NNoVVember Starfighter Tutorial

Looking at the calendar, it’s very close to October 1. I’ve decided to start a tutorial on how to build my style of starfighters in minifig scale for those who want to join the NNoVVember 2013 event on flickr. The group is here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/921332@N22/

Almost every day starting October 1, I’m going to post a picture on my own flickr gallery of how my WIP starfighter started from zero, using some photos, but mostly Lego Digital Designer screenshots. This tutorial will include techniques, building strategies and tactics, and the evolution of this year’s starfighter as it comes along, including references to other key builders in this genre.

I’ll start from a handful of parts, build the cockpit box, show some SNOT tricks there. This way, the pressure stays low, and if you want to, you can build along with me a little every day. Each “step” should require no more than maybe half an hour’s building time, assuming you have similar parts on hand.

If you’re playing along and thinking about building your own MOC, there are some things you can do ahead of time:

* Plan for about 300-600 parts over the 30 days of building.
* Select three core colors you’ll be working with, dependent on some specific parts.
– Set aside some curved slopes of various sizes. You’ll need them.
– Set aside brackets for the main fuselage.
– Select a cockpit canopy.
– Build your minifig pilot.
* Other useful parts are: 1 x 1 cones, 1 x 1 round plates, 1 x 1 and 1 x 2 plates with clips in various configurations, and most of all, FINS. A Vic Viper MUST have one prominent tail fin (secondary fins are okay), exactly two forward prongs that extend forward on either side of the cockpit, and exactly two main wings.

Eventually the pics will catch up to the MOC’s real world development, because I’ve been building like a fiend since Dan traded me most of the core parts I needed. Since yesterday:

* Cockpit box sealed
* Pilot installed (almost: he needs a trans-neon green visor instead of trans-light blue)
* Instrumentation installed
* Control levers installed
* Brick built pilot seat installed
* Red/Green aircraft lights installed
* Main engine and secondary thrusters installed
* VTOL thrusters installed
* Shaping improved

I consider this MOC to be about 40% complete right now, as I still have to refine the shaping, add places for the M-Tron magnets, build option pods from scratch, break down the striping to create weapon hardpoints, design and build landing struts and all the weapons… Whew! This is going to be fun. If you’re interested in learning a new genre of building, now’s the time!