posted 12-16-2008 02:00 AM               

Do you think any of these companies (or other companies) would ever re-make what's been done before in diecast models (ie, LM, CM, CSM, Saturn V, or Rover)?

For example, I am thinking about how popular the Franklin Mint 1994 Lunar Module is and wonder if they have considered a re-make for the 40th anniversary (even if it was essentially the same thing I think there would be a market for it). Or maybe Franklin would make a Saturn V (which they haven't made before - right?).

posted 01-10-2009 01:02 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
Revell will be reissuing the 1:32 Apollo Command and Service Module, the 1:48 Moon Landing diorama, and the 1:144 Saturn V rocket kits.

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• 1:96 Saturn V
  
• 1:96 Apollo Columbia and Eagle
  
• 1:48 Apollo Lunar Module Eagle
  
• 1:32 Apollo spacecraft and interior
  
• 1:8 Apollo Astronaut

posted 07-29-2009 08:24 AM               

The model still is quite nice if you consider the size of the model.

posted 09-11-2009 06:57 PM               

The Saturn V set looks cute, although it isn't 1/400 (more like 1/600) and it comes with a 1/96 LM as well. The Saturn itself is very crude, although it can be done into a decent replica if you do a good paintjob on it.

The 1/40 LM is an oddball. It is the only one I haven't acquired or seen in the flesh. I hear it is somewhat okay and has spring loaded gear struts. But it is more toy-like then a serious model (as tended to be the case with many Japanese kits offered in the late 1960s and early 1970s).

As for other Apollo stuff, the following kits are currently out:

In Europe from Revell of Germany:
1/96 Saturn V
1/48 Lunar Module (Revell tooling)
1/32 Apollo CSM (no gold plating on the CM)
1/16 Astronaut on the Moon

In the US From Revell Monogram:
1/144 Saturn V (Monogram tooling)
1/48 First Lunar Landing (Monogram LM)
1/32 Apollo CSM (gold plated CM)

In the UK from Airfix:
1/144 Saturn V (revised Block 2 CSM tooling)
1/72 LM with 16 astronaut set included

Internationally:
Tamiya 1/70 Apollo CSM and LM
Aoshima "1/400" Saturn V
Aoshima 1/96 Apollo CSM and LM
Aoshima 1/40 Lunar Module

The Dragon "Can Do" Apollo pre-painted figurines have also been reissued, or at least I found one hobby distributor that had them (Horizon Hobby). Near as I can tell, they are identical to the previous issue and all the figurines are available. Three rocket sets are needed to complete the 1/400 Saturn V. A 1/200 Apollo CSM and LM are also available. The last three figurines are 1/24 scale astronauts, one of them being the rare Buzz Aldrin in space suit figurine (the chase figure of the set).

Concerning the seeming lack of dedicated Apollo 11 reissues or new issues, I think part of it is due to there already being so much stuff available as it is. Action Toys already covers the toy market pretty well with their 1/144 Saturn and 1/48 Apollo CSM and LM set. It is nice to see a few of these kits get reissued as I have acquired the Tamiya kit and a couple of the Aoshima issues, but most of us who are modelers already have a few of the more notable Apollo kits in are stash as many of them were in production until somewhat recently anyway.

One kit I wish that would have been reissued would have been the old Revell 1/48 Apollo CSM and LM set, but I believe the reason that one didn't come out was due to the molds showing signs of extreme wear when it was last offered in 1994. Not too many of these made it to the states that year and I was darn lucky to even get one. The Revell LM at least made it back out anyway, although the Revell of Germany Apollo kits aren't currently available in the USA as Revell Monogram is offering their own stuff instead. Only the 1/32 Monogram CSM is available in both countries, but the CM in the US offered kits has the gold plating on it while the European issue does not (and both came from the same production line, weird).

posted 10-13-2009 05:35 PM               

Revell-Monogram has re-issued the 1:144 Monogram Saturn V kit for the 40th Anniversary of the 1st manned moon landing with the "Buzz Aldrin - Rocket Hero" edition of this kit, last in production almost a decade ago.

posted 10-19-2009 05:47 AM               

Anyway, I decided that I wanted to revisit plastic modeling - which I haven't done since about 1980. Although I'm a military aircraft nerd, I decided I just had to get some of the Apollo models (I previously built the Airfix 1/144th Saturn V in the 70s, after lusting after it for ages... but I've lost it in subsequent years).

I bought:

Revell 1/48 LM (40th)
Revell 1/32 CSM (Rocket Hero)
Revell 1/144 Saturn V (Rocket Hero)
Atomic City 1/12 Mercury capsule

I plan to build them in the above order, in order to regain some of the necessary skills. The LM kit isn't the best (I have read) but the Mercury kit is fantastic.

posted 10-24-2009 04:56 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by j0s9:
I got some news from an internet store... don't know how accurate is this information, but this is what I got today: "Apollo Capsules are due in two weeks". ... I think they will be pretty much like Code 3 capsules or TMC Pacific capsules.

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