The Xiphos: Fully lit and painted VT-49 Decimator

By TonyRockyHorror, in X-Wing

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A friend who went to Worlds picked up a VT-49 for me. Got it from him last weekend. Worked on this pretty much every day, a bit at a time. Finished it last night. Decided not to do the lower front windows because red LEDs would make it look too much like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Decimator.

Drilled out and ran some fiber optic to do the running lights. Use a piece of milk jug as the engine diffuser, and a piece of black plastic from a case of Monster energy drink that my FLGS has sitting behind the counter.

Two red LEDs inside, with a battery clip and switch accessible under a hidden panel on the front underside.

Got to play it in a tournament, using Oicunn. Got to kill a Whisper and a Chewie by ramming them, in two separate matches!

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Whoa man. Nice.

I like it good stuff.

Looks badass! Personally I think it would have looked great(er) with the front window lit as well, but to each his own.

Very well done!

(edit: hmm OP likes every comment but mine. . . lol)

Edited by quasistellar

Amazing!!!!!

One more to show where the battery and switch access panel is:

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That's terrifying. Bring the psychological game to a whole new level. It looks amazing!

Awesome work!

Amazing work

The list I'm running this with is:

  • Mauler Mithel
  • "Backstabber"
  • Captain Oicunn + Determinator
  • OGP Shuttle + Darth Vader

Just wow.

Looks badass! Personally I think it would have looked great(er) with the front window lit as well, but to each his own.

Very well done!

(edit: hmm OP likes every comment but mine. . . lol)

Hah!

Looks badass! Personally I think it would have looked great(er) with the front window lit as well, but to each his own.

Very well done!

(edit: hmm OP likes every comment but mine. . . lol)

Hah!

I love you, man :P

For real though, that decimator looks awesome. I love the paint scheme on it. I had a VT-49 in Star Wars Galaxies back in the day, so I'm particularly fond of these ships.

Edited by quasistellar

That's one of those posts that really makes me wish I could like it more than once

Impressive! Most impressive!!!

Everything about this is right. Excellent work!

Beautiful work! Great Job!

I think this is the most impressive rework I have seen to date. Wow

Very nice! I'm always impressed with people that light up their models like this. I have the knowledge, tools and experience to do it myself but I never do so. I can spend weeks scratchbuilding and painting models but I never go for this kind of work. What's wrong with me? :)

While I believe that the paintjob is perhaps not technically the most impressive (needs some highlighting), its aesthetically pleasing and very fitting! The black/dark grey together with the gold makes the ship look menacing, and that's before you turn on the lights. With the red it turns from menacing to downright evil! Thumbs up mate! :D

Being ex Coast Guard, I love the red lit interior. On ships like his that is an important detail I think. You've done an emense job here.. very nicely done, and your colors are intimidating.

I'm in process of painting my TIEs with red in the cockpit windows because think they look much better that way..

Ill be showing these pictures to a friend that just bought 2 of these, he's gonna flip out.. lol

The list I'm running this with is:

  • Mauler Mithel
  • "Backstabber"
  • Captain Oicunn + Determinator
  • OGP Shuttle + Darth Vader

Does Oicunn, with an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice, declare: "I am the Determinator!" ?

Totally boss. Not just the lights but the paint job as well!

Very nice! I'm always impressed with people that light up their models like this. I have the knowledge, tools and experience to do it myself but I never do so. I can spend weeks scratchbuilding and painting models but I never go for this kind of work. What's wrong with me? :)

While I believe that the paintjob is perhaps not technically the most impressive (needs some highlighting), its aesthetically pleasing and very fitting! The black/dark grey together with the gold makes the ship look menacing, and that's before you turn on the lights. With the red it turns from menacing to downright evil! Thumbs up mate! :D

I am a mediocre, at best, painter. I tend to go for 2-color schemes. Heh. I am tempted to do a tiny bit of drybrushing with some silver to add some highlights here and there, but we'll see. Need to practice first.

You did a fantastic job with everything here. I love the paintjob, that is ESPECIALLY gorgeous.

However I do wish to say this. I honestly think a deep blue would have been even more flattering.

You BAMF you!

:D