Building the Millennium Falcon

As I mentioned before, I am having the chance to finally build a model of the Millennium Falcon, my favorite star ship in all science fiction, yes I love the Falcon even more than the Enterprise.

Here are some photos I have taken on the model so far.  The most challenging thing so far is getting the color scheme perfect.  The Falcon was thre shades of gray plus off white.

Here are some of the nearly 100 photos I have taken so far.


Forward deck showing where the escape pods and forward lifters will go.  You can see one of the pod assemblies cemented on the right hand side.  Early work on the multi color paint scheme.

Close up of the forward pod assembly.

Mid ship lifter

Full shot of the upper deck assembly, hardly any painting done at this time,

Close up aft lifter near entry to the falcon.  Some painting has been done here.

Rear lifters and upper turret test fit, you can see some indication of the Falcon having some battle scoring here.

Close up aft lifters and where the turret will fit.

Aft lifters, Turret assembly, test fit with clear plastic transparency.

Test Fit of turret assembly with gun mount. The guns can rotate nearly 360 degrees.
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Side shot showing turret assembly



Full shot showing the turret assembly and paint scheme.

Side shot, showing full upper deck assembly with turret test fitted.

Lower Deck assembly showing paint scheme and a certain Wookie.



Next time Part two.

A Wonderful Feeling

Sometimes you can get a wonderful feeling, by doing something that you enjoy, for someone else.  Currently I am working on a model of the MILLENNIUM FALCON, from the STAR WARS trilogy.  This was always my favorite ship in all of the films, and I had always wanted to build this model, since it came out in 1979.

Recently a good friend of mine loaned me his kit, he bought it 20 years ago, and has never had the time to get around to building it.

So he asked me to build it for him, he has seen my work, and loves how my models look, especially how I make every effort to have the model a bit weather beaten, so it doesn't look factory fresh.  With the Falcon this is something you see in all three of the movies.  It has scarring from where it has been hit by laser fire and it looks like it has been patched several times, because of the different shades of gray and white plating.

So I will be posting my own photos as I have a chance, here are a few of the ship, from Google.  As always, enjoy your model building and have a great week.


Great picture as a painting guide for the model.

On a Clear day, you can see the Arch forever...

A New Hobby

Recently my wife introduced me to a new web page called "Pinterest".

Pinterest is a page where you can find all kinds of amazing images, you can find photos of heroes, quirky quotes and unique things, just to mention a few.

In the short time I have been on this page, I have found photos of Manitou Springs, Colorado, A publicity photo promoting the original STAR TREK for T.V. Guide, and numerous photos in black and white from the 1920's up til the early 1960's.

The sight can be tremendously fun and enjoyable, because you never know what you may find, an im age from your childhood that you had almost forgotten, of a video of a song that was special.

Pinterest is amazing and addictive, but it is fun and a great way of being able to say, do you remember when?

First image from Pinterest.  You have to admit this is unique?

IN TIME A Review

"Time keeps on slipping, slipping into the future..."  No this has nothing to do with the old Eagles song, Fly Like an Eagle, but I was reminded of this song because of a movie that my wife and I saw earlier this week. The movie "IN TIME"  which came out last year is a film that will have you asking questions and wondering about the value of your life.

For some of us, this film will strike a familiar chord, because it reminds us of a film that came out back in the 1960's, that film was "Logan's Run" a film where when you were 25 you went into the arena and died.  There was no old age in the world of "Logan's Run" and the society was convinced this was how it was supposed to be.

In "In Time" people are genetically engineered to live until they are 25 then they have just one more year, unless you have the means to buy more time.  But it is even a darker world, because time is currency, you want a cup of coffee, that will cost you three hours of time.  The more valuable the item, the more it costs, and the prices can change any time, pardon the pun, so that cup of coffee that was three hours this morning may be ten hours by noon.

Justin Timberlake, Wil Salas finds himself accused of a murder he did not commit after having been given a download of another mans' time, more time than most could dream of in this world.  Salas decides to use this time to go after the very wealthy who can live forever because they of course have time in their vaults.  Salas ends up with a hostage, whom becomes his partner because she sees' the world as it is, not as she has thought.

The film has many twists and turns and you find yourself wondering how Wil Salas and Sylvia Weis,(Amanda Seyfrield)  will get out of the near impossible trap that they seem to have fallen into.

This is a film well worth seeing and better still owning.  Like "Logan's Run" "In Time" speaks to this generation about life, about using the time we have and what truly is important to us.  Next time you are sitting at STARBUCKS sipping coffee, or driving to visit a friend the next town over, just remember that it may cost you some dollars to do this, but it isn't costing you minutes, days or hours subtracted from your life.


Justin Timberlake as Wil Salas

Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried)

Every transaction is deducted from the clock in your arm, each deduction takes that much more of your life from you.

Monday's Music Moves Me 80's memories

Colission Course... A nail biting, suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.,,,

 

Just finished reading Collision Course, one of the more recent STAR TREK novels by William Shatner.  This was the first book of Mr. Shatners' that I have read, and I was tremendously impressed.


Collision Course is set before Jim Kirk is in Star Fleet, he is 17 years old and living in an apartment he shares with his brother Sam.  At this point in his life, Jim Kirk is an angry young man, bitter at Star Fleet for being a flawed origination that is not worthy of the respect most people have for it.


Why does Jim Kirk feel this way?  Because he had survived a living hell, he was one of a handful of survivors from a colony where the governor had executed part of the population because of a food crisis.


Yes Collision Course tells the story of what happened on Tarsis IV in detail, it leaves no stone unturned.  If you are a STAR TREK fan you recognize the reference to Tarsis IV, because this was the back story for a first season episode of STAR TREK, The Conscious of the King.


Again in Collision Course we have Tarsis IV brought up, but instead of just a few short references, this is half of the book, it is interwoven into the main story and we finally see the chain of events that lead to Jim Kirk being who he was, why he acted as he did as captain of the Enterprise.


The other half of Collision Course focuses on the current life of Jim Kirk, at 17, how he comes to the attention of Star Fleet and how his life crosses the path of a certain Vulcan as well.


Overall Collision Course is a nail biter, you will be waiting for the final shoe to drop and to see how the book ends.  It is well worth reading and is a great addition to anyones'  STAR TREK library.


The references bellow are the first season episodes which set up both the Tarsis IV references in the book, as well as the only reference to Jim Kirks' younger brother in STAR TREK.



Tom Leighton, a friend and fellow survivor from Tarsis  IV


Kevin Riley another survivor of Tarsis IV


Kirk and Kodos?

Conscious of the King, first season episode where Kirk meets up with old friend Tom Leighton, who informs Kirk about the possibility that Kodos the Executioner may be alive and passing himself off as an actor.


Operation Annihilate, First Season episode where Kirk must stop the spread of an alien parasite that has taken over the population of a planet where Sam Kirk, Jims' brother and his family live.