Jaitea's Falcon Projects

[Jaitea]

Thanks very much guys, modifying the lower jaw tonight.

The past few days I've been making the centre window for the MPC's cockpit. I made 3 attempts and I think I'll settle on this one

J

 

[JohnSimmons]

Ooh that looks nice, especially the bottom pic

 

[Jaitea]

Thanks MJ,

Heres a comparison with the original MPC cone:

& the 5 foot


J

 

[Junkie]

Very nice. Great work modifying all those major parts.

 

[Quaralane]

Not going to be much of the original kit left untouched, is there?

 

[Jaitea]

Thanks for the support Scott & Quaralane,

The next 'big' step with the MPC Falcon will be the docking rings, I'll likely make them the same way I made the new cockpit cone....wrapping thin card. The other thing will be reducing the diameter of the circular openings on the mandibles.

I've finished re-sizing the bottom jaw for the FineMolds Falcon, and I'll post some photos tonight.

J

 

[Jaitea]

Ok photos of narrowed jawbox.....not sure about their height and gap between

I test fitted the mandibles and glued a bridge between them so they are a unit:

Shot of inside hulls and the filler used to span the gaps:

The 'Fangs' in place

There are some things that need broke and re-set (Lower jaw is not square) and as I mentioned I think the Jaws may me still too thick

J

 

[JohnSimmons]

I think it looks great, worth the effort that youve put in mate.

 

[Captain Han Solo]

Great work all around my friend..

 

[Jaitea]

Thank you guys, Hopefully I'll get the angles sorted tonight & I'll post the photos

Um......well.....I got paid today....and I went into Belfast at lunch time hoping to get either a Tamiya or Academy 1/48 Spitfire....I went into a relatively new model shop which sells a lot of 2nd hand kits....which is good, he has a lot of original Sci-fi stuff, the boxes can be a little dog-eared, but who cares as long as the kits are ok......

He was selling a FineMolds Millennium Falcon 1/72.......he said that the previous collector was a bit nervous about making it.....he held on to it for quite a few years....I bought it for £100 ($156), I know these kits are usually selling for £150+ (& postage) in the UK

So now my possession of Falcon kits are : 2 FineMolds 1/72
2 Revell Easykits 1/83
1 Revell Easykit 1/283
1 MPC/ Ertl 1/66

The original pitch to my wife when I got my first FM Falcon was to sell it when it was completed.....but as I've built it I'd rather keep it....so I don't know now.....maybe finish the first one.....sell it, then replicate everything for the new one & keep that one?....dunno

J

 

[Jaitea]

I've attached the mandibles and straightened the lower jaw

I think the top jaw needs an adjustment now

On the MPC I tried placing the lower jaw but I couldn't get it to sit right, I think I'm going to have to wait until the mandibles are attached

J

 

[Jaitea]

Comparison of the modified jawbox & mandible toe-in (Left) and the out of the box FineMolds hull (Right)

J

 

[Quaralane]

Definitely looking good. On both ships

 

[JohnSimmons]

What a difference! This is great

 

[Jaitea]

Thanks Quaralane & MJ,

Going back to the MPC again, I am reducing the diameter of the circular openings on the mandibles, I got a bit carried away and forgot to photograph the WIP, just remembered on the last one

I'll post more images tonight

J

 

[Jaitea]

I've blended in the new circular openings, now need to detail them, i'm glad to get that modification over, I really didn't know how I was going to make them, but I think just cutting out the area and inserting smaller holes did the job.

and underside

J

 

[Quaralane]

--shakes head--
Going to be almost all new when you get done with her

 

[Jaitea]

Yeah Quaralane, I keep thinking that I'd leave some parts as they where, but then it eats away at me and I give in and adjust, ha!

This is where I'm at with the MPC, all parts just slotted in or taped on just for the photo

I'm working on the mandibles at the minute, starting with the underside, still lots of pipe-work to do on this one

J

 

[JohnSimmons]

Stunning work, this is going to be the best mpc falcon out there!

 

[Quaralane]

Definitely superb work