So I picked up an ARC-170 fighter to customize...

Didn't think I'd luck out, but so happened Target had a couple of the ARC-170 fighters (Star Wars: Clone Wars) on "clearance" at $30 each (that's with 30% off), and I snagged one to create a multi-role heavy fighter for my Earth Defense Force (EDF) universe. Which one day soon I hope to reveal some of the figures I've created for, but more to my point:

I want to customize it, of course. (Though heaven knows where I'm going to display it--didn't realize how HUGE the thing is!) This leads me to several questions and asking advice of anyone else who's already customized one:

1. What's a good means for filling in the droid socket? The EDF don't use navigation droids (or any droids at this point. They're more akin to Battlestar Galactica in its current incarnation than Star Wars).

2. How well do the markings (namely the tiger jaws/eye) take to having tape applied/removed? I figure I'm going to be priming/spray painting this but really want to keep those markings. I'd be using that blue painters tape, BTW.

3. How hard is it to get that stupid handle out of the body? I'll never use it, and I can easily convert that spot to a bomb bay or even fill it in; likely that's where I'll have to mount a cradle to hold this for display.

4. What IS that clip on the tail for? I'm presuming they sold a separate cargo module for these that I never noticed; debating on whether it'd be worth tracking one down, or simply doing away with that clip entirely.

5. Any ideas for a better looking missile head for the wing missiles?


That's all I can think of for now--probably be a bit before I actually plunge into this but though it couldn't hurt to ask now, I can file the stuff away for later.

I would suggest stryene sheets to cover or fill in the droid socket. I not sure about the other question you ask, but you could always go to http://www.threads.rebelscum.com/ubbthreads.php and ask there as I don't do many custom with vehicles. There is a section if you scroll down called Creative, I know someone would be able to help there more than I can. Wish you luck on it.
momaw nadon

Not sure why the link isn't working, so just go to http://www.rebelscum.com and on the left is the forum link.
momaw nadon

What if you smoothed over some of the details on the R2 unit, spray it silver and say it's a power cell?

And in my experience you should have no problems taping and spraying the bdy.

[The Spectre]

The handle comes out pretty easily but you will have to remove most, if not all, of the screws that hold the entire toy together. I remember removing the handle in about 15 minutes back in 2005.

The clip on the back has never been explained but I surmise that is where the original tail piece went before Lucasfilm redesigned the ship at the last minute. The original tail resembled one of the wings but narrower and without the smaller pop out wings. It is present in many of the concept paintings of the fighter like this one:

Yeah Spectre is right about removing the handle. You have to practically take the entire thing apart but once you get all the screws out it comes apart pretty easily. And the handle is held in place by a metal pin that it pivots on so be careful yanking it out so you don't accidentally break the plastic body.

As for painting and taping, I think if you use regular masking tape it shouldn't hurt the markings at all.

And the droid socket you can probably just cover with a thin piece of styrene. Get the thinnest you can find and bend it around the curvature of the hull and glue it down. Maybe put a radar dish or antenna or something on it to detail it a bit and make it look not so patchwork.

The handle comes out pretty easily but you will have to remove most, if not all, of the screws that hold the entire toy together. I remember removing the handle in about 15 minutes back in 2005.

The clip on the back has never been explained but I surmise that is where the original tail piece went before Lucasfilm redesigned the ship at the last minute. The original tail resembled one of the wings but narrower and without the smaller pop out wings. It is present in many of the concept paintings of the fighter.

i didn't know that. i thought it was supposed to be a space for an additional gunner's turret. interesting.

Thanks for the tips and advice, guys. As for the droid socket I'll give both the styrene sheeting and VL's ideas a look, figure out which will work better for me (ie., which I'm less likely to horrifically screw up. )

Once I get the handle out (had a feeling it would involve practically disassembling the whole thing) I'd like to turn that into a missile bay--non-firing, of course, and they don't even have to be removable. Not sure yet what I'll use though, I know I've got nothing on hand that would look right (or be the right size). Thinking I might take the two torpedoes that came with it and mount them to some sort of plastic tube and whip up a couple of missiles/torpedoes that way, then mount them into the bay. At this point I think I'm just going to pop the "missiles" out of the launchers on the wingtips and leave those open as cannons.

When all is said and done I have to start coming up with pilots--I've actually been trying to come up with EDF pilots for about 2 years now (long before I ever considered adding vehicles) but can't settle on just what look I like (or if they'll vary by fighter--I have plans for 3 types in the works right now.)

Doc,

Right there with you pal. I picked up an ARC before Christmas with the intention of customizing it for an upcoming project. Have hashed out the color scheme and am almost finished with additional weapon selection.

When I opened it, I also was surprised at the sheer size of it. The fact that it holds 3 figures is nice too. That screams custom crew. It really is a great value at the $30 price point.

Love to see what you wind up doing with yours.

When I opened it, I also was surprised at the sheer size of it. The fact that it holds 3 figures is nice too. That screams custom crew. It really is a great value at the $30 price point.

Love to see what you wind up doing with yours.

A custom crew is definitely in the works, once I settle on the look, and whether I want go generic or with a "named" set of characters. Leaning right now a bit toward using Wes "Hobie" Janson bodies from the comic packs though not 100% on that yet. (That and I'd need to buy two more sets to do it.)

As for the fighter itself, the repaint and addition of the stickers J_man did for me (his images converted to stickers) are a start; I'd like to add some additional firepower under the wings, maybe a set of missiles or two. True it'll knock out the "V-wing" foils but they really don't do much for me anyway. And of course I want to put some torpedoes in the bay where the handle sits now.

Those are the plans, anyway. Getting the space cleared and setting down to actually do it is going to be the tough part; I'll need decent weather to get the spray painting done, then patience to do in the detailing. Then a nice day outside for pics, of course--it's just waaay too big to do with my setup inside.

hmm might I suggest maybe http://www.yojoe.com/action/04/ace6.shtml Ace v6 for a body and helmet wise. Pretty abundant and only $2 a pop. And for torpedo's maybe the yellow bomblet things from the Rolling Thunder ICBM's.

hmm might I suggest maybe http://www.yojoe.com/action/04/ace6.shtml Ace v6 for a body and helmet wise. Pretty abundant and only $2 a pop.

That's pretty high on my list of possible choices; I snapped up several when DG here had them and only put a very few to use so far.

And for torpedo's maybe the yellow bomblet things from the Rolling Thunder ICBM's.

That'd be an idea, if I had any...though they might be a touch too short. Torpedoes would be more like missiles in this case, I'd want ones almost the length of the bomb bay. What I was thinking of doing is taking the torpedoes that come with it (which to me are nose cones) and attaching them to acrylic tubes or rods. An idea, at any rate. What I'd like to find more right now is ideas for under-wing missiles (and a source for them). Pretty much all my missile fodder I gave away my first few months on the board, as I wasn't planning to customize aircraft at the time.

Picked up two more starfighters tonight to round things out: the V-wing and Anakin Skywalker's Jedi Starfighter. Was sorely tempted to pick up the Darth Vader one instead (since it's the same as Anakin's except color and markings) but liked the more "worn" look of Anakin's, which gives me more leeway in customizing it. Skipped the Sith Infiltrator though I may yet go back for it.

The V-wing will be a medium fighter for the TEF, while Anakin's will represent on example of the enemy fighters. I'm thinking of doing a repaint on my BAT Attack Fighter too as an enemy fighter, maybe an "older" version of the light fighter used by the TEF (which at this point is named the Sparrow. The medium is the Kestrel and the heavy is the Tiger Shark. All names subject to change, of course!)