QUAD GUN BLASTERS

The top and bottom quad gun blasters consisted of three main components; the semi-circular gun mount, the four (4) piece gun barrels and the gun's receiver.

The semi-circular gun mount was created using the same steps in making the circular heat shields. A hole was drilled at the end of the dowel and thinly sliced using a regular cut-off wheel attachment. The semi-circular gun mount was finished using a fine disk sander attachment on a moto tool.

The four quad barrels were from thinly shaped toothpicks with the wider end sliced using a regulat cut-off wheel attachment. The crescent shape of each of the barrel's ends where made using a fine disk sander attachment.

The gun's receiver was made from a tiny laminated scrap popsicle stick. The gun barrels were glued, one at a time at one end of the receiver. The completed quad blaster assembly was set aside to dry completely.

LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLIES

Next to the gun barrels, the landing gear struts were similarly the tiniest parts of the build. Other main components of the landing gear assemblies were the circular landing pad connectors and the rectangular landing struts mount.

I started with fabricating the landing pads from scrap tongue depressor-sized popsicle sticks. Images show that the three (3) of the pads were shaped like wide rectangular crosses and the two (2) rear pads rectangular crosses joined together. I used a fine disk sander to cut notches at the ends of each rectangular piece.

The circular landing pad connectors were sliced from small, commercially available dowels.

The tiny, rectangular landing strut mounts were from scrap, wooden coffee stirrers, cut into size with an X-acto knife.

The circular landing pad connectors were first glued on top of each landing pad with the rectangular landing struts mount glued after. Each landing gear strut was glued, a pair each per landing pad (except for the front, middle landing gear which only has one strut).

LOADING RAMP

The loading ramp consists of three (3), tiny components; the ramp, the side, loading strut mounts and the cylindrical loading struts.

The ramp was made from scrap, tongue depressor-sized popsicle stick. The size of the ramp was patterned after the gap of the lower starboard, access corridor.

The two (2), tiny loading strut mounts were from spare popsicle sticks, cut using an X-acto knife.

The two(2) cylindrical loading struts were from wooden toothpicks cut and shaped using a #85602 silicon carbide grinding stone and a fine disk sander attachment.

The loading strut mounts were glued at the end sides of the ramp. The ramp and loading struts were set aside until the landing gear was installed. This was to ensure that the height of the ramp is the same as the height of the Falcon in 'landed' mode.

COMPLETING THE MODEL

The final assembly begins with installing the top gun blaster assembly to the top hull of the Falcon.

The semi-circular gun mount was glued on top of the top gun mount depression. A tiny scrap popsicle stick was used to brace the semi-circular gun mount on top of the depression to make it appear that the mount is suspended.

The quad gun blaster assembly was glued at the apex of the semi-circular gun mount next. Similarly, a tiny scrap popsicle stick was used to brace the quad gun blaster assembly to make it appear that the quad gun blaster is suspended.

The radar dish assembly was then glued on the front, left side of the top hull with the radar dish facing towards the front of the falcon.

With the top quad gun blaster assembly and the radar dish in place, the landing gears were installed next.

The front landing gear was glued below the slot made at the bottom concussion missile launcher. The four (4) layer excess part left-over from the top hull build was used to prop up the Falcon while the glue of the front landing gear sets.

The two (2) rear landing gear assemblies were glued at the the slots made at the bottom engine housing assembly.

With the front and rear landing gear assemblies in place, the loading ramp was glued to the end of the gap of the lower starboard, access corridor. The two(2) cylindrical loading struts were glued at the inside walls of the corridor. I made sure that the end of the loading struts are in contact with the loading strut mounts of the loading ramp.

With the loading ramp, front and rear landing gear assemblies in place, the port and starboard side landing gears were glued next.

The landing gear doors were made from spare, tongue depressor-sized popsicle sticks cut using an X-acto hobby knife. Doors for the rear landing gear assemblies were cut larger than the front and middle landing gear assemblies. The doors were glued front and aft for the front and middle landing gear assemblies and port and starboard for the rear landing gear assemblies.

By this time, the landing gears and loading ramp must be able to support a 'landed' Millenium Falcon.

For additional details on the top hull, spare, regular-sized popsicle sticks were used for the deflector shield projector. The tiny, rectangular pieces were glued on top of the mandibles where the mandibles meet the main hull of the ship.

Tiny, triangular fuel drive stabilizers (four for the top hull and four for the bottom) were cut from spare popsicle sticks and glued at regular intervals on the top and bottom edge of the vehicle's main propulsion drive system.

Finally, the bottom gun blaster assembly was glued to the bottom mount.

And there you have it! The fastest ship in the rebel fleet!

Till the next project, The Force Awakens!