The Razor Crest - “The Mandalorian” - 1/72 - 1/32 scale
Advanced Techniques
The box for the "Razor Crest" kit, which comes in two versions: this one, which can be found today for around 78 €, and a version with a detailed interior for... €150 (Note that prices have “skyrocketed”—too—since then!). Easy to assemble, with few parts, it doesn’t justify its price... Not to mention that there are also 5 photo-etched and resin kits that cost around $250!!! Business as usual... For our project, we'll settle for Revell's "basic" model and a figure we found online.
In addition to the diorama, a 1/32-scale resin figurine of the Mandalorian will be included...
Fortunately—good news—you can improve the kit without breaking the bank using a little imagination, salvaged parts, plastic card, etc...
Since the floor is engraved, there's no need to replace it...
A look at photos of the ship's interior from the series is essential to help guide you...
Lamps are added, along with various pieces of luggage, details on the interior beams and accessories, cables, and paper coated with very runny wood glue to simulate fabric. The nets holding the objects in place are made of fine tulle...
Added ladders, redetailed door and cargo hold frames and openings, as well as compartment panels...
An exterior view of the aircraft: here, the fin bases have been upgraded to plastic sheet (the panels are only deployed during in-flight braking or for repairs, so there’s no point in using the photo-etched kit—which saves money!...
Side view: The door openings have been improved, as has the missing wiring for the landing gear...
A view showing the interior of the cargo hold, equipped with its accessories, and part of the wiring for the rear landing gear...
We're adding a missing railing near the cockpit and improving the ceiling that connects to the first floor...
Upgrades to the cockpit, including the seat belts. The included decals are not used...
Once the detailing is complete, apply a coat of white primer...
Painting of props and ambient lighting based on the lighting setup...
Painting
All the parts were, of course, glued together, as were the reactors...
The seams were smoothed with liquid filler and then sanded; the model was given a coat of primer, and the keel and cockpit were masked off to protect them from the paint...
The entire set is painted in metallic silver...
We highlight certain silver-colored panels with metallic shades of varying lightness to create depth...
After it has dried completely (24 hours), apply a coat of gloss varnish, and then, 24 hours later, apply a wash made of black and umber over the entire model, focusing on certain areas...
Before applying the paint, the decals are applied. They are fairly thin and do not need to be replaced with stenciled paint. You just need to apply another coat of clear coat over them...
Panel details...
The appeal of this diorama lies in its ability to capture the surrounding reflections on the aircraft, which acts like a mirror...
The right side of the model is located near a cliff, the texture of which is reflected on its body. The entire right side and the bottom of the jet were not silver-plated but painted with acrylics in orange and earth tones matching the cliff and the ground. They were then varnished. Glazes were applied afterward to create a weathered look...
The left side reflects the ground, with—across half of the reactor—a portion of the sky, clouds, and the sun...
A veil of black has settled beneath the wings...
Install the "filters"!...
In issue No. 23 of "The Weathering Aircraft," the author of the article on the "Razor Crest" uses no fewer than 9 filters and 2 Mig thinners to achieve weathering and wear effects!!!
You can save a lot of money by creating washes using acrylic varnish and paint. The photo above shows the result...
Simply add a few drops of paint to the glossy acrylic varnish and use a brush to create streaks and various marks, which you can then dilute, erase, or alter with a tissue...
Each time, we choose a color from among black, umber, sienna, sand, etc...
Fine smoke trails were also airbrushed onto the engines using black acrylic paint...
A photo showing the aging effect on the side, which has also been enhanced with washes...
Another view...
The reflections have been reworked, just as they were on the reactor...
A glimpse of the future, unpainted set...
Positioning the Mandalorian figurine on the future set...
A painting of the finished model. All the highlights are created with paint...
The Setting
The base is a sheet of extruded polystyrene measuring 60 cm on each side and 3 cm thick...
The setting will consist of cliffs surrounding the aircraft's landing site...
A very detailed tutorial on how to work with this material can be found here...
Here, we used various offcuts to save money, but we could have cut large lengths directly...
The diluted quick-setting wood glue will hold all the pieces together...
Let it dry for at least 24 hours...
Beginning of the carving to refine the rocks...
Tracing the cracks. We always take our inspiration from photos...
Detail of the elevation change at the base of the cliffs...
Details on the various tools used in the workshop tutorial on extruded polystyrene...
After a few hours of work, you end up with a detailed rendering of the rocks...
The holes and cracks have been filled...
We continue by adding various materials of different densities, ranging from cat litter to fine sand, as fine as flour...
The floor is also plastered...
Details...
A bird's-eye view showing the leveling of the ground...
Another view...
Painting the Set
Applying acrylic Gesso with a wide brush...
A selection of acrylic paints used for painting the set...
Black is never used on its own...
As the sun shone on the tops of the cliffs, they were illuminated...
The camera is mounted on the set. The shadows cast by the rocks have been reworked...
The smoke from the reactors has seeped into the rock at the back. We add some black pastel powder...
The figurine is painted with oil paint and mounted on the floor...
The helmet is airbrushed in metallic silver with reflections of the sky and the ground...
