posted 03-09-2012 11:55 AM            

• It must be accurate - no "Dragon type" errors.
  
• All three windows MUST be transparent.
  
• The forward hatch must have open or closed options (or function).
  
• An "in flight" display (with stand and lunar surface sensing probes) must be possible.
  
• External "stores" (MESA, ALSEP, LRV etc) must be deployable.

posted 03-09-2012 02:46 PM               

I can't imagine a kit as nice or detailed costing less than their estimates unless it was done as a regular injection mold kit. I was thinking it might be good start to make a kit without the interior which could be added later, and the basic details which would allow others to offer super detailed kits.

posted 03-09-2012 03:43 PM               

If there is indeed a 1/32 LM in the works, it would be a very nice thing. I highly recommend getting a hold of the Space In Miniature book on the Lunar Module as it contains a lot of research into the location of various features on the LMs, not to mention the foil patterns for the manned missions from Apollo 9 to 17.

Personally, I would love to see one in 1/32 so I can dock one with a Monogram CSM. But it should also include open sections on the descent module for some of the ALSEP packages (they can be built folded and foiled for an inflight display) and a couple 1/32 astronaut figures as well.

And if the company wanted to, they could do an H mission LM first, then do a J mission later with the rover cutout and two rovers (one folded, one extended as opposed to trying to make one do both). Or if the LM had parts to do both H and J missions (with a filler piece for the quadrant where the rover goes), an LRV could be marketed as a separate kit with two J mission Apollo astronauts with the revised A7LB suits and different umbilical locations (Space In Miniature Book 8 is a good resource for the Apollo suits).

Marketing a rover that way would allow for modelers to have diorama potential away from the LM and its price point being less than the LM, more would potentially sell.

posted 03-10-2012 12:54 AM            

I doubt that you will see an interior if this project goes ahead as it is easier to leave it up to the aftermarket resin guys. Doing a complete interior could add as much as 20% to the tooling costs because of the number of small parts.

I would much rather have an accurate LEM as a basis to begin with than one with a complete interior that would be difficult to recreate properly with the limits of injection molding. I am sure the aftermarket guys would produce an interior and perhaps even aluminum turned engine bells and RCS jets.

posted 03-10-2012 01:28 AM               

I admit that Kapton foil would be nice to have, but you are going to have to choose which specific shade to go with for a specific module or baseline it with a foil that can be used on all of them (i.e. silver and provide instructions for clear tinting it with Tamiya or Gunze shades). Of course, if you were to just focus on the foil shades used for Apollo 11 and leave it at that, it would probably be fine anyway as that will be the module most members of the general public are going to build anyway.

I agree about leaving the interior for the aftermarket as indeed they can do probably a superior job compared to styrene. But it might not be a bad idea if there is a little budget to provide some rudimentary interior (e.g. Atomic City's Mercury) to at least leave it up to modelers to go the rest of the way with scratch-building if they so choose (again, value for money).

Another shortcut that can be considered would be tooling up two standing Apollo astronauts to stick in their standing spots behind the windows as they can act as really good sight line blockers to keep the rest of the interior less visible (so you don't have to do the ascent engine cover, the PLSS backpacks, the walls, etc.).

But I would say, if it were down to doing a first class job on the exterior and leaving the interior for aftermarket, go for it. Unless you stick an internal light source in the LM or split it down the middle, the interior is not going to be seen anyway.

posted 03-10-2012 03:33 AM            

Extra parts for the extended stay LEMs also to be included but no rover at this time or scientific instruments. Perhaps later as a different kit.

Astronauts are being considered but do you have two of them on the surface or two of them in the LEM? If you go with the surface idea then you are dealing with two different versions of the suit to cover the later missions, hence increase in production costs.

No idea as to what the retail cost would be but I would estimate in the $70 to $80 price range but do not quote me on that as it depends on what the final manufacturing decision would be and what would be included or excluded.

The primary thing is to get an accurate 1:32 scale LEM on the market. You could have it all with complete interior, rover, different astronauts, turned engine bells and RCS nozzles and payload options but then the sticker shock of say $140 to $160 dollars is going to limit it to serious buyers only.

Still, Trumpeter gets away with it with some of their kits and they still need a ton of aftermarket.

posted 03-10-2012 06:45 AM               

The LM is the most technical build I have done yet with the different coatings and their coloration.

posted 03-10-2012 09:19 AM               

This model wears real Kapton (thanks Fred) and the rest of the foiling on the descent stage is made up of candy wrappers.

posted 03-10-2012 10:38 AM               

Okay, based on what you have told me about this LM proposal, I think the price point is a good one with several shades of Kapton included. But if they plan to go that route, doing at least a folded up LRV would not be a bad idea (just the chassis and the four folded wheels), that way somebody could do a J series LM out of the box in flight or just landed.

If it were just an H series LM, I would probably buy just one for now. If it had some J series options in the kit, I would do two or three. So the more options stuck in, the more potential for multiple sales as I see it.

posted 03-10-2012 05:56 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by history in miniature:
A different anodizing process was used for the first time on the 5056 and this is what contributed to Eagle's ascent stage coloration.

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posted 03-12-2012 01:36 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Cunumdrum61:
I am doing a little unscientific polling on behalf of a manufacturer to get some feedback.

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Any idea as when to expect the date of production of this 1:32 LEM.