Star Wars 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon [WIP - Base]

Above the desert sands of Jakku, a planet in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Millennium Falcon finally made its big screen return after its original debut more than forty years ago in A New Hope. This fictional planet is actually based on the sand desert of Rub' al Khali in the Arabian Peninsula, whose almost silky smooth sand dunes are recreated in base provided by Bandai.    

Bandai Star Wars 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon - Desert Base [Completed]

Materials used to spruce up the Desert Base consisted of the Tamiya Weathering Master (Set B) specifically its Rust hue for the dune shadows and an application of the Mr.Hobby Mr.Super Smooth Clear matt topcoat over the weathered base in order to protect and seal in the weathering effect.

Materials used on Desert Base: Mr.Super Smooth Clear and Tamiya Weathering Master Set B

In terms of accuracy, the color that the base came molded in was actually too yellow for my taste. That usually would've been enough of a reason for me to repaint the base. But this time is was not. There was an overriding issue that made me decide to put in as little effort as I could get away with and yet still make the base look reasonably good. What was the issue? It's size. The desert base is way too small. In fact, it's smaller than the Millennium Falcon kit that it will eventually support. This is an unforgivable act by Bandai. If they were going to do things halfheartedly, why even bother?

Silky smooth sand texture is similar to the actual desert that Jakku is based on i.e. Rub 'al Khali

First, darker hues were applied onto the recessed areas to create shadows thus a sense of depth

Second, a clear matt topcoat was sprayed over the base in order to seal in the weathering effects

Key issue I had with the base was its size, which was way smaller than the Millennium Falcon

At the tip of the display stand there are three possible posing positions, each located on two separate axes, which are at right angles to each other. This should allow for a total of nine different posing positions for the Millennium Falcon atop its Desert Base. That's sufficient poses if you ask me. 

There are three possible posing positions each on two separate axes at right angles to one another

At the display stand's top are three cylindrical studs, which are used to fix onto the Millennium Falcon  

Finally, it's time for the cherry on top. Soon the Millennium Falcon will soar above the desert sands of Jakku ... in the next post. All it took was an enforced stay-at-home period to push this project across the finish line. A global pandemic no less. Speaking of which, Malaysia has restarted its economy as new cases continue to flatline in the low double-digits. While new viral clusters are still emerging, unemployment is also soaring and financial hardships piling-up. Amidst the risk of a second wave, the middle-class and poor find themsleves between a rock and a hard place. As Dolores Abernathy put it in Westworld Season 2 ... Strange new light can be just as frightening as the dark.

Star Wars 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon [WIP - Weathering Effects on the Upper Hull, Cockpit, Forward Mandibles & Laser Turret]

Key to weathering the Millennium Falcon at 1/144 scale is not to overdo it. Because there is already so much going on in terms of detail on the Upper Hull and its accompanying sections such as the Cockpit, Forward Mandibles and Laser Turret, an over-weathered effort would've resulted in a dark mess masking over said details. This issue is compounded by the 'smallish' scale I had to work with. So throughout the weathering process I had to maintain a fine balance of just enough effects to show off a battered old junk but not too much that the paint/details underneath became obscured.

Millennium Falcon Work-in-Progress: Weathering effects on the Upper Hull, Cockpit, Laser Turret, & Forward Mandibles

Both the Cockpit and Forward Mandibles had been completed much earlier i.e. nearly four years ago, and together with the recently finished Upper Hull and Laser Turret formed the main topside pieces that required the application of weathering effects. Because I had used water decals for the colored armor panels instead of painting them, I decided to use what I believe to be fairly benign weathering products to avoid damaging the decals. This came in the form of Tamiya Weathering Master sets, namely certain hues from Set A (i.e. Sand & Mud); Set B (Soot & Rust) and Set C (Orange Rust). 

Cockpit (above) and all other parts of the Millennium Falcon were weathered with Tamiya Weathering Master

As with all parts of the Falcon, subtlety was key when applying weathering effects on the Cockpit section

In order to seal in the weathering effects and prevent them from easily rubbing off from the surface, I sprayed on a light clear coat of a premium top coat product in my arsenal. A fairly new addition to Mr.Hobby's product line, the lacquer-based Mr.Super Smooth Clear spray contains fluorine which the company claims can decrease the dreaded whitening phenomenon. In addition, this high grade flat coat spray also produces an extremely smooth top coat layer that reduces scratching between moving parts. Although this top coat is lacquer-based, it doesn't affect the water decals in any way, at least in the way that I applied the protective layer, which is to spray it on in a series of light coats.    

Forward Mandibles (Topside) of the Millennium Falcon

Weathering was focused around the circular Maintenance Access Bays ...

... as well as on the frontmost area of each Forward Mandible 

Forward Mandibles (Underside) of the Millennium Falcon

Weathering on the underside of the Mandibles was less pronounced compared with the topside

Weathering on the underside also focused around the access bays and frontmost area of each Mandible

From the previous post came the recently completed Upper Laser Turret. I didn't quite like the end result of my attempted weathering on this piece but was too lazy to change it. That and the fact that I have already sprayed on the protective top coat onto the piece before it occurred to me that I could've done much better. Oh well. Hopefully it will blend in inconspicuously with the rest of the Upper Hull.

Millennium Falcon Upper Laser Turret: a flat topcoat was applied over weathering effects to seal them in   

Then it was on to the Upper Hull section. Special care was taken to be extra subtle when weathering the rear section containing the Heat Exhaust Vents. Of all the surfaces on the Millennium Falcon, this was the one area most prone to over-weathering in the scale modelling community. Meanwhile, in my version of weathering effects, the Falcon's Upper Hull contains more mud, dirt and soot effects versus the desert sand effects on the Lower Hull. In my opinion there's no right or wrong to this choice of effects. It's just a matter of personal preference, and I find this combination most pleasing.

Millennium Falcon Upper Hull: fully painted, decaled, panel lined, weathered and protected with a clear topcoat

Unpainted area above has four protruding studs onto which the Cockpit will be eventually fixed securely  

Weathering effects need to be the most subtle towards the rear section of the Millennium Falcon

Upper Hull contains more mud, dirt and soot effects versus the desert sand effects on the Lower Hull

If weathering effects are overdone on the rear section containing the Heat Exhaust Vents, a black mess will ensue

Rust effects were also included, especially near openings where the exposed innards will eventually be placed

Main weathering effects on the Upper Hull comprise dark brown mud-like and black soot-like colors

Circular socket seen above is where the Radar Dish will eventually be attached

Bulk of the work on the Bandai Star Wars 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon is now complete. Apart from some miscellaneous parts for the Upper Hull and the base, this iconic ship will be finished soon enough. In the words of the late Aryton Senna, one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time ... I have no idols. I admire work, dedication and competence. Assuming competence comes after work and dedication, here's a small toast to my fellow scale modelers and miniature painters stuck at home during this global viral pandemic ... may your hard work and dedicated practice of the hobby result in the painted model/miniature of your dreams. And with that I bid you not adieu but au revoir.

Star Wars 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon [WIP - Upper Laser Turret sans weathering]

When it came to completing the Millennium Falcon Upper Laser Turret, I had been procrastinating to a higher than usual level. Perhaps not dissimilar to the urges of an obsessive compulsive behavior, my need to paint the interior of a turret that's barely visible to the naked eye - something I wasn't too keen on in the first place - had caused me to repeatedly put off completing the turret. In the end what made me go ahead anyway was a self rationalizing compromise. What I'll do - I had convinced myself - was to paint the turret but to do so in a less detailed way. Just enough to see some indistinct details past the Quad Laser Cannon and through the Clear Viewport on the turret. 

Bandai Star Wars Millennium Falcon 1/144 scale Upper Laser Turret sans weathering

Unlike the turret on the Lower Hull which had Finn on the gunner's seat, the Upper Laser Turret's seat remained unoccupied. For The Force Awakens scene I had in mind for this Millennium Falcon project, the only other people in the ship was Rey and BB-8 and they were in the cockpit. Just to reiterate, the scene I'm trying to replicate is one in which the Falcon is in a free fall with its engines switched off in order to evade as well as target a pursuing First Order TIE Fighter.

Painted interior of the Millennium Falcon Upper Laser Turret

Unlike the Lower Laser Turret, the one on the Upper Hull doesn't have a gunner seated in it

Color scheme is based upon the Falcon interior as seen in Star Wars: A New Hope

In terms of color scheme, I used the only reference I had of the Upper Laser Turret interior i.e. the TIE Fighter Attack on the Millennium Falcon Scene in Star Wars: A New Hope. In the scene, Han Solo was operating the Laser Quad Cannon in the Upper Turret (see below) while Luke Skywalker operated the one in the Lower Turret. This was also the first time the turret interiors were being shown in the movie franchise, at least it was if my memory serves me correctly. And having decided not to spend too much time painting the interior as per my compromise, the end result isn't quite like-for-like (see above). But it's close enough that I could let go and move on with the project.   

Han Solo seated on the Upper Laser Turret in Star Wars: A New Hope

Another reason I procrastinated was the need to prime and paint sections of the clear part provided i.e. the turret viewport (see below, leftmost part). Rather than masking and airbrushing the part as I maybe should've done, I did it the old fashioned way namely by hand using a paint brush. The colored armor panels on the Upper Laser Turret are actually water decals. The chipped paint effect on the brownish red panel was a result of me scratching at the decal with a toothpick after it had dried. 

Upper Laser Turret parts (clockwise from left): Hull Armor Plating, Turret Interior, Viewport & Quad Laser Cannon

Millennium Falcon Upper Laser Turret plus interior just before the Quad Laser Cannon is attached

Upper Laser Turret will all the parts attached including the Quad Laser Cannon

Still missing from the Upper Laser Turret is any form of weathering effects. This I will do later together with the Upper Hull, Forward Mandibles, and Cockpit sections. And with that I would like to add another non-related quote from one of my all time favorite TV series Community ... "To me, religion is like Paul Rudd. I see the appeal, and I would never take it away from anyone, but I would also never stand in line for it," says Jeff Winger pseudo-leader of the show's lovable study group.

COVID-19 Lockdown Update: While the pandemic here in Malaysia is seeing consistent signs of a flattening curve and health/scientific experts predict the peak has passed, the feeling among the authorities and general populace alike is still one of caution. With that the lockdown has been extended for a third two-week period until 28 April 2020. The battle wages on ... 

Star Wars 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon [WIP - Sublight Drive Exhaust/Engines & Lower Hull Weathering]

Over four years ago, way back in January 2016 when this project first began, I didn't yet have enough experience with scale model kits and as a result lacked the necessary confidence to build a lighted version of the Millennium Falcon. When the project resumed late-2019 after stalling for three and a half years, I finally found the courage to try installing a stock LED lighting system into the Falcon. But because I had previously glued shut a lower hull panel allowing access to the lighting system's on/off switch as well as batteries, any hopes of building a Falcon with lighted engines were dashed.    

Millennium Falcon 1/144 scale work-in-progress: Sublight Drive Exhaust [Completed]

Instead, what you see here are Sublight Drive Exhaust and Engine parts meant for a version of the Millennium Falcon with its engines off and its landing struts deployed. Unfortunately, to further compound matters I inadvertently removed even this mode of display by having also glued shut all openings that the landing struts were supposed to slot into. A facepalm moment for sure. Luckily for me there was a scene in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in which Rey, while piloting the Falcon in an evasive maneuver, had switched off the engines and left the ship in a free fall. Who knows? Perhaps I had unconsciously noted this while absentmindedly gluing shut all those armor panels.   

Millennium Falcon Sublight Drive Engines (above) and Exhaust (below) come in separate pieces

Millennium Falcon Sublight Drive Exhaust are then attached over the Engine parts for added 3D depth

Both the Sublight Drive Engines and Exhaust actually came in two separately molded parts. Like the Side Hulls, Escape Pods and Exposed Innards before it, this allowed a level of three dimensional depth that raised the realism factor. Meanwhile, sans the complications of having to install LED lights meant that the painting and assembly of the Sublight Drive Engines/Exhaust was a straightforward and quick affair. This in turn freed up precious time for me to apply weathering effects on the surface of the Lower Hull, primarily desert dirt and sand stains of planet Jakku. 

Sublight Drive Engines and Exhaust arranged next the rear of the Millennium Falcon

Sublight Drive Engines and Exhaust attached together prior to being fitted to the Falcon's rear

Sublight Drive Engine and Exhaust fitted onto the rear of the Millennium Falcon

Closeup view of the Sublight Drive Exhaust at the rear section of the Millennium Falcon

Bandai 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon Sublight Drive Exhaust [Completed]

In terms of movie accuracy, my decision to weather the Lower Hull with desert sand effects makes sense seeing that the Millennium Falcon in The Force Awakens had taken flight in Jakku, a fictional desert planet in the Star Wars Universe. Although I was light-handed with the sand weathering of the Lower Hull, the overall effect imbued an ocherish tint on the surface that I'm wasn't too keen on. As a result, I intend to weather the Upper Hull differently i.e. with more traditional effects of soot, dirt and grime that adorned the iconic ship in the Original Trilogy movies.

Angled top view of the Lower Hull with the Side Hulls, Escape Pods, Nose Section and Sublight Drive Exhaust

Angled bottom view of the Lower Hull with the Side Hulls, Escape Pods, Nose Section and Sublight Drive Exhaust

Round pegs and holes on the Lower Hull are points where the Upper Hull will eventually attach to

Angled top view also shows the weathering effect applied onto the Lower Hull

As a matter of personal taste, I prefer a light-handed touch for weathering effects on the hull because the aforementioned surface area already looks so 'busy' with its many panel lines. Some modelers like to heavily weather both hull surfaces which tends to cover up not only the hull details but also the basecoat color. If this is your preference, all well and good, but I tend gravitate towads the minimalist end of the weathering spectrum. Even then, as you can see from the pictures above and below, the hull surface look extremely 'congested and busy' for want of a better description.

Millennium Falcon Lower Hull work-in-progress: Weathering to reflect atmospheric flight in the deserts of Jakku

Sand and dirt effects were carried out using Tamiya Weathering Master pastels

Weathering effects were reasonably subtle and care was taken to avoid over doing it

So now work moves on to the Millennium Falcon Upper Hull and complementary sections such as the Cockpit, Forward Mandibles, Exposed Innards, Radar Dish and Laser Turret. There is no stopping the momentum this project has garnered and I'm optimistic it'll be completed before end of May. In the coming weeks I also hope to put together a video of a figurine I had finished painting earlier (i.e. the Race Queen by atelier iT). But it's likely a post of her photos will come first as I come to grips with using Vegas Pro 15, a video editing software. And with that I'll end with a quote from Abed of the show Community as I reflect on the state of my hobby WIPs ... "Cool. Cool cool cool.