I love how the latest part has turned out, HeavensEagle. What a difference! I can't wait to see it painted and weathered, nor can I wait to see the interior when you're finished with it. Very impressive!

I look forward to the next installment. 

Absolutely outstanding work!  I'm sorry seemingly so few have posted, considering such amazing work.  I'll be watching this thread very closely.

Thanks for sharing, mate!

No good rod in "exactly" the size I am doing.  Usually extruded rod isn't all that square either.  Who knows, my prototy[e might look great and won't need to be redone.  I will just have to wait and see once I do the test.  Also the paint I'm going to use might not be opaque enough.  Will just have to see.

Have you thought about using square rod and cutting thin buttons using that instead?  They would all be consistant and I'm sure they make the clear rods for it too!

I'm using thin (.007 thick) acrylic sheet that I picked up at Hobby Lobby, for the white buttons I will put a thin coat of white Vallejo on them (after removing the paint coats).  For the colored buttons, I will be using some blue or yellow sheet.  I thought I had the button sizes all set, but am going to have to do them a different way to get "nice, square, and consistant"  It will take a bit more time, but will look better.

I just need to do a little more work on the test piece and try it out.  Once that is done and tested, the second remake should go a bunch faster.  It only took about 30 minutes to get it all laid out the first time, and I have figured out a bunch of tricks to make everything go much smoother when I do the second one.

I hear ya bud... I've been working with alot of Apoxie Putty lately and discovered that you can make a nice thin sheet, let it dry and cut out nice little square buttons that transmit light pretty evenly over the whole surface instead of just a pinhole.  I've just finished my replacement stickers and a matte for brass etching to match the graphic.  Nice thing about it would be that I can print and use it as a decal instead of a sticker by printing on glossy photo paper, spraying a couple of layers of gloss-cote over the top and soaking it in water.  Works wonderfully!

Lol, you need a break here, I'd be burnt-out after adding even a tenth of that much detail!

Duster (Steve) Thanks for the post!  Had me laughing for a good 5 minutes!  Much appreciated!

Thanks for looking in LrdSatyr!  Right now my build is stalled a little bit while I am working on a Trumpeter 1/32 Ju87A for a bit of a change up.  Have been working on the rear cockpit bulkhead and making a complete new one out of clear acrylic sheet.  While the idea and concept I have been working on has a good base, I am discovering that the little square buttons are going to have to be even more accurate (in size and squareness) than I originally thought.  Most likely what I am going to do is finish the square buttons on this first piece, add some of the .010 dia fiber optic, add paint, and do the other basics and test it to see what needs to change.  

I already know the square button lights are going to be more ragged than I would like, but need to test for lighting anyway.  Usuallly what happens in a case like this for me, first time looks good to most folks,  but works out the problems.  Second try is pretty much perfect and looks awesome!

There is going to be a ton of stuff redone in the hold and corrior areas.  Have made mental notes on that, but until I have all the lit cockpit panels done, everything else will be on hold.

Hey Paul... love the extra detail work you're doing!  Can't wait to see how you tackle the details on the interior (seating, floor, bunk, walls, etc).  I've been doing all the work myself using Apoxie putty and spare styrene.  Still working out some details.  Can't wait t osee how you tackle those areas.

  Vhy Yesss Paul, I'm Vatchen' Du. Dis iss wery ehn-joyabul. Pless Keep up zee goot verk, ass I'm on pins and needles (at least until my master comes back) and it maken zee time go buy not zo sholy.

Vertizn!   

Thanks again for your kind comments TF!  Tools are something that I have always appreciated.  There was a time when I would get ideas and thoughts on doing something and couldn't because I didn't have any tools.  Had an opportunity a number of years ago to obtain some of the tooling I had wanted and have never regretted it.  

I have been a bit busy lately with some other projects but I see you folks have been checking in to see more, so here it is.

Hope you like what I did.  If you have any questions or requests, please ask.

Until next time, unless the Empire strikes back. . 

Man, Heavens Eagle, this is some intricate stuff! I am rather in awe of how much you are "accurizing" this kit. I was wondering why the details differed so much from the 5-footer, compelling you to adjust them, until I read your comment that this kit was based on the 32-incher. Makes sense. 

I wish I had the tools and skill to do something like this to a project of my own. I'll just keep makin' 'em 'till I get there, I s'pose.  Anyway, nice work, sir!

TF

Here is the rest leading up to the finish of the top side turret TP-3.

Till next time sports fans!  Same bat time, same bat channel!   

Time to post some more modeling goodness.  Or in other words, show how far off the deep end I am sliding on this build.  

On with some more EXtreme Falcon!

To be continued....

Compressorman

This is some really fantastic work here, I love to see a really high-detail no-holds-barred build. I am really surprised at the 'lack of accuracy' on the original however. I had always assumed that for the price you pay for one of those kits that it would be spot-on accurate. :( 

Thanks for looking in and commenting!  

I believe the outside part is pretty accurate to the 32 inch filming prop.  Why they decided to use the 32 inch prop as the basis instead of the 5 footer I don't know for sure.  At a guess (and it is only a guess)   It probably has a bit to do with how much more stuff the 5 footer has on it, and the fact that when George Lucas went back and upgraded the original trilogy, the graphics guys used the 32 incher for the basis for the computer model.

As to the interior detail however, it pretty well FAILS.  It could have been done much better and to a more accurate level.  As it is, it resembles something that would be found in a toy.

After watching a number of Utube videos however,  I suspect that DeAgostini hit the "It's good enough I like it!" spot with most folks.  It's only the nut cases like me with AMS (Advanced Modeler Syndrome)  that are compelled to go the extra lengths.  

As to how much it costs, yeah the total cost at the end is a large chunk, but it is only $61 a month, and I blow more than that on buying DVD's or lunch every month.  The benefit is that I am enjoying the heck ot of all the special work I am doing on it and at the end I should have something really unique.  Whatever floats your boat.

Keep bringing the awesome please!!! 

wow this is detailed!

Here is the continuation.  If you noticed, one of the stiffening ribs in Issue #11 was bent slightly.  After Issue #12 and some other info, I will show how I straightened it without breaking the part.  Zinc castings can be fairly strong, but they can bend and become quite brittle.  It takes some finnesse and a little knowledge to straighten them, and it can be done successfully.

Here is the continuation. . .

There you go sports fans!  Hope that little demo helps.

I should be getting shipment #5 tomorrow, and I have been scratchbuilding a new cockpit rear bulkhead.  At this point I don't know for sure if my idea for lighting it will work well or not so I am just building it up, add paint and do the other little details, and add light to see how it works.  Wish me luck!

Next installment will be a little more detail on the window, modifiying the gun mount and a few more details leading up to the unveiling of the fully modified Upper turret TP-3.

So stay tuned!  

My thanks to all who have been looking in,  please at some point take a minute and let me know what you think.  Any questions or problems with your DeAG Falcon, please feel free to ask!  I am always glad to help!

Tonight I will have two posts covering shipment #3.  There is also some info on straightening a bent zinc casting without breaking it.

Enjoy!

To be continued.....

TempusFugit

Hahaha War Department! I had a good chuckle over that!

 

Hahaha War Department! I had a good chuckle over that!

I thought about how expensive it will be overall too Gamera and decided to look at the monthly outlay instead.  I blow on stuff more than I am paying each month on the subscription, so why not go for it.  As for where I am going to put it, I won't worry about it until I have to.  Have no War Dept to pitch a fit so why worry.

Anyway, thanks again for posting folks, it is appreciated!

Here is another update:  

There is plenty more to come, I am still playing catch up on where I am on the build.

Questions are most welcome and appreciated!

Friggin' awesome!!!

I'm glad I'm not that big a SW fan since:

A). I need the money for a new car.

B). I don't have anywhere to put anything that big!

Thanks for letting us ride along with you on this trip!

No worries, Heavens Eagle, I can relate!

I really like and appreciate WIP posts like this one. I find that even if the skills and techniques shown are beyond my skill level, I can often find something to take away from it and apply it to my own projects. For instance, I was able to take auto painting and bodywork techniques I learned from some of the car forums and apply it to my current aircraft project to achieve my best-ever airplane finish. Now, I've made TONS of mistakes on this little P-51, but as a result I've learned tons as well and have achieved what I think is a respectable result, especially considering that it's the first airplane I've done in like 30 years! 

At any rate, I find this Millenium Falcon build most interesting, because although I am back to building aircraft for the time being, I have several sci-fi kits in my stash that I will build only when I think my skills are up to the task of adding in detail I would really like to see. For instance, I have some Star Wars A-Wings and Snowspeeders I would love to superdetail someday. Not sure if I really want to make the cockpits as close as possible to the "hero" units used in filming, or if I want to take a bit of "artistic licence" and scratchbuild my own stuff.

Of course, there's also a Buck Rogers Starfighter in my stash that deserves a proper build, as well as a couple Battlestar Vipers. Those will all be down the road a bit.

But yeah, I'm diggin' your work on this MF so far. I would totally understand if you decided not to keep up with the updates on this project, but I, for one, am enjoying it!

TF

Thanks for posting TF!  Much appreciated!  I don't really understand why there are a bunch of folks looking in but no one posting anything.  Kind of odd and despiriting.

I try to build and then post so that the complex stuff I do others can learn and try it.  This build so far is becoming the most challenging I have ever done.  Not because the model is difficult, but because of everything I am having to do to upgrade the detail.

The hard part is I am just getting started on this and there is a bunch more to go.  The entire cockpit I have determined is going to have to be scratchbuilt to get it right, the hold and corridors will need almost as much redo, the boarding ramp is getting a complete makover and the actuator will be redone, and the engine area will have a huge amount of work too.    (take a big breath) 

That is just the stuff I know something about at this point.  Surface detail changes will depend on things when I cross that particular point.  If it looks good and similar to the 5 foot model I will leave it.  If there is a big difference or something missing that obviously should be there, it will be changed or added.  That bridge will get crossed when I get to it.

However, I am also a little like a stage actor and even though I can tell folks are looking, without some comments and folks posting questions it leaves me thinking "why bother" .

So TF thanks for posting!  You don't know how much it is appreciated!

Hi Heavens Eagle,

I am fairly new to this forum, and I just found this post as I am still exploring the different areas of the forum. I was pretty excited to find this as I have been curious about this DeAg MF. So in answer to your question, I'm enjoying it! In fact, I have this post bookmarked. 

TF

Here is the  next installment on the EXtreme part of the build.  In this I am still changing the part TP-3 to something resembling the part on the 5 footer.

In this post, I am making masters for 5 parts that there are multiple copies all over part TP-3 (the turret)  and some surface rework of the part to change it to something a lot more interesting.

So is anyone out there finding any of this interesting and worth watching or am I just piddling in the wind here. . . 

Here are Issues 7 and 8.

That's all for now. Hope you and the crickets are enjoying this.

It has been a few days and I have a ways to go to catch up.  I have to say there seem to be LOOKY Loos but no one seems to be interested in saying anything.

Here is a basic installment for Issues 5 thru 8.

There are Issues 5 and 6.  Issues 7 and 8 coming up.