1/144 ANH Falcon

[jusdrewit]

Quick question. Does anyone have any idea how I can accurately get ANH style bottom maintenance pits for the Bandai 1/144 Falcon? I'm going to be converting mine into the ANH version and that will be the biggest challenge (I might be wrong). Yes, that will involve dremeling and removing the landing gear boxes and creating new bottom maintenance pit shapes, but I think the most challenging part will be getting the internals of the pits accurate. I do own the 1/72 PG ANH Falcon kit that's unbuilt, and I'm tempted to build just the bottom maintenance pits for it, and piece by piece recreate it in Rhino or SketchUp on the computer, so I have a digital file of them. Then find a way to print them at 1/144 scale, so that might be the best, but time consuming option. Any other ideas would be helpful! Thanks!

 

[3Dsf]

That's definitely a lot of work! And unless you mount the model at an angle, not something that people will be able to see.

In my view the most difficult part is reconstructing the lower sections of the saucer where the ESB and later landing gear boxes are located. Making new maintenance pits shouldn't be that difficult if you 3D-model them and print in resin.

I made replacement ESB-era (ish) pits to replace the sequel-style pits that Bandai included with this kit, and it wasn't that difficult. The main problem was the underside saucer. Because I didn't want the hassle of reconstructing the lower saucer, I just sort of stretched out the ESB-era underside pit details to fit in the wider sequel-era pit openings.

 

[jusdrewit]

That's definitely a lot of work! And unless you mount the model at an angle, not something that people will be able to see.

In my view the most difficult part is reconstructing the lower sections of the saucer where the ESB and later landing gear boxes are located. Making new maintenance pits shouldn't be that difficult if you 3D-model them and print in resin.

I made replacement ESB-era (ish) pits to replace the sequel-style pits that Bandai included with this kit, and it wasn't that difficult. The main problem was the underside saucer. Because I didn't want the hassle of reconstructing the lower saucer, I just sort of stretched out the ESB-era underside pit details to fit in the wider sequel-era pit openings.

Yeah, I'm insane for trying this lol but I just love the curvier, more saucer shape of the ANH model than the ESB filming model.

Any chance you selling your STLs to the lower maintenance pits you did? Haha. And yeah, I realize redoing the saucer might be harder then I'm anticipating but I'm I think with enough styrene, sanding, and new plating covering any flaws, that maybe go a little easier? Of course I could be wrong, but can't hurt to try!

 

[Jaitea]

Hi Jusdrewit.....I had a go at this modification, definitely good fun

here's a link to my thread:

Bandai 1-144 Millennium Falcon ANH version

Hi guys,....I thought I'll make a new thread for this one I got my Shapeways parts today sculpted by Tony FZ6 & I started modding J

www.therpf.com

If I were to do it again, I'd print the greeblies for the pits, but it is possible using styrene & kit parts cause it’s on the underside & so small

J

 

[jusdrewit]

Hi Jusdrewit.....I had a go at this modification, definitely good fun

here's a link to my thread:

Bandai 1-144 Millennium Falcon ANH version

Hi guys,....I thought I'll make a new thread for this one I got my Shapeways parts today sculpted by Tony FZ6 & I started modding J

www.therpf.com

If I were to do it again, I'd print the greeblies for the pits, but it is possible using styrene & kit parts cause it’s on the underside & so small

J

Thanks Jaitea, yours is a work of art! Definitely big inspiration, and hope mine turns out half a good!

Any idea where I could find files for the pits in question, short of just making them myself?

 

[Millenniumf]

This model on Thingiverse is an ANH Millennium Falcon, and the greebles look fairly accurate to me: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6721821

I'm no expert on the ANH Millennium Falcon, of course. But give it a looksee and see what you think. It could save you some time.

 

[3Dsf]

Any chance you selling your STLs to the lower maintenance pits you did?

Sorry - I did the ESB pits, not the 1977 ones.

 

[jusdrewit]

This model on Thingiverse is an ANH Millennium Falcon, and the greebles look fairly accurate to me: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6721821

I'm no expert on the ANH Millennium Falcon, of course. But give it a looksee and see what you think. It could save you some time.

Thank you! Someone mentioned that on FB as well, definitely need to check it out! A quick glance looks promising though!

Sorry - I did the ESB pits, not the 1977 ones.

No worries mate!

 

[dstrunc2]

This model on Thingiverse is an ANH Millennium Falcon, and the greebles look fairly accurate to me: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6721821

I'm no expert on the ANH Millennium Falcon, of course. But give it a looksee and see what you think. It could save you some time.

I've printed this one. The port side pit looks pretty good but the starboard side not so much. Not sure what kind of accuracy you are looking for.
And they are modeled into the deck sections so you'll need to boolean them out.