Revell Star Wars X-Wing Snap Tite
(http://www.revell.com)

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Instructions and Reference Pictures are available

Finished Shot

My Son has always like watching me work on my models and asking a ton of question about them. He also likes watching the Plamo Tsukurou Videos with me, even though neither of us understand what they are saying. So for his 6th birthday I decided I was going to get him a model. I went down to Hobby Lobby and found they were carrying Star Wars models again so I got him the X-wing model. He loves Star Wars so this was perfect. He knows models are not toys, but I figure this model mean its demise after a fail flight across the living at some point in the near future. But did we all do that with your models when we were kids.

Open Box Review
The model is pre-painted which is good for him; because of age painting is a challenge. It looks simple and there are not a lot of pieces, the detail actually looks quite well. The Wings should be able to open and close after assembly. And it comes with landing gear so if you want to build it as a landed model you can. The Landing Gear and Cannons are made from a springy kind of plastic. Luke and R2 are mode from a type of rubber, R2 is removable as well. The Cockpit can open and close. It’s really not a bad model at all for 8 bucks (with a 40% coupon it would be a steal). It is a good starter model for any kid.

Planning
There wasn’t much of any planning as soon as he opened it he wanted to put it together (hence no spure shots). On the way from his party with it, he decided he wanted to paint it with “Battle Damage”, and use my Dremel Tool to do it. After the visions of the trips to the emergency room flashed before my eyes, I suggested pastel chalks to him, and a small talk I had talked him out of using a Dremel tool. So get got home with our plan and started working

Things I have learned from this kit so far.
My Son learn Exacto Knives are sharp
If you Sneeze in the pastel chalk it goes everywhere.
The Rubber R2D2 is made with does react with Krylon Matte Clear coat

Work In progress Shots I think he did quite well for his first model. He did most of the assembly. I did the cockpit due small pieces, and the engines due to them bit hard to snap in. I then clear coated the model with a Krylon matte clear coat so the chalk would have something to stick to. The Clear Coat reacted with R2 for some reason and he became sticky, but looked fine otherwise. Pastel chalk is a good starter with kids it makes the model look better and easy to clean up. I just shaved some dust off and let him have a old paint brush. He really liked doing it. My youngest son watched was all excited as well. All in all it was a lot of fun working on a model with him, and maybe some time soon I will get him the Arc-170 model. Also he was excited to help me put the finished clear coat on it to keep the chalk on the model, but in the process we forgot to mask the canopy so it became fogged over with Matte Clear Coat.

Contact me at josborn@happinessismandatory.com