Well, I have read some reviews of the kit, and I can deal with the learning experience of poor fit and such. (I am learning to love putty :)) However, I cannot for the life of me figure out how the kit designers meant for the display stand to actually support the model. If I put the stanchion on the stand base one way (as shown in the instructions), the model is displayed backwards (tail first); if I put the stanchion on the stand base the other way the model would be displayed in a moderate climb, except the stand falls over. Ideas?
AMT TIE fighter (Darth Vader)
Mar 16, 2005
4 Replies
Best bet, throw it away and make your own stand. I don't think AMT ever made a good one for S.W. kits.
Most kit stands...suck (to put it mildly).
Make your own, using a nice square of decorative hardwood, a nice brass rod to support the model, and have a name-plate etched for it. The result will satisfy you far more. Remember, a finished model is only as good as its weakest component. Ditch the kit stand.
The stand for that model has more flaws than usual:
- The lettering faces the wrong way.
- The stanchion doesn't match the curvature of the base and the ship, so there's no lateral support, making it somewhat wobbly.
- The stanchion isn't long enough, so the back of the ship tends to rest on the shelf.
- It's too thin and brittle.
As other people have said, you'd be better off making your own base. I like to use square brass tubing so it can't turn. Glue one piece into the model with epoxy. Take a longer piece that fits into the first, and mount it in a wooden base at the desired angle.
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