How many Millenium Falcon models were built?

[DL 44 Blaster]

OK, I'm just looking for a little crash course on the Millenium Falcon filming models.The way I understand it...which is limited...there was the 5 foot Falcon built for ANH and the 32" Falcon built for ESB...then the super small miniatures of one there is on the back of the Star Destroyer in ESB....

That's it,...that's all I know about, but the more I study the original models the more I'm getting confused. There are some pics where there are clear tells of the 5 foot, but then there looks like paint differences that make me think it's the 32" one :confused

Then there is the whole front landing gear bays from ANH - ESB - 5foot - 32".....

The 5 foot Falcon seen on the MOM tours, was it the ANH version? did they go back and add the landing gear bays for ESB filming? I thought the MPC/Ertl with the 3 landing gears was accurate (structurally) to the ANH filming model.

And finally is the first Falcon seen in the "From Star Wars to Indiana Jones" book the 5 foot ANH Falcon??

If so then is the second Falcon seen, further along in the book with the ESB props indeed the 32" Falcon??

----------------------------------------

Sorry to not be up to speed, but I'm really getting into the model genre' and want to have the correct information since I'm making assumptions as of late and getting confused with my reference. :$

Thanks in advane guys.

Steve

 

[MonsieurTox]

They used a MPC model too.

Yes they added extra landing boxes on the 5ft cuz while building the full set for ESB, they noticed that it was too heavy for only 3 landing gears...

I dont have the "From Star Wars to Indiana Jones" book, so I cant answer to this question...

 

[ralphee]

The book has the Falcons mixed up, the first one is indeed the 32" The second one in the ESB section is the ANH 5 footer.

 

[PHArchivist]

Yes - the mosaic of pics in SW>>>IJ is the 5-footer.

A great way to tell is the Allied Van Lines logo on the top of the cockpit on the 5-foot. Another tell is the turret sidewalls -- on the 5-foot, they are much more vertical (the FM it is more like the 5 foot in this respect). Also, the 5 foot has a MUCH stubbier cockpit canopy.

The did use BOTH models in ESB (for example [and QuartZ discovered tis] in the space slug; that's the 5-foot). So it gets confusing.

Also, the used the 32" for te "Back of the Star Destroyer shot using a HUGE conning tower model. I'd love to build one in half scale for my FM kit.

 

[DL 44 Blaster]

I get it now...I do see where even this model can throw the most seasoned eye at times.

So did LFL ever build a Falcon with only 3 landing gears as the MPC/Ertl kit has??

Building my MPC has my mouth watering to get an FM kit now..........I think I'm hooked on Star Wars models now :lol

 

[Treadwell]

The 5 footer originally had the three-point landing gear. The other two added for ESB as already mentioned.

An MPC was used for ROTJ animatics...I don't think it's been confirmed one way or another that it was used in actual effects shots.

There was also this model:

This image is from the ESB "making of" TV special. I suspect it was attached to the underside of the medical frigate model for the wide shot at the end of ESB. (The 32" was used for the closer shot.)

 

[Jedi Dade]

<div class='quotetop'>(DL 44 Blaster @ Oct 6 2006, 11:48 PM) [snapback]1333430[/snapback]</div>

I get it now...I do see where even this model can throw the most seasoned eye at times.

So did LFL ever build a Falcon with only 3 landing gears as the MPC/Ertl kit has??

Building my MPC has my mouth watering to get an FM kit now..........I think I'm hooked on Star Wars models now :lol
[/b]

ILM built the original 5 footer with only 3 landing gear. The 5 footer had the extra landing gear added and was repainted for ESB. It also appeared a lot in ROTJ.

Models that I know were built of the falcon:
5 footer
32 incher
2 incher (star destroyer bridge back)
8-10 incher (under the Neb B )

I'm pretty sure that there never an MPC/ERLT falcon used int he movies although as someone mentioned it was used in a animatics/previsualization sequence.

Jedi Dade

 

[eFXBarry]

<div class='quotetop'>(Jedi Dade @ Oct 13 2006, 07:13 PM) [snapback]1337618[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>(DL 44 Blaster @ Oct 6 2006, 11:48 PM) [snapback]1333430[/snapback]

I get it now...I do see where even this model can throw the most seasoned eye at times.

So did LFL ever build a Falcon with only 3 landing gears as the MPC/Ertl kit has??

Building my MPC has my mouth watering to get an FM kit now..........I think I'm hooked on Star Wars models now :lol
[/b]

ILM built the original 5 footer with only 3 landing gear. The 5 footer had the extra landing gear added and was repainted for ESB. It also appeared a lot in ROTJ.

Models that I know were built of the falcon:
5 footer
32 incher
2 incher (star destroyer bridge back)
8-10 incher (under the Neb B )

I'm pretty sure that there never an MPC/ERLT falcon used int he movies although as someone mentioned it was used in a animatics/previsualization sequence.

Jedi Dade
[/b][/quote]

That's pretty much my understanding of it too.

The original five footer built for ANH, modified for ESB and used in ROTJ.

The 32" Falcon built for ESB, used extensively in ESB and ROTJ and also used in ANH SE for the digital matte paintings of the Falcon onboard the Death Star.

The ANH Falcon is featured in Empire for extreme close-ups such as inside the Space Slug and landing at Cloud City. Conversely the 32" is used for the extreme close-up of the Falcon hanging under the medical frigate at the movie's end. The teeny tiny Falcon was used as noted on the back of the Star Destroyer bridge, and the 6"-8" model is used under the full Medical Frigate model and also when the Falcon is small in frame, such as at the end where it's skimming the sides of Vader's Super Star Destroyer.

General rule of thumb is to use the size of model that suits the shot design and the available stage space you have to shoot it in.

Barry

 

[PHArchivist]

<div class='quotetop'>(PHArchivist @ Oct 6 2006, 11:32 PM) [snapback]1333415[/snapback]</div>

Also, the used the 32" for te "Back of the Star Destroyer shot using a HUGE conning tower model. I'd love to build one in half scale for my FM kit.
[/b]

This is correct too though, right?

 

[MonsieurTox]

<div class='quotetop'>(PHArchivist @ Oct 14 2006, 01:06 AM) [snapback]1337841[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>(PHArchivist @ Oct 6 2006, 11:32 PM) [snapback]1333415[/snapback]

Also, the used the 32" for te "Back of the Star Destroyer shot using a HUGE conning tower model. I'd love to build one in half scale for my FM kit.
[/b]

This is correct too though, right?
[/b][/quote]

Yes it's correct, the 32" was used on the huge bridge. (close upof the back of the bridge)

 

[stonky]

And although it may not be valid to this discussion, one might consider the digital Falcon that was used in the special editions as well when creating a definative Falcon inventory.

 

[Eagle]

Which version of the Falcon was in Blade Runner?

 

[PHArchivist]

<div class='quotetop'>(Eagle @ Oct 14 2006, 11:22 AM) [snapback]1337963[/snapback]</div>

Which version of the Falcon was in Blade Runner?
[/b]

I believe that was a one-off started but not completed by Bill George (not used in the film). But I'm not positive. It stands about 3 or 4 feet tall (standing on its engines).

 

[DL 44 Blaster]

I was just thinking about something......while the ANH SE was mentioned, the Death Star/5 footer digital matte was only referenced.

Did they use a real model for the Mos Eisley escape scene coming out of Docking Bay 94 or was it an all digianl Falcon shot from start to finish? I was under the impression that it was an all digital scene, but really don't have a clue. :confused

Steve

 

[Treadwell]

The SE digital Falcon is based on the 32". No, no "real" models were used for the SE additions.

 

[eFXBarry]

<div class='quotetop'>(Treadwell @ Oct 14 2006, 05:25 PM) [snapback]1338105[/snapback]</div>

The SE digital Falcon is based on the 32". No, no "real" models were used for the SE additions.
[/b]

That's not accurate. The 32" Falcon model was photographed and used in the replacement matte paintings of the Falcon when seen aboard the death star. There are slight changes to the paint job on the cockpit nose to make it look more like the full sized set piece (which aren't too accurate), but it's definitely the 32" model that's used. So the model was used, from a certain point of view

She's also used in the imagery for the menus.

Barry

 

[Treadwell]

I thought that was the model of the model.

Well, good, I'm glad there was something real in there somewhere. Even if it's the ESB model.

 

[PHArchivist]

Didn't someone do a screen grab of the ROTS Falcon where it looked almost like the Ertl model (with tall sidewalls)...?

 

[marc7071]

I know I'm a few years late for this thread but I just found this and thought I might make my first post here.
I'm sure others have seen this but this is one of the pictures I took from Star Wars Celebration III in the Lucasfilm archive room. This would most certainly be the 5 foot model that has been refered to here. This thing was huge and highly detailed. It had to be one of the screen used models. There is another, smaller model in the same display case that isn't 32 inches but isn't the smallest one either. It was maybe 9 or 10 inches long so there must be more than just 3 or 4 different sizes. Looking at the screencap from treadwell, it could be that very model. The size, compared to the modeler's hand, is pretty close to the small one in my pic.

I also have 4 or 5 others from different angles if anyone wants them. Hope this was helpfull for my first post.

 

[JMChladek]

Well, it is a decent thread to resurrect as I didn't know about the small Falcon used in the medical frigate sequence. I find it interesting how it seems that even back when ANH was being filmed, they knew the cockpit on the 5 footer looked a bit stumpy. So they seemed to try and use film angles from the front and rear so as not to draw attention to it. Very interesting.

Another use where the 5 foot Falcon popped up was in a couple publicity images from Jedi. As I recall, the 5 footer was used in a still shot with a couple X-Wings in the Death Star tunnels when to my knowledge, the 32 was used for the shots in the film. I also had a poster at one time from ROTJ which was a battle sequence around the Death Star and if I remember correctly, it was the 5 footer in the center with the two extra leg pods(based on the cockpit lighting) not the 32".

And I figure PHA already has an answer, but the only two images from ROTS I can remember of a Falcon were shots of pre-visualization taken from the ROTS book where the blue stripes were put on the model. Indeed, the sidewalls on it look very much like the painting was done over an Ertl kit, but it had some other minor differences as well. I have a half built MPC Falcon which I plan to finish as that ship (the Stellar Envoy according to the Millennium Falcon novel) and I went with a Blue Moon sidewall set instead of the original height sidewalls since they bothered me too much.