Millenium Falcon 8

Engines!

One of the most notable aspects of the Millenium falcon aside from its hamburger shape is the glowing blue strip of light in the rear. That glowing blue of the engines and hyper drive. Now the model comes with 2 strips of clear plastic which are apparently supposed to be painted blue and glue in the rear curve of the ship. 2 things about this. 1, that would look like crap. And 2, that would look like crap. So i sat down trying to figure out how i could simulate that glow in a more realistic way. Some modellers out there have talked about their use of light sheet and such, but i am pretty sure i can do it for cheaper. So first thing i got was a clear/frosted 3-ring binder.

I took one of these inexpensive folders, you know the kind. The ones you use for subjects in school that you don't care too much about. Well i cut out a strip approximately a foot long and an inch and a half high which will be glued into the back of the ship. Eventually this will have blue leds behind it illuminating the engines. A few tests have shown that the frosted plastic helps to diffuse the light from the leds, so it should give a nice even glow.

After making a few more measurements and cuts, the strip for the engines is ready to be glued in place. Its not going to provide any real structural re-inforcement, but the clear plastic pieces that came with the model weren't going to provide much more. You can see how this material picks up the flash from the camera. Its reflecting, but the flash is being diffused just a tad. I'm thinking this is going to work out really well.

Here is the piece being held in place with painters tape. (painters tape has come in handy throughout this whole project) Next will be to build some kind of light box behing the engines to help direct the light, but also the keep blue light from spilling into the rest of the model. In this pic you can see some of the spagetti of wires as well as the lower gun turret with does indeed turn 360 degrees. The upper turret will have the Luke Skywalker character that i painted with orange and white like the X-Wing fighters. Through the glass you'll be able to see him when the interior of the model is lit up.

And here is the back end of the Millenium Falcom with the Engine piece in place. Still drying and clamped down with tape as you can see. As of now the landing gear is going to be set so that you can take it off, but this means the doors to the landing gear will open on their own accord. Something else to address later on.