Millenium Falcon
COMPLETE
060930
PURCHASED:
060915
BEGUN:
060915
A childhood fave, this is my dozenth build of this kit. As a kid, this kit would be shoddily built the same night as purchased, flown around the house the next day, and crash landed, blown up or otherwise destroyed within a few weeks....
This time however, I spent three or four days simply building the subassemblies allowing them to set properly before final assembly. Then, even more days getting the final assembly going. It was several more days after that that I began coloring the hull.
Originally built for a landing display on a custom scratch built dry riverbed, it now hangs from the ceiling. While waiting on the diorama to finish, the Falcon was involved in a major media cabinet collapse where it was stored; and escaped with only the forward landing gear strut damaged.
I rebuilt that and it was good. When the next major accident occurred the forward gear was broken beyond my desire to repair it. Additionally, a rear landing pad was snapped off. But by this time, I discovered and purchased the cutaway version of the falcon and was beginning assembly of that.
So, once far enough along with that kit, and the diorama as well, this falcon ceased being a placeholder for the diorama, the landing hatches were sealed shut, and wired to the ceiling.
I originally thought/hoped that using various Sharpies would be adequate for the texturing. It is very good for smudging markers, but it had to go to the next level. But even today, there is still Sharpie dominating the actual colors.
This ship now served as my re-familiarization and reintroduction to washes. Paint washes, that is. I did three basic black washes pretty much back to back in sections. I really like the effect, but realize that I could do far better.
So, the first obvious change for the cutaway version (and all others to follow), would be to create the base 'factory fresh' colors.
Overall, this model serves as an excellent testbed and good warm-up, returning to the hobby as I have after such a long time away. For the last year and a half, I'd gone by a model shop on my way to work always saying that I would stop in one day 'just for a look around'.
When that day finally came, I additionally thought that 'if' there was a falcon, and 'if' it was reasonably priced, that I might pick it up 'for old times sake'.
Now here I am going down a long and familiar road with a big smile on my face.
