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New 22" Eagle Lab Pod


iSteve

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When the 22" Eagle was announced, I was as pleased as most, but have been pining for the day when the lab pod version would arrive, or at least someone would crank out an aftermarket pod. The lab pod version has always been my favourite.

 

That day has come (September 8):

 

https://www.monstersinmotion.com/cart/spaceships-vehicles-space-1999-c-13_443/space-1999-ultraprobe-capsule-p-17668

 

Don't know who makes it (and would like to know) but my Eagle needs are now complete.  :party:

Except perhaps the booster pod :)

Edited by iSteve
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On 15.11.2017 at 17:30, iSteve said:

After a chat with one of the designers of the 1/48 MPC kit, I think I'll wait for something else to come along.

Actually I was surprised that the lab pod was not the second release. Would be nice if they also do the extra thrusters.

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I'm still trying to fathom why Round2 are not selling the standard passenger and the cargo pods as standalone add-on kits and for that matter why they don't sell a naked Eagle.

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Profit.

They make more money selling full kits instead of just the pods.

I wish they would release single pods, but if that ever happens it will be after they release a full kit of each variant.

 

I am still trying to figure out where I can put my current Eagle kit whenever I get it finished

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On 24/11/2017 at 09:41, Caerbannog said:

Actually I was surprised that the lab pod was not the second release. Would be nice if they also do the extra thrusters.

So was I. The winch pod can be scratch built fairly easily. The lab pod no so much.

 

And yes, their business strategy seems a bit odd. $100 for engine bells but if I want a different pod I have to buy the entire kit? Like Richard and Andy said, it'd be nice if they just sold pods separately. My MPC Eagle source tells me they're hoping to roll out all the variants including the lab pod version, but I imagine for things like boosters, lasers, arms and gliders we'll have to rely on aftermarket and so far the quality isn't great. And if Eagle sales start to wane, we may never see a lab pod from MPC.

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The Laboratory pod was developed from the winch pod on the studio models so it made sense for the development of the kit to follow that progression.

 

Jamie at Round2 has said numerous times that the tooling isn't set up to be able to release just pod kits, it would be uneconomical for them. I'm expecting them to release the Lab version next year and I'll definitely get one and build it. Not bothered too much about boosters and all that gubbins - its all from Series 2 which was utter tosh anyway, so no great loss ;) That said, they've released the diorama set to go with the cargo version (although I couldn't be bothered to wait so scratch built my own nuclear waste silo) so I see it as a definite possibility that they'd release add-on later.

 

Round2 are very happy with the response they've received from these kits - they are selling like hot cakes still, its been very popular and brought quite a few people back into the modelling hobby.

 

As for this resin version - I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, they are infringing the Round2 licence and I'm happy to wait for the proper kit to arrive.

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I may just be me, but it does seem to be some odd planning on Round 2's part to integrate the pod tooling into their eagle tooling. This means the recent Cargo Pod Eagle required more expensive tooling since it has to be part Pod and Part Eagle on the Sprues instead of just swapping a new Sprue when packaging.

 

Oh well, I have the Lab Pod on my 1:72 Product Enterprises replica and have built a custom AWACs/Long Range Sensor Pod to swap with it (for an EagleTransporter.com Contest). Since the tool making process is all digital now, I suppose Round2 can make a separate tooling which is just a pod sometime down the road after the complete Eagle kit market has been milked enough. 

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Depending on what exactly they have in mind it may make sense to keep the pod and eagle sprues mixed. That is if they go in the details and change the greebles on the Eagle according to the studio models on which the pod type was used. IIRC there were 3 44" Studio models which had differences. If for example the lab pod was not used on each studio model it may make sense to apply some changes to the Eagle parts too.

Still - personally I would have put the pod on separate sprues and would include alternate Eagle parts there as well - but I do not produce kits so what do I know ;-)

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