Greg’s pic of my TIE space ship

It is always sad to lose an old friend, and when it is your fault ….

My large TIE fighter (Star Wars space ship) has stood in a corner of our living room for several years now and has given me immense pleasure. There were all sorts of little details on it which I loved, and I loved the overall impact of the model in its mixture of zinc strips and girders and blue-gold plates. All credit to the Star Wars special effects modellers who dreamed up the original!

But nothing is for ever, and I knew it would have to come down one day. When it toppled off its pedestal while I was vacuuming the carpet nearby, thereby bending a 24.5″ Angle Girder in the process, I decided the time had come! So with a heavy heart a day later the screwdrivers, spanners and part boxes were assembled, and gradually it vanished.

I still feel slightly guilty! Mind you, it is part of a programme of renewal following the last exhibition of the season. So far I have stripped down one motorbike, a small space ship, a taxi, a launch ramp and several other bits and pieces. But as is the way with all of these things, the next idea is swirling around. Taking up the Star Wars theme again, how about a model of the Y-wing fighter? It would turn out at about 4ft long, from the look of it, giving lots of room for superdetailing the surfaces. As the dark nights of winter gather round the UK, this is the ideal time to be making such plans – so watch this space!

Star Wars Y-wing ship by http://www.smallartworks.ca