Kit Review
First Impressions
According to Fine Molds' President Kunihiro Suzuki, he and his staff took over 600 photos (some of which are included on the kit's inner cover) of the 60cm diameter model that was used for principal photography in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi to give them all the reference information they needed to create this perfect replica.
The building process is much like the way the prop was built, with hundreds of detail parts being attached to the large hull pieces. When completed, the model is about 30cm (one foot) in diameter -- just slightly smaller than the MPC/Ertl kit. It will take a lot more effort to complete this than the older kit, however, as about 16 runners house over 900 parts that you'll need to attach!
Other features: landing ramp can be built open or closed; display stand is included and can be built in landed or in-flight display; landing gear can be attached either deployed or retracted; 11 figures included, too, including seated figures for the cockpit of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan & C-3PO, plus standing figures of Luke, Leia, Han and two stormtroopers.
The kit also includes the first-ever Millennium Falcon engine detail! As that part of the ship normally appears in the movies as a blue-white special-effects glow, details were missing in previous products, but Lucas' artists created "official" information specifically for Fine Molds as to how that part of the ship is structured as well (based on the brief, added special effects shot from the original movie when the Falcon lifts off from Mos Eisley)!
Given all this kit offers, and given its size and scale, naturally it's not cheap; but the detail is outstanding, the accuracy is without reproach, and -- come on. It's the Millennium Falcon!
