Building The ANH 5'Millennium Falcon
- Thread starter eagle1
- Start date
I'm working to a hull diameter of 1146mm (45.1") ish, give or take a 10mm or so at the mo. Length comes to 1586mm (62.44" or 5' 2.4") ish.
I seem to keep coming back to this diameter & length & all donor kit parts fit ok, including the major players such as the M23, never done a Wankel measure though!.
ILM did use 5 1/2 tube on hand though, it's used as the centre dish for the docking rings which all the detail parts sit in.
To my mind & measures, no 6" tube was ever used on the Falcon. The real problem with building the cockpit is to get all the details in the right orientation, as the detail area's are not placed dead centre/top/bottom etc... part of the challenge I guess?.
Stu
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ozzyguanche
Sr Member
Congrats on starting your falcon build Stu, I see this becoming an epic thread.
Ozzy
Ozzy
Martyn, I now think your'e right with the tube not being 5 1/2"!. It is closer to being between 5 3/4" to 6". I'm swaying more to 5 3/4".
Why the change of heart in tube size you ask?. Well, I spent quite a few hours drawing the details on the tube itself & placed the Panther side skirt & fender strips around the tube in the correct placings & they came up to long.
This being the case, it pushes the other donor parts, such as the King Tiger part underneath, which butts up to the Panther strips, around to far & looks wrong from a front view perspective:cry
I'll have to place an order for the 5 3/4" tube & go from there. Oh, well whats another few weeks:rolleyes
The conversion figures Iv'e been using, have been adjusted as well, probably why I was out on the tube. My new conversion seems to work better this time, so will have to adjust my basic measures once again.
Luckily I hadn't glued any donors on the 5 1/2" tube, so all's not lost. I'll probably draw out a proper cockpit schematic this week so there's no mistake along the line.
My new golden rule is: Donor parts never lie, they are your true measurement.:lol
Stu
Eagle-
IMHO i think youd be better off playing this whole thing by eye.
Dont get so caught up on minute measurements that you dont
see the overall picture!
Let the greeblies do the talking and you cant go wrong.
Its been my experience with this build that its the best way to go!
Many times my measurements came AFTER a section was built.
Remember its reverse engineering!You cant really measure something you dont know for sure.
These pix are old but for example:
This
To this
to this
To these
To finally these
Ofcourse some OVERALL measurements are important.But for the most part when I completed my build there were still sections being cut to fit when already glued to the frame.I did this to make sure it was correct.I know its a strange way to work lol,but it works!
IMHO i think youd be better off playing this whole thing by eye.
Dont get so caught up on minute measurements that you dont
see the overall picture!
Let the greeblies do the talking and you cant go wrong.
Its been my experience with this build that its the best way to go!
Many times my measurements came AFTER a section was built.
Remember its reverse engineering!You cant really measure something you dont know for sure.
These pix are old but for example:
This
To this
to this
To these
To finally these
Ofcourse some OVERALL measurements are important.But for the most part when I completed my build there were still sections being cut to fit when already glued to the frame.I did this to make sure it was correct.I know its a strange way to work lol,but it works!
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Wayne, thank you so much for chiming in, I hear what your'e saying & I feel you are so very right!.
The greeblies do indeed unravel the true dimensions of a section, such as the cockpit, so if it looks right & the donors fit, it is right. My undersize tube is so obviously wrong in a few donor part fits, no problem, go up a size or two & retry, I'll get it right to the eye in the end.
I'll take your advice & try & build out each section as a subsection then bring together as a whole, this will be a better way to go.
I'll get to work on the cockpit cone while waiting for the new tube, so as not to loose too much time.
Many thanks for the pics Wayne, stunning work on the docking rings mate!. My favorite section too!.
It would be so easy to just ask you on measures wouldn't it, but that's not the point. I'm having fun tweaking them for myself, much more satisfaction in the end me thinks.
Onwards & upwards,
Stu
The greeblies do indeed unravel the true dimensions of a section, such as the cockpit, so if it looks right & the donors fit, it is right. My undersize tube is so obviously wrong in a few donor part fits, no problem, go up a size or two & retry, I'll get it right to the eye in the end.
I'll take your advice & try & build out each section as a subsection then bring together as a whole, this will be a better way to go.
I'll get to work on the cockpit cone while waiting for the new tube, so as not to loose too much time.
Many thanks for the pics Wayne, stunning work on the docking rings mate!. My favorite section too!.
It would be so easy to just ask you on measures wouldn't it, but that's not the point. I'm having fun tweaking them for myself, much more satisfaction in the end me thinks.
Onwards & upwards,
Stu
Stu-
I understand you want to do it yourself and thats admirable!
Just keep certain things in mind.,one of the things that helped me get the dims on the tube itself was counting the ribs in the Koolshade:thumbsup
I understand you want to do it yourself and thats admirable!
Just keep certain things in mind.,one of the things that helped me get the dims on the tube itself was counting the ribs in the Koolshade:thumbsup
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Thanks Wayne & cheers for pics of your cockpit, looks amazing!.
One thing I hadn't thought of till today & sort of hit me while drawing out some dims, is I hadn't factored in the plating & Koolshade taking up some of the diameter & also the Panther strips not being pulled absolutely 'tight' around the tube. Funny enough 5 1/2" tube could still be a go!. I'll do a few more measures tommorow, but 6" seems out of the equation & 5 3/4 is a push!.
A couple of things I noticed with your cockpit Wayne:
You seem to have the 'newer' Koolshade with less louvres per inch. Where the Koolshade covers each 1/2" hole, yours has 8 louvres, while the actual prop & my Koolshade has 12 louvres over each hole. Counting the vintage Koolshade louvres wouldn't give a good approximation IMO.
Your Panther strips aren't in the orientation to match the actual prop, they look great, but the rivets/breaks etc... don't quite match. I'm still convinced these strips give the right tube size & donor part orientation. These strips are a nightmare to work out though, a few times Iv'e had them the wrong way around so as giving a false dim on either the top or bottom. One point of reference with the fender strip though, is that one rivet is in exactly the half way mark, so that's a start & a ref I keep going back too.
If it turns out my 5 1/2" tube is ok I'll be a happy chappie, just needs a bit more time to be sure.
Stu
One thing I hadn't thought of till today & sort of hit me while drawing out some dims, is I hadn't factored in the plating & Koolshade taking up some of the diameter & also the Panther strips not being pulled absolutely 'tight' around the tube. Funny enough 5 1/2" tube could still be a go!. I'll do a few more measures tommorow, but 6" seems out of the equation & 5 3/4 is a push!.
A couple of things I noticed with your cockpit Wayne:
You seem to have the 'newer' Koolshade with less louvres per inch. Where the Koolshade covers each 1/2" hole, yours has 8 louvres, while the actual prop & my Koolshade has 12 louvres over each hole. Counting the vintage Koolshade louvres wouldn't give a good approximation IMO.
Your Panther strips aren't in the orientation to match the actual prop, they look great, but the rivets/breaks etc... don't quite match. I'm still convinced these strips give the right tube size & donor part orientation. These strips are a nightmare to work out though, a few times Iv'e had them the wrong way around so as giving a false dim on either the top or bottom. One point of reference with the fender strip though, is that one rivet is in exactly the half way mark, so that's a start & a ref I keep going back too.
If it turns out my 5 1/2" tube is ok I'll be a happy chappie, just needs a bit more time to be sure.
Stu
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Hmmm, tis a case of constant tweaking Martyn.:lol
To me, if we go off 6" for the cockpit tube, it really pushes out the overall dimensions to around 5' 5" ish. I really don't feel she's that big & besides other dims come out wrong.
As Wayne said & he's right, we have to build each section individually as much as possible & then will the overall dimensions become apparent. So, it will be quite a while before I have a handle on fairly accurate overall dims.
Of course if someone can get to the actual prop & measure her from head to toe, only then will we be sure:lol
Stu
To me, if we go off 6" for the cockpit tube, it really pushes out the overall dimensions to around 5' 5" ish. I really don't feel she's that big & besides other dims come out wrong.
As Wayne said & he's right, we have to build each section individually as much as possible & then will the overall dimensions become apparent. So, it will be quite a while before I have a handle on fairly accurate overall dims.
Of course if someone can get to the actual prop & measure her from head to toe, only then will we be sure:lol
Stu
Tsophika
Well-Known Member
Yes, my dims are in a constant state of revision too! I will say the height and length of the docking arms and diameter of the gun base are key to determining the hull. I have it all to scale in the computer, now I'm modeling parts to make it as close as I can.
I haven't started the cockpit, Stu, but I'll be keen on your findings.
Craig
I haven't started the cockpit, Stu, but I'll be keen on your findings.
Craig
Yeah getting the vintage koolshade was turning out to be a nightmare!So i used the new stuff instead.Ive since changed it and it was a nightmare!And then getting the Panther tracks back offonly made for a bigger nightmare!Since the molds were gone I had to make the best ofi it.
I figured it wouldnt kill me if that area wasnt 100% especially if I had all the right greeblies.Amazingly-thats the only area I had that problem with so i guess I got off kinda lucky lol.
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Zarancorde
New Member
Looks great! Keep it up!
Well, Iv'e come to conclusion the cockpit tube is 5 3/4". Everything fits as it should taking everything I can think of into account, including the orientation of the Panther strips.
I tried all the measures on both 5 1/2" & 6" & they don't come up trumps. The Panther strips are either too long or too short, the 5 3/4" I can't fault, so I'm going with this size. Going up a size after the 5 1/2" hasn't really made too much difference to my other measures either, so I'm happy.
Just have to wait for the tube to arrive, but I can start on the cone in the meantime.
Stu
I tried all the measures on both 5 1/2" & 6" & they don't come up trumps. The Panther strips are either too long or too short, the 5 3/4" I can't fault, so I'm going with this size. Going up a size after the 5 1/2" hasn't really made too much difference to my other measures either, so I'm happy.
Just have to wait for the tube to arrive, but I can start on the cone in the meantime.
Stu
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Listen to me you should. Smart-ass ******* am I. Mmm!
Seriously, I'm kind of glad to hear that because I just couldn't get it to work at 5.5, not that I was playing with hardware, but it just seemed strange vs. the pics.
Good catch on the Koolshade, glad I landed some of the old stuff!
Now...let's talk about that overall hull diameter some more... :lol
Seriously, I'm kind of glad to hear that because I just couldn't get it to work at 5.5, not that I was playing with hardware, but it just seemed strange vs. the pics.
Good catch on the Koolshade, glad I landed some of the old stuff!
Now...let's talk about that overall hull diameter some more...
:lol
Nah, your'e fine Martyn, smart ****s welcome. After a good week of hard study of the tube & the donors, 5 3/4" is it for me.
Really you could go on & on studying this area probably coming up with different discrepencies, but at the end of the day, if it all fits, go with it, as I will:lol
I'm happy though I spent the time checking everything just to be sure, only loss is the 5 1/2" tube I cut & the time for the new tube to arrive. Less headache for you guys too when you build yer own cockpits
As for overall dimensions, I make these as definate:
Turret base = 292.1mm (11.5")
Turret top = 279.4mm (11")
Mandible pits = 3"
Tentatively I make the overall length 1629mm (64.13" or 5' 4.1") & the extreme diameter 1207mm (47.5").
Stu
Really you could go on & on studying this area probably coming up with different discrepencies, but at the end of the day, if it all fits, go with it, as I will:lol
I'm happy though I spent the time checking everything just to be sure, only loss is the 5 1/2" tube I cut & the time for the new tube to arrive. Less headache for you guys too when you build yer own cockpits
As for overall dimensions, I make these as definate:
Turret base = 292.1mm (11.5")
Turret top = 279.4mm (11")
Mandible pits = 3"
Tentatively I make the overall length 1629mm (64.13" or 5' 4.1") & the extreme diameter 1207mm (47.5").
Stu
ozzyguanche
Sr Member
Hi Stu
Hope you dont mind, but I have been plugging in your numbers to my spread sheet I had done a few years ago for calculating corrections to my AMT model.
My spread sheet was measuring the difference between the AMT falcon and printed plan view photos of the 5 footer. After measurments were done I took the average difference and applied that figure to areas I could not measure accuratley, to give me corrections to make on the AMT. Which apart from the side walls and cockpit, was rather consistant.
Having applied your figures to my spread sheet, I get a consistant 5.9 to 6 x difference in my A4 plan view measurments accross all your measurments apart from the total length (1629mm). Which is much greater. I know I have never taken into account the shortening in the photo's, but if I make all your figures consistant with what I had, it comes to just on 1560mm.
Just thought I would mention it.
Ozzy
Hope you dont mind, but I have been plugging in your numbers to my spread sheet I had done a few years ago for calculating corrections to my AMT model.
My spread sheet was measuring the difference between the AMT falcon and printed plan view photos of the 5 footer. After measurments were done I took the average difference and applied that figure to areas I could not measure accuratley, to give me corrections to make on the AMT. Which apart from the side walls and cockpit, was rather consistant.
Having applied your figures to my spread sheet, I get a consistant 5.9 to 6 x difference in my A4 plan view measurments accross all your measurments apart from the total length (1629mm). Which is much greater. I know I have never taken into account the shortening in the photo's, but if I make all your figures consistant with what I had, it comes to just on 1560mm.
Just thought I would mention it.
Ozzy
Hey Ozzy, plug away mate, all findings on dimensions are welcome.
The dimensions on length & diameter I have stated are very tentative so please don't take them as gospel.
Really, as Wayne said, & is very true, each section needs to be built first, either as a mock-up or finished section as much as possible. Only then when brought together as a whole will the final dimensions be apparent. For a subject as large & complex as the Falcon I agree this is the best method.
Stu
The dimensions on length & diameter I have stated are very tentative so please don't take them as gospel.
Really, as Wayne said, & is very true, each section needs to be built first, either as a mock-up or finished section as much as possible. Only then when brought together as a whole will the final dimensions be apparent. For a subject as large & complex as the Falcon I agree this is the best method.
Stu
jedimaster
Sr Member
It's five foot... What's the problem????:behave
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