Hello all. I recently got a TIE Defender but the wing struts are misaligned by about 10 degrees and it is driving me crazy. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice or steps on how to remove the cockpit from the wing struts so I can re-attach them with proper alignment.

hi,

unfortunately i never did it but i disassemled a lot of ties and modified a defender las year so maybe i can be helpfull.

the first is obvious and you certanly already tried...

1) try yo pull the cockpit taking the miniature from the struts with your fingers (this is based on the supposition that if it is not well alligned maybe is not well bonded)

don't use pliers to do it because the ruin the miniature

it is easy that a wing can breack away boing this but generay is easy to fix it. and if it happens it will be easier to grab the miniature with your fingers.

if it doesn work

you can try to cleave the cockpit from struts using a very thin instrument (like a thin chisel) positoned wetween struts and cockpit.

this can ruin the miniature so is important that the chisel is very thin and to not concentrate in only one ponit to not ruin it too much, remember that the inferior part of the cockpit is the less visibile so is there that you have and can concentrate your efforts... if you ruin it there no one will see it.

if it doesn't work do not insist, you will only ruin the miniature.

if it doesent work i would cut it with a cutter (the blade has to be very thin) then re bond it.

is not necessary to completely separate the cockpit from struts with cutter. you can separate them a tittle(a half for example) then try to clive them with the thin instrument.

start allways from the lower part.

hope this is helpfull

bye

sorry for my english

I ended up using a can of compressed air (turned upside down) to freeze the glue joining the cockpit to the struts. This let me break it off (it also broke the tab on the struts that goes inside the cockpit) and use some superglue to re-attach it in the correct position. Now it looks just like a correctly assembled second one I have.

Perfect! good job!