Subject: Re: HLJ - 1/144 Star Wars Millennium Falcon - ver 2
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "David & Natasja Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:15:06 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David & Natasja Johnson 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:44 AM
  Subject: HLJ - 1/144 Star Wars Millennium Falcon - ver 2

  Fine Molds

   1/144 Star Wars Millennium Falcon

  Product #SW-11 (http://www.hlj.com/product/FNMSW-11) from HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com)

  Product Article by Dave Johnson on the May 2010

  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. 

  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 manufactures, 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.

  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 HobbyLink Japan for this review sample.

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