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Moebius 2001 Moonbus


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Cybermodeler has posted an in box review of the Moebius retool of Aurora's 1/55th scale Moonbus from 2001. http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/moe...e_moonbus.shtml

Paul Harrison

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Got mine today.

Planning on lighting the interior with http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

...and looking at the original film scene - the cabin lighting is fairly dim in any case. Beyond that a couple of red led's in the cockpit, and a couple of white ones deftly placed behind the instrument panel screens to show some detail there and all that needs to be done is to decide the styling of base.

Good stout box - much better than the original fairly flimsy Aurora box.

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Snagged one as well.

Paragrafix have produced a photo etch fret to replace some of the muddy exterior detailing. Stargazer are very shortly about to release an accurate replacement interior.

I intend to light mine as well, I also intend go down the light strip route for the passenger cabin. I'm undecided about the flight deck - might just use some red some theatrical gel and apply to the inside of the non-conformal glazing and let the light strip do the work. I have some blue gel as well I'll see how the light strip works first, but I may apply that to the passenger cabin glazing.

The scale I believe, is a function of scaling down the original studio drawings - it's about one third the size of the original filming miniature. Recent research on the Aurora kit has proved [whilst not perfect] its far more faithful to studio model than originally thought, as it can be now be clearly proved that Aurora used the studio's art department drawings to create the kit. The Moebius box replicates the pasted slick of the first Aurora run of the kit.

Semantics, perhaps but strictly speaking it's not a retool, rather back engineered one.

Marty...

Edited by marty_hopkirk
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  • 4 weeks later...

It's on the build schedule for this year - if I get around to it, is an entirely a different matter.

I have two LoTG's Spindrift's on the go at the moment. One I intend to to display with the [giant] Deanna Lund figure stand to replicate the infamous promo photo and the other machine will be fully lit with interior. I also have on the go Robot from LiS he will be accompanied with Jimmy Flinstone's Marta Kristensen figure. I'm also busy with the Robby and Altaira figure, trying to recreate the Forbidden Planet movie poster in model form. So Sci-fi wise I have may hands full.

But I do intend to get cracking with Moon Bus as soon as I can. The biggest issue I have is how to hide the the light-strip wiring and battery holder and replicate the passenger cabin lighting faithfully to the movie. I need the thinking time anyway.

Marty...

Edited by marty_hopkirk
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But I do intend to get cracking with Moon Bus as soon as I can. The biggest issue I have is how to hide the the light-strip wiring and battery holder and replicate the passenger cabin lighting faithfully to the movie. I need the thinking time anyway.

Marty...

The light strip I linked above can run without too much trouble on a 12v battery for a digital camera - three of them in parallel still takes up - I suppose - about half the three-dimensional space of a zippo lighter. Was planning to run the wiring in the void cabin behind the flight deck out of sight, but there's always the alternative of creating bulkhead layers from foil which the current can be run thru'. However, naturally there will be a separate power source for the flight deck lighting which will need extra space. Beyond that I was considering creating a battery box in the underside of the hull with a hinged lid and commensurate tight fit - but essentially my biggest consideration right now is how to display it - either on a stand above a lunar surface, or landed - maybe with astronauts disembarking. I'm inclined to go with the first option, but the second has its charms too.

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I have some black styrene sheet that I'm going to form/replicate the passenger cabin light valance /surrounds. I then intend to put the light-strip behind this valance. Hopefully, this will then replicate the fluorescent fittings seen on the cabin ceiling in the movie.

Marty...

Edited by marty_hopkirk
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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

the Paragrafix: engine bell/thruster and back wall detail set, is up for pre-order at CultTVman, were it is an exclusive.

http://www.culttvmanshop.com/Moonbus-Thrus...ON-_p_1463.html

The size of the model, very approximately is about 300mm circa, 100mm wide and 75mm tall.

Marty...

Edited by marty_hopkirk
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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I see Just an Illusion have a pre-made lighting kit for the Moonbus. It will be an option for those that don't like fiddling with electronics.

http://www.needfulthings.net/jai/catalog/p...;products_id=97

I would be interested to see if the lighting effect in the passenger cabin is correct, the white light as advertised would not strictly be correct - but blue lighting jel could be used over the top I guess. Also, one would still need to make a vallance for the light fitting to disguise the light strip.

Marty...

Edited by marty_hopkirk
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  • 1 month later...

My Paragrafix Thruster and Rocket correction set arrived today. I have to say each new PGMS release sets new standards for after market parts, this is no exception, the quality of the moulding is exceptional. The kit even includes a replacement rear passenger cabin bulkhead. I'm going to have to think how I integrate this with the Stargazer accurate interior.

It's going to a bit fiddly fitting the feed pipes to the engine bells other than it looks like a breeze - this set is really going to make a noticeable difference to the Moebius Moon Bus.

With all the additional bits I now have, I'm in a position to make a start

Marty...

Edited by marty_hopkirk
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I have made a start on the Moonbus by joining the accurate Stargazer passenger 'tub' to the Paragrafix modified rear bulkhead. This turned out to be more time consuming than I originally thought - as it is a complex three dimensional join with lots of level shifts. But, I got there in the end and I'm really satisfied with it. It is a quantum leap better and radically different than the supplied kit parts.

Marty...

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