Mini B-Wing Popsicle Stick Model
Intro: Mini B-Wing Popsicle Stick Model
Here's a weekend project for everyone! A Slayn & Korpil B-Wing Starfighter from the Star Wars Universe.
Probably the most unusual of the star wars spacecrafts, the B-wing was designed with a rotating cockpit and unorthodox cross configuration. It was conceived as a heavy fighter and a possible replacement to the Koensayr Y-wing starfighter.
This popsicle stick project can be modeled in the landing position (with the s-foil wings retracted) or in the attack mode with the s-foil wings deployed.
Probably the most unusual of the star wars spacecrafts, the B-wing was designed with a rotating cockpit and unorthodox cross configuration. It was conceived as a heavy fighter and a possible replacement to the Koensayr Y-wing starfighter.
This popsicle stick project can be modeled in the landing position (with the s-foil wings retracted) or in the attack mode with the s-foil wings deployed.
STEP 1: Materials and Tools
Materials used were all available off the shelf from supermarkets. Various sizes of popsicle sticks, toothpicks, ice cream cup wooden spoons and barbecue sticks (for the engine nozzles) were used in this build. Odd parts came from the 'spares box'.
Tools used are listed below:
Tools used are listed below:
- Dremel Rotary Tool Model 3000 and Minimite with the following attachments:
- 1/2 and 1/4 inch drum sander (fine & coarse grade)
- fine and coarse sanding disc
- regular and reinforced cut-off wheels
- #125 high speed cutter
- Olfa cutter
- mechanical pencil and ruler
- various mini clamps
- Elmer's white multi purpose glue
STEP 2: Schematics and Illustrations
Our friends from the site www.the-blueprints.com have provided four schematics for the B-wing fighter. You have to register to be able to download the full-size image from the site. Other images in this instructable were from www.swgemu.com and media.moddb.com. URLs for the schematics and images used in this project are shown below:
http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/sciencefiction/star-wars-rebel/2732/view/b_wing/
http://www.swgemu.com/archive/scrapbookv51/data/20070204120429/b-wing_s02.jpg
http://media.moddb.com/images/games/1/12/11616/B-WingFinal.jpg
http://media.moddb.com/images/games/1/12/11616/Bwing1920x1080.png
Various search engines can provide additional images of the B-wing fighter in addition to the URLS mentioned above. Again, my thanks to everyone for the plans and images used in this build!!!
http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/sciencefiction/star-wars-rebel/2732/view/b_wing/
http://www.swgemu.com/archive/scrapbookv51/data/20070204120429/b-wing_s02.jpg
http://media.moddb.com/images/games/1/12/11616/B-WingFinal.jpg
http://media.moddb.com/images/games/1/12/11616/Bwing1920x1080.png
Various search engines can provide additional images of the B-wing fighter in addition to the URLS mentioned above. Again, my thanks to everyone for the plans and images used in this build!!!
STEP 3: Primary Airfoil
Since the primary airfoil is approximately 85% of the entire model, only the biggest popsicle stick will do for the project - a tongue depressor sized stick.
Two pieces were cut for the primary airfoil, laminated and shaped based on the schematics and illustrations from the previous step.
The sensor arrays flanking the cooling system intake and engine housing were from regular sized popsicle sticks cut into scalene triangle shapes. These were glued above and below the space for the cooling system intake and carved into shape using a drum tool attachment. Another set was glued and shaped on the other side of the primary airfoil as well.
Slots were carved using a cutting wheel attachment to simulate the grills of the cooling system intake .
Regular sized popsicle sticks were cut and shaped for the engine housing. These were glued in the spaces between the two (2) sensor arrays of both sides of the airfoil.
Tiny holes were drilled at the end of a barbecue stick using a #125 dremel high speed cutter attachment to simulate engine nozzles. The engine nozzles were cut to sizes that fit in the grooves shaped at the end of the engine housing. The two (2) engine nozzles were glued to the grooves and allowed to dry. A pair of engine nozzles was also glued to the other side of the airfoil.
A scrap popscile stick was cut and shaped into small rectangles to simulate the shield generators. These were glued on both sides of the primary airfoil on top of the engine housing and just in front of the engine nozzles.
The two auxiliary photon torpedo launchers were cut and shaped from a toothpick. These were glued in place on both sides of the primary airfoil in between the engine housing and sensor arrays.
Two pieces were cut for the primary airfoil, laminated and shaped based on the schematics and illustrations from the previous step.
The sensor arrays flanking the cooling system intake and engine housing were from regular sized popsicle sticks cut into scalene triangle shapes. These were glued above and below the space for the cooling system intake and carved into shape using a drum tool attachment. Another set was glued and shaped on the other side of the primary airfoil as well.
Slots were carved using a cutting wheel attachment to simulate the grills of the cooling system intake .
Regular sized popsicle sticks were cut and shaped for the engine housing. These were glued in the spaces between the two (2) sensor arrays of both sides of the airfoil.
Tiny holes were drilled at the end of a barbecue stick using a #125 dremel high speed cutter attachment to simulate engine nozzles. The engine nozzles were cut to sizes that fit in the grooves shaped at the end of the engine housing. The two (2) engine nozzles were glued to the grooves and allowed to dry. A pair of engine nozzles was also glued to the other side of the airfoil.
A scrap popscile stick was cut and shaped into small rectangles to simulate the shield generators. These were glued on both sides of the primary airfoil on top of the engine housing and just in front of the engine nozzles.
The two auxiliary photon torpedo launchers were cut and shaped from a toothpick. These were glued in place on both sides of the primary airfoil in between the engine housing and sensor arrays.
STEP 4: Cockpit Assembly
The width of the cockpit required laminating five(5) pre-cut popsicle stick models. After the glue has set, the laminated piece was carefully sanded into a cylinder. Guide lines were drawn for the cockpit gyro stabilization system based on the schematics from Step 2.
Grooves were done using a cut-off wheel attachment from Dremel. The cockpit shape was carved using a drum sander attachment. The twin blasters were from finely shaped toothpick ends. These were then glued to a slot at the front tip of the cockpit using a cutting wheel attachment.
The tiny box-shaped targeting module was from the spares box, shaped and glued at the front end of the cockpit.
Grooves were done using a cut-off wheel attachment from Dremel. The cockpit shape was carved using a drum sander attachment. The twin blasters were from finely shaped toothpick ends. These were then glued to a slot at the front tip of the cockpit using a cutting wheel attachment.
The tiny box-shaped targeting module was from the spares box, shaped and glued at the front end of the cockpit.
STEP 5: S-Foil Wings
The S-foil wings start out as pieces from wooden ice cream spoons cut and shaped based on the schematics from Step 2. The two (2) cylindrical pivot mechanisms were from round toothpicks cut to size.
The ion cannon barrels were shaped from toothpicks using a fine drum sander attachment. The ion cannon receivers were cut from round toothpicks similar to the pivot mechanisms. The ion barrels were glued to the receivers and allowed to dry. The completed ion cannons were then glued at the end of the S-foil wings to complete the wing assemblies.
The ion cannon barrels were shaped from toothpicks using a fine drum sander attachment. The ion cannon receivers were cut from round toothpicks similar to the pivot mechanisms. The ion barrels were glued to the receivers and allowed to dry. The completed ion cannons were then glued at the end of the S-foil wings to complete the wing assemblies.
STEP 6: Weapons Pod
The weapons pod mounted at the end of the primary airfoil was made using spares of wooden ice cream spoons. It was cut and carved into shape using the schematics and images as reference. A slot was made for the ion and fire-linked laser cannons using a cutting wheel attachment.
The weapons pod mount that connects the assembly to the main airfoil was shaped from regular popsicle sticks.
The cannons were shaped from toothpicks using a drum sander attachment and glued into the slot of the weapons pod.
The weapons pod mount that connects the assembly to the main airfoil was shaped from regular popsicle sticks.
The cannons were shaped from toothpicks using a drum sander attachment and glued into the slot of the weapons pod.
STEP 7: Completion - Cruise/Landing Mode
This step models a B-wing in cruise/landing mode.
A slot was carved on the cockpit mount using a cutoff wheel attachment. The slot should fit the cockpit gyro stabilization groove carved from Step 4. The cockpit was glued with the blasters oriented parallel to the horizontal plane of the primary airfoil. This configuration differs from the attack mode in that the blasters orientation were at right angle with the primary airfoil.
The S-foil wing mount was shaped from a popsicle stick 'scraps' from the spares box.
The bottom half of the primary airfoil was sliced just below the engine housing and air cooling assembly. The S-foil wing mount was then glued between the two sliced halves of the primary airfoil.
After the glue between the two halves of the primary airfoil assembly has dried, the S-foil wings were glued to the wings mount in a folded position. Adding the weapons pod at the end of the primary airfoil completes the B-wing in cruise/landing mode.
A slot was carved on the cockpit mount using a cutoff wheel attachment. The slot should fit the cockpit gyro stabilization groove carved from Step 4. The cockpit was glued with the blasters oriented parallel to the horizontal plane of the primary airfoil. This configuration differs from the attack mode in that the blasters orientation were at right angle with the primary airfoil.
The S-foil wing mount was shaped from a popsicle stick 'scraps' from the spares box.
The bottom half of the primary airfoil was sliced just below the engine housing and air cooling assembly. The S-foil wing mount was then glued between the two sliced halves of the primary airfoil.
After the glue between the two halves of the primary airfoil assembly has dried, the S-foil wings were glued to the wings mount in a folded position. Adding the weapons pod at the end of the primary airfoil completes the B-wing in cruise/landing mode.
STEP 8: Completion - Attack Mode
This step models a B-wing in attack mode.
A slot was carved on the cockpit mount using a cutoff wheel attachment. The slot should fit the cockpit gyro stabilization groove carved from Step 4.
The cockpit was glued with the blasters oriented at a right angle with the primary airfoil. The attack configuration was unlike the cruise/landing mode where the blasters are parallel to the primary airfoil.
The S-foil wing mount was shaped from a popsicle stick 'scraps' from the spares box.
The bottom half of the primary airfoil was sliced just below the engine housing and air cooling assembly. Unlike the cruise/landing mode where the two halves were glued before adding the S-foil wings, the wings were glued to the wing mount first. The bottom half of the primary airfoil was glued after the top half of the airfoil with the S-foil wings have set. The weapons pod completes the B-wing in attack mode.
And there you have it!! The B-wing in attack and cruise/landing mode. May the force be With you!!!
A slot was carved on the cockpit mount using a cutoff wheel attachment. The slot should fit the cockpit gyro stabilization groove carved from Step 4.
The cockpit was glued with the blasters oriented at a right angle with the primary airfoil. The attack configuration was unlike the cruise/landing mode where the blasters are parallel to the primary airfoil.
The S-foil wing mount was shaped from a popsicle stick 'scraps' from the spares box.
The bottom half of the primary airfoil was sliced just below the engine housing and air cooling assembly. Unlike the cruise/landing mode where the two halves were glued before adding the S-foil wings, the wings were glued to the wing mount first. The bottom half of the primary airfoil was glued after the top half of the airfoil with the S-foil wings have set. The weapons pod completes the B-wing in attack mode.
And there you have it!! The B-wing in attack and cruise/landing mode. May the force be With you!!!
4 Comments
CreativeGeek 10 years ago
Alderin 11 years ago
Every time I see one of your models, I think, "Now there's a constructive physical hobby that I might actually have room for!"
Now to find the time. :-)
abehambino 11 years ago
popsicle_mini-models 11 years ago