32 inch ESB Millennium Falcon

Flintlock

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Hey, did anyone miss me? Remember me? Don't care? How about the new guys? Beaz, Kitbasher, Kaiburr, etc... are you guys still here? I'm back now, and who bumped my thread to the end of the stack? I have a lot of catching up to do...
 
Welcome back Flintlock!

How long has it been? It feels as if you left us only yesterday! Great to see you on the boards again.

Rolando
 
They did shoot me down over Kabul, and I was in a prison camp for a while... but I'm out now, I got out... hehehe... Let me out of the Navy already? Hell no, the're never going to let me out! But that's ok because I don't mind it too much (I've got 5 years left unless I re-enlist or something)... Except for all the rude civilians here in Washington DC

EchoLeader, it's been about a year, actually. This isn't my computer, I'm at work but as soon as I get my own hooked up to the net I will be on here a lot more...
Cerney, are you here? I need to ask you some questions if you don't mind... but I no longer have your e-mail address.

P.S. To all: My e-mail is r_e_flint@yahoo.com for now anyway... it will change soon.
 
moes1, your Falcon is beautiful!
I want to do one myself in the future, but I am terribly behind in a lot of things... I don't have any of my modeling stuff with me right now. First on my list is the Y Wing because it has been first since day one.
All your parts... do you know what they all are?
 
Yes, I have most of the parts ID'ed. Lets say about 60-70% of them. I wanted to find the most recognizable parts which I have managed to do. Frank has been a very good help in that matter too.

The parts used for ex. my jaw plates is not accurate though, I didn't have very good ref. material for this section. The same goes for the two manholes at the bottom, these will also be inaccurate but they will look like the real deal. I have only manages to ID a few parts for these holes.
But my detailing for the upper engine will be nearly 100% accurate.

Moes1
 
Some of your pieces are also found on the Y-Wing (maybe I am thinking of the 5 footer), and I don't think anyone over there has identified them yet... I know I haven't. Some of them I've been wanting to find for a little while. Any hope for some clues as to what these are?

Ok, I spoke too soon... Those are pictures of the actual studio model that I was thinking of... there is one part that MAY be on the Y-Wing... it's on the top near the front... looks like a truss and we all thought it was from a construction kit because of it's yellow color in the Chronicles picture... it is in the thrust vectors on the Y-Wing...
 
I still think this yellow part is from a Tamiya Tank Recovery kit that is currently in production. Tuesday, I'll try and get the ID#. By the way, you Falcon builders are destroying my ego and sense of self worth! Truly fantastic building! Makes me want to clone myself and force HIM to do mundane things like work.

Nathan
nkhyber@aol.com
 
One interesting thing we have noticed with the Falcon...and maybe you have too with the Ys...

Not only are you identifying parts...that are buried under other parts..but many have been modified.
For example, the Sherman that has all the detail sanded off.

Another subject....WHAT do you say to someone who keeps buggin ya to do this as a kit. I know Steve says he is going too. However, I think its far too complicated. Moe and I have had numerous discussions about this subject.

I mean...a kit..would be great. But...Can you imagine the price?
 
I can't see a kit being that feasible. Too many undercuts, meaning too many subassemblies, meaning too many parts to cast, meaning lots of rubber and lots of resin. If it's gotta be produced in quantity, lots of bubbles, too, I imagine.

BUT, what about selling drawings along with reference pics and an accurate kit list? You could put the whole thing on a CDROM. Not a complete kit, but a starter kit? For those of us who would like to build a 32" Falcon some day down the road, all of that accumulated research would definitely be worth paying for!
 
Thats an idea.
A good one too.

I will talk to my friend Morten, and see what he thinks. I would only do it if he was involved.

Ill post pics soon. SAD to say...I have been BUSY and Mort has PASSED me by!!

I need to catch up!
 
I have though about making a starter kit it for a while now. It could be possible to make the basic form of the Falcon with lasercut parts such as ribs, the two plane main part, the parts for the tunnel, wacuum formed hull and so, but this will be a project of its own.

The next problem with a starter kit is, one need to build it to see if everything fits.
But I have thought about it many times and Frank and I will perhaps do it some day - Perhaps...
One thing I have discovered is that my Falcon is not accurate - its very very close to the original, so close that I havn't got any problems adding the details, but it has been almost impossible for me to calculate the correct measures. For example, my gun turrets diameter is a bit too big perhaps only 2-4 mm, which means that the tunnels will be too short and the bottom engine landing gear box too. My top and lower jaw boxes is not wide enough at the top and they are too high, only 1-2 mm off, but thats enough to make inaccurate.
All these little things will have to be corrected if we are going to sell a starter kit.

Next is to make a good building guide, which will take plenty of time to make. There should be a 3D step by step instructions with templates of some of the parts needed. Again some of the parts has to be sand into angles aswell and this must be shown also. There could be pictures or drawings showing all this.
Then there are all these very expensive parts ex. the Porsche transmissions - should there be casts of these? and what should they cost? it is very hard to set a price on this.

I am a very lucky and happy guy because Frank has found the time to make me some cast which I could buy for my project.

I still have my plan on my computer made in scale 1:1 though, which could be printed on a big printer.
I also have a lot of pics with the IDed parts colored, so I have good ref. material, the problem is that most of my ref. pics. are NOT mine, so naturally I can't share them without having the go from the owner.
I do know that the 32" falcon will properly be on display in Paris next summer and Im going to see it again.
Hopefully it will be displayed better than it was in Bradford.

Who knows ... perhaps some day a starter kit would be avaiable ....

... and Frank my friend you're still ahead of me ..
 
Hi,I am a bit new to the world of studio scale modeling,but I am gearing up for a/some project(s).My building skills are
good,as are my kitbashing,but one of my handicaps is identifying kit parts for such projects as the 32" Facon which is one of the projects I'd like to get started.Ive had some help with partial lists,thanks to Scott&Doug,but thats about it.For the Falcon project Ive only been able to identify just a few kits I knew for sure were on it,but im at a loss for others.I'd like to make a falcon as accurate as I can,possible in both SW&ESB versions.Is there someone out there who has more or less a complete list for the 32"Facon?Other projects I'd like to tackle are the Y-wing,and the SlaveI.
I found Tim Ketzer's projects to be quite inspiring as well as others in the forum,you all do beautiful work.I liked Tims Falcon design,its pretty soild,and plan to use it,as well as adding some of my own ideas.If I can,I'll contribute as much as possible.I'll be making qite a few castings,mainly of the more expennssive,hard to find kit parts,such as that 1/8 Entex Porsche transmission..what a frustraitng M!#@%&&%@?*%$! to get ahold of.I also have a machinist/CNC background,so if i make anything that works&can become of use,I'll make it available for everyone else if they want it.Anyways,Im sorry for being longwinded,its a habit of mine,but if someone could get back to me,I'd greatly appreciate any help,and I'm sure I'll have another question or two in the comming weeks/months.

Sincerely,
John Polacchi

p.s: my e-mail address JPolacchi@hotmail.com
 
Welcome aboard!!
The Falcon, is a rite of passage.

Tim K handed me a list of kits. Its really, a start..but unless you are absorbing yourself into this project..the information does you little good. You really need to study the bird.

And I mean...STUDY IT. The Ywing bubbas will agree, you have to learn to "SEE" the parts, and how they have been modified. So,....to start....go buy every kit TAMIYA and AIRFIX kit you can get your hands on.
Anything mentioned on ANY of these boards...Ywing...Xwing..TIE...was used. Somewhere.

Thats the trick. Not WHAT was used...BUT WHERE.

An observation. I have noticed until you have your body done, of whatever project you say you are going to work on, you wont get too much help. You also need to provide info....to get info. Info that's already public domain....is worthless.

Its not that people are turds...its just that they have WORKED...WORKED...and SPENT $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to get the info that many expect to be handed out for free.
 
Thanks for the feedback Brundle,I know that this is'nt an easy project,let alone any studio model replica buildup.I have for the last few months...been buying about everything I think was used on the Falcon...and yes Ive noticed that many of the ships built,ILM used the same ones over and over in some fassion or another.I'll be returning to school for 1 last semester,and although I'll find it difficult to identify kit parts(I've staired at Chroniocal pictures till I was crosseyed)I may be able to contribute in other ways.
Some of the assemblies on the 32" Falcon I intend to machine out of Solid acrylic,or aluminum either to use directly on my project,or to be fassioned into a mold whether they be vacuu-form,or a good rtv silicone.Some things can be fabricated easily,others may require more complicated setups..I dont know yet.The other hurdle for me is to get some good,solid plans drawn up for the Falcon,or other Star Wars Project.From all of the sources I have of Star Wars vehicles,its difficult to get some accurate prints,especially good top,bottom&side profile views for making patterns.There's not enough info in the Chronicals book,or other sources I have.
Anyway,once I get the ball rolling,and anything I may have that could be of some use to others in here working on the same project(s) I'll gladly make available.Assembly of the Falcon Im sort of folowing Tim's design because its been designed pretty strait forward&its basicaly simple,but will be doing some of my own modifications.Some of the assembly of his project was somewhat skipped in the magazine article&website..but I suppose I'll figure it out like others have.Anyways,thanks again for the feedback.I know nothing is for free,but as I said...I'll share&contribute as much as I can.

Thankyou,
John Polacchi
 
WORLDS OF WONDER!!! Heck of a job there Frank. The bird is shaping up quite nicely
icon2.gif


Rolando
 
Thanks!
Each landing gear bay opens...and is set up for landing gear.

So..the model...should stand on it with no additional support.
 
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