Bandai ISS Space Suit - Extravehicular Mobility Unit - update 4 - 15/9/13

[PlaStix]

Hi,

This is the first time I've ever done a 'work in progress' so if I make any mistakes, or miss something out you'd like to know about, please let me know.

This kit isn't going to suit the purist kit builders out there as it can be built without painting or gluing. It has been designed to be more like a figure that can be posed - but I know some model makers have filled the areas around the joints and done a full paint/detailing job. I'm going to basically make it as the manufacturers suggest with some painting of the parts they recommend. I decided I wanted a simpler build after spending a year or so carefully making the Schlngmann LF 20/16 which can be found here. Online someone suggested it can be completed in about 4 hours but I've spent about that long just on the first few stages.

I discovered this kit fairly recently while looking generally for other space kits to build. I got back into kit building by building three Apollo 11 lunar modules from Revell and Dragon Models and a Hasegawa Space Shuttle with Hubble Telescope. I think I'd been looking at Revell's ISS but thinking I hadn't got anywhere big enough to display it. Anyway, because of the search terms I'd used the Space Suit appeared in Google's image search. I thought it looked pretty good and, looking on Amazon, I managed to find one that was fulfilled by Amazon.co.uk and it arrived 3 days later. Most of these kits seem to be sold and shipped from stockists in Japan.

On opening the box I discovered it was surprisingly full with a lot more parts than I was expecting.

I'll let the pictures do some of the talking now:

Box lid


Box side 1


Box side 2


Box contents - plus instruction manual and sticker set


Instruction manual 1


Instruction manual 2


Helmet 1 - the LEDs do work and are very bright. My kit came with batteries installed despite the information online stating otherwise


Helmet 2


Helmet 3


Head 1 - acrylic paints - the eyes are provided on the stickers set - other types of eyes are included


Head 2


Head 3 - assembled


Head and body 1


Head and body 2


Head and body 3


Head and body with start of back-pack plus helmet and lower body


So far it's been a fun build. The instructions are very easy to follow and the parts fit extremely well - no glue yet. There are rubberised parts which keep the moving sections together.

More next week (I hope)

Cheers,

Stix

Edit: Images now sorted

Edited September 15, 2013 by PlaStix

[heloman1]

I've never seen this kit before but it looks very interesting, I'm liking your approach to it.

Colin

[triumphfan]

This looks very nice. What a great idea, adding the eyes on the decal sheet. Saves money not having to buy the Archer eyeball sheet !

Wasn't aware of this kit either, thanks for posting. Look forward to seeing more of the kit parts coming together.

Steve.

[Will Vale]

Cool, I've not seen a WIP for one of these before and I like your work on the head. I have the cheaper, not lighting up version which comes with a space-suited dog (!)

Will you be filling the joints? That's what put me off finishing mine properly - lots of work needed to re-sculpt the places where the knee and ankle joints fit together.

Cheers,

Will

[GordonD]

Another space kit I've never heard of before!

Lovely work so far. One of the problems of the few astronaut kits that have appeared in the past is that they don't look right standing on a shelf - they should be floating in space, but that's difficult to reproduce down on Earth. At least for more than half a second before it hits the floor! Bandai have solved that problem by providing a stand that makes it look as if the astronaut has his feet in the 'golden slippers' restraints on the end of the manipulator arm. I'm looking forward to seeing the progress on this one!

[PlaStix]

Hi Colin, Steve, Will and Gordon,

Yes I hadn't seen one of these before either. I'm pleased though because after finishing building the two LM kits with astronauts I did like the idea of making a larger astronaut, but the only kit I found was the Revell 1/8 one which, to me, didn't look particularly good.

Will - I don't think I have the patience or ability to do a good enough job filling around the joints. I'm quite enjoying building it as it is suggested. Many years ago I used to collect comic book figures - so the fact that it's a good figure that can be posed suits me. I'm pretty sure someone with more ability than I have will probably be able to make it into a Sandra Bullock figure - as per the Gravity film - I've only seen the trailer but it looks like she's on the end of the manipulator arm before it all kicks off.

I had seen some images of the version with the dog alongside this one.

Gordon - yes it does seem a good idea to use the base as they have.

Cheers,

Stix

[GordonD]

Hi Colin, Steve, Will and Gordon,

Yes I hadn't seen one of these before either. I'm pleased though because after finishing building the two LM kits with astronauts I did like the idea of making a larger astronaut, but the only kit I found was the Revell 1/8 one which, to me, didn't look particularly good.

Stix

If you're talking about the astronaut stepping onto the Moon, then it's not bad but would need a fair amount of work to make it accurate.

However the 'Astronaut with MMU' is beyond redemption - all they've done is taken the figure from the large version of the Gemini EVA astronaut, which means the suit is completely wrong. Like putting the pilot from the 1/24 Spitfire at the controls of the Harrier.

[PlaStix]

Hi Gordon,

It was the astronaut stepping onto the moon that I saw in GeeDee Models in Nottingham. One of the assistants let me look inside the box and I realised it would be too much work for me to make it look like it should.

I have just looked online for the other kit you mentioned - I hadn't heard of it, but I see what you mean.

I've got Revell's 1:32 Apollo: Spacecraft & Interior to build at some point but the astronauts in the kit don't look too good either. I think I've seen somewhere that it's possible to get detailing sets for this kit - I just need need to find one before I start - although I don't think it will be for a while yet.

Cheers,

Stix

[triumphfan]

Resin Astronauts in 1/32 here. No association other than being a satisfied customer.

http://mek.kosmo.cz/newware/#Kits and detail sets

A detail set for the CM is also available from the same source.

Regards,

Steve.

[Kallisti]

Very interesting and unusual, will me watching...

[PlaStix]

That's great Steve - thank you. Got it saved to my bookmarks. Going to cost me a bit for the astronauts, two detail kits and decals but it will be worth it. Got the original kit really cheap from Modelzone.

Cheers,

Stix

Edited October 27, 2013 by PlaStix

[Jessica]

He needs more moustache. :{

[PlaStix]

Hi Kallisti,

Thanks - I've got bit more done over the past couple of days and I'll try and upload some photos tomorrow if I get chance.

Hi Jessica,

Unfortunately I must have got an older version of the kit as it doesn't include the guitar, oh well......... ;-)

Cheers,

Stix

[GordonD]

You could fill his helmet with water...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23339578

[PlaStix]

Hi Gordon,

Done!

Cheers,

Stix

[PlaStix]

Hi all,

Got some work done on the legs. Rather than describing everything I thought I'd upload a series of photos showing step-by-step how the parts go together. Still no glue and the parts all fit together very nicely. I've tried to include photos that show how the rubberised parts fit inside.

I have to say it is amazing how well all the parts fit together - it's a shame all kits aren't like this - the filling and sanding would be minimal (ignoring the fact that this kit moves and so all the moving joints would need a lot of work if someone wanted it to look like a proper finished figure!)

Please let me know if you would like any more details.

More over the weekend I hope.

Cheers,

Stix

Edited September 1, 2013 by PlaStix

[PlaStix]

Edit: just deleted double post.

Edited August 30, 2013 by PlaStix

[Jessica]

Techno trousers! Ex NASA!

[Will Vale]

Perfect for walkies!

[PlaStix]

Hi all,

A bit more progress - body and legs joined as well as the arms assembled and located in place. Still no glue and all parts fitting together well. I perhaps should have mentioned before that I made the decision to paint the metallic finish pieces rather than leave them with the plastic metallic finish they come in. I have been using Revell's steel, metallic acrylic.

The arms go together in a very similar fashion to the legs (see the leg section post above).

The only difference is the top section where the arms join to the shoulder.

I painted the inside of the hand Revell's matt light grey.

As ever let me know if there's anything about this build you'd like to know more about.

Cheers,

Stix

Edited September 1, 2013 by PlaStix

[PlaStix]

Right - time for another update. The helmet was next and then we had lights! There has been a bit of painting here and there but still no glue used.

if you do decide to make it in the way I am, it is a fun quick build but for all the proper kit builders out there I'm sure this wouldn't be enough of a challenge - but, as I mentioned before, I'm sure this could be developed into a pretty decent version by someone with a lot more skill and patience than I have.

Cheers,

Stix

[Will Vale]

I think this is a terrific build, it's so neat and tidy (which is important for outer-space stuff) and your paintwork is great. I'm also impressed with how good the stickers look, that was the thing which put me off buying this kit originally.

Cheers,

Will

[PlaStix]

Thank you Will. And with regards your's and Jessica's previous posts:

Perfect for walkies!

Techno trousers! Ex NASA!

Cheers,

Stix

[Jessica]

"They're the wrong trousers Grommit! They've gone wrong! Stop them Grommit, stop them!"

[PlaStix]

Right - next bit is the base. I have to say I really like the way Bandai have designed the base. Not only does it provide an excellent way of showing off the astronaut but, in my opinion, it's quite an interesting feature in it's own right.

Still no glue involved but I have, as you'll see, painted the metal parts steel all over with some thinned gold highlights.

Anyway I'll leave it to the photos themselves.

Right. the next job is to apply the stickers and fit the figure to the base so the next set of photographs I'll post in the Ready For Inspection section.

Cheers,

Stix