Hasbro Legacy Millennium Falcon Conversion
- Thread starter crackerjazz
- Start date
crackerjazz
Sr Member
Thanks guys! Hi Superjedi - same here - I look at that Mazda Wankel as a Falcon part instead of an engine : ) Looking at the photos I used to think it wouldn"t be too hard to scratchbuild. But now that I have the part it seems so complex. It must be the same with all the other parts of the 5-footer. The photos make them look deceivingly simple. So how you scratchbuilt the whole ship with all the details now baffles me and I now question my ability to replicate what you did, considering the shortcut I've already taken.
The details on that Mazda Wankel engine are so gorgeous, as I imagine all the other parts' details would be, so now I understand why 5-footer builders are bent on building that thing. And I guess it made me realize again why we scale modelers like models instead of just collecting photos. Photos just don't do justice to the 3-dimensional object.
Regarding the mandible thickness, I looked closer at Martyn's photos and noticed a gap where the Wankel supposedly mates with the lower mandible surface.
I made some measurements based on the Entex and the photos - 4.7 cm for the Wankel side + a 0.4 cm gap gives 5.1cm, or 2 inches as the ILM 5-footer mandible thickness. This makes sense, I guess. They would have based all base platform measurements in inches and 2 inches is a nice round value, and the gap is there because the mandibles came first before the kitbashing and not the other way around.
The details on that Mazda Wankel engine are so gorgeous, as I imagine all the other parts' details would be, so now I understand why 5-footer builders are bent on building that thing. And I guess it made me realize again why we scale modelers like models instead of just collecting photos. Photos just don't do justice to the 3-dimensional object.
Regarding the mandible thickness, I looked closer at Martyn's photos and noticed a gap where the Wankel supposedly mates with the lower mandible surface.
I made some measurements based on the Entex and the photos - 4.7 cm for the Wankel side + a 0.4 cm gap gives 5.1cm, or 2 inches as the ILM 5-footer mandible thickness. This makes sense, I guess. They would have based all base platform measurements in inches and 2 inches is a nice round value, and the gap is there because the mandibles came first before the kitbashing and not the other way around.
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Colin Droidmilk
Sr Member
Who needs Koolshade? lol. Great job!
superjedi
Sr Member
Joseph, you're doing an amazing job on this conversion! What I did with my Falcon was different, in that I tried to take reference of the large scale model and then reproduce it as its "little brother." 
For scratchbuilding, what I began doing was looking at tons of reference pics and trying to break each detail down into its component parts and then try to replicate those as simply as possible, beginning with the simplest base geometric shape and then adding on top of that.
Take this pic for example:
On this docking ring, there are about 140 individual pieces of styrene and wire. That's not including the surrounding cone, just the flat face. I'm not claiming to have replicated the 5-footer's detail 100%, but I think it captures the feel of the ILM bird.
But many of those shapes are just simple strips/blocks of plastic, assembled to build up the detail. It was a long process, sure, but if you try to imagine each portion of your details as their simplest components, you can build something that replicates it pretty convincingly.
Hope that makes sense!
For scratchbuilding, what I began doing was looking at tons of reference pics and trying to break each detail down into its component parts and then try to replicate those as simply as possible, beginning with the simplest base geometric shape and then adding on top of that.
Take this pic for example:
On this docking ring, there are about 140 individual pieces of styrene and wire. That's not including the surrounding cone, just the flat face. I'm not claiming to have replicated the 5-footer's detail 100%, but I think it captures the feel of the ILM bird.
But many of those shapes are just simple strips/blocks of plastic, assembled to build up the detail. It was a long process, sure, but if you try to imagine each portion of your details as their simplest components, you can build something that replicates it pretty convincingly.
Hope that makes sense!
crackerjazz
Sr Member
thanks Colin Droidmilk! : ) Initially I used the smallest staple wire but it just wouldn't straighten out as good as I wanted it to. The guitar string just springs out open. An aircraft carrier model I once built had these whisker-like things sticking out to the sides of the bow. I should have used this instead of stretched sprue which gave me a really hard time coming up with even thicknesses.
superjedi, i'm waving my white "surrender" flag at you. : ) 140 individual parts - wow I hope I can come up with something that looks even close. How about the cone - is it made up of individual rings gradually varying in size then covered with sheet styrene? I've been looking through the supermarket aisles in search of something shaped similarly. Found one actually but it's made of rather flimsy plastic.
superjedi
Sr Member
Joseph, never give up! Never surrender! Oops. . . wrong movie.
The cones were engineering masterpieces whose dimensions and shape took me weeks to calculate. Oh wait, no they weren't. They are indeed plastic cups! I searched for something that would give me a good representation of the shape and found some clear cups. The kind that are made from "stiffer" plastic that you might put out for a party. I trimmed the bottoms off to make them the right height and skinned them with sheet styrene panels and greeblies, then inserted my docking port assemblies from inside, giving them that lip around the edge.
The cones were engineering masterpieces whose dimensions and shape took me weeks to calculate. Oh wait, no they weren't. They are indeed plastic cups! I searched for something that would give me a good representation of the shape and found some clear cups. The kind that are made from "stiffer" plastic that you might put out for a party. I trimmed the bottoms off to make them the right height and skinned them with sheet styrene panels and greeblies, then inserted my docking port assemblies from inside, giving them that lip around the edge.
Laspector
Master Member
May I ask-- What is Koolshade anyway?
Amish Trooper
Sr Member
Expensive.....I sent you an pm too bud.
crackerjazz
Sr Member
Hi Laspector, on the 5-footer it's used over the cockpit tube holes, on the engine vents, and on the docking arm "hole". And in some areas it's got these dents on it the way your car's radiator fins get dented. I'm not sure if this is done on purpose to portray wear or just rough handling when moving for the tours. The same goes for the bent plating along the edges or the misaligned rear feathers. The 32-inch Falcon didn't use any koolshade by the way. Amishtrooper, have you started working on your Falcon, too? : ) superjedi that's amazing who would have thought! It IS an engineering masterpiece - to achieve the same result using an easier method! : )
crackerjazz
Sr Member
I"m preparing to scratchbuild the wankel using the model kit part. I've indicated the directions of the Wankel halves. The one pointing forward is the bigger uncut piece.
Cut off the top jawbox.
This is where the mandibles lock onto the hull on the Hasbro. It needs
be opened up to tuck the too-long mandibles in and toe them in as well.
Did the same for top and bottom hull halves.
Cut off the top jawbox.
This is where the mandibles lock onto the hull on the Hasbro. It needs
be opened up to tuck the too-long mandibles in and toe them in as well.
Did the same for top and bottom hull halves.
PHArchivist
Master Member
The fun continues!
whitepearl
New Member
your job is awesome!!!!
crackerjazz
Sr Member
Thanks guys!
I thought I'd put the Wankel aside and do the easier things first - like patching up the gun turret openings. Sooner or later though, I'd have to face the fact that I'd have to scratchbuild that Wankel and other details, yikes!:sick
Marked the styrene from behind.
I then measured the openings from the Chronicles book and scaled it to the Hasbro. It was a bit tricky as the hole is partially outside of the styrene patch.
Scored it carefully over and over...
And popped the hole out. The outer circle I just cut with scissors but on second thought I should have done the same to save on trimming.
Glued it on. Had to file where the hole extends a bit on top. Was careful not the glue the patch flush to the surface as I have to extend the armour plates.
Notice the size of the original turret window frame. I could use it still by cutting it up but it's more than 2mm thick - it wouldn't look right. So a scratchbuilt one is the way to go....
I thought I'd put the Wankel aside and do the easier things first - like patching up the gun turret openings. Sooner or later though, I'd have to face the fact that I'd have to scratchbuild that Wankel and other details, yikes!:sick
Marked the styrene from behind.
I then measured the openings from the Chronicles book and scaled it to the Hasbro. It was a bit tricky as the hole is partially outside of the styrene patch.
Scored it carefully over and over...
And popped the hole out. The outer circle I just cut with scissors but on second thought I should have done the same to save on trimming.
Glued it on. Had to file where the hole extends a bit on top. Was careful not the glue the patch flush to the surface as I have to extend the armour plates.
Notice the size of the original turret window frame. I could use it still by cutting it up but it's more than 2mm thick - it wouldn't look right. So a scratchbuilt one is the way to go....
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crackerjazz
Sr Member
Thanks Nazgul! I used the original part after all because I needed the bigger circle, half the width of which is not just flat but conical in shape on the ILM 5-footer. Even the small circle should be conical - which the toy window wouldn't allow since I'll be using the flat inner portion but maybe some filing will do the trick.
Bored lots of holes
Dremelled up the openings
Here she is compared to the original size. Should be good after sanding and puttying up, some milliput to round off the corners of the openings and 1mm styrene trim around the whole thing.
Bored lots of holes
Dremelled up the openings
Here she is compared to the original size. Should be good after sanding and puttying up, some milliput to round off the corners of the openings and 1mm styrene trim around the whole thing.
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Amish Trooper
Sr Member
You are a mad man. This thing is going to a real nice conversion. I can't wait to see it painted up
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