The Leif Ericson Galactic Cruiser

[Smiffy]

The Leif Ericson Galactic Cruiser

1:500 Scale AMT/Round 2 Models

In the late 60’s, thanks to the huge success of their Star Trek models, AMT came up with the idea of starting a new line of original design starship kits. The Leif Ericson was the first kit, in what they hoped would become a series, under the Strategic Space Command (SSC) banner. They enlisted the services of Matt Jefferies (designer of the original USS Enterprise) to create the new ship. Each model in the series would come with it’s own short story focusing on individual adventures of the SSC. The Leif Ericson came with a lighting kit and a “Sounds of Outer Space” recording.

The kit was not a commercial success, however. It was reissued twice more in the 70’s, with slightly modified tooling, as the U.F.O Mystery Ship. Each of these releases were moulded in glow-in-the-dark plastic and the light and sound options were deleted. Over the years, the original Leif Ericson kit gained a bit of a cult following among sci-fi modellers and became quite a sought after kit.

When Round 2 took over AMT, they rediscovered the moulds for the Mystery Ship version and this kit was reissued in 2009. This led modellers to speculate if the Leif Ericson would finally make a reappearance.

The Kit

Inside the retro style box, we have 22 parts moulded in green, 9 parts on a chrome plated sprue and 10 pieces moulded in clear red plastic. These clear red parts are the pieces that were missing from the U.F.O. Mystery Ship release and are newly tooled by Round 2, as the original tooling disappeared many years ago. Four LED’s replace the original kit’s grain of wheat bulbs and these connect to a “AA” battery box and switch. Two metal screws and two pieces of heat shrink tubing are also supplied and a newly designed, large decal sheet rounds out the contents. The four assembly stages are printed on one side of the instruction sheet, while on the back, we have a short story focusing on the adventures of Space Midshipman Lancer Scott, entitled “Danger On An Alien Planet”.

Construction begins with the lower hull and those LED lights. Each of the four LED’s is seated inside a clear red engine piece. Each forward engine has a spike added to the tip, before both pairs of red engines are then joined to a chrome plated inter-cooler (one per side). The upright for the stand is inserted into the slots in the lower hull and then the wires for the LED’s are then routed through the hull and down the stand.

Attention then turns to the upper hull. The command tower shows the Star Trek influence here, as it bears a striking resemblance to the bridge of the SS Botany Bay, which was Khan’s ship in the Original Series. A one piece horizontal fin is passed through slots in the command tower and then a chrome plated dome is added on top of the bridge. The tower is then glued to the forward end of the upper hull. The instructions have you add the scout ship launch deck at this stage. A comprehensive set of decals are supplied to detail this area and it would be easier to add them now, rather than later, as the instructions suggest. The launch bay doors are also added here and they are designed to be operable using simple pin hinges.

The scout ship is a seven piece assembly. The upper and lower halves are cemented together, before adding two vertical fins and then, three landing feet are attached underneath.

The final construction stage involves joining the upper and lower hull together. The assembled LED engines are slotted in and trapped in place between the two hull halves. An upper and lower shroud is then positioned over each engine assembly. The ship has a panel added to the rear and at the nose, the shield piece is attached. You have the option here of adding a phaser projector, should you wish. All that’s left to do is to add the base of the stand, not forgetting to thread the lighting wire through, also. The wires are then joined together with the battery box/switch assembly. You could just twist these together and then cover them with the supplied heat shrink tubing, but I would suggest soldering them for a more permanent join. The switch is then fixed to the stand using two small metal screws.

The decal sheet is quite large and offers some options for the modeller. You are given the choice of adding the windows using either black or white decals. There are also four sets of numerals, from zero to nine, enabling you to add a serial to the hull, if required. As mentioned previously, the entire scout ship launch deck can be kitted out with some very detailed decals. It may end up looking a little 2 dimensional, but they do look very impressive. Some decals are even supplied for the tiny windows of the scout ship. I believe I’m correct in saying that this is a far more comprehensive sheet than that which was supplied with the original 60’s kit. The printing appears to be in good register and the decals have very thin carrier film.

Photos of the completed model from Round 2's website

Conclusion

Another great re-release from AMT’s back catalogue and one I’m sure, that will please many modellers of a certain age. Round 2 are to be applauded for the efforts that they’ve gone too, in order to bring back some of these classic kits.

Review sample courtesy of

UK distributors for

[hacker]

OOO l feel dated by this kit l remember getting this when it was the U.F.O Mystery Ship when l was a young lad of 10! I liked the glow in the dark feature

[Smiffy]

OOO l feel dated by this kit l remember getting this when it was the U.F.O Mystery Ship when l was a young lad of 10! I liked the glow in the dark feature

Well, what's not to like about glow-in-dark kits?.