Bandai 1/72 PG Millennium Falcon (also the Revell Germany rebox)

Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

That just makes me cringe. Rattle-can etiquette is a bit like gun etiquette -- don't point it at anything you don't want killed.

Maybe that explains it. My interest in guns only goes so far as the pew-pew laser beam kind! :lol I guess my point was that I prefer the control of an air brush. Even using rattle cans the right way, I've had sputtering cans, inconsistent spray, etc. to the point where I really only use them on sealing or on non-model projects.

BTW, I found one other minor MINOR Bandai "mistake." Can't even call it a mistake, really, but just a "it's not exactly like on the 5-footer" part. Part D16 that goes on the starboard front sidewall replicates a part on the original that features an open triangular shape that sticks out aft toward the cockpit once the part is in place on the model. The part is present in 1977 photos of the model, but seems to have broken off since then.
Sidewall detail.pngmissing sidewall detail.jpgmissing sidewall part chart.png

The triangular part is so small that Bandai has (wisely) opted to replicate the part as solid.
IMG_8560.jpgIMG_8561.jpgIMG_8562.jpg
Unfortunately, the part is molded pretty thick so the part wont break, making it virtually impossible to drill out and open up. Frankly, it's so small that I don't think even a photo etch replacement would be feasible. Once painted, it will look fine -- but it's just not an exact replica of the original piece.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

They used a material called koolshade for the studio model grilles and I believe the slats are vertical?

Koolshade is and was a thin metal grid material designed to fit between panes of window glass. The idea is to let light in but block sunlight when it's high in the sky. ILM used Koolshade in a bunch of places on various Star Wars models (eg: the fan grilles for the Falcon and the cockpit neck, the wing panels on TIE fighters). The louvres are set to a 30° angle apparently. The stuff is still made and sold today, but with a wider spacing than the classic Koolshade.

The Koolshade angle is one of the reasons why photos of the Falcon's fans are hard to come by. You have to take a close up photo and get the angle right so you can see the internal fan mechanism. It's also why there's a lot of conjecture about what the internal dish of the fan mechanism looked like.

Does anyone know if a commercial manufacturer of these cooling fans was ever identified? They seem to have some unique characteristics - the concentric rings and rectangular central groove.

http://www.theblindco.com/koolshade.htm

https://www.smartlouvre.com/about/koolshade/
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

BTW, I think I found the first Bandai "error" worthy of a small modification. On the front starboard sidewall, the greebly from a DML/Dragon/Revell 1/9 Kettengrad kit (part #8 indicated on the donor I.D. chart) needs to be thinned and the top rectangular shape needs to be drilled out. The series of vent holes below should also need to be drilled out, but I think I'll just fill those holes with some panel wash and call it a day. However, that rectangular hole is visible when looking over the top of the starboard mandible.

Yeah - Bandai's Kettenkrad part-cylinder has solid holes, as do the landing gear discs. Those and the somewhat dodgy internal engine fans are the key things that need work on the external model, that I've been able to see. Oh, and optionally the rear engine grille.

It's tricky, as I've made 3D printed replacement components with the necessary holes for my own PG Falcon. But the 3D printed parts are overall less crisp than Bandai's awesome injection moulding, even if they're more accurate in other respects. Ah well.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

One minor gripe I have is that the many of the decal colors seem to be dotted instead of being solid colors. Not really visible to the naked eye I guess, but noticeable when zoomed into. More noticeable in the grays than the red. Might really have to paint the various grays.

That's true of every Bandai kit I can think of and one of the reasons I try to paint as much as possible. It's weird, because not all the decals are that way, mainly just the lighter shades like grey and tans etc...
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Also, a question for those lighting gurus

It seems there is an extra plug in port in the lighting controller

I assume it would be powered. Is there a specific commercial plug I can put in there, and if so, what kind of LEDs could I connect to it (it,s forward voltage, ma )
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

nkg posted this Forbidden Plastic link earlier. You might find it useful:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/40908583/Reference-YT-1300-Light-Freighter

If you scroll down to the engine deck photos particularly to this one below, the grille seems to be the same hull color if you look at the edges, but weathered dark gray towards the middle to simulate soot or burn marks and with some rust color added in some spots.
https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/e863d440908583.57918119f318d.jpg


https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/e863d440908583.57918119f318d.jpg

They used a material called koolshade for the studio model grilles and I believe the slats are vertical? They seem to be like open venetian blinds so the fans are more visible at a certain angle. You'll also notice the slats are crimped together in some areas. Not sure either if this was done on purpose to depict an old ship or is the result of rough handling but they do seem to correspond to the rusted areas and would be fun to replicate on the photoetch kit part. The fans are real exhaust fans on the studio model and were there to cool down the halogen lamps that light up the rear, so maybe some of those burn marks on the grilles are real scorch marks than airbrushed on?

Thanks! that is really useful.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

... I guess my point was that I prefer the control of an air brush. Even using rattle cans the right way, I've had sputtering cans, inconsistent spray, etc. to the point where I really only use them on sealing or on non-model projects...

You can decant the paint by turning it upside down and putting it in a clamp to press the button, set it outside and let it spray overnight. This will expel the propellant. Then you can punch a couple of holes in the top and pour it into a jar. This is better and less messy than just spraying into the jar.


...BTW, I found one other minor MINOR Bandai "mistake." Can't even call it a mistake, really, but just a "it's not exactly like on the 5-footer" part. Part D16 that goes on the starboard front sidewall replicates a part on the original that features an open triangular shape that sticks out aft toward the cockpit once the part is in place on the model...Unfortunately, the part is molded pretty thick so the part wont break, making it virtually impossible to drill out and open up. Frankly, it's so small that I don't think even a photo etch replacement would be feasible. Once painted, it will look fine -- but it's just not an exact replica of the original piece.

Just snip it off and rebuild with styrene rod or stretched sprue.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

You can decant the paint by turning it upside down and putting it in a clamp to press the button, set it outside and let it spray overnight. This will expel the propellant. Then you can punch a couple of holes in the top and pour it into a jar. This is better and less messy than just spraying into the jar.


SMART!
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

https://i.imgur.com/2mPTNYe.jpg
Couldn't find the photo-etch fret and pulled out the decal sheet from underneath the pile of trees. Didn't notice it in the back of the decals bag and almost bent the grilles out of shape, whew! This thing's paper-thin, beautiful and fragile - l wonder if one can get replacements easily.

I have the same wonder. My box was apparently shaken not stirred. All the parts look good still - one greebly knocked off the sprue, but nothing appeared broken. I noted some stippling on one of the photo etch grills. Not sure if it actually effects the grill and. It the just the plastic envelope it is in. Probably more realistic than any battle damage _I_ could pull off. But, still...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Tell me about it.....I've been looking at this all weekend!



CANADACustoms ClearanceNovember 16, 2017 - 1:57 am
TORONTO
CANADA
DepartedNovember 16, 2017 - 10:28 am
CANADAProcessed Through FacilityNovember 16, 2017 - 9:57 pm

So was I. It's in Winnipeg now. Hopefully I'll have it this afternoon!
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Just snip it off and rebuild with styrene rod or stretched sprue.

Did you do it? It's really small. Even the smallest styrene rod I have is like a tree trunk in comparison. I might be able to make the V shape with thin brass wire but I'm at that "should I be an anal perfectionist about this or just walk away" point.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

That just makes me cringe. Rattle-can etiquette is a bit like gun etiquette -- don't point it at anything you don't want killed. After shaking, point it at nothing or a backsplash to make sure the nozzle is clear and everything's going smoothly and mixed before you undertake to actually paint a thing. Then go in passes, starting the spray before you're pointing at the thing and stopping after you're off the other side. For fine details, use brushes or airbrushes. Rattle-cans are well suited to priming and basecoating and sealing and little else, but they are well suited to those things when used properly. The idea of pointing one at a thing you want to paint and then pressing the nozzle just makes me squirm uncomfortably.

--Jonah

This. Was squirming myself when I thought of just aiming at a model and hitting the spray nozzle.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

This. Was squirming myself when I thought of just aiming at a model and hitting the spray nozzle.

Didn't mean to give you guys the willies! :lol To clarify, it's not so much about aiming the can at the model and hitting the nozzle, it's that I've had bad nozzle experiences.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Also, a question for those lighting gurus

It seems there is an extra plug in port in the lighting controller

I assume it would be powered. Is there a specific commercial plug I can put in there, and if so, what kind of LEDs could I connect to it (it,s forward voltage, ma )
I would like to know this as well. Is it a port for power or extra lighting?

If its a power port, and each battery is 1.5 volts, then you can make an assumption on the overall voltage.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

When looking at photos of the 1977 version and how it looks today, I'm having fun seeing how many parts that had fallen off and put back on incorrectly. I point this one out because it may affect how you wish to paint. I'm sure its been pointed out before, but these flaps have fallen off and put back on in the wrong order. As you can see the grey flaps are now switched.
Top Rear.jpgTop Back Left 05.jpg
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Man, I hope the ILM team working on the Han Solo movie is being as diligent as the RPFers in spotting the differences between the 1977 version and how the model looked afterward. We know they already screwed the pooch using the bigger TESB cockpit set, but it would be nice if they catch all these small details only true obsessive freaks like us find! :lol
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Did you do it? It's really small. Even the smallest styrene rod I have is like a tree trunk in comparison. I might be able to make the V shape with thin brass wire but I'm at that "should I be an anal perfectionist about this or just walk away" point.

I've done similar. Brass is an option, but styrene is easier since you can use plastic cement. And Evergreen rods come in very tiny sizes.

On that mesh part you mentioned before, I had a piece of screen from an electric shaver that I was gonna make it with for my MPC build I started in the 90s and never finished. Thin metal foil with tiny round holes in the perfect pattern and size. I bet it'll work for the Bandai.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Man, I hope the ILM team working on the Han Solo movie is being as diligent as the RPFers in spotting the differences between the 1977 version and how the model looked afterward. We know they already screwed the pooch using the bigger TESB cockpit set, but it would be nice if they catch all these small details only true obsessive freaks like us find! :lol

Are they doing 3 landing gear or 5?
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

They are using the deeper ESB era cockpit; it’s true. But one of the tweeted Ron Howard photos shows square wall sconces, which is interesting.
 

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