The Battle Droids of the Trade Federation first appeared in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Controlled remotely by orbiting Trade Federation ships, the Battle Droids made up for their lack of independent thought by the sheer numbers in which they were deployed. Transported to the surface of worlds as stored units, the Battle Droids unfolded from their stowed positions and became an instant army.

During the Battle of Naboo, Battle Droids were employed in reconnaissance duties, and required high mobility to move quickly around the perimeter of the battlefield. Their primary mode of transportation was the Single Trooper Aerial Transport (STAP), which was equipped with twin blaster cannon. As the units were open, they were vulnerable to enemy fire. If communication between the control ship and the Battle Droids was cut off, the STAP would be immediately disabled, usually resulting in a spectacular crash as they impacted on the ground.

The kit’s parts are molded in light gray styrene that is mostly free from flash and ejector pin marks. There are several areas which will require dealing with seams, such as on the front and back sides of the thighs, where the seams run along the midline from top to bottom. There is a great article on building a Battle Droid that was included in the book A Galaxy Far Away: Building Star Wars Models by Matthew Usher, published in 2002 by Kalmbach Publishing (publishers of Fine Scale Modeler).

There are some problems with the kit as it is designed. One on-line build review that I read indicated that the Battle Droid and STAP portions of the kit, while being easy to build, is a royal pain to keep in position when trying to join together. The joints on the Battle Droid have to be kept loose to enable the droid to be positioned on the STAP. But the joints are so loose and flimsy that the reviewer noted the droid would slip out of position before the glue joining the droid to the STAP had time to set. The builder noted that he ended up having to clamp the hands and feet in position with clothespins, essentially crushing them to keep them in place.

An easier (and less damaging) solution would have been to use super glue gel and Insta-set. Use some tape or small clamps to position the droid and then, one at a time, glue the hands and feet. Simply wiggle one extremity off the model, apply the super glue gel, reattach the extremity and spray on some Insta-set. I would probably start with the feet and save the hands for last. That way, the load-bearing feet will be secure and will support the weight of the kit while you work on attaching the hands.

The completed model is attached to a circular base with a short length of wire. Normally the wire just slides up inside the joined parts, with the thin plastic of the surrounding tube providing 100% of the support for the weight of the whole model. An alternative to the “standard” build would be to use Aves Apoxie Sculpt to firmly attach the wire inside Parts 42 and 43, which will provide additional support and keep the plastic from breaking. The lower part of the wire can then be mounted in the collar on the stand, again using Aves for permanent attachment. Instead of two separate parts of the model being joined loosely by a short length of wire, you will have one solid model from the base to the top of the Battle Droid.

So, here’s what I’m thinking of doing.

1. Build the Battle Droid as shown in Steps 1 to 10 (legs and arms aren’t attached until Step 16).

2. Skip to Step 14, and assemble Parts 62 and 63 (the swivel mount for the handlebars/guns).

3. Go to Step 15, and assemble Parts 58, 59, 60 and 61. These parts trap Parts 62 and 63.

4. The upper parts (58 to 61) slip inside the top section of Parts 42 and 43. Put a small amount of Aves inside the tube sleeve on Part 42, put the wire in place, and then attach Part 43, trapping the upper assembly of Parts 58 to 61. You can use a hobby knife or a dental tool to scrape away the excess Aves that squeezes out when you join the parts. Wrap the assembled lower section securely with a bit of tape to keep it from separating while it dries.

5. After the assembly dries, use a small bit of Aves to attach the assembly to Part 76 (the base). Make sure you position the STAP’s lower portion for display now, because once the Aves sets, you won’t be able to move it. Decide whether you want it facing left, right or straight forward.

6. After this whole section has dried (and is now one solid piece from the base up to the swivel mount), go back to Step 11 and continue the build as indicated. In Step 14, you will bring the parts shown together on top of the completed lower section. Step 15 now adds the stabilizer and the engines to the sides.

Complete the Battle Droid and STAP separately, paint and weather the two components as desired, then join them to complete the build.

The completed model stands about 15.75 inches high on the stand that is provided.

Review by: Rich “Lonewolf” Dula

Entry created: March 9, 2015