Star Wars AT-ST [WIP - Cockpit Interior]

As with most Bandai Star Wars model kits, the interior parts are usually molded with close to movie accurate details. But also in most cases the details would've been covered up, sometimes completely, in the final build. For the AT-ST, I have the option to leave both the command viewports as well as the top hatch open which should technically increase visibility into the cockpit interior. Nonetheless, it still wouldn't be effective use of one's time to spend too long a period painting the interior. Sadly I didn't get the memo and proceeded to spend an inordinate amount of time working on the interior.    

Bandai Star Wars 1/48 scale AT-ST work-in-progress: Cockpit interior

There were many instances that the paint job could have been more movie accurate. In fact some of these details may yet be painted to reflect what can be seen in the movie screen captures. Meanwhile other non-movie accurate s will be left as they are because I felt they would be more visible in a final build that may face visibility issues. So what then are the items I will need to repaint for it to be more movie accurate and what will I be willing to let remain in its existing less-than-accurate form?

Bandai AT-ST work-in-progress: Cockpit viewports and front control panels 

Bandai AT-ST work-in-progress: Seats, weapons/motion controls and rear panels

On the rear of the cockpit interior are a series of square panels with a circle at the center (see above). It's clear from actual movie screen captures that the circles are red in color. After some thought I've decided to repaint the circles to red so as to provide a dash of bright colors to help make the interior details more visible to the naked eye. On the other hand, the oval-like shapes on the side panels - two on each side - that I had painted white and red (see below) will remain in their non-accurate hues. In the movie, they contain radar-like readouts which would have been hard to spot in the final build.   

Bandai AT-ST work-in-progress: Side view on the right

Bandai AT-ST work-in-progress: Side view on the left

Well that's all for the cockpit interior with only minor repaints needed before its assembly. In addition, I will have to finish painting the AT-ST pilots to be seated in the interior. That's up next so like most of my previously completed Star Wars projects, this 1/48 scale AT-ST build is taking a similar path of cockpit interior to pilots to exterior. Hope this week has been good for you, and here's wishing you a better one ahead. Cheers, be well and take care. And no this isn't an April's Fool post!