40 years ago, I purchased my first and only Kenner Millennium Falcon in late 1983 (ROTJ edition, still have the box!) from Montgomery Wards. Yep, MW the same company that "invented" the Christmas phenomenon Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The Falcon sat in my garage for years, collecting dust and spiders, abandoned and parted out. I ALMOST dropped it on eBay for someone else to enjoy, when I came across a wonderful YouTube video RE: weathering a Falcon. Filled with nostalgia and a desire to throw money at ridiculous prices for old original parts, I started a restoration/upgrade of sorts.
Even though it's not screen accurate, the 1995 POTF Falcon re-release (replica) sticker sheet was used to add some character to the ship, and I purchased some of the 1995 POTF parts when I could not get the original 1978-1983 original pieces. The Jedi training remote/armature is a replica. I disassembled the entire ship, and painted various panels and features using the best screen references I could find online. I ran LEDs to the cockpit and mandibles.
First: The stark white toy of the 70s and 80s had a LOT more detail than I realized. Though much is NOT accurate to the 1970s filming models (it is a toy, after all), you can tell that Kenner had access to the models OR detailed photos of them, because some of the molded panel detail is almost spot-on.
Second: Some may consider anathema to modify a classic SW toy in such a way, but I feel it gives her a new life.
Third: Yeah, I hit about 90% done and set it aside. Still more to do, but that is for another time. Here's where I am at so far. Even with the bulbous cockpit and ginormous quad canon, I still think she looks great!
Here's what a vintage Falcon looked like to use kiddos back in the late 1970s/early 1980s:
...and my modifications....
Even though it's not screen accurate, the 1995 POTF Falcon re-release (replica) sticker sheet was used to add some character to the ship, and I purchased some of the 1995 POTF parts when I could not get the original 1978-1983 original pieces. The Jedi training remote/armature is a replica. I disassembled the entire ship, and painted various panels and features using the best screen references I could find online. I ran LEDs to the cockpit and mandibles.
First: The stark white toy of the 70s and 80s had a LOT more detail than I realized. Though much is NOT accurate to the 1970s filming models (it is a toy, after all), you can tell that Kenner had access to the models OR detailed photos of them, because some of the molded panel detail is almost spot-on.
Second: Some may consider anathema to modify a classic SW toy in such a way, but I feel it gives her a new life.
Third: Yeah, I hit about 90% done and set it aside. Still more to do, but that is for another time. Here's where I am at so far. Even with the bulbous cockpit and ginormous quad canon, I still think she looks great!
Here's what a vintage Falcon looked like to use kiddos back in the late 1970s/early 1980s:
...and my modifications....
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