UNBOXING THE DRAGON 1:72 SCALE APOLLO 11 SPACECRAFT

Mat Irvine looks inside:

Model companies can spring surprises, and such was the case when Hong Kong-based Dragon recently announced brand new 1:72 scale kits in of the Apollo craft. Anyone familiar, even in passing, with kits of space subjects will be bound to know of the Airfix Apollo Lunar Module. It was first released many years ago, but was recently reissued with updated painting instructions and details (by me!) to correct the colour scheme, which since the very beginning has been wrong. (Or maybe ‘not quite right’…)

APOLLO 11 - TAMIYA 1:70 SCALE RE-RELEASE

This Tamiya rerelease has an excellent IWOOT factor, apart from its rather exotic 1:70 scale. Still, it can sit next to a bunch of 1:72 scale models without too many misgivings.

The kit is unusual for including the Lunar Module’s Saturn V container section, and things get better - the Command/Service Module has a swing-out section that reveals neat interior detail, there are two display bases, and gold foil is included for the LM’s insulation blanket. The LM itself separates into two sections, allowing the Ascent Stage to be docked with the Command Module.

Two astronaut figures - Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin - and a US flag complete the mini-diorama lunar surface. Very nice too, Tamiya - it’s just a pity this very complete model hasn’t been available for so long.

APOLLO 11: “THAT’S ONE SMALL STEP FOR A MAN...”

Speech researcher Chris Riley declared the other day that his studies prove that Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong really did lose the ‘a’ in “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for Mankind”. This despite Armstrong’s insistence that he actually said it! Other research has come to a similar conclusion, but SMN doesn’t really care - Armstrong put the first bootprint on the Moon, and that’s what counts.

Of the two Apollo 11 Moonwalkers, Armstrong has always been the quiet one; the second man on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, has been a lot more communicative. And that shows up in the memorabilia available - so Dragon produced a Buzz Aldrin astronaut model, not one of Neil Armstrong. This 1:6 scale figure is something of a collector’s item these days, with eBay auctions asking $250 USD (£155 GBP) or more. SMN Towers has one in the vaults (see pictures above) and the package is very well done, with an open-out box, a fascimile signed letter from Aldrin, and some very nicely detailed equipment.

The Aldrin figure would look terrific in any Apollo model display, as would the Revell 1:48 Lunar Module kit (bottom picture). You might also enjoy the great-looking Buzz Aldrin site, which has a fascinating intro video.

Visit Revell here, and Buzz Aldrin here.

Revell Apollo model rockets

If a Steve Eves giant rocket is not quite your thing, then Revell has a tasty range of Apollo-era plastic kits to tempt you. Three of them are shown here. You can find them at Revell’s site under the 'Buzz Aldrin Rocket Hero' banner.