Well today, I’m stepping away
from my comfit zone and doing something Sci-fi… Fine Molds 1/144 latest Star
Wars release of Han Solo’s modified Corellian Engineering Corpration YT-1300
Transport Ship, otherwise known as the Millennium Falcon. This would have
to be one of the most famous Space Ships from any movie brand released to date.
http://www.hlj.com/product/FNMSW-11
Once I had opened the box lid, I
was very surprised to the size of the Millennium Falcon. I have seen the 1/72
and other versions of the kit from Fine Molds and other manufacturers, but they
can be too frightening by the size, difficulty or the price and
availability as most of them are now discontinued. The 1/144 offering is only
slightly larger than my hand and is around 217mm long and 156mm wide.
Click on
images below to see larger images
The kit contains 5 sprues with 93
light grey and transparent parts. It also includes a decal sheet, vinyl mask
sheet and a 4 page paint guide. The instructions are printed in
Japanese, but have English notes throughout the construction process. The paint
guide colour call out are for Mr. Hobby and Tamiya ranges. The guide also serves
as the decal placement guide for the dark grey and red spots supplied as decals
on the Falcon. The modeler many wish to paint these on themselves. The painting
guide also shows a weathering reference from its larger 1/72 counterpart.
The plastic parts themselves are
molded with fine and crisp details. The two main hull body (I really want to say
fuselage here being an aircraft guy!) parts click into place tight and nicely,
as if it were a snap together kit. The detail on the hull is outstanding, a coat
of paint and weathering will really make them stick out. The cockpit area is
very basic, but you would except in this scale. There are no bumps and lumps on
the surrounding parts of the cockpit, but I am sure with some movie still most
modelers could create a likeness in that cockpit area. The cockpit glazing is
crystal clear and you will be able to see that little extra detail that you have
added. The kit comes with masks for the cockpit glazing, unfortunately these are
not pre-cut and and require you to do the hard work. The other clear parts are
for the cannon/gun emplacements for the top and bottom of the Falcon. 3 parts
make up the cannons, in the instructions these parts are called to be glued
together. But playing with them during a dry fit process, I found these could be
left alone and be movable. The rest of the parts seem to slot together and show
that the build shouldn't require any filling what so-ever. Fine Molds also
give you the option to display the Millennium Falcon on its Landing feet
platforms or displayed in a flying position. The landing gear wells seem a
little to shallow, but this isn't to noticeable if its sitting on its landing
platforms. There is a display stand included if the modeler wishes to choose
this option for display. Its a very basic stand that slots together with a nose
up angle to show off the Falcon. Decals are finely printed with red, gray and
yellow spots that appear on the Falcon. The red spots have random areas that are
weathered areas, but gray ones don't for some reason? These could be easily
masked and sprayed on if the model choose so.
Overall detail of the Millennium
Falcon is fantastic with very fine detail lines. The parts show no signs of
molding flash, sink marks or major seem lines anywhere or any annoying unwanted
injection pin locations.
I
would like to thank Hobby
Link Japan
for supplying this review sample.Dave
Johnson
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