Ok. An interesting day.Went out and got one of this years first issues to compare to an MR. Over all most parts are very close but slightly over sized.The hull part is for example a couple of millimetres wider to either side but spot on length wise. The part detailing is slightly flattened and fattened and not as exact as the MR cast detailing but again it is damn close and alot better than the first edition part last year. The nibblets on the plating are also smaller than the MR but the Dego is cast in a hard plastic not resin, and its relatively easy to chip out the rest of it to match the MR. Might be a struggle over the entire hull though. Similarly if you were thinking of replacing detailing that would be a task and a bit. The guns are again slightly different and less sharper than the MR but still very good (and heavy!). The cabin flight deck rear wall looks better than the MR.
Its a difficult one to call. If you've got an MR then its still the much better model, the parts casting on it are obviously as exact as they can be to the original, without suffering the loss of detailing in the harder plastic of the Dego. I've got to wonder just how many these will be built seperately and then sold on after the magazine run ends. It feels like the kind of model that, given the inclusion in the new film ,is really not going to go out of fashion anyday soon. MRs are rarely coming up for sale anywhere and then at only at considerable cost so for the total out lay its a great way to get a reasonably detailed scale model of the Falcon. Its the finishing paint job that will make a huge difference with this. And the landing gear and interior make it a tempting alternative at the price. Just give up drinking or smoking for a year!!!! A lot of first generation SW fans coming up for retirement soon with monies to spend which will make it all the more collectable, if NOTHING else comes out. The manufacturing for these kinds of kits has become easier as the technology has moved on ,particularly in very recent times and I'd really like to know what else is due out in the future.
