The Goal

The goal is to build Darth Vader's ship (TIE advanced X1, for the nerds out there :D) at a 1/2 scale, for an exhibition (more on that later, I promise). This requires to know the real dimensions of the ship, and it is not an easy find.

What the galaxy's finest specialists say

Well... Thery are not all on the same page. Here is the claim of several sources:

1. Internet (Star Wars wiki) :
   36.3 x 31.2 x 20.6 ft (or 11,05 x 9,5 x 6,28 m)
   (at a 1/2 scale, it would be too big for the exhibition room, or my workshop!)
2. The book TIE Fighter Owners' Workshop Manual:
   20.3 x 19 x 12.5 ft (or 6,2 x 5,8 x 3,8 m)
3. The 1/72 model from Bandai:
   21.7 x 20.3 x 13.8 ft (or 6,6 x 6,2 x 4,2 m)

I am not the first one digging this question. I even found a whole article exploring TIE Fighters sizes.

So?

I decided to go with option 2, because it is the most recent source of information, and the one that is more practical for me! However, the third option gives me a lot more information, so I decided to calculate a new scale, seeing it now as a 1/68 model, instead of a 1/72 one.

There you go, all I need to do now is to measure the model, multiply by 34, and I get my 1/2 scale!

Are you lost in this scales and calculation gibberish? Well, I warned you, we are on the dark side! But don't worry, next time, I will show you some real cardboard sculpture stuff.