Bandai Perfect Grade 1/72 《Star Wars》Millennium Falcon

[Darth_Masa]

I'm also doing some warm up models before I go at the big kit. I'm working on the 1:144 scale Bandai Falcon this week. I'm about 75% done with the upper side. Needs to have oil streaking and engine grime.

Fantastic man! What was your ratio and paint used for the base color of the Falcon? Did you use Tamiya deck tan and flat white?

 

[Kamandi]

Base coat was rattlecan Tamiya Nato Black TS-63 followed by Insignia White AS-20. This created some nice shadowing. The brown/red markings are Vallejo Cavalry Brown.

On the left you see my first go at the 1:144 which is OK but darker than I want. It borrows too much from the 32-inch Falcon color map. The one I'm working on now is sitting on the right with just a base coat.

 

[Darth_Masa]

Cool, thanks! But what was your ratio for the "ivory" color? Or did you build it into that color? A lot of dudes use the tamiya flat white x3 to deck tan X1 ratio. I think that ratio is way too dark and tan. I did a trial at 7 to 1 and I think it's too white. Next trial I'm going to do 5 to 1 and see how that goes.

Some of you you have received your Falcon, lucky! Mine won't be coming till End of December/Jan from culttv.

 

[Kamandi]

The Falcon in my newer images is far less yellow than it would appear in the photos I posted - it's a very yellow temperature light in the storage room where I have my craft table. I have not added any "tan". After my base coat everything else is oil paint.

 

[Darth_Masa]

The Falcon in my newer images is far less yellow than it would appear in the photos I posted - it's a very yellow temperature light in the storage room where I have my craft table. I have not added any "tan". After my base coat everything else is oil paint.

Ah I see, you're doing the challenging way. Respect. Even more impressive Sir.

 

[Mose Harper]

Looks damn near perfect to me as is- but I can see the improvements to the newer one. One of the harder things to do is not get lost in a process and end up giving too much prominence to isolated details like weathering. I can see, and appreciate, the lighter touch on the newer model.

If anything the bigger canvas of the 1/72 PG is going to make it even harder to take in the big picture while detailing. Going to necessitate a lot of 'stepping back'.

I took the suggestion of starting on smaller stuff to heart and ordered a couple 1/72 TIE fighters and am about to pull the trigger on the 2' Revell Star Destroyer.
Looks like getting to understand LEDs and fiber optics is going to be something else I need to educate myself on as I want to light both of those up.

I also have some ideas for a black velvet/fiber optic star field backdrop to eventually display the MF and TIEs with. Might start getting to work on that concurrently.

 

[Kamandi]

I agree. I'll be dialing back the contrast and muting colors even more on the 1:72. The 5-foot Falcon feels far less patch-quilt than TFA Falcon which has the right paints but the color saturation is cranked up. Also I'm not happy with the "Bear claw" battle damage near the cockpit on either build so far.

 

[Darth_Masa]

@Mose Harper, WOAH great idea! Please show and let us know about the back drop. Been wanting to do some sort of space backdrop. Your idea kicks the s$&t outta a picture.

 

[Darth_Masa]

I agree. I'll be dialing back the contrast and muting colors even more on the 1:72. The 5-foot Falcon feels far less patch-quilt than TFA Falcon which has the right paints but the color saturation is cranked up. Also I'm not happy with the "Bear claw" battle damage near the cockpit on either build so far.

In your original pics, the color looks to be spot on man.

 

[Kamandi]

V1 vs V2.

Another mistake I learned - Someone on RPF pointed out an inconsistency between the 5 foot and 32 inch studio models concerning exhaust grime. As seen below I painted the V1 with the grime radiating out as it get further from the center - this was how they painted the 32 inch. This would imply the venting happened post-flight while on the ground. On the 5 foot model the exhaust grime heads back in strait lines as if the ship is in motion.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

I finally bit on a falcon model and ordered the perfect grade on Amazon. The price has now dropped to $382 but with tax it's still slightly over $400. Awhile back I bought some of the other bandai 1/72 ships so this should go great with those. I also have the 1/144 to practice on.

The Deago falcon is still calling to me though, it's 20% off the complete kit. Even then it's still $1200. I'm tempted to buy it and stash it as a potential retirement project way down the road. I have read that there have been some problems with missing parts and such, if anybody here has built or is familiar with the Deago I would like hearing your opinion.

 

[Kamandi]

The DeAgo is based on the 32" and it's studio scale. The Bandai is a scale reduced reproduction of the 5 foot model. They are totally different things. Easily justified.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

The DeAgo is based on the 32" and it's studio scale. The Bandai is a scale reduced reproduction of the 5 foot model. They are totally different things. Easily justified.

Yep the studio scale is both intriguing and problematic to me at the same time. But the Deago dimensions are nearly identical to the new Lego ucs falcon which I also have. At the moment I have an image in my mind of a custom display with the ucs and Deago together.

 

[Walls]

I have the Deag, it's a fantastic mod l but it does have its down sides.

Not sure how it is if you buy the entire kitl at once but the subscription is a joke when it comes to delays. At one point I waited FIVE months for parts.

The sheer size of the build, you don't build the kit in any real order, and there are lots of bit and pieces that are built and sitting off to the side, or parts that just sit waiting to be used down the line. If you are concerned about display space you first better consider build space. lol

Lastly, it absolutely needs to be painted, but so do just about every other model out there.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

I have the Deag, it's a fantastic mod l but it does have its down sides.

Not sure how it is if you buy the entire kitl at once but the subscription is a joke when it comes to delays. At one point I waited FIVE months for parts.

The sheer size of the build, you don't build the kit in any real order, and there are lots of bit and pieces that are built and sitting off to the side, or parts that just sit waiting to be used down the line. If you are concerned about display space you first better consider build space. lol

Lastly, it absolutely needs to be painted, but so do just about every other model out there.

Thanks for the reply. Space is an issue where I live now but should not be sometime down the line. I am far from a seasoned modeler but it's something I would eventually like to tackle and take my time with. Lots of YouTube vids and tutorials out there to learn from.

I have heard about the delays some folks like you had to endure, I would hope a complete kit would be complete. I believe I read somewhere that Deagostini omitted a few parts that were supposed to be included and also improved some parts like the cockpit that only some customers received. Do you know if this is true? Makes me wonder if the missing/improved parts in question would be included in the complete kits?

 

[Mose Harper]

That Deago looks flat out insane. Much more impressive than the 1/72 Bandai to me- but then size really does matter. However I've also read about the problems with parts and how lacking customer service has been for some people. As remarkable as it is, there are just too many negatives for me with it that a modeler at my nascent skill level can't surmount.

USPS finally updated it's tracking yesterday. It looks like a lot of us who ordered from Gundam are going to be getting it tomorrow (at least on the east coast).

In the mean time I've been dropping a lot of money on modeling tools- no doubt wasting a fair share picking up stuff I won't likely need or that will need to be replaced with something better and more expensive when I finally learn how to use it. I am fortunate though that the local hobby store has decent prices on paint compared to ordering off Amazon. And Hobby Lobby and Michaels both have 40% coupons frequently. I jus used one to pick up a 1/72 Y-Wing, and the two TIE fighters I order came in and I've been getting started on those. Gotta say that I'm becoming very enchanted with these Bandai kits. Not only do the parts fit together ingeniously and tightly, but the whole package is a class act all the way- from the glossy boxes to the level on intricate detail and engineering. I can see now why there was all this buzz when the Falcon got announced. I really hope kick out a good sized Star Destroyer at some point. The Revell kit is cool to have, but even at almost 2' long it still feels tiny. And the level of detail is good, but any Bandai effort would no doubt utterly smoke it. As it is I plan to do a lot of customizing with it beyond just getting the light system from 3D Falcon.

 

[budafett]

Kamandi, what would you suggest for a beginner for a Falcon model? 1:144?

 

[Kamandi]

Yes, the 1:144 scale it your best option. It's not a bank breaker - ~$40 many places - and it goes together nice and tight without filler or sanding.

You don't actually need glue. You do need a decent plastic snipper and paint supplies.

If you only panted it with some Tamiya Insignia White spray lacquer and put on the decals it would still look nice.

So yes, it's passable as a beginner kit that gives satisfying results.

 

[Thorne]

I really hope kick out a good sized Star Destroyer at some point. The Revell kit is cool to have, but even at almost 2' long it still feels tiny. And the level of detail is good, but any Bandai effort would no doubt utterly smoke it.

Google 'Bandai 1:1700 Star Destroyer' to have your mind blown.
It's still not officially 'dead' but it was shown off three years ago so no-one's really holding their breath just yet.

 

[Smash]

I'm ashamed that I used to work at a hobby/model store and still can't build models or paint to save my life... this looks great, though.