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MOEBIUS MODELS 2001 DISCOVERY


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Nice project, buuut...am I alone in thinking that this, like many kits of the Disco, has massively exaggerated surface texture -particularly on the lifesystem module? Looking at a few movie stills there is a definite 'trench' effect around the sphere, in two areas just above and below the panoramic window. But the visual impact is mostly a variation in tone rather than the depth of molding/casting that appears on replicas. Also, the Pod Bay Doors (of infamous memory!) always seem much too deeply recesssed.

Anyways, no doubt it can all be fixed -I just find it a bit head-scratchy, given current technology.

 

At a tangent, whilst Googling for said stills I found this cool site with a cutaway/exploded view of the ship's 'facilities' about halfway down:

 

Atomic Rockets!

Edited by AngstROM
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23 hours ago, AngstROM said:

Nice project, buuut...am I alone in thinking that this, like many kits of the Disco, has massively exaggerated surface texture -particularly on the lifesystem module? Looking at a few movie stills there is a definite 'trench' effect around the sphere, in two areas just above and below the panoramic window. But the visual impact is mostly a variation in tone rather than the depth of molding/casting that appears on replicas. Also, the Pod Bay Doors (of infamous memory!) always seem much too deeply recesssed.

Anyways, no doubt it can all be fixed -I just find it a bit head-scratchy, given current technology.

 

At a tangent, whilst Googling for said stills I found this cool site with a cutaway/exploded view of the ship's 'facilities' about halfway down:

 

Atomic Rockets!

 

I totally agree that the visual impact of the 'trench' is down a variation in tone rather than depth of casting.  On my Reshape version of the Discovery, the 'trench' effect is overly deep and looks very odd given the scale of the command module ... but on my Lunar version of the Discovery it is less defined.  

Pete

PS: Great link to Atomic Rockets

Edited by glueman
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  • 9 months later...

Went round to Mat Irvine's at lunchtime to borrow a lump hammer and he was photographing the completed Mobius Discovery.

 

On the negative side...it is big. On the plus side it's impressive on it's stands and the surface detail isn't over done and is the same scale as the space clipper.

 

No internal detail, but the interior is probably to big to fit in scale anyway  !

 

Looks to be accurate on the outside and easy to build, there is a metal spar that runs through the majority of the model & it can split into three pieces for storage/transportation.

 

I'm sure Mat's review will be on scalemodelnews.com in the next few days.

 

As smallspace is going to be featuring the anniversaries of Blake's 7 and 2001, I'm sure it will be on display in July.

 

Any lighting kits on the horizon ??

 

Paul

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
8 minutes ago, oldmodeler said:

well, I have ordered a Discovery from the Manufacturer , and costed at £186,  posted  to the UK address. 

I will do a full review of the kit when I start building.

looking forward to it! 

I spent about $152 for the kit a couple of weeks back but shipping within the US only added about $8. There are, I think two interior sets available or soon to be available; one in photo-etch, and one in resin. I'm still debating if I want to go that route. There is also an interior lighting kit, which I think will be needed if an interior is added. 

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Yes, I have seen the lighting kits. I probably will do the kit without interior, with windows in the command port at the top. not quite sure yet. I have many detailed 2 1/2 in sq contact print pictures taken by Doug Turnbull on the set with a Bronchia 2 1/2 sq, in 1966,  which shows several different Discovery ships, but the movie one is probably the one to do. maily off-white colour,  Also have Simon Atkinson's artworks as well.  It will probably have to go on the ceiling or be used as another movie prop perhaps, or at Sci-Fi shows.

 Just pleased to get an injection-moulded Discovery, having given up on restoring my old Luna Models one, 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 31/01/2018 at 8:23 PM, oldmodeler said:

Yes, I have seen the lighting kits. I probably will do the kit without interior, with windows in the command port at the top. not quite sure yet. I have many detailed 2 1/2 in sq contact print pictures taken by Doug Turnbull on the set with a Bronchia 2 1/2 sq, in 1966,  which shows several different Discovery ships, but the movie one is probably the one to do. maily off-white colour,  Also have Simon Atkinson's artworks as well.  It will probably have to go on the ceiling or be used as another movie prop perhaps, or at Sci-Fi shows.

 Just pleased to get an injection-moulded Discovery, having given up on restoring my old Luna Models one, 

 

It's a bit of a challenge restoring the Luna Discovery ... but I'm getting there :D

 

It doesn't make things any easier when the Moebius version is so much better.  Looking forward to your build log.

 

Pete

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Looking at my copy of the Moebius kit, the raised detail is not as high as the 3-d modeled sample at Wondercom,  just looking at the details compared to some of the still from the movie, somebody in China has seriously spent a lot of effort ensuring a close copy, perhaps  of the15ft studio model.  The exact scale is something to be determined, as there is no real way to scale it,  though there are various efforts on the web, scaling from the windows and images of the astronauts.  The box art is a close painting or rendered copy of a still from 2001, but looking closer it is digitally textured somehow. The copyright assertion on the box and instructions is to TEC(s17) whatever that is.

I recommend printing off as many stills that are on the web, plus perhaps taking snapshots of the screen from a Blue-ray  copy of the movie, and using that for the panel work and details.

No weathering is needed as there is no 'weather' in space, though off-white bleaching of colours would be the result of years of sunlight. I intend to  paint mine a slightly darker light blue  than is suggests. with darker panels as best I can see from the prints as that is how it looks in the movie.  Most of the 70mm takes were near first generation with hand-pained masking and matting  of stars on to the same 70mm original, so there was little loss of contrast or detail.  the re-exposure was doen to the original, this time the spacecraft manually masked off for  each frame.   Mobeius have done  a superb job selling this

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The kit as was designed using Simon Atkinson's drawings and there looks a nod to the old Lunar Models kit in there too. Ian Walsh is your man for scale, he is the dude producing the resin interior kit, which will sold as a Stargazer kit master by Blappy, exclusively sold through Starshipmodeller, I'm not aware it's available yet, but the Paragrafix etch is already out ther as is the VoodooFX lighting kit.

 

As far a visual references go I would hang fire as Warners are going to release superduper 4K BD in April as part of the films 50th anniversary.

 

Thomo

 

Edited by The Tomohawk Kid
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I keep looking at the pre-order for the Moebius Discovery & have come close a few times to clicking the button then I think where could I put a 40 inch long model.

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I have  found out from other sources, that the excellent model kits commign in from China are made by company order, being made  in batches, then the superb Chinese manufacturers change to the next brand. This means that some kits will be on the market for a short time, then it may be many years before the brand can get another slot in manufacturing. SO, if you want a certain kit, t would be advisable to buy when they appear, as one cannot predict when they will be available in the future. 

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1 hour ago, oldmodeler said:

I have  found out from other sources, that the excellent model kits commign in from China are made by company order, being made  in batches, then the superb Chinese manufacturers change to the next brand. This means that some kits will be on the market for a short time, then it may be many years before the brand can get another slot in manufacturing. SO, if you want a certain kit, t would be advisable to buy when they appear, as one cannot predict when they will be available in the future. 

 

Thats no different from how most kit companies operate. In this case the Moebius license is very short to stop it clashing with TCM/WB's 50th anniversary promo for the film.

 

Thomo.

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Indeed, I would recommend buying the Discovery as it will go out of circulation pretty soon I think.

Do you have any links to the TCM/WB's  2011 movie anniversary sites?   Somebody said there is to be a 4K release of the movie. so , all I have to do is buy a 4K flatscreen and a 4K player.

A  1/144 Space Station V would be a nice addition to the range. -just wishing.
I have several other kits to make before I get to the Moebius one, but it looks very good, not needing modification to make an accurate Discovery. The kit has very detailed color instructions to make sure the correct spine pods are fitted in the correct places, they are made of several parts to ensure correct moulding of details. The engine parts are truly superb in detailing. and Glueman will be pleased that is is that good. I will put pictures on this site soon. 

 

 As far as making copies of SciFI movies etc, You may have noted that DVD recorders have disappeared from the market by the way.  There are a number of charity/thrift shops near here, selling old electric goods, and VCR's are now increasing in price second hand , as making a 'hard' copy  of anything on tv will soon be impossible.  Sony/Time/WB etc, I think, intend to start controlling  streaming/download pricing, and  they can do this when there is no other method of making a permanent copy. Hard-drives etc, will be under download control for replay, or they already are,  They can adjust it so that you have t pay each time you watch any downloaded stuff,  a backwards step for us consumers,  when  the HD's  die, you loose your stuff.  I now have  a new VHS-S machine, to do this (400 lines, nearly as good as DVD). technology, don't you just love it?   

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21 minutes ago, oldmodeler said:

 

Do you have any links to the TCM/WB's  2011 movie anniversary sites?   Somebody said there is to be a 4K release of the movie. so , all I have to do is buy a 4K flatscreen and a 4K player.

A  1/144 Space Station V would be a nice addition to the range. -just wishing.

Space Station V:

 

http://fantastic-plastic.com/SpaceStationVCatalogPage.htm

 

As regards 2001 in 4k is concerned a curved screen would be better to replicate Cinerama.

 

Thomo.

 

Edited by The Tomohawk Kid
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