My thanks to all who have been looking in, please at some point take a minute and let me know what you think. Any questions or problems with your DeAG Falcon, please feel free to ask! I am always glad to help!
Tonight I will have two posts covering shipment #3. There is also some info on straightening a bent zinc casting without breaking it.
Enjoy!
To be continued…
Here is the continuation. If you noticed, one of the stiffening ribs in Issue #11 was bent slightly. After Issue #12 and some other info, I will show how I straightened it without breaking the part. Zinc castings can be fairly strong, but they can bend and become quite brittle. It takes some finnesse and a little knowledge to straighten them, and it can be done successfully.
Here is the continuation. . .
There you go sports fans! Hope that little demo helps.
I should be getting shipment #5 tomorrow, and I have been scratchbuilding a new cockpit rear bulkhead. At this point I don’t know for sure if my idea for lighting it will work well or not so I am just building it up, add paint and do the other little details, and add light to see how it works. Wish me luck!
Next installment will be a little more detail on the window, modifiying the gun mount and a few more details leading up to the unveiling of the fully modified Upper turret TP-3.
So stay tuned! [:D]
wow this is detailed!
Keep bringing the awesome please!!! [:D]
This is some really fantastic work here, I love to see a really high-detail no-holds-barred build. I am really surprised at the ‘lack of accuracy’ on the original however. I had always assumed that for the price you pay for one of those kits that it would be spot-on accurate. 
Thanks for looking in and commenting!
I believe the outside part is pretty accurate to the 32 inch filming prop. Why they decided to use the 32 inch prop as the basis instead of the 5 footer I don’t know for sure. At a guess (and it is only a guess) It probably has a bit to do with how much more stuff the 5 footer has on it, and the fact that when George Lucas went back and upgraded the original trilogy, the graphics guys used the 32 incher for the basis for the computer model.
As to the interior detail however, it pretty well FAILS. It could have been done much better and to a more accurate level. As it is, it resembles something that would be found in a toy.
After watching a number of Utube videos however, I suspect that DeAgostini hit the “It’s good enough I like it!” spot with most folks. It’s only the nut cases like me with AMS (Advanced Modeler Syndrome) that are compelled to go the extra lengths.
As to how much it costs, yeah the total cost at the end is a large chunk, but it is only $61 a month, and I blow more than that on buying DVD’s or lunch every month. The benefit is that I am enjoying the heck ot of all the special work I am doing on it and at the end I should have something really unique. Whatever floats your boat.
Time to post some more modeling goodness. Or in other words, show how far off the deep end I am sliding on this build. [:|]
On with some more EXtreme Falcon!
To be continued…
Here is the rest leading up to the finish of the top side turret TP-3.
Till next time sports fans! Same bat time, same bat channel! 
Man, Heavens Eagle, this is some intricate stuff! I am rather in awe of how much you are “accurizing” this kit. I was wondering why the details differed so much from the 5-footer, compelling you to adjust them, until I read your comment that this kit was based on the 32-incher. Makes sense.
I wish I had the tools and skill to do something like this to a project of my own. I’ll just keep makin’ 'em 'till I get there, I s’pose. [;)] Anyway, nice work, sir!
TF
Thanks again for your kind comments TF! Tools are something that I have always appreciated. There was a time when I would get ideas and thoughts on doing something and couldn’t because I didn’t have any tools. Had an opportunity a number of years ago to obtain some of the tooling I had wanted and have never regretted it.
I have been a bit busy lately with some other projects but I see you folks have been checking in to see more, so here it is.
Hope you like what I did. If you have any questions or requests, please ask.
Until next time, unless the Empire strikes back. . [bnghead]
Vhy Yesss Paul, I’m Vatchen’ Du. Dis iss wery ehn-joyabul. Pless Keep up zee goot verk, ass I’m on pins and needles (at least until my master comes back) and it maken zee time go buy not zo sholy.
Vertizn!
Hey Paul… love the extra detail work you’re doing! Can’t wait to see how you tackle the details on the interior (seating, floor, bunk, walls, etc). I’ve been doing all the work myself using Apoxie putty and spare styrene. Still working out some details. Can’t wait t osee how you tackle those areas.
Duster (Steve) Thanks for the post! Had me laughing for a good 5 minutes! Much appreciated!
Thanks for looking in LrdSatyr! Right now my build is stalled a little bit while I am working on a Trumpeter 1/32 Ju87A for a bit of a change up. Have been working on the rear cockpit bulkhead and making a complete new one out of clear acrylic sheet. While the idea and concept I have been working on has a good base, I am discovering that the little square buttons are going to have to be even more accurate (in size and squareness) than I originally thought. Most likely what I am going to do is finish the square buttons on this first piece, add some of the .010 dia fiber optic, add paint, and do the other basics and test it to see what needs to change.
I already know the square button lights are going to be more ragged than I would like, but need to test for lighting anyway. Usuallly what happens in a case like this for me, first time looks good to most folks, but works out the problems. Second try is pretty much perfect and looks awesome!
There is going to be a ton of stuff redone in the hold and corrior areas. Have made mental notes on that, but until I have all the lit cockpit panels done, everything else will be on hold.
Lol, you need a break here, I’d be burnt-out after adding even a tenth of that much detail!
I hear ya bud… I’ve been working with alot of Apoxie Putty lately and discovered that you can make a nice thin sheet, let it dry and cut out nice little square buttons that transmit light pretty evenly over the whole surface instead of just a pinhole. I’ve just finished my replacement stickers and a matte for brass etching to match the graphic. Nice thing about it would be that I can print and use it as a decal instead of a sticker by printing on glossy photo paper, spraying a couple of layers of gloss-cote over the top and soaking it in water. Works wonderfully!
I’m using thin (.007 thick) acrylic sheet that I picked up at Hobby Lobby, for the white buttons I will put a thin coat of white Vallejo on them (after removing the paint coats). For the colored buttons, I will be using some blue or yellow sheet. I thought I had the button sizes all set, but am going to have to do them a different way to get “nice, square, and consistant” It will take a bit more time, but will look better.
I just need to do a little more work on the test piece and try it out. Once that is done and tested, the second remake should go a bunch faster. It only took about 30 minutes to get it all laid out the first time, and I have figured out a bunch of tricks to make everything go much smoother when I do the second one.
Have you thought about using square rod and cutting thin buttons using that instead? They would all be consistant and I’m sure they make the clear rods for it too!
No good rod in “exactly” the size I am doing. Usually extruded rod isn’t all that square either. Who knows, my prototy[e might look great and won’t need to be redone. I will just have to wait and see once I do the test. Also the paint I’m going to use might not be opaque enough. Will just have to see.
Absolutely outstanding work! I’m sorry seemingly so few have posted, considering such amazing work. I’ll be watching this thread very closely.
Thanks for sharing, mate!
I love how the latest part has turned out, HeavensEagle. What a difference! I can’t wait to see it painted and weathered, nor can I wait to see the interior when you’re finished with it. Very impressive!
I look forward to the next installment. [:)][Y]