BANDAI Hobby - Star Wars: A New Hope - Millennium Falcon, Perfect Grade (PG) 1/72 Model Kit

This is my first Star Wars model kit, but I've built many different types of kits over the years, mostly sailing ships, race cars, and figures. When I decided to build a Millennium Falcon, I looked around to find the best quality, highest detail kit available. This is it! And the price is high, but definitely worth it, based on the quality...amazing detail everywhere! The number of parts in the large box was a bit overwhelming, but once I got started, it all made sense and was easy to keep organized. Instructions are well-designed (and include English language). Assembly is pretty straight-forward, there are LOTS of tiny parts that go on after preassembly. Painting is also pretty straight-forward; the Falcon is mostly one color, so there's not a lot of switching colors, waiting for paint to dry, etc. I basically went through and sprayed everything in a few sessions at the beginning, i.e., primer, preshading panel lines, basecoat.... then proceeded to preassembly, panel decals, final assembly, smaller decals, post-shading, weathering, damage, and then a final coat of flat clear to bring everything together. Keep in mind, if you're going to use the decals for the off-color hull panels, you WILL NEED to use a decal softener. These decals are thick and will need solvent to get them to settle onto the various texture and details. The real trick to making this kit pop is the weathering. Be sure to add rust and oil drips on the panels, grey shading around the edges of the various components, etc....without weathering, it just looks like a toy, not a ship from the "used universe". One gripe I had has to do with the display base. For a $400 kit, the base does not do a good job of protecting the investment...one small bump would easily tilt the model off of the supports and it could become damaged, especially if you're using the angled brackets (which I am). The front bracket fits into the front landing gear cavity, and holds the model pretty well, but the rear bracket barely cradles the hull and could easily get tipped. I installed a small post through the rear bracket using a short piece of sprue, and then drilled a tiny hole in the underside of the hull for the post to fit into. Now the model can't be bumped off of the base unless it's picked it. (probably hard to visualize what I just described, but you'll figure it out if you build this kit) Anyway, if you're a modeler, and a Star Wars fan, this kit will not disappoint. Now, I just wish Bandai had Perfect Grade versions of every other Star Wars ship!!

It is a just little larger than the Fine Molds (currently produced as the Revell Master Series) 1/72 Millennium Falcon and is also very close in size to the old MPC/AMT/ERTL Millennium Falcon. As far as details, it is based primarily on the A New Hope era 5 ft filming model while the Fine Molds one is based primarily on the Empire Strikes Back 32" filming model. Most notably it has the 3 landing gear bays instead of 5. For those who are sticklers in trying to copy the filming model, there are a few deviations, the cockpit does not match the 5 foot filming miniature cockpit. Instead it is based more on the full size set. It also has the engine grill as seen in the special edition rather than a flat white cover over the lighting. It has the damage near the radar dish that was added for the Empire Strikes Back The lighting kit is nothing spectacular, but if you do not have the time or resources to do your own lighting it is not a bad option. The back wall of the cockpit is molded in clear plastic. The internet being that you would use the decals for it and then have it back lit. However the light bars on the sides are molded in black plastic and do not light up as the light bars on the back wall would. There are also no fiber optics included to run lighting to other parts like the console etc... You also have the option of using photo-etch or plastic parts for the "koolshade" areas. These are the engine exhaust vents, air vents and the part on the cockpit tube right behind the cockpit cone. In some cases the plastic parts actually look better than the photo etch, but for the engine exhaust vents, the photo-etch is a nice touch if you want to view the fans. Do not be deterred by this being a "snap" kit. The details on it are extremely crisp and finer than most traditional glue kits

I liked that I got more than the modest description in the bullet points - I received the deluxe kit with the clear diffuser, photo-etch, water-slide decals and LED lighting. Nice. I checked - Amazon doesn't have a separate listing for the different kit levels, so one can only deduce that I got what I was supposed to get. No complaints here!! Given that only the "standard kits" are still in production, this was rather good luck. I hope the same holds out for everyone else that buys on Amazon. I did *not* like getting a kit delivered with absolutely no shipping box. That's right: It was an Amazon delivery, but they sent the kit with a shipping label on that big beautiful black box. Not that I care about the box all that much - but. But there was _no tape_ sealing the box closed. Anyone could have opened it and pawed through the parts runners. And lost or damaged something in the process. I just had to complete a full inventory of all of the kit runners, and if you check out the instructions available elsewhere online, you'll know that's 36 in total. All present and/or accounted for, sir. Geez, thank the Maker. This is going to be epic. My Fine Molds Falcon is now my practice kit. And when that's done, maybe I'll give it to my kid brother!

The Bandai 1/72 Millennium Falcon model is absolutely superb. Unfortunately, the manner in which it was shipped was not. The model was shipped raw. It was NOT shipped in a protective container. A shipping label was attached to the model box itself and given to UPS. Although the model itself is undamaged the model box was damaged in transit. Given that this is a $500.00 model with highest order box art and images, you would think that extreme care would be exercised in insuring that it is properly packaged to insure its safe and secure arrival. Bandai Model Rating: 10 Out Of 10. Shipping Rating: 4 Out Of 10

Terrible instructions, video made me think it was gonna come already painted but didnt, super disappointed and wish I coild return

Easy build and aesthetically great.

If you like the finest of fine details to fuss over, then this is the model for you. If you want to cut out the tiniest decals and apply them ever-so-carefully with tweezers, this is the model for you. If you want to spend hours looking for tiny beige parts lost in your beige carpet, this is the model for you. If you are the kind of person that can spend six hours obsessing over a micro-gap between two panels, this is the model for you. Seriously though - this model is insanely detailed. You will be assembling parts that are smaller than a peppercorn. The build it lighting system is simple to use and great for beginners to lighting. Anyone can build the model, but it will take an experienced person to make it look great. The snap-together parts are astoundingly perfect. Only a couple pieces needed to be glued to fit right. I'd only recommend this model to people who are prepared to take their time.

Upon receiving the kit I started examining the parts and I am so thoroughly impressed with how crisp the panel lines are, the immense amount of detail, and how the detail bits are molded separately to be glued on like the original studio model was put together. It even comes with a lighting kit. I have almost every iteration of the Millennium Falcon Model that has been produced including the Fine Molds version which is beautiful in its own right. But Bandai has gone beyond making just an accurate model and has delivered a near perfect version of the Millennium Falcon. This is a Star Wars fan's dream come true.