Bandai TIE Striker

The Bandai TIE Striker presented a few problems, but I built it mostly out of the box. Here are a few notes:

1. Despite the available Greenstrawberry masks, I opted to use the stickers to mask the canopy parts. They work fairly well, just a little oversized for the central viewport.
2. I painted the interior canopy in Tamiya Clear Red (thinned with Mr. Leveling thinner) to simulate the glow of the interior lights.
3. I painted the body in a mix of Vallejo Air 71.008 RLM65 and 71.306 Sky Blue. Also, I masked lines around panels and hit those with lighter shades.
4. For the chipping, I used near white and and light grey. I applied most of the chips with sponges, while others were painted.
5. Using oils and more acrylics, I added some modulation and highlights to certain panels and raised areas.
6. I used AK Dust Effects to "Scarify" the Striker. It was only a matter of blending it. If you take your time, and only use a little, you can avoid damaging the plastic.
7. Grease and oil effects came from Starship Filth and Dark Mud oils. Just watch the joints!

The biggest downside of Bandai TIE Striker is the stand. It is too small, and the parts kept slipping out. I replaced it with a grey stand piece, but it's still top-heavy.

Another interesting note, the central canopy of the TIE Striker is smaller than other TIEs. Odd, huh?

The TIE Striker was a prototype, built by the Empire to serve as an atmospheric assault fighter. It served on many installations, including the facility on Scarif, which kept the Death Star Plans.

Being an assault fighter, the TIE Striker featured two sets of laser cannons, as well as two heavier laser cannons underneath the cockpit. Additionally, a proton bomb chute was located underneath the hull. A gunner operated the bomb chute, while a pilot sat forward, manning the laser compliment.

To gain speed, the TIE Striker could curl it's wings downward. This decreased drag, allowing the craft to match speeds of even the Alliance A-wing. However, the TIE Striker was nearly double the size of other TIEs. And if Rebel pilots lined up their shots, those large wings proved perfect targets.