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In January 2018 I solicited survey answers from model makers, asking them how they'd painted their Millennium Falcon models. The questions were posted to the RPF, to various Star Wars and Millennium Falcon model Facebook groups, and to the ModelSpace forum.
I received 131 responses over the course of a week, and these are the raw answers. Totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Some results differ from the pie charts by a percentage point or two, since the pies don't take into account blank responses and errors. There were 6 blank responses and 1 prankster Star Trek fan response.
Thanks to everyone who participated!
2020 update:
This information is obviously a bit out of date now. In 2018 the Bandai Perfect Grade Falcon was a pretty new product outside Asia, whereas now it's widely available. So its market share has increased.
Additionally, I would say that Tamiya AS-20 usage has declined, DOA paint is, well, DOA, and ArchiveX Reefer White has become quite popular with more experienced modelmakers owing to its accurate colour matching.
Which model do you have?
29% De Agostini 1:43 studio scale - The Empire Strikes Back
21% Bandai 1:72 "Perfect Grade" - A New Hope
16% Bandai 1:144 - The Force Awakens/The Last Jedi
8% AMT/Ertl/MPC/Airfix - A New Hope
7% Hasbro Hero - The Empire Strikes Back
7% Fine Molds/Revell Master Series 1:72 - The Empire Strikes Back
2% Fine Molds/Revell Master Series 1:144 - The Empire Strikes Back
2% Master Replicas 1:43 studio scale - The Empire Strikes Back
2% Revell Snap-Tite variants
2% Scratchbuilt
1% Bandai 1:350 - A New Hope
1% Garage kit
1% “Almost all of them”
Which shooting miniature was the basis of your model?
41% Five foot Falcon
36% 32" Falcon
10% Don't know
8% TFA/TLJ CGI model
5% Other version
Did you use primer?
43% Grey primer
22% Black primer
20% No primer
13% White primer
1% 2 shades of brown
1% Matt varnish
What's your general preferred paint type?
72% Acrylic
14% Enamel
5% Lacquer
5% Don't know
1% Dupli color automotive
1% Car primer
1% Oil
What did you use for the main body colour?
21% Tamiya lacquer: AS-20 Insignia White rattlecan
13% Tamiya acrylic: XF-2 white mixed with XF-55 Deck Tan
9% DOA Millennium Falcon Base Colour (apparently discontinued)
8% White primer
8% Bare plastic
5% Archive-X Reefer White
5% Vallejo Air White Grey
3% Vallejo USAF Light Grey
2% Floquil Reefer White
2% Grey primer
2% Halfords “Fiat” white
2% Createx Opaque White
2% Archive-X Grime
2% Archive-X Rogue Studio MF Hull Grey
2% Custom mix
The following had single respondents:
Humbrol Grey
Humbrol White
Model Masters Basic White
Mr. Paint MRP Insignia White
A few drops of USAF light grey
Liquitex
Badger Reefer White and Polly Scale Grime
Testors camouflage grey
Off-white pigment powder
1980s Pactra flat white spray paint
Testers Light aircraft gray rattle can
Plasticote Antique White
Gull Grey USN Light
Combination AS-20, Tamiya White& deck tan, Vallejo white Grey (not air), Vallejo Air Insignia White
Boyd White Primer + Floquil Grime
Cappucino ( makes the model pretty yellowish at first but after different weathering techniques it becomes pretty whitish with my preferred touch of beige )
Model Master Sand
Windsor & Newton Griffin Alkyd Lamp Black Oil Paint
Citadel Corax White Model Paint
Archive-X GrimeLT
What did you use for detailing and weathering?
25% Hand brushed acrylics
21% Airbrushed acrylics
17% Hand brushed oils
15% Pastel powders
5% All of the above
2% All of the above, plus some watercolour pencils
2% Hand brushed enamels
2% Acrylic washes and colored pencil
The following had single respondents:
Airbrush And Pastel powders
All of the above except oils
Pastels and watercolor pencils
Tamiya weathering sets
Archive-X enamels
Tamiya weathering master
A combination of airbrushed and hand brushed acrylics, and pastel powders
Black wash
Airbrushed acrylics and oils
Archive-X enamels, airbrushed and paint brushed
Oil & acrylics & pigments
Airbrushed acrylics/hand brushed oils
Airburshed and hand brushed acrylics. And pastel powders, and sharpies
AK Interactive Enamel
A mix of pastel sticks, cut down to spreadable powder, as well as Acrylics and rubs
A mix of oils acrylics and enamels plus some powders
Airbrushed and hand brushed enamels
A few breakdowns
Of the De Agostini 1:43 studio scale model makers:
50% primed in grey
18% didn't prime
5% primed in black
34% used Tamiya AS-20 Insignia White
26% used DOA Millennium Falcon Base Colour
11% left the plastic bare
Of the Bandai "Perfect Grade" 1:72 model makers:
43% primed in grey
32% primed in black
7% primed in white
18% used Tamiya AS-20 Insignia White
14% used ArchiveX Reefer White
14% used Tamiya XF-2 white mixed with XF-55 Deck Tan
14% used Vallejo Air White Grey
Of the modellers making Falcons based on the five foot shooting miniature:
43% primed in grey
31% primed in black
15% didn't prime
9% primed in white
17% used Tamiya AS-20 Insignia White
13% used Tamiya XF-2 white mixed with XF-55 Deck Tan
9% used ArchiveX Reefer White
9% used DOA Millennium Falcon Base Colour
7% left the plastic bare
6% used Floquil Reefer White
6% used Vallejo Air White Grey
Of the modellers making Falcons based on the 32" shooting miniature:
50% primed in grey
24% didn't prime
17% primed in white
10% primed in black
37% used Tamiya AS-20 Insignia White
15% used DOA Millennium Falcon Base Colour
10% used Tamiya XF-2 white mixed with XF-55 Deck Tan
5% used ArchiveX Grime
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