Starship Modeler: Gallery (Star Wars)

TIE Rum Runner

I thought I would share with the site my most recent build since entering the daunting world of scratch kitbashing! For now I'm calling it the TIE Rum Runner or "Swamp TIE". It is representative of a story of my creation, my own off-shoot of the expanded Star Wars universe.

Having built their Rum Runner from scrap yard finds, and other not-so-friendly means, the users of this vehicle are private distillers of very expensive and very illegal booze, secretly brewing and shipping their product from a dark corner of the galaxy. The heavy weaponry and more-than-adequate propulsion seen here show how determined they are to distribute their product swiftly, efficiently and without getting caught.

This model took a little over a month to complete and uses the cockpit module of an Imperial TIE Fighter kit, along with seriously modified and reversed engine housings of the Starship Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Both kits were made by AMT/Ertl and are no longer produced. Depending on your luck and your sources, you could obtain these kits for anywhere from $20.00 to around $120.00 (maybe more). I also used various components ranging from junk drawer refuse, children's toys, and dollar store finds. The gun turret alone is made of components from five sources. Virtually anything is a potential model part, if you put your imagination to work.

I had alot of fun building this model. At the same time it's very challenging because there are no instructions when creating your own beast.

Image: Turret

Image: Rear

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