I’d like to make some observations if I may:
I actually picked up a Hasbro from Argos ,at twenty two quid I wasn’t going to argue and at some point I imagine I’ll do a VERY battered version of the Falcon,or if not the ship itself then some version thats fun. Whilst it’s a pretty good and cheap ESB version and I can see why people are going to be doing A LOT of work converting it to get it anything like studio screen model, I’ve had to wonder why they have brought it out now and why its been made actually just so ever so slightly undersized, when they could so easily have made it a one to one.
And then of course I realized that Deagostini as a company would not have been keen to have a model that, for such a hugely cheapenned price, could be easily and massively improved by swapping out parts from their kit to fit on and into it. Which is also probably why the Hasbro is a limited release and uncomplicated. They could have made a better and more acurate version but I guess that wouldn't have hit the shops at the right time AND would have been significant competition for the Deagostini version.
Interestingly Argos have cut priced it to clear from £29 to £22 and it appears to have sold out just about everywhere around me and apparently it won’t be restocked ever again. Why?
And then I thought, well its just no coincidence at all that the teaser trailer ALSO happened to include a virtually finished effects shot of the Falcon swooping around at the same time that both the Hasbro, then the revamped Deago Falcon were subsequently available to release for sale at virtually the same time. The fact there has also been a significant upgrading in the accuracy of the V2 after the rather negative feedback for the early V1 parts also shows how quickly they have moved to capture the strong demand for this from the fan marketplace and I would think the main reason we haven’t seen a fully finished version is they simply haven’t been able to remodel all the adjusted new parts for it quickly enough.
I had a chat with my nearest major stockist as part two is out now, and was told it had been a pretty successful initial release with just a few copies of No1 returned. She wouldn’t give me exact sales figures but she said it was well into the dozens, very much higher than was usually the case for one of these mags, and they had been asked for it frequently. Of course a lot balked at the total cost of building it over the two years, but there was still a lot of interest, far more than they‘d normally get. A bit to early yet with issue two out to tell just how big but she'd let me know. She also reckoned they’d get a lot nicked at that the new increased priced, so it might disappear from the shelves of a lot of newsagents as time goes by, which is understandable.
And I have to say the issue 2 V2 Cannon cockpit hull part dimensionallly is again very close to the MR part, even down to the paintwork, which again can be significantly improved by even small bit of work by a moderately talented airbrusher. A bit of work on it and it would be pretty hard to tell the difference at all.
Like others I’m not impressed by the interiors nor anything else that goes with the release, but the landing gear down options looks very good. The parts so far are much better than anything else that is currently available and if you ARE looking for something that matches an MR Studio Scale ESB version being released in the immediate future, this would seem to be it. I doubt you will see a studio scale version of the original trilogy models released again.
Its whether you want to play the waiting game and get it in the “build in one go” , or subscribe, its the choice you’ll make and have to bare. However.
I have no doubt at all that several versions of the new Millennium Falcon; The Force Awakens will be made available in the future. That’s probably why a lot of the side walling detailing ,the new radar and things like the small painting changes have been made. Why?
The CAD files for it (as well as many of the models and character we will see in VII ) will make hitting the release date in time for Xmas this year far easier than ever, and I know we will see a huge amount of film referenced toy/model merchandise available prior to the films release in time for Xmas rush to hit the sales peaks. Then and shortly after.
Its also probably WHY we have seen the release of both the Hasbro AND the Deagostini kits of the older versions of the Falcon NOW. This effectively allows the market to have mopped up the available merchandising demand from the old school Falcon fans before the newer versions are released later maybe this and but most probably next year. Will it be studio scale though ??? if that term could be have said to apply to a CAD model.
I’m just guessing mind you, but don’t you find it odd that Deagostini release this ESB version now, instead of logically next year just after the new film is released? And doesn't it seem to have been a bit rushed out? That also Hasbro produced an ever so slightly but" inconveniently smaller " than SS version limited release just before the trailer hit.
Food for thought.
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