Bandai Perfect Grade Falcon build log/notes

The model is a marvel of engineering. You technically don't even need glue - everything is friction fit!


The mandible access pits are a sub assembly that will seat snugly and flushly inside the mandible halves.



A quick comparison.


Side walls tab in place, in varying shapes, making misalignment impossible.


Like so!


Piping is so finely reproduced, the sprues are sequested in their own separate box, which is a nice touch. For peace of mind, I glued everything together.


Every part is correct.



Even the tiniest of angles are ported over on these pipes!!

So this model honestly will appeal to the jaded crusty old modeler and the novice alike. Being a scratch builder and garage kit "figurer outer", the idea of instructions to follow is frankly a novel idea. I have been out of the "follow along in your book" game for a LONG time, and I must say, this is pretty damn amazing. Bandai has made this FOOL PROOF and I do not say this lightly, again. It sure seems like I am blowing smoke here, but honestly, I am not - click on to see what I mean. Here we have a handy "here's the mandible you will be building" graphic.



CHECK! at the beginning of every sub-assembly, you get a handy dandy "here's what the finished thing will look like" graphic to acquaint yourself with the general shapes and orientations of parts.


Everything is well plotted in sequence.


Sprues are labeled with letters, parts themselves are numbers. Standard stuff, but really concise and easy to read here.


The part itself.


Let us all take a moment to appreciate the undercuts that Bandai have pulled off here. Seriously.


LOOK AT THE UNDERCUTS YOU GUYS.


I can't handle it.


Here's another moment of loveliness - the "hey man, don't cut this off, thinking it's part of the sprue gate/nubbin"


See? that super tiny detail is part of the model and NOT the sprue.


- - - Updated - - -

And don't sweat putting a part on upside down, or crooked - everything is locked into proper orientation with non circular pegs or a series of pegs/slots/tabs that only allow the part to be affixed correctly. And you don't even need to GLUE them down - it's all friction fit.


Here's the part that goes into that half circle hole in the previous pic.


I used glue.


OH MAN, another one of those examples I can show you that CLEARLY shows the exactingness. See the two squares and wire bundles on the far right of the large donor part? It was cut off on the real model, but a smidge of the left-most square remained... and BANDAI COPIED THAT in perfect 1/3.6th scale.


Some more general beauty macro shots :

Amazing!:eek

Since 1978, I'm sure I've built or started to build at least a dozen Falcons. I've finished two. Only one -- my heavily modified 1/72 FM -- is the only one I consider a good, reasonably accurate Falcon because I spend hours and hours correcting the hull curvature, mandibles, etc. As tempting as it would be to say, "Well, sure, ten of those Falcons were crap but at least I enjoyed myself building them," the truth is... I didn't. Those ten Falcons were nothing but the definitions of frustration and defeat. Since I was a kid all I wanted was a screen accurate Falcon. The Falcon from the MPC box. Not the hockey puck kit inside. Sometimes, the research is fun. Sometimes, figuring out ways to make a kit more accurate is the best part of building a model. But I got past that point with the Falcon, oh, about 35 years ago! I cannot wait for mine to arrive!

Hunk a Junk said:

The Falcon from the MPC box

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That's what I've wanted too, for 40 years. And now it's finally gonna happen

The Sealab part will need a few holes drilled, at least they left something for a "modeler" to do :cool

moffeaton said:

View attachment 767624View attachment 767623

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robn1 said:

That's what I've wanted too, for 40 years. And now it's finally gonna happen

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Same here!!!

In looking at your pics, Moffeaton, I suspect the majority of my 'non-basic assembly' time on this kit will be to maybe lightly scribe undercuts on some of the pieces to give them just a bit sharper definition -- so they look like donor pieces glued on rather than molded on. That Sealab piece, for example, could use just a light undercut at the join line. Or maybe that's taking it too far. I don't know. I want crispness, people!

Hunk a Junk said:

In looking at your pics, Moffeaton, I suspect the majority of my 'non-basic assembly' time on this kit will be to maybe lightly scribe undercuts on some of the pieces to give them just a bit sharper definition -- so they look like donor pieces glued on rather than molded on. That Sealab piece, for example, could use just a light undercut at the join line. Or maybe that's taking it too far. I don't know. I want crispness, people!

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That actually seems like a great idea to me. You’ve got me thinking I might unashamedly steal your idea when mine arrives in December.

Superb thread by the way moffeaton!

Its nice when a company takes time for its product instead of just rushing it out.

Thanks for the breakdown

I can't wait for mine

good stuff. this is Boss. worth the 1/3rd grand to a die-hard star wars modeller.

i'll be buying one in a few years...i'm pretty sure they're not going to destroy the molds and discontinue

robn1 said:

The Sealab part will need a few holes drilled, at least they left something for a "modeler" to do :cool

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The sad thing is, I'm totally going to do it!

Great insight Jason.....it is incredible seeing the level of detail & accuracy Bandai have created for this model

J

Thanks for the review, Jason. I was on the fence about this kit (still have a FM kit in the box), but you sold it for me.

Sean

Awesome stuff. Thanks! I've added a link to my Bandai PG Falcon review.

https://sites.google.com/site/millenniumfalconnotes/bandai-s-1-72-millennium-falcon

Hunk a Junk said:

I suspect the majority of my 'non-basic assembly' time on this kit will be to maybe lightly scribe undercuts on some of the pieces to give them just a bit sharper definition -- so they look like donor pieces glued on rather than molded on.

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Yes - I've been doing that on my 1:144 Falcon, and I'll definitely be doing it on my 1:72 Falcon. Got to get a few more #16 blades!

(looks sadly at Gundam USA confirmation email)

(wonders about fraud)

Attirex said:

(wonders about fraud)

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They’re a pretty reputable source as far as I’m aware, so don’t think you need to worry about that.