Recently, Star Wars customizer Howard Wen aka thewriteguy contacted us with information on how we could share the plans for his 1:18 scale U-Wing that he made out of cardboard so all of our readers could make a better scaled version of the Rogue One vehicle at home. He released the plans to the public so everyone can download them for free.
The day that thewriteguy reached out to us, he had just released a separate Accessory Pack for the vehicle that includes plans for building things that go inside this 1:18 scale U-Wing. The update includes information on how to build the pilot seats, a troop bench, and other interior design elements from the U-Wing as you see them in the movie that turn the large cardboard toy model into a true playset for your 3.75” figures.
The materials that this U-Wing is made from are simple, cheap, and easily acquired (shipping boxes, food packages, etc.). This philosophy extended to the tools as well. There is nothing expensive, hard to find, or “exotic” about the tools he used to make this U-Wing playset. As for the glue, a hot glue gun could be used, but the writeguy stated that he avoided using it, because hot glue tends to dry too quick for him to handle the cardboard pieces or position them correctly before the glue dries. He suggested using school glue because it is designed for paper, and that’s what cardboard is -- two thick paper sheets that sandwich a corrugated (fluted) sheet between them. The only other kind of glue he used was super glue (not pictured). You should use this when gluing together the plastic cups that make up the engines, and when gluing plastic detailing pieces onto these cups. Don’t use super glue on the cardboard or paperboard. Super glue doesn’t work as well on paper and damages this material.
A cutting tip: Cut your cardboard against two large-sized sheets of scrap cardboard. Even if you are working on a cutting board table that has a surface that can withstand cuts, you will get cleaner, straighter cuts if you cut against two layers of cardboard. This also helps to keep the blade of the utility knife sharp, since it won’t get worn out faster running against the harder surface of the tabletop.
Building materials:
Shipping boxes; and cereal, cookie/snack boxes pulled from recycling bins.
Wood coffee stirrers and paper coffee cup sleeves pulled from coffeehouse trash.
4 salt containers (main engine housings).
4 tall yogurt cups (engine mid-sections).
4 stout yogurt cups (joiner between engine main and mid-sections).
4 plastic “shot glass” cups (engine ends).
1 white poster board (top body plating sections).
1 white project board (wings).
2 marker pens (cannons).
Plastic wire ties (engine detailing - wiring and junction boxes).
1 lid from Pringles can.
This Accessory Pack includes these decals (which thewriteguy intentionally designed in old-school Kenner style). After you've built and painted your interior components, just print this sheet in color on 8.5 x 11", cut these decals out, and stick them on with glue stick or spray-on glue. (There's an Easter Egg hidden in these -- can you find it?)
Link to the free download for all Star Wars fans who want to make a U-Wing of their own:
The Accessory Pack, a separate ZIP package, that contains plans and photo guides for building things that go inside this 1:18 scale U-Wing:
Photo album and download links to the 1:18 scale U-Wing build-it-yourself kit:
