BANDAI STAR WARS NEW ITEM!! PERFECT GRADE 1/72 scale MILLENNIUM FALCON!!

I could never pay that much for a model. I have sold some of my old ones for that much over the last year. I have an original Renwahl Visible V-8 in the original box, never opened complete. That one I will hold onto or build with my son. I sold a 1/8 Jaguar for $300 a year ago, I have one more, but am not selling it. I guess if it an extremely limited run, it might be worth it. I purchased 6 of the Jaguar models when I heard Monogram lost the mold to a fire, the firefighters put the fire out with saltwater. They should have let it burn, The heat would not have been high enough to destroy or even hurt the molds. I've made around $1400 bucks off of that $250 dollar investment.

At least it's a model though, and not something pre-built. That could be a lot of fun. :)
 
Bandai offers highest quality models and set the bar for Star Wars models right above all skies. This MIGHT become a hoy grail kit, stories and songs will be made of it. Judging from the pictures it is possible that it comes with a lighting set which could explain the steep price tag. The electronic 1/48 X-Wing is much more expensive because of the extras. I suppose a model with the plastic parts only would cost significantly less.

I said "MIGHT" because there is one hope:

Just rethink what has happened. Bandai's top engineers have taken all resources necessary to create one of the most stunning pieces in model kit history. The price tag is astronomically high in order to recoup the investment made to develop this kit. Now why should this masterpiece only be an exclusive? How big are the chances that they decide to re-issue a modified version (without electronics and with fewer parts) in the main model line at a later date? Not many Japanese fans would be able to display such a big model in their small houses. Americans would, and Bluefin is the exclusive distributor for Bandai spaceship models. It would be illogcal and a huge mistake not to offer this kit overseas. I am sure they absolutely know what the fans want. I'll be waiting...

@bigpetr : No, I'm not working on a Falcon. I still have to finish several models I have begun. Next year will be another 40th anniversary, yaknow, and I wanna present some new stuff by then. ;)

You have posted the models I was thinking of, too, in the right order. Sunichi's was - IIRC - the first really good MF model. Then, a few years later, came Slawek's faithful representation. Both are not flawless though, and it is interesting to see the different approaches of both designers. Slawek's actually has a better texture, however, unfortunately he did not use enough edge points for circular edges which really is a pity (the aft portion is quite edgy) and which prevents it from being the best MF papercraft kit of now. I say "kit" because of Bernard's which is unsurpassable and a unique masterpiece - which unfortunately cannot be reproduced because he made a full scratch-build without keeping any plans (you may agree with me when I say that this is the most definite paper model of a Falcon EVER created).

I did not know that Sunichi was working on an improved version of the Falcon! HOLY! That looks awesome and would be a fine base for greeblification! :)
 
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I was thinking that lower price could mean more models sold. But thay surely think it over well enough and made their decision over price tag.

You are absolutely right about Slawek's design. If I get to build it someday I would definitely redo circular edges of this kit. Can not wait what Sunichi give us :).

I agree with no doubt - Bernard's Falcon is real scratch-build beauty. I think It's hand painted finish and weathering can not be beaten by even the best printed kit. Whenever I see it, I have strong temptation to try to scratch-build myself one too, but if it took 4 years to him, it would take 16+ years to me to finish:).
 
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I was a Mold Maker for a long time, and you aren't kidding about how much these molds costs. Even with modern engineering, CNC, eyc, those graphite plugs have to be finished with human hands. American model companies took the "shotgun" approach. Sell it at a reasonable price, and sell a sh*tload of them. I remember Jo-Hahn model cars selling forever. The molds were old, and there was much flashing. They made all the art deco cars though. Try and find one on EBAY to see how much they get for them. They were incredibly detailed. I wonder where those molds ended up at? I guess if you have the money, but the money would be sitting on it and not building it, and unless you get two, that's not much fun. That's why I kept on of my 1/8th scale Monogram Jaguar XKE's.

These Jo-Hahn model cars sold for around $3.00 dollars when I was a kid. Now? Forgeddaboutit!!! :)

Dodge Dart.JPG Jo-Hahn1.jpg Mercedes 500K.jpg 500K Engine.jpg
 
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I really bow before those artists who make the molds. IMO the situation is similar to paper models and their templates. The template (mold) is the most labour-intense part of the job and the most precious one. A model can always be replaced, however, as soon as the template / mold is destroyed, the model has gone forever.
 
The molds I made required up to 6 graphite plugs, multi part, immersed in a dielectric solution. At 440 volts, and more amps than I ever felt comfortable with, they would touch the hardened steel block, submerged in the dielectric solution, and pulverize the steel wherever the conductive graphite touched. You would hog out as much as you could with an end mill, then the block was sent out and hardened, which then made any further milling impossible. The final plug had the shape you wanted. You would work up to this final plug. This work is laborious, and very expensive. Some Tamiya model molds cost millions of dollars to make, but they can quintuple their money, if not more, with a popular model. The molds last a very long time, as long as they are kept in clean, oiled up, condition. Rust is their enemy. You would make the model sculpted out of the graphite block. That would leave the negative in the block of steel, then you had to make the inside, to allow for the thickness of the plastic, or white steel, depending on what your were making.

That job burnt me out, I also had a jerk boss who owned the company. He was so mad when I quit. HehHehHeh. My next job paid $2.00 dollars more an hour, with better benefits!
 
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@zathros, different scenario but same experience! I started a new job this month and how my previous boss & colleagues are struggling with all the Excel documents I developed & maintained! And I did write everything down from them...:laughrolling::laughrolling:

And, very true what's been said regarding the moulds for models :)
 
Cybergrinder said:
@zathros, different scenario but same experience! I started a new job this month and how my previous boss & colleagues are struggling with all the Excel documents I developed & maintained! And I did write everything down from them...:laughrolling::laughrolling:

And, very true what's been said regarding the moulds for models :)
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Congratulations on your job. Never give too much away. Better to do it and be given the credit, and responsibility, and the MONEY that goes with it. You give it all away, then you are just another one of them, nothing special. People have short memories of those who have helped them in the workplace. ;)
 
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bigpetr said:
I was thinking that lower price could mean more models sold. But thay surely think it over well enough and made their decision over price tag.

You are absolutely right about Slawek's design. If I get to build it someday I would definitely redo circular edges of this kit. Can not wait what Sunichi give us :).

I agree with no doubt - Bernard's Falcon is real scratch-build beauty. I think It's hand painted finish and weathering can not be beaten by even the best printed kit. Whenever I see it, I have strong temptation to try to scratch-build myself one too, but if it took 4 years to him, it would take 16+ years to me to finish:).
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Much less time, hours, if you imported the pages into Rhino as Pictures frames. You could literally cut out the pieces from the page, and modify just the edges you wanted too. You could extend the edges, then cut them with the curve you wanted, using it in split mode, and the curve as the cutting tool. I have done this for others when they had problems with models they were designing. Rhino is one of the best reverse engineering platforms out there. ;)
 
You are right. This would not take so long. I was thinking about all the greebles witch would take some serious time for me. You know, I have that greebling disease witch forces me to greeble everything everywhere. And then greeble the greebles :)
 
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