Unnamed Rebel Tanker "Bussard"
Custom (1/350)
♦ Original design inspired by TESB end scene, with many liberties taken
♦ Removable tanks (2)
♦ Slide-
The Build
See Build Log for additional pictures.
This is one of the vehicles seen at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. You only get 2 shots of it: one below the Falcon, and one from the rear showing the engines. I first thought it was tanker, but it could also be a transport for two B-
Construction centered around 4 medicine cups and a 1/72 scale Sd.kfz 251 body flipped around and turned over. A lot of the parts came from that 251 kit, but I added a lot of styrene and photo-
Painting was a real pain. I tried several paints, but none would stick really well to the medicine cup plastic (it would lift up with masking tape). I ended up using Tamiya’s Lacquer Primer, which still pulled up a little, but worked better than anything else. Then I just painted it as normal.
I added a few decals, including two “bussard” decals from the Sd.kfz 251 kit (it’s German for “buzzard”). I thought it was a neat name, and looked cool on the side of it.
My wife later commissioned artist AdamKop to create a digital painting of The Shrike, with this model in the background.
Backstory
There’s not much history I can write without knowing what the vehicle was in TESB.
As for my idea of the Bussard-
The Bussard primarily carried liquid fuels, but could be converted to carry water or Tibanna gas if needed. It features a door right below the canopy, and a ladder along the side.