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Bandai Falcon Maintenance Pits, 1:144
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Product Description
The Falcon fantasy spaceship has a number of exposed maintenance access pits across its hull. Bandai's 1:144 model of the craft is modeled after the TFA version, which adds a bunch of extra pipes and other details to most of these pits, compared to the Original Trilogy spacecraft.
Oddly the two top rear (aft dorsal) trapezoidal pits are fine. They're pretty well the same as the OT ship. But I've made a bunch of replacements of all the other pits, to take your TFA kit to an OT design!
If you just want the five pits on the top (the four round ones on the upper mandibles, plus the octagonal one near the cockpit) then I also have a set for that. Obviously that one's a bit cheaper as it has fewer parts, but it's a bit more work to install.
Five Foot Prototype
All of these components (well, except for the underside pits described later) are based on the original five foot Falcon created in 1976 for the first movie. If you're used to the details of the 32" Falcon, such as the De Agostini product, these pits will look quite different.
My designs are mostly based on photos taken of the surviving model, but unfortunately photo documentation is a bit incomplete. Because the model tends to be displayed in public on a low stand at the same angle, some views of the pits (especially the underside pits) are rarely photographed. I've also referred to the Bandai 1:72 "Perfect Grade" model, but there still may be some minor deviations from the actual model. Also, since the TFA designs are different from the OT ones, some of the piping leading into the pits may not line up properly and you'll have to install new pipework.
Cleaning
Note that there are a number of components with significant overhangs and layering that will require careful cleaning to remove any support wax. Be very careful - the parts (especially the pipes) are thin, delicate, and easily broken!
Round pits
The eight round pits for the mandibles are fairly easily installed - just glue them in place with epoxy or superglue. If you're concerned about someone accidentally pushing one of the discs in, ruining the model after you've assembled it, you could always put some shims of styrene or cardboard between each pair of upper and lower discs.
Octagon
The top front (fore dorsal) saucer, on the cockpit/starboard side, has an octagonal pit. I've made a replacement for it, but photos of this pit are pretty bad for some reason. So I've also referred to the Bandai PG Falcon. Technically the internal pit shape should be square with an octagonal opening formed in the hull plating, but I've made this pit round just so it's easier to glue in place. It has an already angled set of walls. You will need to cut out all the octagonal support brackets on the interior of the Bandai saucer.
Saucer underside
Finally I've had to make one huge compromise which puts convenience over accuracy. The original 1976 model had two really large underside/ventral maintenance pits. When the Falcon was modified in around 1978 to accommodate two more landing gear for ESB, two new boxes were added to the bottom. The underside pits were rebuilt and made more narrow to fit. Both the 1976 and 1978 pits were notably assymetrical in shape.
Then in 2015 TFA came along and introduced completely new underside pit shapes - roughly halfway in width between the 1976 and 1978 versions. Plus they made them exactly the same symmetrical shape, reflected. Argh.
It's a lot of very hard work to remove and reconstruct the molded-in hull plates on a model this tiny. It's also very difficult to make the new plates look as flawless as the Bandai model. And that's what would be required to narrow the underside pits and make them the proper shapes. So I've reluctantly created internal details for the underside pits based on the five foot model, but retaining the TFA mirrored shape to avoid the hassle.
That's also why the starboard pit has two weird panels stuck on it - they represent where the pit is a different shape on the ESB-era five foot model. You could use those as a basis for your own hull plates if you wanted.
Sprues
By the way - I'm sorry for the sprues (joining sticks) linking the parts. This was done since Shapeways now adds a surcharge per part. Having the sprues lowers the cost to you.
Finally, please read the following if you're interested in this thing.
These accurizing parts are not a mass-market commercial product. I made them for my own use, and have put them here in case they're of interest to someone else. Possibly you, since you’re reading this.
These items are components for the serious model maker who wants to build a more accurate miniature. They require finishing. If you don't want to trim, file, and sand, then these aren't the parts you're looking for!
The parts are tiny, and easily broken. They push the limits of today's 3D printers. The detail in the digital previews is all there, but it won't always be visible at the miniscule sizes that this scale requires!
Oddly the two top rear (aft dorsal) trapezoidal pits are fine. They're pretty well the same as the OT ship. But I've made a bunch of replacements of all the other pits, to take your TFA kit to an OT design!
If you just want the five pits on the top (the four round ones on the upper mandibles, plus the octagonal one near the cockpit) then I also have a set for that. Obviously that one's a bit cheaper as it has fewer parts, but it's a bit more work to install.
Five Foot Prototype
All of these components (well, except for the underside pits described later) are based on the original five foot Falcon created in 1976 for the first movie. If you're used to the details of the 32" Falcon, such as the De Agostini product, these pits will look quite different.
My designs are mostly based on photos taken of the surviving model, but unfortunately photo documentation is a bit incomplete. Because the model tends to be displayed in public on a low stand at the same angle, some views of the pits (especially the underside pits) are rarely photographed. I've also referred to the Bandai 1:72 "Perfect Grade" model, but there still may be some minor deviations from the actual model. Also, since the TFA designs are different from the OT ones, some of the piping leading into the pits may not line up properly and you'll have to install new pipework.
Cleaning
Note that there are a number of components with significant overhangs and layering that will require careful cleaning to remove any support wax. Be very careful - the parts (especially the pipes) are thin, delicate, and easily broken!
Round pits
The eight round pits for the mandibles are fairly easily installed - just glue them in place with epoxy or superglue. If you're concerned about someone accidentally pushing one of the discs in, ruining the model after you've assembled it, you could always put some shims of styrene or cardboard between each pair of upper and lower discs.
Octagon
The top front (fore dorsal) saucer, on the cockpit/starboard side, has an octagonal pit. I've made a replacement for it, but photos of this pit are pretty bad for some reason. So I've also referred to the Bandai PG Falcon. Technically the internal pit shape should be square with an octagonal opening formed in the hull plating, but I've made this pit round just so it's easier to glue in place. It has an already angled set of walls. You will need to cut out all the octagonal support brackets on the interior of the Bandai saucer.
Saucer underside
Finally I've had to make one huge compromise which puts convenience over accuracy. The original 1976 model had two really large underside/ventral maintenance pits. When the Falcon was modified in around 1978 to accommodate two more landing gear for ESB, two new boxes were added to the bottom. The underside pits were rebuilt and made more narrow to fit. Both the 1976 and 1978 pits were notably assymetrical in shape.
Then in 2015 TFA came along and introduced completely new underside pit shapes - roughly halfway in width between the 1976 and 1978 versions. Plus they made them exactly the same symmetrical shape, reflected. Argh.
It's a lot of very hard work to remove and reconstruct the molded-in hull plates on a model this tiny. It's also very difficult to make the new plates look as flawless as the Bandai model. And that's what would be required to narrow the underside pits and make them the proper shapes. So I've reluctantly created internal details for the underside pits based on the five foot model, but retaining the TFA mirrored shape to avoid the hassle.
That's also why the starboard pit has two weird panels stuck on it - they represent where the pit is a different shape on the ESB-era five foot model. You could use those as a basis for your own hull plates if you wanted.
Sprues
By the way - I'm sorry for the sprues (joining sticks) linking the parts. This was done since Shapeways now adds a surcharge per part. Having the sprues lowers the cost to you.
Finally, please read the following if you're interested in this thing.
These accurizing parts are not a mass-market commercial product. I made them for my own use, and have put them here in case they're of interest to someone else. Possibly you, since you’re reading this.
These items are components for the serious model maker who wants to build a more accurate miniature. They require finishing. If you don't want to trim, file, and sand, then these aren't the parts you're looking for!
The parts are tiny, and easily broken. They push the limits of today's 3D printers. The detail in the digital previews is all there, but it won't always be visible at the miniscule sizes that this scale requires!
Details
What's in the box:
Bandai 144 Maintenance Pits
Dimensions:
Success Rate:
First To try.
What's this?
Rating:
Mature audiences only.
