Question about the studio scale 32" ESB Falcon

[3phase]

OK I have question about the studio scale Falcon. I was about to buy one of the Master Replicas Falcons for just under $4000 delivered but the sale can no longer go thru as the seller can not get insurance for it as it is overseas.
I would have had to sell a lot of my stuff to pay for it but I really wanted one.
OK so my question is how much you think it would cost to scratch build one and how hard is it to find all the stuff to do one. I have read somewhere that someone might be doing a base kit etc but not sure who this was or how much will be offered.

Any thoughts welcomed.

Also is the MR falcon worth this much money.

[Wombat]

Is it a signature edition?

Mine is not and i think from memory it was around the $3000 back a few years ago with free freight from a shop in Melbourne.

[3phase]

It’s just the standard edition

[Junk Pilot]

Is the MR Falcon worth $4000?

That's the big question. To some it is and others it's not. For me and at this price it's not worth it because I believe they can be bought much cheaper.

As for scratch building one the biggest expense is buying the kits for it. By far the most expensive is the Entex 1/8 Porsche, which is needed for the transmission halves, and can sell for $750 and higher. In all only 7 parts are needed from this kit. The best bet here is to buy resin castings of these parts which cuts the cost dramatically.

Some people are able to scratch a Falcon together for under $1000. It just depends on how accurate you want it to be and what you have on hand before you start. Some modellers have many donor kits before they even start and some, like myself, have none.

I'm taking a short cut though by modifying the Hasbro Legacy "big" Millennium Falcon which has been upscaled from the excellent 1/72 Fine Molds kit to ALMOST studio scale size of 31 inches. This still allows the use of original kit parts to detail the new sidewalls I'm making.

There are some modellers offering or who will soon be offering bare shell hulls that minimise the time finding accurate dimensions then cutting the shapes and building up the hull but it will still require all the detailing to be added by the modeller.

I'd love to build a Falcon from scratch but have neither the time or money at the moment to do it so I have to do it on the cheap with my Hasbro toy. Many who have built a Falcon get a real sense of satisfaction in doing it despite it being time comsuming. However, if you've got the money and want to save time get the MR Falcon but I would keep looking for one that's cheaper though. Try over at Rebelscum forums. There is usually someone selling one there. And best of luck.

[LastBattlestar]

It depends if you want to go through the rewarding process of researching and building it yourself or having a ready made model sitting there, job done?

If I had a spare 4k that could be dedicated to owning a Falcon, I'd be buying a stack of kits and styrene and getting busy! I think you may really be wanting to build one yourself. The guys here can tell you that the frustration, satisfaction, skills learned and friends made when taking on a big studio scale project is it's own reward. Besides, when people you know see the build, you can say 'I built that myself'.

Mike

[JAWS]

The MR Falcon wasn't as 100% accurately detailed as it was marketed at.
The dimensions are pretty much spot on as they digitally scanned the actual model at the archives.
I have pictures of them doing so(sorry they can't be posted).

Mensaboy is working on a full kit & Joe is working on base patterns & a vaccu formed hull set.
The plans Joe has made are accurate & very very good.
You could have a base shape from his patterns built in a day or so & then just get on with cutting styrene.

[3phase]

OK thanks for all the replies it realy helped. I think i will look into building one myself and hopfully i can get a kit or starters kit etc when they become avaliable. Also i dont have the money i would have had to sell lots of modles to buy it so now i can take my time and not have to rush things.

[dbhs]

Mike, I think you need to do a re-imagined falcon like you did with the Bwing a while back. I'd love to see what you'd do with that.

[LastBattlestar]

Cook idea Doug. It would be easier than going all studio scale accurate with the detailing. I'd go pretty accurate with the hull proportions, but go nuts with the greeblies! A really heavily modified version would be cool with big external pipework on the engine section like the Galactica to make it look stupidly over powered.

So many projects to do. I'm still considering a MaQuarrie Galactica in studio scale to keep costs down, but mainly because no one has done one before.

Mike

[dbhs]

This one ??


Speaking of dream builds. I had started planning a studio scale Zephyr scratch build a while back. If I ever attempt it it would have lighting and landscaping inside the ring (ala Jim's botanical ship) and rotate. These things get complicated real quick.

Oh well. Too many models...not enough time.

[LastBattlestar]

Yeah, that one. it doesn't have a lot of surface greeblies but I have a million unused kit parts and hundreds of moulds so it would be quite cheap to build, even a 6 footer!

I spent the last two evenings watching TV instead of detailing the G and felt guilty about it. We really need to learn to just get back to the bench and stop wasting time if we ever want to build more projects. Although I did get held up by not having one kit part from the 88mm, bit that's life when you try to be accurate!

Mike

[JAWS]

Your in Australia right 3phase?
I can let my 32" I started go.
Its off my build list so am happy if someone wants to continue it.
PM me

It needs work.
It was my first start at scratch building.
Along the line realised the ANH models are more my first priority.
Along with the BG models.

[JAWS]

                Wow I just went through my old thread.
I forgot how much work I did.
Met a lot of fantastic people along the way too.
Which is what this site is all about.

[Junk Pilot]

You lucky bugger, 3phase.

[3phase]

Yes mate I’m just up the road at Toowoomba and I’m always down that way going to the coast or Brisbane so pick up will be available. I appreciate this and have sent another PM so just get back to me when you have time.

(11-10-2013, 03:07 PM)JAWS Wrote: Your in Australia right 3phase?
I can let my 32" I started go.
Its off my build list so am happy if someone wants to continue it.
PM me

It needs work.
It was my first start at scratch building.
Along the line realised the ANH models are more my first priority.
Along with the BG models.

[JAWS]

Like I said, it needs work but its a pretty good start.

[3phase]

(11-10-2013, 08:51 PM)Junk Pilot Wrote: You lucky bugger, 3phase.

Mate thanks for all the info you sent me. I have had i quick look and there is a lot of kits needed for this build so might take me a while to build this one. Not sure if Jase has any kit bits to go with his stuff but like he said it will be a great start and i dont think i would start if i didnt have something like that to start with.

[Junk Pilot]

Glad to help.

When you decide to start buying the donor kits for detailing I'd start with the cheap ones first, or the kits you can get the most donor parts from, if you're on a budget like myself but you'll find many of the kits needed are still readily available. I've found Ebay a good source for cheap kits but I've also bought some from other modelers as well.

Also some kits have the same sprue and parts as others, for example, sprue A from the Tamiya 1/35 SU-85 is the same as sprue A from the 1/35 SU-122 and sprue B from the Tamiya 1/35 M3 Stuart is the same as sprue B from the M5A1. You'll also need to save all the kit scans you can get then look at them to identify the parts and that is sometimes not an easy task.

But above all...enjoy it.

[peza]

eh up buddy,there is another option make each piece ya can and buy the resin parts that are way too complicated to knock up ya`self..