Our Collective 5-Foot Millennium Falcon Build

[RealDaveWinter]

Ha. I did the same thing.

That said, I don't see any lettering on the fan tops in any of the photos that I've got. They're not great photos, since the Koolshade obscures much of the fan detailing, though.

You know, if this was CSI Las Vegas, the team would be able to just click on the 'enhance' button, and within seconds they'd have a fully realized, pixel perfect, 3D model that they could spin around and examine. And they'd know the name of the assembly line worker that put the thing together in 1971.

 

[Studio Kitbash]

Does anyone know Hiroshi Sumi or have his e-mail address or know how to get it? I'd be very keen to communicate with him either in English and/or through Google translate.

 

[Studio Kitbash]

Back in the saddle, thanks to a little inspiration from Hiroshi Sumi...

 

[GTMill]

Fantastic to see some more progress Read.

 

[swgeek]

I love the studio scale ashtray!

 

[eagle1]

The Mandala is such a wonderful area to work on...a nightmare...but wonderful all the same!. So much going on with the vents & kit part positions, all in themselves critical to everything fitting as they should.
Looking at your mandala dome Read through my recent surgical eye, I think I'm seeing that you have cut your dome off immediately where the raised exhaust strip starts, at the bottom of the Hurricane wing, is this so?. If you have, you have nothing now to attach this raised strip, as the dome continues underneath to match the outer dome diameter & continues the chamfered edge. This assembly is double stacked, engine deck/exhaust strip.

 

[Studio Kitbash]

The Mandala is such a wonderful area to work on...a nightmare...but wonderful all the same!. So much going on with the vents & kit part positions, all in themselves critical to everything fitting as they should.
Looking at your mandala dome Read through my recent surgical eye, I think I'm seeing that you have cut your dome off immediately where the raised exhaust strip starts, at the bottom of the Hurricane wing, is this so?. If you have, you have nothing now to attach this raised strip, as the dome continues underneath to match the outer dome diameter & continues the chamfered edge. This assembly is double stacked, engine deck/exhaust strip.

I "think" I'm pretty good in the length department, but actually having some geometry troubles/questions in the width area. I know, for instance, I cut one of my Panther decks "too short" in the center section, but it's the lateral dimensions that keep throwing me off.

You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT when you say this is the "nightmare" part of the build -- EVERYTHING matters, down to the 1/10 mm level, and I will most likely have to make this one a "study model" so that I can fix it and perfect it with a second go, but my current belief is that the underlying dome quarter-panel is not the issue.

 

[Searun]

Read,
Great to se you at this stage. Had to look up the word “Mandala” and found the the analogy is spot on. There is absolutely no margin available to stay within the engine deck envelop. Your careful, moveable layout- - - This is the Way.

I found that linking known parts that touch each other in vertical strips was helpful. Then, the lateral spacing of them to match the arc and curve of the dome. Every single greeblie touches something. Yes the raised exhaust section also matters as pointed out by the Eagle. The care used by the original model builders is incredible. The visual aspect is appreciated by many. But, becomes truly appreciated by those who attempt to replicate. ILM artist talent then revealed.

 

[Studio Kitbash]

A good day modeling be like...

 

[Studio Kitbash]

A bad day modeling be like...

 

[Studio Kitbash]

Today was a good day...

 

[joberg]

Indeed

 

[Bjorn]

That is a very good day. Well done.

 

[Searun]

Nice. Main landing gear plateau is another puzzle area where greeblies are a tight fit. That puzzle first approach, like on your engine deck hatch, is a good example how the kit parts define the dimensions. Supporting structure “frame” can now be arranged to match.

I built the fuselage areas based on great drawings by the experts, but was aggravated by my occasional measurement errors and construction design which required rework. Kit parts are the teachers that demand good homework.

 

[Studio Kitbash]

Test fit...

 

[manugu]

Another good day it seems
May I ask whether you used Panther G strips (2x #B11) outmost left and right or Jagdpanther (#A1/#A5)? Would there be a difference?
Looking great!

edit: (except you might want to flip that rigt M36 part since it is oriented 180 degrees...ohmyitsatestfitanditssupergreatandIstopnow.......)

 

[joberg]

Looking great indeed

 

[Studio Kitbash]

To build the scarab section of the mandala, you'll need one part from the Tamiya 1/25 Centurion, modified like so
(Read it comic-book style: 1, 2, line break, 3,4):

And THEN you'll need to figure out what piece (still un-ID'd) goes on the underside lip of this piece, jutting slightly forward from just underneath it once it's flipped back over on it's legs.

Anybody ID'd this circled piece yet? Anyone want to share what they used instead if they didn't ever find the original?

 

[jcoffman99]

Here's a side view if it helps. Not much to go on.

 

[Studio Kitbash]

My new favorite tool: BIG LED read-out, super-duper accurate, much more reliable than the plastic knock-offs I'd been using:

Also, how perfectly stupid and great is it that their company logo IS the exact same shape as a rare greeblie that goes on the lower landing gear box?