An RPF Open Source 5 ft Millennium Falcon Build/Reference Thread. All Are Welcome

[Studio Kitbash]

WHO's got Bandai 1/48 Panther G's for $75???

Tell them to call me -- I'm in the market, and I've been paying $125.

But yeah, pricey hobby for sure! You guys see the Bandai 1/24 M60 that went for $1800 last month? THAT was a new record.

Thus, my proposed solution: digital scans of everything. But admittedly, the joy of seeing a resin print come off the printer is NOT the same as seeing an old rare kit arrive in the mail, or show up at a swap meet, or found in a basement estate sale, so the archeological treasure-hunt aspect of it is, for me at least, a huge part of the fun and challenge.

 

[jcoffman99]

I made this to help check my docking ring dimensions based on the plans provided here. Thought it might help others with the angles. It's also on my drive folder.

 

[jcoffman99]

And when you cut your turret plate too small you recycle!

 

[jcoffman99]

Okay so this tool is awesome. I’ve always used an Exacto knives to score and snap with mixed results. This thing not only took a lot less time, but I had better results with nice clean edges.

 

[eagle1]

This kit was already posted in another build thread, so I didn’t know there was an issue. Someone really should write a rule book because everybody seems to have their own.

I'm going to say my thoughts on this issue of the rarer kits & an unstated etiquette among Studio Scale modelers that I can see just isn't there as it used to be.
To my mind it's all a hot political type arena & I tend to stay out of it & remain neutral to a point, but the ID's of the rarer kits are a hot topic among Falcon builders.
Rules??. Well no, there aren't any, not written anyway. But...there is etiquette & thought that goes into the publication of the rare kits.
These ID's go a long way back to their finders, the old guard so to speak of the Studio Scale builders. They kept these ID's off the boards for a few reasons, but over the years a few have made it out there into the world, but still held close to serious builders of the Falcon & other subjects.
The main reason of not making publicly known on boards etc... is that of price hiking & availability. Aa soon as a rare kit, such as the one you have now shown is made public, sellers somehow get to know the worth of their kit & bump up the price...dramatically I might add!. And so do others that have it & make for sale. It's a thing!. It has been seen in many many kits.
So in general, regarding etiquette in the Studio Scale world & with budding Falcon builders as here, we tend to keep the ID's close, not out in the open. If an ID is told to someone, it's usually explained to them to please keep off the boards. This being the only 'rule'...but not a rule...hence you see the politics of it all.
Over time, many years of doing this, only then does one realise the importance of one's actions.

 

[jcoffman99]

I'm going to say my thoughts on this issue of the rarer kits & an unstated etiquette among Studio Scale modelers that I can see just isn't there as it used to be.
To my mind it's all a hot political type arena & I tend to stay out of it & remain neutral to a point, but the ID's of the rarer kits are a hot topic among Falcon builders.
Rules??. Well no, there aren't any, not written anyway. But...there is etiquette & thought that goes into the publication of the rare kits.
These ID's go a long way back to their finders, the old guard so to speak of the Studio Scale builders. They kept these ID's off the boards for a few reasons, but over the years a few have made it out there into the world, but still held close to serious builders of the Falcon & other subjects.
The main reason of not making publicly known on boards etc... is that of price hiking & availability. Aa soon as a rare kit, such as the one you have now shown is made public, sellers somehow get to know the worth of their kit & bump up the price...dramatically I might add!. And so do others that have it & make for sale. It's a thing!. It has been seen in many many kits.
So in general, regarding etiquette in the Studio Scale world & with budding Falcon builders as here, we tend to keep the ID's close, not out in the open. If an ID is told to someone, it's usually explained to them to please keep off the boards. This being the only 'rule'...but not a rule...hence you see the politics of it all.
Over time, many years of doing this, only then does one realise the importance of one's actions.

Stu thanks for your perspective. My only argument is that kit was already posted and anyone could see exactly what kit it went to. Maybe we need a “rare kit” list passed in secret so we all know what the “rare” kits are. I didn’t think the price was out of line for any kit so it didn’t lead me to believe it was that rare.

I fear that I’ll never understand the studio scale world.

 

[eagle1]

It's a hard hobby to understand i know, because that's what it is ultimately. Took me years to get to grips with the unspoken 'rules' to it, but over time one learns how to be at one with it so to speak.
The price gouging on certain kits has increased over the years, but this is due to the fact the kits have become known, sellers increase the price & the kits themselves 'dry up' in availability & also folks hoard these rare kits when found & have no intention of ever using them in a build.
Already alot of the kits cannot be found easily, sometimes years in an example coming up for sale.
It's going to be much tougher down the road to build a Falcon, the 'old school' way, with actual donor kit parts from the vintage kits. But then, there aren't that many going down that route now with printing everything becoming the desired build material.

Don't fret though John, just have fun with your IDing thread & your build, kit collecting, because that's what it's all about...having fun!.

 

[jcoffman99]

Thanks Stu.

Side note: as I dropped the kids off to visit with their grandparents my dad gave me any early Christmas present. He said it was too heavy and too big to wrap. So I put this together just now.

 

[eagle1]

Ha, standard issue Falcon build stand!.
Lee Malones legacy from his magnificent replica!.

 

[Bjorn]

Apologies John, I could have perhaps, should have expressed things differently.

I am under no illusions to the expense of this hobby having approximately 140 donor kits and a lot of these being duplicates for this model.
To me the cost is perhaps of less importance than the respect of those that found these rare kits. And the money that they may have invested which I can only imaging greatly exceeds my own by many factors, simply having rode the coattails of those before us. Franck, Lee, Sean & Stu etc.

You are by virtue of the work you are completing, injecting a much needed energy to this when it has been lacking for a while. It is refreshing.
We are both clearly passionate about the same subject matter and I guess if anything was taken aback with seeing these kits in the open as it were.
There is clearly no rules or right or wrong. Simply do what you feel is right.

You won't hear any more from me on this.

Congrats on the engine stand BTW !

Regards,

 

[jcoffman99]

The circled parts are post ANH correct?

 

[jcoffman99]

Printed my ring. Waiting for more plastic to arrive and then I can cut the plate for it.

 

[jcoffman99]

Just made a quick buck…haha
Made this to 3D print a buck for vacuum forming the cockpit. I put the stl file on my drive if anyone is interested.

 

[Searun]

The circled parts are post ANH correct?
View attachment 1650006

This lower jaw mouth is ESB based on head lights and other “ Lower Lip Stick & Botox” unless I miss understand internet pictures that call out the well known various ANH vs. ESB.

That said, I need to confirm 3 other differences that I have noticed myself and have not found these specifically called out on the internet other than noticing picture differences.

1. I agree the circled Panther A boxes are not ANH.
2. Some castings available and a casting picture shown on the internet have the port Centurion fitting 180 degrees reversed on the lower lip.
3. Some maps on the internet appear to show one Jagdtiger cylinder and some show two on the “Sheridan” tank body mouth. All these appear to be for the ESB version. Perhaps one is missing on the original Studio Scale from pictures. In any case, the ANH Bandai model has one and some pictures of other models show one for ANH.

Your thoughts on the above?

 

[jcoffman99]

2. I haven't seen that. But based on this pic which is pre Empire alterations, you can see which way it is.
3. I'm not sure which piece you're talking about. Can you post a pic?

 

[jcoffman99]

This lower jaw mouth is ESB based on head lights and other “ Lower Lip Stick & Botox” unless I miss understand internet pictures that call out the well known various ANH vs. ESB.

That said, I need to confirm 3 other differences that I have noticed myself and have not found these specifically called out on the internet other than noticing picture differences.

1. I agree the circled Panther A boxes are not ANH.
2. Some castings available and a casting picture shown on the internet have the port Centurion fitting 180 degrees reversed on the lower lip.
3. Some maps on the internet appear to show one Jagdtiger cylinder and some show two on the “Sheridan” tank body mouth. All these appear to be for the ESB version. Perhaps one is missing on the original Studio Scale from pictures. In any case, the ANH Bandai model has one and some pictures of other models show one for ANH.

Your thoughts on the above?

This guy?

 

[Searun]

Yes, that is the cylinder on the ESB photo.

Distortion on the radiator may be from glue joint suspected from the missing 2nd cylinder. Note the missing piping glue lines.

My cylinder is identical to the configuration shown on Falcon A’s Sheridan mouth “sketch” showing 2 cylinders. The Studio Scale picture seems to be slightly different. I used what was in my parts bag that was identical to Falcon A. Not sure it is correct, only that it was a match. Onward I build.

 

[jcoffman99]

Yes, that is the cylinder on the ESB photo.

Distortion on the radiator may be from glue joint suspected from the missing 2nd cylinder. Note the missing piping glue lines.

My cylinder is identical to the configuration shown on Falcon A’s Sheridan mouth “sketch” showing 2 cylinders. The Studio Scale picture seems to be slightly different. I used what was in my parts bag that was identical to Falcon A. Not sure it is correct, only that it was a match. Onward I build.

That’s a Ferrari part. The radiator has fallen off.

 

[jcoffman99]

I found a few more missing pieces on this one.

 

[jcoffman99]

I think I finally found the base for this one. Now if I could just find the big ones the M60 parts go on top of.