I've been getting back into model making recently. I built Bandai's excellent 6'' R2-D2 and C-3PO, but I hadn't gotten any ships from The Force Awakens yet. Unfortunately, Bandai's ship models are difficult to get in the U.S. due to a licensing dispute with Disney, so I decided to try Revell's out offerings. I was particularly excited for the Episode VII Millennium Falcon as the Falcon has always been my favorite ship. The ship is available from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0125KV5TW
First of all, this is only a model in a very loose sense. The pieces aren't attached to a rack so there's no cutting required. All the pieces snap together very easily. In fact, the entire construction took less than 10 minutes. So I wouldn't really recommend this for anybody who wants an involved build. In terms of difficulty, it's probably suited more to younger kids.
That said, the final product is a really nice version of the Millennium Falcon. The ship is over 8 inches long (I believe it's the largest version of the Episode VII Falcon on the market so far). The ship is very detailed. I don't have good photo references of the Falcon from the new movie, but it looks pretty accurate. The guns aren't posable, which is a shame (but the turret does rotate). However, I'd rather a gun turret that looks too accurate than one that's articulated but too big. Best of all - and this was a surprise to me - the ship comes with lights and sounds!
The model comes partially prepainted, at least the major features like the red and gray panels and the cockpit windows. But it doesn't have any weathering or scoring. I decided to add a black wash, which I think brings out the detail and gives it a "used" look, which is appropriate to the Falcon. Part of me thinks Revell should have included a bit more weathering in the basic paint job, but I understand that it probably needed to keep down costs (and the retail price for this model is very reasonable). Besides, it's easy enough to do yourself (this is after all a model!) and highly recommend doing so.
Another (tiny) complaint is that the model doesn't include a stand. It does have landing gear, which works well enough, but a stand would still have been nice to so we could display the ship in mid-flight.
If you're looking for a movie-accurate model/toy of the Falcon, this is a good choice. It's certainly great value for your money. I remember getting the Action Fleet version of the Original Trilogy Falcon during the 1990s. It cost about $10-15, wasn't as accurate, and didn't have lights and sounds. So $20 for this kit is a bargain.
If you collect Hasbro's Titanium Series, this ship is in scale with the X-Wings and TIE Fighters
NOTE: I received this model for free in exchange for an honest review.
