# Bandai SW 1:144 madness... my Falcon build concluded, but other ships are in the works.



## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Finished my old MPC Falcon face lift, and decided to order a 1:144 Falcon to do the ESB/ROTJ version, then went nuts & ordered the same scale Bandai Tie fighter & Vader fighter, then bought the X-Wing kit from my not-so-local hobby store.
I'm not used to working in this small scale, so my question is: regular Testor's enamel is quite thick, thinning it is easy, but painting the red markings on an X-Wing this small will bleed under any tape I put down... should I just go barbarian & use a fine point Sharpie? Ideas?
Damn, I didn't break the laser cannons taking them off the sprues- that's a good omen right there, eh?


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

I’m surprised you would get tape bleed using Tamiya tape, even painting stripes on something this small. Anyway, I would shy away from marking pens especially if you’re applying a clear coat afterwards; the ink can run and get messy. Personally I would use decals. Do you have any leftover red decal material from old kits you could trim to make the stripes and markings? If you don’t have red decals you could paint the stripes and markings on clear or white decal paper using red paint; I’ve painted on decal paper using Testors enamels to good effect. you just need to wait a day to let the paint get good and dry before you soak them. So those are my thoughts. YMMV of course.
Alternatively, you could create the markings in the correct scale in your computer and print them but that’s too new school for me.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Trekkriffic said:


> I’m surprised you would get tape bleed using Tamiya tape


My bad- I was using automotive pinstriping tape. I just ordered the real thing in 1mm width, thanks.
Annnnnd... look what I just got in today's post!
Biggest problem I'll have here is turning Rey into Han, and Finn into Chewie, then deciding which side & well pipes were added that don't belong an a ESB/ROTJ era Falcon (not such a problem).
What will be a challenge is fixing the lower access wells next to the new landing gear boxes. They're the only thing on the kit that's really wrong IMHO. Not by all that much, but enough to need attention (& give me a few little headaches as well).


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Decisions decisions...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Landing gear wells are not accurate width/length... whatever, I was doing in-flight anyway. I can fudge it or re-scribe it a bit.
Since I've determined the general look of this kit is of the 5 footer, I'll be be 'adjusting' the lower access pits to those







of the 5 footer. This calls for some surgery... I'll also have to move the 'guts' of the pits in more towards the center. Luckily, this will be the only major accurization I'll need to do.


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## FlyingBrickyard (Dec 21, 2011)

Chrisisall said:


> ... will bleed under any tape I put down...


A trick that can be used to really make sure you have no visible bleedthrough is to mask with the tape, then apply a clearcoat, and _then_ paint with the color you actually want.

If there is any bleeding, it should be done by the clearcoat, which will seal up the edges in the process.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

I cut into the inner panels just a bit, then made templates for the new panel area to make the pits smaller & the correct shapes.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Small replacement pieces going a little less frustratingly than I'd expected.


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## Zarniwoop (Jan 17, 2021)

Chrisisall said:


> I'm not used to working in this small scale, so my question is: regular Testor's enamel is quite thick, thinning it is easy, but painting the red markings on an X-Wing this small will bleed under any tape I put down... should I just go barbarian & use a fine point Sharpie? Ideas?
> Damn, I didn't break the laser cannons taking them off the sprues- that's a good omen right there, eh?


I built this same x-wing and broke 1 canon :-( and really stuffed the masking on the red stripes. In hindsight i should have used the decals. See my thread for how bad my stripes ended up looking. Adding dirt and a thick wash tended to fix my mistakes.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

The pieces are glued in, when dry I take care of the final tiny cuts & some minor scribing.
also, looks like I won't have to move the 'guts' very much at all, just take out some piping.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Here's the pit walls mainly finished, and the guts trimmed to fit & stripped of some excess piping.









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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

The hardest work is behind me, the rest is just fun.
I didn't realize this kit came with Chewie, cool. The next biggest figure will be Han, the next 3PO, and the smallest Leia. Also gonna sand down that ring on the dish center thingie.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Took a few greebles off, added some on. Not a big deal, but I'll notice it.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Oh my, the piping just off the mandible wells...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

This is a complicated kit when one only gets to work on it an hour here & there. I've messed with the greebles on the cockpit tunnel 4 times now... gotta paint the cockpit & gunner stations before final assembly. And, place more greebles on the docking rings... AND the hull damage... but oh man, this kit is so well engineered...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Just searching through the instructions looking for where part A29 goes... did I miss something? Then I realized it's that dumb little droid from the recent trilogy, LOL. The rectangular radar dish parts are also included... 









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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Tweaking & adding stuff. In progress... yeah more work on an imperfect model to produce a nice representation...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Today was physical damage (It'll look more terrible after painting).


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## StarCruiser (Sep 28, 1999)

I noted the band-aid that proves beyond doubt that you are a modeler!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

StarCruiser said:


> I noted the band-aid that proves beyond doubt that you are a modeler!


LOL, yeah, there is a price to be paid for this satisfaction, eh? Unexpectedly easy to slice through sprue with the cockpit. No blood got on it though, _whew_.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Okay, I got a question: 
I took one of the seated kit figures & sanded off the arms & added new arms made from rejected side piping to simulate 3PO's elbows, and a dude at RPF said he couldn't just do that & paint it gold- he'd get a 1:144 3PO from Shapeways or something, and I'm like, really? Dude, he's in THE BACK. You won't really even see him except as a blob of colour through the thick clear styrene windows... it's as model of the SHIP, not the characters in the cockpit IMO. At 1:72, yeah, it matters more, but _here_?
Am I being a bad OCD modeler?


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Different strokes.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

With this level of visibility? No, I'm going the easy route. Most of the detail I put into my 1:128 Seaview isn't even visible. At this scale it's mostly impressionism...


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## electric indigo (Dec 21, 2011)

Chrisisall said:


> Am I being a bad OCD modeler?


Streamlining your building process and getting things finished is an under-appreciated talent IMO.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Bent hull plates done.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Endgame: last bits before painting & final assembly & weathering- filling in unused holes, simplifying the sidewalls just a tad, and adding greebles here & there (mainly on the docking rings which were for reasons unknown very clear except for the panel lines). Final sanding to finesse new greebles tomorrow after glue sets.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Adding detail, subtracting detail... this is where I *stop*. Painting is next.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

I began painting the cockpit & gunner bays today, and then put the windows over them after the base coat & I was like "I can't see a thing in this helmet!" Saved myself a little work as I'll really just paint the white bar lights & the red, white & blue console & wall lights. No need to go trying to be cool with the different black & gray walls and stuff- I'll _never_ see any real work I do in there. And it boggles my mind- someone makes an accurized 3D printed cockpit for this kit, LOL!!!


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## MartyS (Mar 11, 2014)

I thought the same thing, then decided not to use the windows, they give you a windowless frame for the cockpit but I had to 3D print empty frames for the gunner bays. Not that it matters all that much, the cockpit you can see some of but the gunner bays are so small and recessed behind the guns that even shining a flashlight in there you don't see much. Thought about getting another one and trying to light it now that I have a better setup for painting than I did when I built mine, maybe someday.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

MartyS said:


> I thought the same thing, then decided not to use the windows, they give you a windowless frame for the cockpit but I had to 3D print empty frames for the gunner bays.


But... vacuum of space...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

The cockpit is a bit of a safe space on this model (figures as well)- there's not much to mess up if you can't see it well. Still, I'm doing the best I can.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

For what it's worth in this scale...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Decided to ditch the clear canopy & use the window-less one. Had to sand down the inside of it since it was both uneven & too thick. I ordered clear sheet styrene (.010) to make the windows. For what was mostly gonna be an OOB build, this sure got complicated. I blame myself.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Minor paint







tweak for the ESB cockpit...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Holy frack! It's so small I hadn't noticed that when gluing him in, I must have broken off one of 3PO's arms! I just made him a new one.











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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Also tweaked Han's headrest while I was at it. Like I'll see the difference. But I'll KNOW it...


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

As those of us following your build....


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Not a whole lot new as I wait for the clear styrene to be delivered on Monday, but I did take time today to 'weed' out an additional (roughly) 15% of the too-dense sidewall greebles (on top of not adding almost ANY of the piping provided by the the kit). It's still a little busy, but more acceptable now, I think.










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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Okay, I guess I've decided to go total old school & leave out the 'glass' in the cockpit windows just like in the filming miniatures. Which means, for consistency's sake, that I have to carve out the gunner windows. Oh... fun...


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

You might want to have a talk with your project manager.....Oh! Wait!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> You might want to have a talk with your project manager.....Oh! Wait!


He said, "Are you nuts?" 
I said, "Yes, M'am."
😁


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

Chrisisall said:


> Okay, I guess I've decided to go total old school & leave out the 'glass' in the cockpit windows just like in the filming miniatures. Which means, for consistency's sake, that I have to carve out the gunner windows. Oh... fun...
> View attachment 316654


If you can't pull it off, may I suggest?:









YT1300 BANDAY 1/144 TURRET WELL WINDOW SET by TonyRR on Shapeways


Check out YT1300 BANDAY 1/144 TURRET WELL WINDOW SET by TonyRR on Shapeways and discover more 3D printed products in SciFi.




www.shapeways.com


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

edge10 said:


> If you can't pull it off, may I suggest?:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think I can pull it off, I just don't _want_ to.
But this is a great alternative in case I break the fine bits- thanks a lot! I'll probably end up ordering them...LOL
EDIT: I did order them. Just because I _can_ do a thing does not mean I _must_ do a thing. I'm giving myself a break. 
Thanks again, man!


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

Chrisisall said:


> I think I can pull it off, I just don't _want_ to.
> But this is a great alternative in case I break the fine bits- thanks a lot! I'll probably end up ordering them...LOL
> EDIT: I did order them. Just because I _can_ do a thing does not mean I _must_ do a thing. I'm giving myself a break.
> Thanks again, man!


You're welcome. Tony aka 308 Bits does good work.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Now that this cockpit will be more visible, I touched up Chewie's fur colour a little, straightened a line here & there, poked faces to suggest features, & put the whites in 3PO's eyes (yeah, he's a little 'bug-eyed' here, but it works for him being in back...).


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Just did a little pre-shading today. By the time the turret well rings get here she should be mostly painted & ready for final assembly.
Also, I'm doing something I haven't done in untold ages- I'm painting this thing 100% by brush. I honestly can't recall the last time I did that. Probably in the 70's. It's so small, and the detail on this is so fine I don't want layers of rattle can paint on it (and I'm not gonna get an airbrush to mix paint just for this). Which means, either it will be an against-the-odds success, or a miserable failure. I'm betting on the former, but like Conan said, we shall see...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Can my phone _ever _capture this in perfect focus?? Apparently not...


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Love the work on the miniature figures Chris! 
And the last photo is pretty much in focus. 
Do you happen to have an iPad? 
That’s what I use for all my WIP photos.
anyway, great work so far. 👍🏼

Love your courage deciding to brush paint this too. 

Carry on!


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Looks in focus to me as well. Are you talking about the back ground being fuzzy? That is depth of field.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

More pre-shading, some deeper dark grays. Tomorrow I get the turret well rings to install.
Gotta ask here- I got this kit from someone in the U.S. on eBay for $60 + shipping. I was just thinking I might want a second one in case I wanted to do it again someday, and now I can't find it for under $100! Okay, $70 from Japan, but more for shipping. Why did the price suddenly go up?


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

Bandai is reprinting the 1/144 Falcon this month, so you may get your chance.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Wasn't gonna bother with this, but since I have the time I used an old 'paint rivet' trick to fill in some almost unnoticeable seams too small for Squadron or epoxy putty.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

About time to choose a colour. I'm pretty much gonna go with this look, I think. I'm not looking to duplicate the studio model as much as just make it look how I see it onscreen. That would be a super-light gray with maybe a hint of cream... as a base colour. Then dirt.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

This just in from Shapeways.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Successfully installed.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

One more small thing before I start painting the exterior tomorrow, I painted the inside of the canopy gray. Since I'm going with no 'glass', this is a must.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Okay, base colour is on, my brush was a perfect choice- no brush strokes I can see. I used a simple flat white with a few drops of flat gray, and saved the extra in that little jar there for the tiny brush work after it's completely dry. Panel colours will be right after that.


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## Hagoth (Mar 12, 2015)

This is quite entertaining watching you go through all your project "scope creep" and seeing the results. Well worth it judging by the outcome so far I would say and a lot of fun.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Hagoth said:


> This is quite entertaining watching you go through all your project "scope creep" and seeing the results. Well worth it judging by the outcome so far I would say and a lot of fun.


Scope creep indeed. And on such a small model. I blame Bandai. 
Just spent time assembling bits & doing touch up painting before the crazy panel blowout tomorrow.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

All I did after work today was set up paint maps. Yeah, I did this before with my 1978 MPC, but this is the ESB version, so it's a little different... And it's complicated by working off of
32"-er pictures...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Reds & grays on. Next the lighter shades...


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

Coming together nicely and quickly!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

edge10 said:


> Coming together nicely and quickly!


More work since then,







but alas, burn out line crossed. More later...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

After work today I finished the remaining panels,and touched up blast marks. All that really remains is general grime, designated rust & dirt streaks, and assorted tiny red markings.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Whoah, a flyby over my workspace!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

D'OH! Today I discovered a whole BUNCH of panels I missed! Now more waiting for them to dry before touching up my sloppiness....


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Touch up complete.
My list as of now:
Do the scrape-y s**t.
Grime.
Rust/ dirt streaks.
Rust & yellowish sidewall stuff.
Grey & black meteor hit marks.
Tiny black & red freakin' markings all over the freakin' ship.
Breathe.
Final assembly.
Take pictures, post them here & have too many beers & slices of pizza.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Almost the end...
Finally together...
Again, I'm burned out. I'll come back to it tomorrow & do final touch ups before I post the final result.


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## Hagoth (Mar 12, 2015)

Looking very much the part! Really nice job!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Hagoth said:


> Looking very much the part! Really nice job!


Thanks!
I worked on her all day today. It kept looking too clean... finally I just started covering it with thin gray wash & dabbing it up with paper towels... in a way I think it STILL looks too clean, but I must restrain myself. The temptation to go too far is always there. Ever see a Falcon model that someone went too far with weathering? It looks like a burnt chocolate chip cookie of irregular shape. 
I've never done this level of tiny painting (or scratch additions) ever before. It's totally not easy.
And it means a lot to me that people here like you like my work!
BUT... I may screw it up before I'm done... we shall see.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)




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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

"Did you finish the model this time?"
"Well maybe I didn't do every tiny little detail no, but basically I finished it, yeah." 






















































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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

In natural light:


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

Nice work Chrisisall.

You are shamming me with your productivity. I've wanted a fat Falcon model since 1977. I need to get off my fat tokus and work on mine!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

edge10 said:


> Nice work Chrisisall.
> 
> You are shamming me with your productivity. I've wanted a fat Falcon model since 1977. I need to get off my fat tokus and work on mine!


Which kit do you have?


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

My wrap up here: this Bandai Rise Of Skywalker kit is excellent, and all the Disney crap is pretty easy to leave off/modify into ESB mode. Accurizing the underside access wells was the only difficult part.
I had originally wanted a 1/72 Fine Molds kit, but oh man it was so out of my price range... the Fine Molds 1/144 was within reach, but upon examination online I just felt the details were softer than the (actually less expensive) Bandai kit. So I went with doing the ESB 5 footer instead of the ESB 32 incher. Which turned out to be the best choice for ME. An airbrush would have made a lot of this way easier, but why spend money when aggravation & muttering curse words can get you through? I even added details that don't show in pictures, but then, that's just for me.
So, not as super thrilled with it as I am with my MPC X-Wing, but pretty close. Thanks to all you guys who followed my snail's pace with this one!


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

I have both the Ep 7 1/144 Falcon with printed dish and the Perfect Grade 1/72 version.

Did you hand paint the panels or airbrush them?


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## Hagoth (Mar 12, 2015)

Really nice Job on this! If this is snail's pace for you then I must be a pebble on the path that you just blew by at a relative Mach 2! At least this pebble got some inspiration to move for your work.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Hagoth said:


> Really nice Job on this! If this is snail's pace for you then I must be a pebble on the path that you just blew by at a relative Mach 2! At least this pebble got some inspiration to move for your work.


Thanks, I just feel like I take so long to finish a project these days that I'm boring folks online. Back when I could stay up all night & still go to work the next day I could have done this in a week. In my 6th decade on this rock I just need to be in bed by 10, not 2. 


edge10 said:


> I have both the Ep 7 1/144 Falcon with printed dish and the Perfect Grade 1/72 version.
> Did you hand paint the panels or airbrush them?


 Most models I spray paint just the base coat with a rattle can mix, but in this case it's all hand painted by brush, even the base coat.
You have a PG 1/72!? I'd love to get my hands on one of those to convert into an ESB version! Lots of fun scratch building!


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

You hand painted the base coat? You're braver than I thought!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

edge10 said:


> You hand painted the base coat? You're braver than I thought!


Hahahahahahahh, you got me laffin with that one bro.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Last photos...


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Continuing on my 1:144 thing here, I got an X-Wing & 2 TIE fighters in that scale to go with my Falcon, and I was so impressed by Bandai that I ordered a 1:72 X-Wing that comes with a 1:144 X-Wing included, but I won't make the 1:144- it's for parts for when I inevitably break the laser cannons on my other one by accident. It's so small...


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Excellent job, good sir!


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Annnnnd, here comes the 1:144 X-Wing & TIE fighters.... I'm on a scale mission.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

After the hard work on the Falcon paid off, this is the icing. A tiny X-Wing is a fun challenge, and a TIE fighter is needed for that 'asteroid field' vibe. The Vader fighter is an extra, and as such, I'll be swapping out the bottom piece from Vader's ship to the regular fighter for the stand connection ( parts 12 & 18 here- all I have to do is sculpt the inner connection to make it fit). I'll gleefully spin Vader's ship over the Falcon by hand for the ANH moment.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

My Son said to get another TIE fighter & make it hitting an asteroid. I must comply.


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## Hagoth (Mar 12, 2015)

Chrisisall said:


> My Son said to get another TIE fighter & make it hitting an asteroid. I must comply.


Sounds like he used a Jedi hand wave on you. I would not of thought those would work on you.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Hagoth said:


> Sounds like he used a Jedi hand wave on you. I would not of thought those would work on you.


The Force is strong with this one. I must do as I am called upon to do. I ordered a second 1:144 TIE set, there I will find the parts I need to construct a blasting apart TIE fighter and then I need to find an asteroid.


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