for a larger audience, as less parts are needed
  4. Building made easier by more detailed pictures, and easy-to-follow steps.

The following things have remained the same:

  • I'm still a Star Wars fan (but I dislike the new movies)
  • There's still 3 movable turrets: 2 in the front and 1 in the back
  • There's a display stand available, which attaches much easier to the model

The steps are as followed:

  1. Parts needed
  2. Landing gear & The hull
  3. The hull (backside)
  4. The cockpit
  5. Top wing & Assembly
  6. Side wings
  7. Display Stand

Step 1: Parts Needed

In this step you will find all the parts you need to build the model. The number between brackets ( X ) indicates that this part is needed to build the Display Stand. If you do not want to build the display stand (as the model can stand on it's own) you don't need these parts!
Have fun building!

Step 2: Landing Gear & the Hull

In this step you will start by building the Landing Gear of the model. On these "feet" the Shuttle stands. As you build the model, you discover that there is a hidden mechanism in the Landing Gear: it retracts and unfolds as the wings move. This is done by ball joint connections.
In the next step you will finish the backside of the Hull

Step 3: The Hull (backside)

Here you will build the mechanism that synchronizes the wings. In the previous model (MK-I) it was possible to move one wing, without moving the other. In this version, it is no longer possible to do so. Also blue thrusters have been added, made by a special building technique.
In the next step you will focus on the Cockpit!

Step 4: The Cockpit

The cockpit is now a lot easier to build and looks better, since it has fewer holes. It is rather flat also, making it lightweight. Two panels form the wind shield of the model.
In the next step you make the Top Wing, which remained the same, and attach it to the Hull of the Shuttle

Step 5: Top Wing & Assembly

The Top Wing remained the same. First you will attach the Top Wing to the Cockpit and then you will put them into the Hull of the Shuttle. It is a lot easier to do so than in the last model. It seems less sturdy, but due to the simplicity of the build, it makes it easier to carry and transport around.
In the last step you will build the Side Wings and finish the Model

Step 6: Side Wings

The Side Wings are slimmer (and therefore better looking) than the older version (MK-I). They are lighter and easier to handle and fold. Also the cannons on the wings look and move more realistically.
In the last step it is possible to build the Display Stand for this Model.

Step 7: Display Stand

Since the Model is well balanced, the Display Stand can be simple this time. A black rod takes care of the support.
Attached you will find the PDF-file that is you can print and use (I laminated mine) for your model.


Thank you for reading through my ible!
Have fun building!
~ GWorks