Ok...
Back in late December, I got it in my head that I needed to try and convert one of my Millennium Falcon models into a YT-2000esque type ship...
It has been a long, and somewhat frustrating endeavour, but I am here today to show you my work.
Nobody has seen this project outside of my wife, and a few close friends...this is its first posting online for my peers to see and comment...bear with me...
I started with this snap-tite Millennium Falcon kit...I'm not sure who makes it...probably Revell...It's the current Falcon you can go buy right now at any reputable hobby shop...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20131230_181325_zps859696d6.jpg)
The kit had already been assembled, and was parked on a shelf for a couple of years at this point, but trust me...there is no shortage of Millennium Falcons in my collection, so it seemed like the ideal donor.
I attacked the hull with my Dremel, and got busy...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/100_6146_zps5dee3720.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/100_6148_zpscd3da037.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/100_6141_zpse79ff757.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/100_6144_zpsaeeb0ce1.jpg)
After everything was cut into basic components, I had some major cosmetic work to do...I needed to remove the cockpit tube, and re-work that area so that it was flush, and also remove the antenna, and figure out what to do with the leftover empty space...I decided it would look best if I gutted that area, and built a recessed access area like the others on the ship...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/100_6152_zpsd0e7cafb.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/100_6150_zps6c7550ea.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/100_6153_zps5f9868ba.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140109_040233_zpsda8f6463.jpg)
It was at this point that my wife had started to doubt my vision...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140109_040220_zpsfef93642.jpg)
I can see why...what a mess...
It became apparent to me that I would need to build a second access area on the opposite side to provide some sort of balance to the design...
I built a second access port, and started the daunting task of greebeling, and filling in some of the massive gaping holes...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140118_111541_zps7af41608.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140215_120929_zpse4fe299f.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140215_120943_zpsf6ec4956.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140216_175809_zps00c883b0.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140216_175824_zpsae63399b.jpg)
It's amazing what some spare model kit parts and some primer will do to inspire! Re-energized, I moved forward, and started hunting for a central cockpit tube...
I ended up using the central core from a roll of plastic bags at my local gas station. The employees there were kind enough to save a few of them for me so I would have spares if I messed up.
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140215_121015_zps73c358b9.jpg)
Enter more greebiles...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140223_210818_zps3ecedc4c.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140223_210755_zps76920fef.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140223_211035_zps8c4460a2.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140223_211111_zps5ffca938.jpg)
It was taking shape! The end result was now apparent, and I couldn't wait to start each new step...
The whole ship got a coat of primer...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140308_154451_zps7258c85f.jpg)
Then a coat of flat black...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140310_105412_zpsfc1f6799.jpg)
Then a nice uneven coat of satin white...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140310_113902_zps3d7385c5.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140310_112953_zps7ef1d030.jpg)
Then the real fun began...
A nice generous wash of black acrylic paint...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140311_202607_zpsa897d47c.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140311_202646_zps4b79c2cf.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140311_202658_zpsa42f5edd.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140311_210420_zps8e08d577.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140311_210433_zpsd7d6d0b2.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140311_210451_zps8cd517c6.jpg)
It helps give it that nice "lived in" look, yeah?
I added some corrosion...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140313_213452_zps8a5bf68f.jpg)
The engines proved to be a challenge...
I ended up taking the original blue piece of plastic from the kit, and covering it with a piece of 3M reflective tape...you know, from the hardware store.
After the tape was applied, I added strips from a window screen repair kit (also from the hardware store) to give it that "grid" look, and then applied bits of styrene to sort of flesh it out...
I painted the styrene bits black, and then gave them a silver dry-brush...I was very pleased with the results...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_124901_zpsb27e2bd4.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_125005_zpsb53dffb3.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_131645_zpse03fe7e4.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_131634_zps66a4b0d3.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_131829_zpsca0231d0.jpg)
As you can see, the effect is pretty dramatic, especially when using a flash...the effect is a bit more subtle when it's just sitting on a shelf, but you get the idea...
Ok, here we are then...a few months later, this project is at a point where I feel comfortable sharing my work...there's still some details to clean up, but meh...I'll get to those...
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_012756_zps87db2e77.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_000635_zpsd88a574d.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_000709_zpsac2eb237.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_013243_zps084154fa.jpg)
![](http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p689/Steelieboy1/YT-1900/20140316_013223_zpsc1132444.jpg)
Sorry for any crappy pics...I took all of these with my phone as I was working on it...
The only thing left to do is come up with a name for her...
Feel free to comment and critique...just be nice! This is my first time doing something this involved.
Cheers!