MPC Millennium Falcon Upgrade Kit Mk.II, HH

gt350pony66 said:

bottom line, you can't do this with a rattle can.

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Not entirely accurate - I work with nothing but rattlecans...

It can certainly be achieved as this post shows, and the Hammershot at the end of this post. In the first example, the paint was deliberately very heavy-handed in order to achieve the bubbling paint effect, but the Hammershot uses a standard 2-coat application.

Granted, we're working with very different scales here...

Great work by the way - I'm really enjoying seeing your project progress.

ok then, let me rephrase that..."I" can not do it with a rattle can and it come out right...obviously I do not posses the skills that you do.

Vim Fuego said:

Not entirely accurate - I work with nothing but rattlecans...

It can certainly be achieved as this post shows, and the Hammershot at the end of this post. In the first example, the paint was deliberately very heavy-handed in order to achieve the bubbling paint effect, but the Hammershot uses a standard 2-coat application.

Granted, we're working with very different scales here...

Great work by the way - I'm really enjoying seeing your project progress.

Click to expand...

but thanks, it's coming along...even at my age I'm learning new things all the time

Vim Fuego said:

Not entirely accurate - I work with nothing but rattlecans...

It can certainly be achieved as this post shows, and the Hammershot at the end of this post. In the first example, the paint was deliberately very heavy-handed in order to achieve the bubbling paint effect, but the Hammershot uses a standard 2-coat application.

Granted, we're working with very different scales here...

Great work by the way - I'm really enjoying seeing your project progress.

Click to expand...

Haystack...I got my additional 3 PE sheets today and there are some extra goodies in the package. I recognize the engine nozzles ok, but you're going to have to clue me in on the rest. And before I go any further, thank you so much for sending the order AND THANK YOU extra for the EXTRA parts.
there are 4 green pieces, and what looks like a gearbox, a radiator looking part, and 6 parts that look like smaller and slightly different from the headlamp panels, and an exquisite piece that's about 3 inches long and a half inch wide. Thanks again my good man, and looking forward to finding out what these extra parts are.

as you say, Cheers!

Haystack Hair said:

Looking great!!

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gt350pony66 said:

Haystack...I got my additional 3 PE sheets today and there are some extra goodies in the package. I recognize the engine nozzles ok, but you're going to have to clue me in on the rest. And before I go any further, thank you so much for sending the order AND THANK YOU extra for the EXTRA parts.
there are 4 green pieces, and what looks like a gearbox, a radiator looking part, and 6 parts that look like smaller and slightly different from the headlamp panels, and an exquisite piece that's about 3 inches long and a half inch wide. Thanks again my good man, and looking forward to finding out what these extra parts are.

as you say, Cheers!

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Glad they arrived safely! I meant to add a thank you note and a diagram of the where the parts go but it totally slipped my mind, had a lot of stuff to ship this month.
The green pieces are casts of this:



Which goes here:



Then there are a bunch of pieces from the Finemolds Falcon which are just the scaled down version of this sprue from the Tamiya Tyrrell P34:



As for whatever else I threw in there....I think it was just stuff you might find useful !

Keep it up man

Ah, I see...the shield projectors. I didn't recognize them. Very cool, thanks. So that piece that was like 2.5 in x .5 in isn't anything specific? looked like you purpose molded it. I'll find somewhere for it...if nothing else I'm sure there's a place for it on the Zevezda star destroyer that's next.
Thanks again HH, you're a good dude.

Haystack Hair said:

Glad they arrived safely! I meant to add a thank you note and a diagram of the where the parts go but it totally slipped my mind, had a lot of stuff to ship this month.
The green pieces are casts of this:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4173/33757731534_cb1c50d977_c.jpg

Which goes here:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4155/34214982450_76ae6f4dcf_c.jpg

Then there are a bunch of pieces from the Finemolds Falcon which are just the scaled down version of this sprue from the Tamiya Tyrrell P34:

View attachment 732744

As for whatever else I threw in there....I think it was just stuff you might find useful !

Keep it up man

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Say...I don't know if maybe I missed it before, or Tony (308 bits) has just introduced these but I found on Shapeways a set of 5 footer docking collars for the MPC with short sides,that have that elusive taper we were discussing several weeks ago. they're 52.50 for a set, but they look like the poo. I ordered a set, probably be a week or so more before they get here. But I'll post some pics when I get them. perhaps a group photo as well with all the others...for comparison.

Darth Humorous said:

Sorry I’m late to the conversation, and I really hate to point this out, but the docking cones are way too cylindrical, IF you are trying to emulate the “5 footer”. Although short on detail, the more conical original kit parts are much closer to the truth.

I’ve been seeing this more cylindrical style of docking cone showing up in other threads too, which is most disturbing. All you have to do is look at the more telling pictures of the original “5 footer” to see this. Even the CGI version from TFA reveals the more conical docking cones. The Bandai kit has this feature much closer if not completely correct.

I’m not sure how this all started, but I finally went to the Shapeways site and discovered that a person whose handle is “308 Bits” makes what he calls “MILLENNIUM BANDAY 1/144 DOCKING RINGS 5 FOOTER”, with the comment that “These docking rings have been carefully designed following all the details of the 5 foot Falcon. Totally screen accurate.” I challenged this statement by calling the images he had into question as possibly distorted but also noting that if not then the parts are inaccurate. He graciously said he would check the design, though I have seen no activity to date. I included a pic of the CGI Falcon from TFA as an example. I didn’t include any of the plethora of “5 footer” pix as these have been around for a long time, and I would have expected someone who claims such accuracy in their efforts to be aware of these pix. Maybe my expectations were too high.

The more cylindrical docking cones are a feature of the “32 incher”, which for some strange reason was based on the “full sized” studio sets’ cones. One must remember that the studio sets‘ cones (and indeed, the entire sets) were designed with forced perspective since they were really undersized when compared to a “real” full sized Falcon.

Mark

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Buckey,
I hadn't seen this post of yours before, must have missed it. Now I see what happened... brother, that is hideous, but I think you have several things working against you. first and foremost, two words, "test fit" again and again. second, and this is probably the worst thing, these kits were crap to begin with, even if you have a nice early one without a lot of flash and it's not all warped from time. I think your hull pieces, certainly the lower, is warped all to h3ll. I've seen this a lot in the kits I've done. I've got one that so bad it's not worth trying to build. I suppose I'll try the wife's hair dryer on it, see if I cant salvage it. But man I'm telling you, ALL these kits have warped hull pieces even if they've been stored flat. if they were stored standing on end or the box side, those are the worst but can be salvaged. And the use of rubber bands, painters tape and hobby clamps where ever you can put them also helps with this warpty BS. Another thing that helps is the LaserBond stuff. A
nyway, cockpit lower tube is a bitch even on a stock build. you really have to massage the crap out of them to get them to fit right with a short wall build. that cockpit sidewall gap, I've run into that, looks like you need to set your wall back further, and where the walls meet the wing panels close to the docking collars you either need to just use the sock wing panels and cut like a 1/4 inch out of the middle and glue back together...use you xacto saw...or set you walls clear to the edge and shim the other end if needed with that stock stuff in the green and white packages at the hobby store.
I can clearly see where you'd run into all these problems if this is the first time building this kit and especially with the mod parts. I feel bad for you dude, in fact...if you want to take another run at this kit, I've got a closet full, like 10 or 12. I had intended to build and sell so I just kept buying then on ebay when the price was good. if you want I'll sell you one for a smoking deal cause I'll likely NEVER build all of these. Besides, your paint job pics were an inspiration to me to take another direction with my painting and to get the air brush out and distance myself from the rattle cans. my current build is way better than any previous, and the paint is progressing awesome...I'm following your pics, got them printed and enlarged in my reference folder. if you're interested in another Falcon, send me a private message and we'll get you fixed up. have a good one brother.

Buckey Goldstar said:

Well, I just don't know what to think, Everything was going well and I don't know what happened. I'm really embarrassed. I can't, in good conscience, Display or invite friends and family to view this finished model. It turned out horrible. I'm really ashamed at myself. I just don't know where I screwed up so badly. I fell that it is a lost cause. I'm scared to try and take it apart for fear that it will be very damaged in the process at this point. Well, I'l let the pictures speak for themselves. I warn you it will be hard to watch. Haystack, how does that refund policy work?.........View attachment 730254View attachment 730255View attachment 730256View attachment 730257View attachment 730258View attachment 730259View attachment 730260View attachment 730261

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here's the painting progress, meticulous masking, water/salt for paint chipping and the air brush is making a world of difference, not to mention Buckey's paint pics as my guide. I'm masking some of the deck piping and brushing on the Testors buffing metalizer. the rest of the piping is getting a slightly different very subtle color for contrast. I estimate when the wash day comes, this thing is going to POP in a big way. Thanks again Buckey!!

gt350pony66 said:

Say...I don't know if maybe I missed it before, or Tony (308 bits) has just introduced these but I found on Shapeways a set of 5 footer docking collars for the MPC with short sides,that have that elusive taper we were discussing several weeks ago. they're 52.50 for a set, but they look like the poo. I ordered a set, probably be a week or so more before they get here. But I'll post some pics when I get them. perhaps a group photo as well with all the others...for comparison.

Click to expand...

Yes, he updated his various versions of this based on comments I left for the 1/144 Bandai Millennium Falcon Docking cones. I still don’t think they are quite right since the base of the cones do not reach to the side-to-side edges of the octagon plates, and I told him this as well. He said he would look into it. You can see our comment traffic on the Shapeways 1/144 Bandai Millennium Falcon Docking cones page. Still much better, tho.

Mark

Really? didn't know that it appeared there...hope he's not miffed because I said his other collars weren't tapered enough and too conical. So he did that based on your/our comments? That was pretty fast though huh? LOL...I asked him some time ago to do a ceiling for the entry ramp, he said he had thought about it before and said he'd put it on the list. Be cool if he got that whipped before I get that far with this current build. I scratched one out for the last bird but it looks like crap. I think the new collars are nice enough for what I want. I like the more conical shape as well and will use them on future builds.
Good to hear from you, you sound like someone who really knows this stuff, much better than some of us anyway. You got a build going or just cruising the forums?

Ross

Darth Humorous said:

Yes, he updated his various versions of this based on comments I left for the 1/144 Bandai Millennium Falcon Docking cones. I still don’t think they are quite right since the base of the cones do not reach to the side-to-side edges of the octagon plates, and I told him this as well. He said he would look into it. You can see our comment traffic on the Shapeways 1/144 Bandai Millennium Falcon Docking cones page. Still much better, tho.

Mark

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Awesome work, indeed!

ok, so check this out...I have the PE sheets from HH, it's Friday night ok, I'm on my 3rd captain and real sugar pepsi and I'm thinking, the 3 vents on top of the docking corridors...why not drill those out too? but, thinking they fit on top of the flange like the 6 engine vents and not checking, I drilled the things out too big, BUT, that turned out ok but it took an hour extra work. I chopped up more bic pen tubing and glued into the holes which created a duct tube so to speak, then I grabbed some greeblie parts from some stuff I bought for that and made some duct work to glue to the bottom of the upper hull which is open on the ends but you can't see past the edges looking down thru. being open, if they collect some light from the engine lighting like the upper maintenance wells do, that's all the better for effect... not sure it will be all that visible thru the screens once they're on there, but you can see some depth below the screen level as if they actually go somewhere. not sure if anyone has done this yet, but I'm thinking it's cool. BUT, if anyone else does this, don't drill the holes too big, leave a ledge for the screens to sit on...easier

gt350pony66 said:

Really? didn't know that it appeared there...hope he's not miffed because I said his other collars weren't tapered enough and too conical. So he did that based on your/our comments? That was pretty fast though huh? LOL...I asked him some time ago to do a ceiling for the entry ramp, he said he had thought about it before and said he'd put it on the list. Be cool if he got that whipped before I get that far with this current build. I scratched one out for the last bird but it looks like crap. I think the new collars are nice enough for what I want. I like the more conical shape as well and will use them on future builds.
Good to hear from you, you sound like someone who really knows this stuff, much better than some of us anyway. You got a build going or just cruising the forums?

Ross

Click to expand...

Hey Ross, he seemed very appreciative of the info. As I said, the comments are visible for the 1/144 docking cone page for all to see, toward the bottom of the page. So far, I haven’t seen a second update yet.

O.K., “short” version of my build. After nearly 40 years of trying to decipher this thing, I am still a student of the “5-footer”. That being said, I have gotten extremely close to solving the general hull shape EXCEPT for the hull landing gear boxes. Ironically, my original plan was to fit the interior into the exterior, like Bob Brown had “eventually done” tho I was unaware of him at the time. Of course there was no internet when I started all this. Anyway, to make the interior fit into the exterior, I needed to have accurate b/p’s of each. None existed so I set out to create my own. I began to collect every book, “official” b/p, fan-made b/p, photos, etc. I could get my hands on. The goal was to mod my MPC to my exterior b/p’s, and then scratch an interior for it based on my interior b/p’s. At some point, a fellow modeler convinced me to go for broke and make the “5-footer”, especially since the MPC model was really like a ruined wet dream. So far, I have a blue ton of self made b/p’s and very few parts. I had actually been drafting several of the greeblies for this fellow modeler, which, of course would help me as well. At that point in time, there was no shapeways, and model kits for greeblies were stupidly expensive on ebay. Since I have the training to draft and am (was) good with my hands, I planned to scratch the greeblies I could not afford. It is a given that I would have to scratch the hull as hollow so as to fit the interior. I didn’t want to start the build until I was satisfied with all my hull b/p’s…which I am not—yet.

I am up in years, and unfortunately, my health has become very poor, and I spend more time in doctors’ waiting rooms than anywhere else it seems. Though they still work somewhat, my fingers are becoming deformed, so I don’t know if I will ever be able to pull it off. Nonetheless, I still love the modeling hobby, and viewing other modelers’ progress is more of a vicarious experience. I try not to post too much except when I see the need to point something out or answer a question that no one else seems to know.

Sorry for the ramble.

Mark

hey Mark,

ramble? not at all. many times there's useful info in a persons "ramblings", and it sounds as if this has been a life long thing for you. You can't be much older than me if you're interested in this to that extent. Sorry to hear that you're having difficulties, I am as well but for me it's the lower back and one of my knees. Hands are still pretty good, however my eye's aren't what they once were up close...but I can still "hit a running rabbit with a 3 dollar pistol"
I was 12 or 13 when SW opened, loved it then, love it now. Bought my first falcon when I was about 35 and it sat in the closet for years. Flat thankfully. Now I've got a closet full and each one is better than the last.
I've pretty much hammered out everything I don't care for with the MPC kit thanks to HH and Tony, BUT, there's one more thing that like a bug in the ***...the cockpit. Needless to say, the MPC cockpit looks mighty small as opposed to what you see on screen. Saw where one fella cut the corridor from the upper hull, raised it some, and then used what looked like a piece of slightly larger PVC pipe for the cockpit and tapered it to fit the Shapeways cone. of course he had to remake all the hull plating for the tube and corridor. I'm past that point in this one, but thought of trying something similar on the next one. it's obvious that you have an advanced knowledge of the ships proportions, so what your opinion on correcting this for the MPC? I realize the answer could be complicated but I'd be very interested in what you think. Good hearing from you Mark, thanks

Ross

UOTE=Darth Humorous;4262010]Hey Ross, he seemed very appreciative of the info. As I said, the comments are visible for the 1/144 docking cone page for all to see, toward the bottom of the page. So far, I haven’t seen a second update yet.

O.K., “short” version of my build. After nearly 40 years of trying to decipher this thing, I am still a student of the “5-footer”. That being said, I have gotten extremely close to solving the general hull shape EXCEPT for the hull landing gear boxes. Ironically, my original plan was to fit the interior into the exterior, like Bob Brown had “eventually done” tho I was unaware of him at the time. Of course there was no internet when I started all this. Anyway, to make the interior fit into the exterior, I needed to have accurate b/p’s of each. None existed so I set out to create my own. I began to collect every book, “official” b/p, fan-made b/p, photos, etc. I could get my hands on. The goal was to mod my MPC to my exterior b/p’s, and then scratch an interior for it based on my interior b/p’s. At some point, a fellow modeler convinced me to go for broke and make the “5-footer”, especially since the MPC model was really like a ruined wet dream. So far, I have a blue ton of self made b/p’s and very few parts. I had actually been drafting several of the greeblies for this fellow modeler, which, of course would help me as well. At that point in time, there was no shapeways, and model kits for greeblies were stupidly expensive on ebay. Since I have the training to draft and am (was) good with my hands, I planned to scratch the greeblies I could not afford. It is a given that I would have to scratch the hull as hollow so as to fit the interior. I didn’t want to start the build until I was satisfied with all my hull b/p’s…which I am not—yet.

I am up in years, and unfortunately, my health has become very poor, and I spend more time in doctors’ waiting rooms than anywhere else it seems. Though they still work somewhat, my fingers are becoming deformed, so I don’t know if I will ever be able to pull it off. Nonetheless, I still love the modeling hobby, and viewing other modelers’ progress is more of a vicarious experience. I try not to post too much except when I see the need to point something out or answer a question that no one else seems to know.

Sorry for the ramble.

Mark[/QUOTE]

so I made my first attempt at a "wash" using Detailer's water based acrylic black cut with gray. about 60/40. Tried following Buckey's as much as possible, I like the look of his...before he gave up on it. Couldn't find the "blue dirt" that he used so I went with what my hobby shop had available. Seems like it turned out ok. obviously I've yet to do the rusty stain and grime trails down the panels. Previously I had used powdered pastel artist chalk with a soft tooth brush on others, but you have to get it right the first time as it doesn't come off so easy.
My local hobby shop has recommended using some pastel stuff he has which is similar to a gal's make up, and it comes off easy if you screw up. he invited me over to the shop's group use table to road test it and get some practice before doing the real piece. So far though, it's coming along satisfactorily though I think not as good as Buckey's.

Well krapp, all the sudden this PC or RPF won't let me pull images from the pic file...guess I'll post pics later.

had to log off, close window and log back in...wierd

two more.

I placed an order for an upgrade kit back on May 11th. Any eta on shipping? Appreciate your response. Thx

gt350pony66 said:

hey Mark,

ramble? not at all. many times there's useful info in a persons "ramblings", and it sounds as if this has been a life long thing for you. You can't be much older than me if you're interested in this to that extent. Sorry to hear that you're having difficulties, I am as well but for me it's the lower back and one of my knees. Hands are still pretty good, however my eye's aren't what they once were up close...but I can still "hit a running rabbit with a 3 dollar pistol"
I was 12 or 13 when SW opened, loved it then, love it now. Bought my first falcon when I was about 35 and it sat in the closet for years. Flat thankfully. Now I've got a closet full and each one is better than the last.
I've pretty much hammered out everything I don't care for with the MPC kit thanks to HH and Tony, BUT, there's one more thing that like a bug in the ***...the cockpit. Needless to say, the MPC cockpit looks mighty small as opposed to what you see on screen. Saw where one fella cut the corridor from the upper hull, raised it some, and then used what looked like a piece of slightly larger PVC pipe for the cockpit and tapered it to fit the Shapeways cone. of course he had to remake all the hull plating for the tube and corridor. I'm past that point in this one, but thought of trying something similar on the next one. it's obvious that you have an advanced knowledge of the ships proportions, so what your opinion on correcting this for the MPC? I realize the answer could be complicated but I'd be very interested in what you think. Good hearing from you Mark, thanks

Ross

Click to expand...

Weeellll, I’m still a bit older than you. I was in engineering college when I first saw Star Wars. Effects-wise, there really wasn’t anything out there that compared to it on such a grand scale. Add John Williams’ music to it and the whole is greater than sum of the parts.

Regarding the cockpit, your instincts do you credit (but they could be made to serve the emperor (sorry, I couldn’t resist)): it is complicated. The first issue is the model kit top and bottom are based largely on old photos of ”5-footer” of its top and bottom shot square on (as much as they tried) that we the public now have access to…perspective errors and all. This is why, for example that the antenna dish appears way too big compared to the cockpit, making the cockpit look too small. If you look at a top view photograph, you will see this. The second issue is the kit mandibles are too big for some reason, also giving rise to the “illusion” that the cockpit is too small. I say “illusion” (in quotes) because depending on the level of the horizontal plane one wishes to correct the kit to could make the cockpit larger or smaller, which really goes back to the first issue. Many other greeblies would also be of an incorrect size depending where they lie radially on the saucer surface, the curvature of which places each item in differing planes with respect to the camera, compounding the effort to correct the kit. So these items are out of whack with respect to one another making the kit truly nightmarish to make accurate.

Assuming one cares not for one’s sanity, the best thing to do is to scale the ”5-footer” dimensions down to approximately kit size, tweaking the scaling so as to minimize the errors, or at least minimize the hardest things to correct for. This was the mad path down which I was going until I was convinced to scratch a model in 1 to 1 scale with the ”5-footer”. The advantages of this approach are 1) not having to scale down each and every greebly and 2) it would be easier to scratch an interior with some degree of accuracy. The disadvantage is where to put it in my house, and the weight.

Mark