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This is the big Moebius styrene kit of the Discovery spacecraft from 2001: A Space Odyssey. I've detailed it with the Paragrafix photoetch cockpit and the Green Strawberry resin-and-photoetch pod bay (supplemented with parts from the Paragrafix pod bay), and with some excellent pods from Falconware via Shapeways. I used Aztek Dummy paint masks for some preshaded detailing, and printed some decals to detail the pods. Some small modifications---drilling and chiselling some holes in the Green Strawberry resin parts, so that I could light up parts that wouldn't otherwise be lightable, and completely replacing the Green Strawberry "octagonal tunnel" in the pod bay to make it lightable. I replaced the photoetch vertical supports for the suit rack in the pod bay with some fine brass wire, which I could secure more firmly, and I revised the small dish antennae and the cockpit window frames because the kit parts didn't quite match the appearance in the film. All covered in mind-numbing detail on the WIP thread: Quite a lot of wiring and lighting added---I wanted to reproduce the classic appearance when Bowman first takes a pod out to repair the antenna: Here's an overview of the completed object: The mission patches on the base come from an Etsy vendor called Demogorgon, and are a pretty good match for the patches worn by Bowman and Poole in the film: The final panel shading is quite subtle, which is what I was aiming for, but difficult to photograph. My little automatic camera shows it up best against a neutral grey background: Lighting is powered by two 3V battery packs inside the engine compartment: Two packs because I wanted to light the engines, just for fun and experience, but really didn't want the ship to appear to be under thrust with the pod extended. So I can light them up for a demo, but leave them off when the command sphere is the focus of attention. And the command sphere: The cockpit is difficult to photograph, but perhaps you can make out my little Frank Poole figure, peering out from the left seat: The illuminated pod is removable, so that it's easier to peer into the illuminated interior of the pod bay: Easier to get the whole thing in focus in a pre-assembly photograph, however: The whole thing now sits inside a custom case, created by a UK company called LasAcryl, whom I'd certainly recommend: (Yes, yes, I know. If I'd anticipated that I was going to end up displaying it like this, I'd have run the power supply through the stand into the base!) And finally a couple of composite views I couldn't resist putting together: And a wee homage to the abandoned Discovery in 2010---dumped near Jupiter's moon Io and covered in sulphur from its volcanoes.

Space:1999 Eagle Photoetch Set PGX177 Paragrafix The MPC Eagle is an older kit that could do with some improvement, and that's exactly what this Photo-Etch (PE) set is all about. It arrives in a ziplok bag with a card backing, set of instructions on a larger-than-A4 sheet, and of course the PE sheet itself, which is etched from 0.2mm brass, and measures 16.5cm x 10.7cm. The instructions consist of enhanced greyscale photos and descriptive text, and the first thing you will need is a length of 2.5mm tube of either styrene or brass for the replacement gear legs. Firstly, the rather blank ends to the crew pod are enhanced by removing the moulded in "door" lump, and applying a large PE skin to each end, which has equipment and a much more realistic door etched into it. A big improvement, especially if you plan on removing the pod at all. The service modules get similar treatment, removing the moulded in super-wide doors, and replacing them with an etched skin, plus a separate raised frame to give it a more 3D look. At the nose, a small frame is added around the cockpit viewing ports, and the puffer-jets moulded into the four sides are cleaned of any raised details, and new circular representations of the jets are added at the base. I quite liked the moulded-in detail in my youth, but it isn't accurate, so has to go. Each engine bell has a diffuser added to the inside, which can be supported by an option 11mm length of tubing around 5.5 to 6.3mm in diameter. The thrusters on the landing gear sponsons are augmented by the addition of deflectors that have relief etched in, and require the removal of the mounting tab for each thruster. You will have to centre the thruster part yourself, but it shouldn't be a difficult task. The final part of the set that will need some skill with PE and a good degree of patience is the upgrading of the landing gear to more realistic shape and function. The pads have their legs and support structure removed completely, and replaced by a PE plate onto which the more accurate mounting brackets for the new gear leg are mounted. A length of 2.5mm tubing is then added to the centre, with the top level with the top of the brackets, which will accept the "piston" later. The underside of the landing gear pods have a blank block moulded in, and this needs removing, as it is inaccurate. The hole this leaves in the pod is covered by a blanking plate that has holes etched to accept the next part in the process. The gear is supported by a folded PE cage that fits around another length of 2.5mm tubing, all of which fit into the etched holes on the blanking plate. With four of these assemblies completed, you can then sleeve a piston into each pod, and attach the pad, either parallel to the pod base if it is to be displayed landed, or at a slight angle if the Eagle is in flight. In order to assist with the correct angle, a quartet of scissor actuators are supplied in both landed and in-flight poses, which will fix the angle for you. Conclusion This set goes a long way to addressing the inadequacies of the kit, some of which the decals on the new edition have tried to portray, but you can't beat real relief with decals that simulate it. The gear legs are a big improvement, but you will need to steel yourself to cut the feet off your Eagle and grind away a big chunk of the gear pods, as well as having a little experience in handling PE. Speaking personally, I would use brass rod for the legs, choosing two sizes that sleeve together neatly, and solder the end parts into place against the PE bases to give it extra strength and durability. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of