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

Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Lab said:
I'm going to do two mods.
One is to install a prop-like mount point at the bottom gun port, to replace the kit stand with something else.
The other is to introduce external power supply to get rid of batteries, and in doing so, replace the engine lights with brighter LEDs.

I have mostly completed the latter.
- Kit LEDs versus high power LEDs:

View attachment 759780

- Replaced all 6 kit engine LEDs with high power LEDs.
- Added 10 high power LEDs, keeping the surgery as simple and minimal as possible.
- Placed silver foils where it seemed effective. Applied silver to the translucent lighting plastic.

View attachment 759785

- The result (exposure settings are the same):

View attachment 759787

The thick translucent lighting plastic included in the kit gives a unique sense of depth to the engine light, unlike thin diffuser sheets or bare LEDs.

View attachment 759789
Click to expand...


That is a big, big improvement over the stock lighting. May have to try to emulate this when the time comes.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Said to my girlfriend last night that I was really looking forward to a model that I didn't have to cut up or modify in any way. Thanks Lab. :)
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Brilliant work Lab, if you pardon the expression. So what power is the new lighting setup at? What was the voltage of the included box? Are the brighter LEDs rated at the same voltage as the supplied Bandai ones or are they higher?
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

DanielB said:
Camera mount?
Click to expand...

Yep....attach one of these babies to fine unistrut inside:
s-l500.jpg


Then attach to a CCTV mount

s-l500.jpg


J
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

iSteve said:
So what power is the new lighting setup at? What was the voltage of the included box? Are the brighter LEDs rated at the same voltage as the supplied Bandai ones or are they higher?
Click to expand...

I am not sure of the ratings of the kit LEDs, as I have no testing equipment. The kit lighting unit uses 3 regular 1.5V LR3 batteries, but battery voltage has little to do with LED ratings.
Here are pics of the kit's lighting unit with the lids removed, for your reference.

P2030471rs.jpgP2030472rs.jpg

Here are the ratings of the LEDs that I used.

akizukidenshi.com/download/ds/optosupply/OSPW3131P%20_.pdf
akizukidenshi.com/download/ds/optosupply/OSW54L5B61P.pdf

I have drawn the circuit diagram of what I did, if anyone is interested.

LED.jpg

A very crude execution:

P2030480rs.jpg

The additional LEDs are just suspended by their leads, which are simply inserted to the kit part by drilling little holes and slits for the leads.

P2030479rs.jpg

DISCLAIMER: I am not liable for any Millennium Falcons burned (or whatever happens) by executing this recipe (or whatever you do).

There are much more powerful LEDs in the market, but I wanted to avoid any heat problems. Besides, going too far would make the Falcon look like a lighting apparatus than a scale model.
LED color is another factor, but I chose to go white to leave the option to fiddle with filters if I wanted to.
 
Last edited:
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Never thought I'd spend this much on a plastic kit but couldn't resist and ordered from usagundam. Think i'll have to order some of the cheaper ones to practice as it's been 24 yrs or so since my last build hehe.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

My local Hobby Shop, Andy's Hobby Headquarters in Peoria, AZ, tells me he is getting stock for his store in November on the Bandai 1/72 Falcon. So, I guess US shops are going to get these for in-stock sale. We will see, I guess.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Ljaat said:
Never thought I'd spend this much on a plastic kit but couldn't resist and ordered from usagundam. Think i'll have to order some of the cheaper ones to practice as it's been 24 yrs or so since my last build hehe.
Click to expand...

This could be the "Holy Grail" of all falcon. So your money is well spent. And welcome back to scale modelling.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Sourdoh said:
My local Hobby Shop, Andy's Hobby Headquarters in Peoria, AZ, tells me he is getting stock for his store in November on the Bandai 1/72 Falcon. So, I guess US shops are going to get these for in-stock sale. We will see, I guess.
Click to expand...

OMG, I hope so.
Although, I'm still trying to figure out what I can sell so I can afford one...
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

It's a truly amazing kit but too small for me, I saw the 5 foot Studio falcon in Houston and to cram all that detail into a 1/72 replica seems a bit of a tall order for someone trying to replicate the exquisite painting, weathering and decal work done by ILM on the original, massive Falcon
The individual panels on the 5-footer are multi-layered and extremely complex regarding painting and weathering...

Houston Star Wars Exhibit 2011...
Houston 08.JPGHouston 09.JPG

I own a beautiful, repainted,MR Falcon which works for me as it is the exact size of the studio filming miniature and replicating the ILM 'finish' is possible, as here...
IMG_0455.JPG

I'm not trying to dismiss this kit as one not worth buying, I just wish it was at a bigger scale, good luck with it... it's still a masterpiece of Japanese engineering
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Ollois said:
It's a truly amazing kit but too small for me, I saw the 5 foot Studio falcon in Houston and to cram all that detail into a 1/72 replica seems a bit of a tall order for someone trying to replicate the exquisite painting, weathering and decal work done by ILM on the original, massive Falcon
The individual panels on the 5-footer are multi-layered and extremely complex regarding painting and weathering...

Houston Star Wars Exhibit 2011...
View attachment 760250View attachment 760251

I own a beautiful, repainted,MR Falcon which works for me as it is the exact size of the studio filming miniature and replicating the ILM 'finish' is possible, as here...
View attachment 760253

I'm not trying to dismiss this kit as one not worth buying, I just wish it was at a bigger scale, good luck with it... it's still a masterpiece of Japanese engineering
Click to expand...

Ahh come on and be honest, You have buyers remorse for the Master Replica falcon.

Its childs toy like appearance was never worth the $900 plus. The same amount is for the flat looking Diagostini kids toy which is an oversized low detail space invader.

Never too late to sell ;)
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Ollois said:
It's a truly amazing kit but too small for me, I saw the 5 foot Studio falcon in Houston and to cram all that detail into a 1/72 replica seems a bit of a tall order for someone trying to replicate the exquisite painting, weathering and decal work done by ILM on the original, massive Falcon
The individual panels on the 5-footer are multi-layered and extremely complex regarding painting and weathering...
Click to expand...

I have no doubt that some of the members here are up to the task. TBH, even working at 1/1 scale to the studio model, exactly replicating the original ILM work would be a nearly impossible challenge. It's like making a copy of the Mona Lisa. But the Bandai Falcon is going to be as close as many of us are ever going to get to owning the 5-footer. Few of us have the money to buy a 1/1 copy of the 5-footer or the room to display it. Even the 3-footer (which the MR represents) pushes the limit of space I have available to show off my model collection. IMHO, the Bandai is the Grail kit. It's an accurate, reasonably affordable, and nicely sized version of the 5-footer. It's the kit I've wanted since 1977 -- and I'm finally getting it.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

I have the MR (LE, unmodified) as well as the Deagostini (I wanted to assemble and paint myself). They both give the pleasure of a big, studio scale model, but the new Bandai model, although roughly half the size, goes surprisingly ahead of those studio scale models in terms of replicating the original. This is especially apparent in the thickness of the hull plates, all around the rim of the saucers and the hull pits (the pic of the Bandai model is in its partially primed state).

P2030485rs.jpg

Of course the biggest thing about the Bandai model isn't about it being a masterpiece of Japanese engineering, but about such engineering being made to serve the purpose of providing appreciation of ILM's ingenuity that went into the 5 foot model.

P2030486rs.jpg
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Lab said:
I have the MR (LE, unmodified) as well as the Deagostini (I wanted to assemble and paint myself). They both give the pleasure of a big, studio scale model, but the new Bandai model, although roughly half the size, goes surprisingly ahead of those studio scale models in terms of replicating the original. This is especially apparent in the thickness of the hull plates, all around the rim of the saucers and the hull pits (the pic of the Bandai model is in its partially primed state).

View attachment 760286

Of course the biggest thing about the Bandai model isn't about it being a masterpiece of Japanese engineering, but about such engineering being made to serve the purpose of providing appreciation of ILM's ingenuity that went into the 5 foot model.

View attachment 760291
Click to expand...

Funny you bring up the hull plating. It is one of my few complaints I have about the Bandai. The edges are somewhat beveled and not very sharp, specifically when looking at the gaps in between the hull plating. I realize you are referring to the thickness, but none the less not too sharp on the Bandai.
201709%2F05%2F15%2Fb0029315_00301041.jpg
Honestly, I don't feel like you can compare the two Falcons being the MR and Bandai other than they are beautiful replicas of the specific model they are emulating. Of course the Bandai has more detail, it's based off a much larger model. The MR accurately replicates the 32inch so they both serve their purpose well.
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

kokkari said:
Funny you bring up the hull plating. It is one of my few complaints I have about the Bandai. The edges are somewhat beveled and not very sharp, specifically when looking at the gaps in between the hull plating. I realize you are referring to the thickness, but none the less not too sharp on the Bandai.
Click to expand...

Are you saying that you feel the edges are "not very sharp" after seeing the actual parts with your own eyes?
 
Re: Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon

Styrene molds are steel, not silicon like a resin mold.
The weird edges aren't anything that can't be fixed with a jeweler's file.
 

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.

Similar threads

JV1138
Fine Molds 1:72 Millennium Falcon (Definitive 32" Paintjob)
2
Replies
37
Views
3,441
JV1138
JV1138
lucavigg
Bandai 1/72 Y Wing Help
Replies
8
Views
1,015
Millenniumf
Millenniumf
modelerdave
Revell 1/72 Madalorian Razor Crest (Late to the party edition)
Replies
12
Views
745
modelerdave
modelerdave
3Dsf
Researching the Millennium Falcon hold sets
Replies
9
Views
1,000
3Dsf
3Dsf
J
Bandai 1/72 Falcon Standard Edition
Replies
6
Views
1,577
Jun Austria
J
Back
Top