Science Fiction Flavour

Category: Film

  • Darkstar

    Building the Bellfine 1/72 Darkstar from Top Gun: Maverick

    The Darkstar sequence from Top Gun: Maverick was one of the most memorable parts of the film for me, so I decided to pick up the Bellfine 1/72 scale kit and attempt a full painted build. Although the aircraft itself is fictional, its presentation in the movie blends futuristic aerospace styling with realistic experimental aircraft design, which made it an interesting project to work on.

    Initial Preparation and Painting

    The kit runners came moulded in black, white, and clear plastic. For the main body, I airbrushed the black and white runners using Mr. Hobby Mr Color No.18. The clear parts were left unpainted to preserve their transparency.

    After allowing the base coat to settle, I began masking selected areas using 5 mm masking tape. The highlighted sections were then airbrushed with Mr. Hobby Mr Color No.13 Neutral Grey. This helped break up the otherwise dark surface and introduced subtle tonal variation across the aircraft.

    The white sections were lightly weathered using Character White to reduce the stark contrast and give the aircraft a slightly more operational appearance rather than a factory-fresh finish.

    Assembly Process

    Once painting was completed, assembly of the main airframe proceeded relatively smoothly. The sleek fuselage and blended wing design captured the cinematic appearance of Darkstar very well once fully assembled.

    The landing gear, however, turned out to be the most delicate part of the project. The subassemblies had to be glued progressively in phases due to the small contact points and narrow support structures. I used Tamiya cement throughout the process, but even after curing, the assembled landing gear remained fragile under the weight of the completed aircraft.

    After completing the landing gear installation and photographing the model in its parked configuration, parts of the assembly began separating under load. To avoid further damage, I eventually removed the landing gear and decided to display the aircraft exclusively in flight mode.

    Display Solution

    One unexpected challenge was the absence of an included display stand. Since the Darkstar is visually better suited for an airborne presentation, I improvised by adapting a Bandai Action Base using the peg-type holder attachment.

    Although it was not specifically designed for this kit, the setup provided enough support for stable flight-mode display and photography. In the end, the airborne presentation arguably suited the aircraft more naturally than a grounded configuration.

    Decal Application

    Applying the water slide decals took approximately an hour. Once the decals had dried, I used a damp cotton bud to gently remove residual water marks and adhesive residue surrounding the decal edges. This helped the markings blend more cleanly into the painted surface and improved the overall finish of the model.

    Final Thoughts

    Despite some engineering limitations — particularly the fragile landing gear and lack of a dedicated display stand — the Bellfine 1/72 Darkstar still turned out to be an enjoyable and visually striking build.

    The combination of dark tones, subtle grey panel variation, and in-flight presentation helped capture the futuristic hypersonic aircraft aesthetic seen in Top Gun: Maverick. While the kit required some improvisation and patience during assembly, the final result displays very well and stands out nicely alongside more conventional aircraft models.

    Overall, this project felt like a blend of traditional aircraft modelling and science-fiction display building, which made it a uniquely satisfying addition to the collection.

  • Ohmu

    Bandai’s 1/20 Ohmu from Studio Ghibli was completed today, coinciding with Hayao Miyazaki’s 85th birthday, a fitting tribute to the creature’s origin.


    Painting & Weathering:
    All parts were base-coated with dark hobby paint, then airbrushed with plant-green paint to add natural shading. Tamiya Panel Line Accent (brownish-red) highlighted crevices, giving an organic, weathered appearance.
    The clear orb-like eye parts were first coated with a silver marker and then layered with transparent red hobby paint, creating depth and a soft glow.


    Assembly:
    Sides, base, and optic units assembled smoothly. The legs and other limbs, totaling over 50, required careful attachment. The final result is a fully articulated and visually dynamic creature.


    Reflections:
    Pre-painting parts simplifies assembly and ensures consistent weathering.
    Silver under transparent red produces realistic glowing eyes.
    Patience is essential when attaching repetitive parts, but the visual payoff is significant.
    The finished Ohmu serves as a miniature homage to Studio Ghibli’s imaginative creatures.

  • Buzz Lightyear

    Bandai plastic model kit, base-coated in dark tones and airbrushed with desaturated colours for a weathered finish. Water-slide decals add a more grounded, tech-like look. Built to commemorate Toy Story’s 30th anniversary.

  • Carcharodon carcharias

    A snapfit plastic model from Bandai, released through the Exploring Nature Lab product line. The mouldings were of solid-plastic, translucent-plastic, and rubber materials.

    I had the solid plastics airbrushed with Mr. Hobby paints, and the translucent and elastic pieces left unpainted. Panel line accentution solution was applied to the rubbery parts.

    In the final assembly, the pieces gripped together firmly.

  • Batmobile (Batman Begins version)

    Scale 1/35 plastic model from Bandai. A good majority of the components were snap-fit, while only a few required adhesive to hold. Super-glue was used to keep some of the wing flaps in place. Mr. Hobby paints were used to airbrush the parts and Tamiya panel line accentuation solution to bring out the details on the parts’ recesses.

  • All Terrain Armoured Transport (AT-AT)

    Scale 1/144 plastic model from Bandai.

    A snap-fit project with overall straightforward building instructions. The machine has numerous flat surfaces which can be satisfying to airbrush. Comes with intricate detailing parts and removable side plates.

  • Iron Man Mark XLIV Hulkbuster

    Scale 1/7 pre-painted model kit from Fondjoy. The set contained three runners’ worth of parts for assembly. The limbs came pre-assembled. I performed panel line accentuations before building the model.

    After construction, the cockpit housing became clad with magnetic parts. The optical lenses and several nodes on the body came with lights and batteries pre-installed.

  • Terminator HK Tank

    1/32nd Scale Model Kit from Pegasus Hobbies. Spent considerable time joining the parts with super glue. Held the continuous tracks together with staples. Used a nipper to “drill” holes at the machine’s faceplate and neck plate to facilitate the connections for the Lighting Unit bulbs. Performed weathering airbrushing with Mr Hobby paint 306.

  • Aerial HK Machine

    1/32 scale plastic model from Pegasus Hobbies. A straight forward kit that can be assembled quickly with the occasional use of cement. There were plenty of panel lines for accentuating, particularly at its “belly” where the details are more intricate.