Five foot Millennium Falcon fans

[3Dsf]

So I've made replacement motorizable fans for my Bandai 1:72 "Perfect Grade" Millennium Falcon, modelling them after the original miniature. They spin. They look great. All fine and good.

Then I look at the original part that Bandai supplied, and I notice that the top surfaces of the fans (the flat discs) are not in line with the curvature of the engine deck. Instead, they designed the fan tops to be totally parallel with the horizon, as it were. In other words, the axis of each fan motor is perfectly vertical.

Now. All the third party fans I've seen that people have made have aligned with the engine deck. Because, frankly, it's way easier. You simply make a narrow cylinder to fit inside the larger cylinders of the fan housings. But how did the original model makers build it?

Has anyone who's seen the five footer noticed these fans? I've looked nearly three dozen photos of the five foot prototype, and I just can't tell. Between the oblique camera angles and the light-blocking properties of the Koolshade mesh, I can't decide what the fans aligned with.

They seem to be aligned with the engine deck, not the horizon. Which is less (ie: no) work for me to fix, and is more aesthetically pleasing (to me). But I'd love to know what the original model was like!

 

[3Dsf]

To illustrate the point, if this helps. My fan is in the upper left. The Bandai fans are the other ones.

 

[EDGSW]

This would appear to me to be a concession to facilitate the molding process. For them to align with each nozzle, they would have to be pitched at different angles. Since they molded them in one piece they would have to have to keep them angled the same so that there are no undercuts in the mold. As it is, they are close enough and under the vents (and painted black or dark grey) it's not likely many would notice any minimal difference.

 

[robn1]

These are the best pics I have, really hard to tell.

 

[Murph]

Totally thought this was gonna be a thread for "fans of" the 5 foot falcon, lol

 

[3Dsf]

This would appear to me to be a concession to facilitate the molding process. For them to align with each nozzle, they would have to be pitched at different angles.

I thought about that. It's a reasonable theory, though the 1:144 TFA Falcon model has fans aligned to the engine deck. Its blades seem to be aligned vertically, though. Hmmm.

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These are the best pics I have, really hard to tell.

Yes. I have those as well. The Forbidden Plastic shot is one of the better ones, and does seem to suggest that the original model fans are aligned to the deck. But it's so hard to know.

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Totally thought this was gonna be a thread for "fans of" the 5 foot falcon, lol

It can be! Only utter fanatics are going to care if the bloody fan blades are aligned to this or that, after all...

 

[Jetchie]

The fans are absolutely mounted directly to the curvature of the acrylic panel, not all parallel to each other. If you look closely at some very good photos you can see the screw pattern in some places where they used four countersink screws to mount them directly. I've identified the exact fan they used and will share it in an upcoming thread on 5 foot Falcon construction details.

 

[3Dsf]

Wow. That's fantastic. I've spent a fair bit of time searching for the fan, but wasn't able to find the original. I'm looking forward to hearing your research!

 

[blakeh1]

The fans are absolutely mounted directly to the curvature of the acrylic panel, not all parallel to each other. If you look closely at some very good photos you can see the screw pattern in some places where they used four countersink screws to mount them directly. I've identified the exact fan they used and will share it in an upcoming thread on 5 foot Falcon construction details.

That makes sense since it is much easier to build, plus it's a detail non one was ever likely to see and they were there to functionally help cool the interior