And… another ANH 5FT falcon. My second attempt.

[Dimitri-Ajith]

Thanks Bjorn!

Yes indeed the Ladder chief and the chassis 'rails' on the outer wall provide some guidance. And honestly, i couldn't have done this with the work in progress pictures from sean and stu their builds. Using those and reconfirming plating and greeblie locations on photos of the original falcon is my workflow.... Sometimes a quick peek at the Bandai PG, for an extra confirm.

Getting there... slowly, but getting ,more confident by the hour. More things fall in place... i guess the beginning is the hardest. (I hope LOL)
But sometimes i forget i already have countless...hours..days... weeks... months of research and staring at this model done, the past years.

 

[Dimitri-Ajith]

A little update:

3D Printing status:

And a start on the glueing of parts on the mandible sidewall.
Hope it gives me the final pointers for the plating on this side of the mandible....

 

[Studio Kitbash]

GREAT update -- thanks for the pictures!

I swear that top photo reminds me of a Fisher-Price "My First Millennium Falcon" kind of toy for toddlers.

But that bottom picture, with the greeblies, is amazing at how quickly she transforms into the real ship.

Also, can I ask? Are you making your own special modifications along the way, or is your build pure canon? If so, what are the three little pipes coming off the front of the triangular Saladin box on the lower port sidewall?

 

[Dimitri-Ajith]

Thanks SK, no mods. Just as it was. thats bandai 8 ton, i think.

 

[ChrisGFX]

you are doing a great job!

 

[bwayne64]

Gotta love that armature, Mello Yellow !

 

[Dimitri-Ajith]

It's been a while....

As these projects go, last year work got in the way.
I joked with Stu (Eagle1), "as long as we finish these Falcons in this lifetime... "(He is almost finished now..)
But I jynxed it with that joke, as I got a cardiac arrest in beginning of January....
I got very lucky and still here. And everything is going well.. relative upwards.

So back to this project again!
She is on the Engine stand, a few more parts to print.
And designing the domes... still not 100% sure how I will tackle this. But chances are big I am going to print a 4mm shell with ribs...
later more on this.

For now 2 photos to celebrate the continuation of this project and some more regular updates.

 

[swgeek]

Yikes! Glad you're still with us.

 

[ChrisGFX]

wow nice progress!

 

[Studio Kitbash]

Love that Dura-Steel plating! Nice and clean and crisp looking -- great job!

Glad to hear of your recovery even more.

 

[Bjorn]

Looking excellent Dimitri. Love the cabinet in the background also!

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Best regards!

 

[Dimitri-Ajith]

Looking excellent Dimitri. Love the cabinet in the background also!

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Best regards!

Thanks, yeah I am working on my own 'recipe' for the moducases. This is my prototype. And happy for now. Some points are even cleaner as the moducases. But not the crazy delivery times. (Not sure if you know the moducases... well know with star wars hot toy / sideshow collectors)

Or you probably meant what's in the cabinet....

 

[joberg]

Looking very good...after that health scare of yours

 

[Searun]

Dimitri,
Great post. Astounding transformation taking place after your unique CAD armature approach. Your detail work applying kit parts and armor plating demonstrates the care you used in measurement research when applying the many years of knowledge freely contributed by the experts you named. Without their sound foundation the build, for me, this project would have been impossible to start.

As amazing as relatively recent 3D printing is, how great the introduction of the Bandai model is as an aid, the work you have done to date shows you have the skill. Discovering how the art of kit part use complements the design of the Falcon and other excellent movie model space craft construction is a key to the journey started by the original craftsmen.

Super work.

 

[Dimitri-Ajith]

Thanks Searun for your kind words,

Yes 1000% percent true, it took a whole bunch of people, with collaborative knowledge. To make it 'easy' to build for us... and all the different aspects. Making the info transferable to us... like the CAD file from Joshua. (What is also the outcome of a collab. from different people) Without it I would have never been able to do my workflow.
And it costs increadible amounts of effort to make notes along the way, that could be usefull to people in the future.
So I am gratefull for all knowledge that is openly available. And like the crazy amount of work Mr. Coffman did as a relative 'newcomer'.

About 3D printing....
I went from printing everything (not on this project). Years ago.. trailblazing that route, to... only using it for Constructional things only.
But buying all these kits isn't possible or not doable anymore.... so you probably can't do without it in the future.
For me personal I like al aspects of creating. Designing, 3D/CAD, printing, manufactering, Research and making things with your hands... glueing / cutting etc. But making a studio scale replica is a different story. It's about having an exact copy as close as possible. (For me... what is in my possibilities).
Resin printers are so good this days... I really don't like the post work on printed stuff. (Any printer).
And I think the community will have 3D copies of all the kit parts we love eventually.
Also takes some collaborative effort. I would still print all the kitparts seperate and then glue it... it feels different I guess.

For now...
I purchased in this week alone 12 kits again. And this week 5 I think, and 2 I have been looking dfor about 5 years. So I got lucky I think.
So for as long as possible....plastic it is.



Studio Kitbash

Plating is not glued on there. Still need to doube double check. but happy with the patience therapy it took.
haha. Learning...
Talking about patience... check your DM

 

[eagle1]

So good to see you posting here Dimitri & your keenness to delve back into your magnificent build after your recent health scare & really very happy you're okay now and we can continue our Falcon journey together my friend, even though I'm close to finishing, I'm still going to be around to see you knock yours out too!.

I'm really impressed by your build construction I must say!. Well thought out with a ton of pre-planning, which will prove dividends as you progress.

We have talked so much over the years all things Falcon, but the main ingredient is of course the kit parts & the headache of obtaining all the more obscure & rarer to find kits in particular. But you're well on your way to completing the list!.
We discussed only the other day of how difficult it will be in the future to find these kits, if a builder decides to follow that route. Even now we are seeing long wait times for kits to appear for purchase, years most likely, so your build & the likes of Bjorns would possibly be the last of their kind before printing takes over in earnest.

But for now...we each relish the 'ILM' way of fabrication, kit parts, even though our hulls will/are be all unique.

But anyhoo, Dimitri, a joy to see you here & excited to see your build evolve, already its totally cool my friend!.

Stu

 

[Dimitri-Ajith]

Back again..

Some update on the mandible walls, and the upper dome.
I'll post some photos later on HOW I did this. (It's 3D printed, with epoxy coating. And a djusted Ribs for where the cutouts wil come.)
Still some cleanup todo. But getting there. Happy with the progress...

 

[Bjorn]

So innovative Dimitri. This is looking fantastic!

The pics understate the size of that thing.

 

[JediMichael]

Its like everyone is all working on a 5 footer all at once, but each person building it in their own unique way, making it still feel all different.
This one is a very interesting way to get there and is looking great.

 

[Dimitri-Ajith]

Its like everyone is all working on a 5 footer all at once, but each person building it in their own unique way, making it still feel all different.
This one is a very interesting way to get there and is looking great.

Yes Michael, for the 'mid-section' (the yellow stuff) In retrospect it's not the most efficeint way. My motivation was, I would be looking a long time at it... so it would better be cool looking. Wood / plexi would be more efficient (time and money wise). But thats what it is now.
My full writedown will follow. For everyone doing the builds differtent, it's a matter of each his skillset / available money and resources / time etc.
For me this approach was the one I feel most confident with... especially becasue this was my second attempt.

Bjorn Oooh yes def. on the size., this is the widest lens on the Iphone, so I could take a full on picture.
But it's huge. (but you knew that already )