My Ertl Falcon

[bwize]

Here are some in progress shots of my Ertl Falcon. I have used Jack Smith's most excellent side wall replacement kit and will be using his cockpit interior kit as well. I have added alot of detail to the old girl, especialy in the rear deck area. I found some great panel templates for the docking clamps and took the advise of other builders and cut down the length of the cockpit tube to give it a more stubby look( if I had the nerve, I would have replaced the tube and cone with a more accurate one). I know it is very easy to get caught up in the whole "accuracy" thing, but I looked at it as though how she might look had ILM done a model in this scale considering that the details differ quite abit amongst the two larger models they did complete, but she still is unmistakabley the Falcon.

Take a look and tell me what you think. She's probably about 3/4 the way through the detailing stage.

Bryan

http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_topside.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_rear_deck.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_cockpit_tube.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_lower_cockpit_detail.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_engine.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585cockpit_canopy.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585starboard_docking_clamp.JPG
http://www.hobbytalk.com/photos/data/500/8585falcon_port_docking_clamp.JPG

 

[Betamin]

Lookin' good!

The Falcon has always been my favorite ship from SW.

 

[PHArchivist]

Are you increasing the size of the cockpit? Looks really goood!

 

[bwize]

It had crossed my mind sometime back, but my scratch building skills are not up to the challenge of the cockpit cone. The tube would be easy enough, though. I know that to really make the Falcon look like she should, one would need to replace the tube and cone, the docking clamps and extensions, raise the profile height, reduce the size of the radar dish, etc, etc... However, one might as well scratch build it. So, I looked at it like what she may have looked looked like if ILM had built her at this scale. And really what makes the falcon so popular is its jalopy value. The paint job and the weathering is were the money is. That is the stage that I am looking to most forward to.

 

[Jedi Dade]

Looks really good man...I think you are underestimating your scratchbuilding skills

Jedi Dade

 

[Robert McLain]

</SPAN><TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD CLASS=$row_color>
Jedi Dade wrote:<HR></TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS=$row_color>
Looks really good man...I think you are underestimating your scratchbuilding skills

Jedi Dade
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Damn straight! That looks awesome! I've always wanted to do more with the Ertl Falcon. You're doing a bang up job Bryan

Robert

 

[PHArchivist]

Awesome job!

</SPAN><TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD CLASS=$row_color>
bwize wrote:<HR></TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS=$row_color>
It had crossed my mind sometime back, but my scratch building skills are not up to the challenge of the cockpit cone. The tube would be easy enough, though. I know that to really make the Falcon look like she should, one would need to replace the tube and cone, the docking clamps and extensions, raise the profile height, reduce the size of the radar dish, etc, etc... However, one might as well scratch build it. So, I looked at it like what she may have looked looked like if ILM had built her at this scale. And really what makes the falcon so popular is its jalopy value. The paint job and the weathering is were the money is. That is the stage that I am looking to most forward to.
</TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE><SPAN CLASS=$row_color>

 

[Smiling Demon]

That is a very good job!!

I have been wanting to do another Falcon and add/change things.
Looking very good!!

Kenny

 

[TheSt.LouisKid]

I like how the engines are looking. I remember the one I had as a kid and being disapointed that the engine was just those two clear pieces that get glued in the middle.

 

[rayra]

very nice. how thin is the sheet styrene you are using for the extra paneling details? and tell us more about the engine grill, please.

 

[Raygun]

I found some great panel templates for the docking clamps...

Where'd you find those?? If you still have the link, can you post it here? The kit looks great so far!! I've been holding off on mine until I can afford the Falcon Kits upgrade, but I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon, so I may just go ahead and build it with whatever mods I can do on my own.

Raygun

 

[bwize]

Thanks Raygun & Rayra for the wonderful compliments, I have had a ball building this.
Here is the link for the docking clamp panels that I used. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page for them

http://www.loresdelsith.net/fondor/falcon/index.htm

As for the sheet styrene that I use, varies a bit from .005 & .010. Use strip as well, just not sure about the specs, just used what I had that looked good.

I got the idea for the engine detail from the site above. I sipmlified it a bit by cutting down the pastic stock piece to fit the lower profile as a result of the Falconkits side panels and glued it in place. This provided a rigid backing for the vents. I had already cut a piece of styrene(.020)the same size of the altered plastic stock piece and marked lines for the vents 2mm apart. I then glued down strip pieces( can't remember which ones, not at home at the moment) that I had cut(48 I think?) along the lines I had marked on the .020 piece. Doing this as a seperate piece as opposed to placing them directly on the clear stock piece made it easier as the piece was lying flat on my work table. It is a bit of a trial and error as the vents migrate slightly as you move along the strip, but in the end it lookes good. I used srtip that was a bit wide to provide some depth.

In the begining, I had glued a strip of styrene along the center of the .020 piece, length wise, and cut strips of equal lengths to place atop and beneath the strip to create the vents. While this provided the wanted effect, it lacked the depth that I wanted. So, I decided to place the vents first as a single piece that ran from the top to the bottom. I will admit that I almost stopped there as this looked pretty cool. But after checking the SE's, I noticed that there was a cross beam, if you will, that broke the engine into two sections. So, do I stay accurate, or make it like I want to? I took a strip of styrene and placed it along the center length wise and viola! I am very pleased with the end effect. Will be adding a few grebblies to flesh it out a bit.

Will keep you all updated.

Happy modeling.

Bryan

 

[bwize]

OOPS! You will need to click on Las Capsulas at the left on the link I provided for the templates.