My 1:72 perfect grade millennium falcon build (dad mode!)

Nornicle

New Member

Hi there here is an in progress build of my pg falcon (hope this is ok this is also my first post here).

I never thought I’d get the chance to build this but a mix of 50% off retail (I’m in Australia and that puts it closer to discount US prices) and a break from work gave me a window of opportunity!

Why dad mode? This means I can’t do massive builds requiring lots of airbrushing time so here are some ‘speed tips’ I learned from YouTube and threads here:

1. Built everything except four or five small bits.
2. Preshaded black and sprayed tamiya insignia white spray can in top (two cans)
3. All under carriage stuff was sprayed black and grey highlighted at the same time.
4. The top was masked to paint as you can see! however dad mode means the bottom is all decals :)
5. Varnish is a mix of GW munitorum varnish (satin varnish big can means no airbrush cleaning!) and will finish with dull cote
6. Weathering will be a mix of tamiya brown and black panel liner, oil brushers and tamiya weathering make up kit.

I’m aiming to get to assembly in the next three or four days how exciting please join me in the final miles!
 
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"Dad mode" made me laugh. I'm in the same boat, I assemble kits while watching TV in the evenings with my wife after my daughter is in bed, but it's much harder to make time to paint, so I have a growing backlog of mostly-assembled but unpainted kits.
 
Haha yes constructing is easier to pick up and put down.

One progress masked painting done I had some overspray that needed correction so I took some creative liberties that’s hopefully look better once weathering and fading is done.

The side escape pods have my test run at weathering using panel lining, black Tamiya weathering powder and a rust oil brusher.



 
Great job, I know all about dad mode... the greeble is from tree”I”, part 27, on page 12 of the “original edition” manual.
 

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anyone have any thoughts on a sludge wash? there are so many little panel lines i was thinking of starting with a sludge wash and then pin washing the more obvious panels?
 
I'd stay away from doing a pin wash unless you use a more grey than black wash. I initially did a dark wash for panel lines and wound up spraying over since it gave it a very cartoonish look.

A sludge wash here and there works though, especially in the maintenance wells
 
I'd stay away from doing a pin wash unless you use a more grey than black wash. I initially did a dark wash for panel lines and wound up spraying over since it gave it a very cartoonish look.

A sludge wash here and there works though, especially in the maintenance wells

very useful thanks! i have used a very thinned tamiya panel liner to sludge wash and then dry and wipe off excess, leaves a more muted panel line rather than a sharp black line. practiced on bottom of falcon tonight and quite liked it so will do the top tomorrow!

after that will do streaks and then rust effects and probably do full assembly then! can see the final parts.

any tips on getting the streaks just right?
 
People have many different approaches, some use a spray mask and kind of hold it slightly above the surface, some use pastels, some use oils, some use a mix.

The key is start lightly. You can always make it darker if needed

My personal favorite is oils and pastels. They are the most forgiving and easy to correct if you mess it up.

I start with a drop of oil in a spot, then drag it downward and use a thinner soaked brush to shape it. later when it dries I sometimes go over it with a bit of pastel. For some of them I stick with pastel for the whole one. It's kind of a trial and error

Note, if you gloss coat, you will get less staining, and things will settle pretty much only in recessed areas, but if you matte coat, or weather over the paint without varnishing, you can get a staining effect when using oils as the surface can have a bit of tooth compared to a gloss surface. I kind of like that effect, but that is my preference

Hopefully some others can chime in with their techniques
 
People have many different approaches, some use a spray mask and kind of hold it slightly above the surface, some use pastels, some use oils, some use a mix.

The key is start lightly. You can always make it darker if needed

My personal favorite is oils and pastels. They are the most forgiving and easy to correct if you mess it up.

I start with a drop of oil in a spot, then drag it downward and use a thinner soaked brush to shape it. later when it dries I sometimes go over it with a bit of pastel. For some of them I stick with pastel for the whole one. It's kind of a trial and error

Note, if you gloss coat, you will get less staining, and things will settle pretty much only in recessed areas, but if you matte coat, or weather over the paint without varnishing, you can get a staining effect when using oils as the surface can have a bit of tooth compared to a gloss surface. I kind of like that effect, but that is my preference

Hopefully some others can chime in with their techniques

Agree, though I often use water-reducible acrylics (instead of oils), so I don't have to worry about getting too aggressive with thinner and inadvertently eating away at my base coat.

Pastels can create amazing effecst, but as with any technique, require an artful eye and a deft hand.
 
Agree, though I often use water-reducible acrylics (instead of oils), so I don't have to worry about getting too aggressive with thinner and inadvertently eating away at my base coat.

Pastels can create amazing effecst, but as with any technique, require an artful eye and a deft hand.

As of late I have been using "Water-mixable" oils

They are truly oil paints, just water mixable and can be thinned/cleaned up with water. No need for any chemical based thinners and you get the all the benefits of oils
 
There comes a time in every modellers life where they could do more but dad mode says NO.

I found I was happy with my streaking (oils are wonderful any stuff ups were easily blended away or wiped away!).

With a little dark wash on the undercarriage parts, and assembly (which took some fragile small tubes with it but be damned if I know where they fit :)) I have decided to call it done!

I will let it dry for a couple of days and then hit it with dull cote.

If you see any obvious things I could easily improve I would love your feedback.

This kit is amazing it just plugs together in the most seam less way.


Some finalish shots :) please enjoy - I’m most proud of the my red colour matching (those are decals on the removable engine part and the rest are painted)!

Some final useful things I found:

Oilbrushers are great
God hand spn-120 clippers really are that amazing!
Tamiya weathering makeup kits are amazing
Tamiya panel liner is amazing
Games workshop varnish is great (400ml cans!)
 
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