Another MPC Millennium Falcon Modification

Hi everyone,

I joined in for the 'Scale Model Addict Millennium Falcon group build' at the beginning of the year, and am still working on the Falcon kits that I have shown at various stages of construction (& destruction) over there.

I would like to show you one of my Falcon projects....the MPC kit.
I've been inspired by quite a few talented people over there (who also hang out here),...Ozzy, Captain Han Solo (BeatlePaul) & Scratchy for their customising and MerseaJohn for his painting skills.

This was the first image back in Feb, I'd removed most of the details on the engine deck:


I had thinned down the hull and cut out notches in the armour panels:




I also scaled down the jawbox slightly:


Over a week later I still wasn't happy with the Jawbox size, I compared it to images of the top view of the 5ft Studio Falcon and I decided that the Mandibles were way to long, I found these images on Ozzy's thread to back this up:




So I decided to cut the mandibles off






J

Super nice!!!! Looking forward to your progress!!!

Thanks tek2graphics,

Some more photos from Febuary, I began adding details, I started collecting some 1/72 armour kits....Panthers etc.....the sort of materials ILM used on the 5Foot, I also had quite a lot of spares & electronic parts:





I ordered a pack of 3 Jadg Panther 1/144 models off ebay from China



Details starting to build up:


Other parts of the tanks were useful too:


March.....Some electronic parts added:



The Top of the Panther used to create details in the opening:




Pipework added:



I'll post some more photos tomorrow, thanks for looking

J

Jaitea, Welcome to the RPF, and wow man, you have done some work on the falcon,since I last visited SMA. (Have not been online much over the last months) I couldnt wait to see what else you had done so I went over to SMA to check it out. Fantastic work. I will be using some of your ideas when I get back to my falcon.

Outstanding stuff, looking forward to your updates here, and to how you approach the docking rings.

PS: I love the fact you use anything that works. The press studs were what I went for as well with my original build. Awsome!!!

Regards

Ozzy

Thanks Ozzy,

Thanks for the feedback, your builds are what drove me on to buy an MPC (if you look back at SMA, I started off with the Revell kit for the group build)

Yeah those press studs were removed last week, I bought a model HMMWV Troop carrier and I liked the look of the wheels.....I'll post some photos.

Thanks again, J

EDIT: No there still is 2 on her, in the middle of the cooling fans

J

Thats good Jaitea is here

Hey, its my old buddy Vaderios, yeah, I'm here.....having a break from the virtual model kits, good to hear from you

J

Welcome to the RPF Jaitea. I really do like what you're doing with your build. Top notch work!

Holy Crap!!!! Wow! That is far more work than what I would ever have expected anyone to do with an MPC Falcon. But I am really liking the progress thus far.

Thanks Scratchy & JMChladek,

Ok, in March I had added more details to the engine deck, and reduced thee radius of the radar dish so that it roughly matched the diameter of the front of the jaw-box, I also lowered the base that the dish was mounted to, here are images of the MPC compared to the FineMolds 1/72:







I added relief to the edged of the gun turret:


The Engine deck gets near completion:




More details added to the gun turret:


More added to the engine deck:


Next was the task of widening the diameter of the cockpit tube:



To make the cockpit tube I found a pen tidy in a stationary shop:






Thats all for tonight, thanks for looking

J

Ahhh thats what I need!!! A MPC falcon fix to wake me up. Love what you are doing with this J.

Ozzy

This is shaping up to be one of the best MPC Falcon modifications ever.

The work you've done is great. I like the fact that you've hacked off the mandibles which, by the way, you are the first person I know of who has done that. Excellent stuff.

Can't wait to see more.

Wow, thanks for the comment Junk Pilot.....yeah hacking off the mandibles was a bit daunting, but inspired by the radical mods that Ozzy has accomplished, I had to do it

After seeing how Captain Han Solo (BeatlePaul) tackled the 'koolshade' on the cockpit, I went on the search for a material which I could use, I went to a fabric shop and eventually found this stuff in the curtain section, its called 'Monsoon Slot Tape Clear':


I cut off all the moulded seams to free up the strands....I used a blade to dig out some of the vertical strands and leave a ladder style Koolshade effect, I then cut out a frame to surround the material




More details added to the walkway






Need to still work underneath


Just making sure that the new walkway fits the adjusted height of the sidewalls
Putting in blank sidewalls to test the measurements




I also have the 1/72 FineMolds Falcon which I had bought clear resin engine nozzles for, so the plastic ones that came with the kit are going to be used on this MPC one.





Here's a video of the engine lights:

I took a cheap LED inspection lamp apart that I bought in a 'Home Bargains Store' for £4, I had a power supply the same voltage & ampage as the lamp, so that keeps everything nice & bright

I also added LED Xmas lights to use for Cockpit & Turret lighting.....you can see them taped up in a bundle

Falcon lights - YouTube

Now here's were things go in a direction away from the filming models, my concept of this build is to try and make a version of the Falcon based on the 5 foot ANH model....only make it with the same artistic licence ILM used in making the 32" for ESB.

I have made compromises only to go back and un-do them, (it would always bug me to know it's there...don't think I've got OCD though)

I also want to superdetail the ship especially in areas where ILM knew it didn't matter, I added some more details to the inside of the thruster plates.....ILM didn't need to detail this area as it would never be seen




More details




Some more scratch built bits



I moved onto the cockpit, the cone was made by wrapping thin plasticard around original cone



Added some styrene strip




After a few days I added the centre window frame to the cockpit




Compared to the kit part


Thanks for looking

J

Cant wait to film this

-Angel

Vaderios said:

---

Cant wait to film this

-Angel

No problem Angel,

You're a hard guy to get in contact to

J

amazing job dude!!..... ...

this makes me want to throw my fine molds falcon into the garbage!!!!

When you're done, I'd love to see a list of other things you cannibalised in your creation!

This is awesome!

Raising the bar once again.! Fantasic work on the cockpit J. One of the hardest parts to scratch build in my opinion.

Ozzy

This build is extraordinary! The detail is wonderful- I'm so happy to see you have chosen to follow the spirit rather than the letter. I love the radar dish, the details you placed inside the dish mounting cavity makes this thing look like a five foot model! Thanks for all the great pictures.

Looks great so far, excited to see how it turns out.

Nice. Very nice. Looking forward to it's finish.

Superb!!! Simply excellent!

Superb work on improvements! Good courage and continue in this way!
I subscribe to this thread!