New Old Trek Kits!

[Kirkunit]

Check out this press release from Auto World, who owns the rights to AMT, Polar Lights, etc...

http://www.autoworldhobby.com/newsdetail.aspx?id=32

The collector's tin sounds interesting.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I don't guess the "Collector's kit" version will have the original oversized sensor dish and stuff...

 

[B.J.]

I dunno, what was originally in that 1967 kit? Even though that one's bigger (18"), I'd still go for the Polar Lights version. Of course, I have yet to put together the one I have....

 

[Kirkunit]

My guess is the original tooling is long gone or extensively modified. Since these are going to be re-pops off whatever tooling is in existence, they're likely going to be the "latest & greatest." But again, that's just my guess...

 

[Redfern]

www.culttvman.com announced this in its latest newsletter. What a sweet, nostalgic "nod". However, my assumption parallels that of Polaris, those '67 molds were updated and replaced a piece at a time over the years until nothing of the original pattern exists. It will probably be the last version of the kit before AMT "stopped the (plastic) presses".

What I'd really like to see rereleased is the original Spock model with the three headed serpent. (I'm not saying we're getting it, I'm just stating a personal wish.) I know it was heavily retooled to "match" ST:TMP, so a classic kit would have to serve as the "master" for all new molds. Didn't Polar Lights have to do this with several Irwin Allen based kits?

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Kagan]

I'd still go for the Polar Lights version. Of course, I have yet to put together the one I have....

You too! I'm sitting here looking at the box on the shelf.

 

[jep316]

I'm just glad the Polar Lights version is back so I can collect some for my "Kitbashes" and finally actually build one as the Enterprise.

 

[Turbo]

Huzzah, the PL Enterprise! I'll be picking up five or six of these.

 

[therealfoxbat]

If the AMT kit is a re-issue of the one I remember, then it will be mono-color plastic with only two semi-clear parts (the small domes at the top and bottom of the saucer hull). It will be more accurate to detail (compared to the model used for filming) and the parts will fit together better than the Polar Lights kit, but it will have the parts for only one version (the one with the smaller sensor dish and the hemispheres on the rear end caps of the warp nacelles).

The Polar Lights kit is smaller and easier to work with. It gives you the option of building the series production version or either pilot version. There are two sensor dishes (regular or enlarged), two bridge domes for the top of the saucer hull (regular or enlarged), two domes for the bottom of the saucer hull (with or without nipple), two front end cap assemblies for the warp nacelles (with or without forward needle booms), and three rear end cap assemblies for the warp nacelles (smooth rear for the original pilot version, pepper-shaker holes in the rear for the second pilot version, and hemispheres on the rear for the production version). Both versions of the front end caps for the warp nacelles have a smooth clear domes which fit over ridged clear domes so you can paint up the interior details of the front end caps if you want to. There are a number of clear parts that fit into holes on the model, and the pattern indicates it was specifically designed for people who like to install lights in their models.

The one thing I found supremely annoying on the Polar Lights kit was the Paramount copyright data engraved on the OUTSIDE of the model (on the bottom of the saucer hull near the neck connection), forcing you to SAND IT OFF if you don't want it visible on your model. GRRR...

 

[Q2UnME]

I think it would be nice if they took the time to actually correct a couple of the big flaws in the 18" ATM kit. I wonder what molds they are using for this re-pop? Last time I built a version of the 18" TOS-E I had to do a lot of fit correction. The molds were definately showing their age. The detail on the upper and lower surfaces of the sauser a laughable, the B/C deck shape is way off and the list goes on.... I mean, really, how much would it take in today's CAD/CAM machine age to make a few new mold components? You'd have to figure sales would be more than good enough to cover the one time cost....

Anyways, I'll probably pick up a few of each kit and put them into storage for future builds... Just can't wait for the 1/350th. Enterprise garage kit to come out. Mr. Sasser certainly has the eye for exacting detail.. I just hope the wife isn't looking at the credit card statement the month that one comes available!

Q2UnME

 

[Gouf]

I agree the Polar Lights kit is addicting. After I built this one, I want a small fleet of the 1/1000 scale kits.

 

[Captain Robert April]

The original molds were made of aluminum, which wasn't all that durable, especially since AMT found themselves with the most popular model kit on the planet, so they eventually wore out. This prompted AMT to make new molds out of steel, and while some things were corrected, a lot of other things were made worse.

If the old molds are still around, perhaps new molds could be made of them and a true reproduction of the original kit could be produced. Otherwise, an old kit will have to be secured and have castings made (probably best, since even the old molds were modified, to remove some of the lighting setup from the original '66 version).

What I'd rather like is, for the first time ever, a kit that size that's actually accurate! It's one of those things that you generally never notice unless you can do a side by side comparison, but the contours of the AMT model are waaaaaaaay off from either the three foot or eleven foot models.

 

[U.S.S. Republic]

I wonder if this is only going to be re-releases or if new models are on the drawing board for 2009.

I'm still waiting for a Romulan Bird of Prey 1/1000 at an affordable price ($15 or so).

I'd really like to see some 1/1000 of some of the remastered ships as well (namely the Gorn ship).

I'd really like to pick up 13 of the new Enterprise kits and number them with no discernable registry pattern just to mess with Trekkies who see them on my shelf.

 

[therealfoxbat]

I think it would be nice if they took the time to actually correct a couple of the big flaws in the 18" ATM kit. I wonder what molds they are using for this re-pop? Last time I built a version of the 18" TOS-E I had to do a lot of fit correction. The molds were definately showing their age. The detail on the upper and lower surfaces of the sauser a laughable, the B/C deck shape is way off and the list goes on.... I mean, really, how much would it take in today's CAD/CAM machine age to make a few new mold components? You'd have to figure sales would be more than good enough to cover the one time cost....

Anyways, I'll probably pick up a few of each kit and put them into storage for future builds... Just can't wait for the 1/350th. Enterprise garage kit to come out. Mr. Sasser certainly has the eye for exacting detail.. I just hope the wife isn't looking at the credit card statement the month that one comes available!

Q2UnME

Really?

It's a real shame to hear about the old 18" TOS Enterprise model going downhill like that. (When I think about it, I bought mine in the late '70s...)

What's this about a TOS Enterprise in 1/350? I know about the TMP Enterprise and NX-01 models in 1/350 by Polar Lights. Where do you find out about this one?

I wonder if this is only going to be re-releases or if new models are on the drawing board for 2009.

I'm still waiting for a Romulan Bird of Prey 1/1000 at an affordable price ($15 or so).

I'd really like to see some 1/1000 of some of the remastered ships as well (namely the Gorn ship).

I'd really like to pick up 13 of the new Enterprise kits and number them with no discernable registry pattern just to mess with Trekkies who see them on my shelf.

Gorn ship? Which Gorn ship?

Are we talking about the Gorn ship from Star Fleet Battles (two flattened spheres connected by a square-ish fuselage with stubby wings and cylindrical warp nacelles mounted above and below the rear flattened sphere), the Gorn ship from FASA Star Trek RPG (which looks a whole lot like a REALLY big shuttlecraft) or the Gorn ship from the Star Fleet Command PC game (which is just plain weird-looking)?

 

[dru]

I'd really like to see some 1/1000 of some of the remastered ships as well (namely the Gorn ship).

Gorn ship? Which Gorn ship?

Uh. He already said he wanted the one from the Remastered Trek.

 

[Forbin]

I'm just glad the Polar Lights version is back so I can collect some for my "Kitbashes" and finally actually build one as the Enterprise.

My brother!
I've done NINE kitbashes so far, and no Enterprise yet.

 

[therealfoxbat]

I'd really like to see some 1/1000 of some of the remastered ships as well (namely the Gorn ship).

Gorn ship? Which Gorn ship?

Uh. He already said he wanted the one from the Remastered Trek.

Haven't seen that one. For some reason, they haven't they haven't gotten around to showing the remastered version of "Arena" here...

Or "Balance Of Terror" either...

It's REALLY getting annoying...

 

[Warped9]

Reissuing the PL 1/1000 kit is good, but I can't get excited over reissuing the old AMT kit. It was fine way back when, but I can't get over the inaccuracies anymore.

Now give me a faithfully done 1/350 or 1/600 TOS E along with a properly detailed 1/24 or 1/18 Galileo shuttlecraft and I'll be ecstatic.

 

[Ziz]

If the AMT kit is a re-issue of the one I remember, then it will be mono-color plastic with only two semi-clear parts (the small domes at the top and bottom of the saucer hull). It will be more accurate to detail (compared to the model used for filming) and the parts will fit together better than the Polar Lights kit, but it will have the parts for only one version (the one with the smaller sensor dish and the hemispheres on the rear end caps of the warp nacelles).

The Polar Lights kit is smaller and easier to work with. It gives you the option of building the series production version or either pilot version. There are two sensor dishes (regular or enlarged), two bridge domes for the top of the saucer hull (regular or enlarged), two domes for the bottom of the saucer hull (with or without nipple), two front end cap assemblies for the warp nacelles (with or without forward needle booms), and three rear end cap assemblies for the warp nacelles (smooth rear for the original pilot version, pepper-shaker holes in the rear for the second pilot version, and hemispheres on the rear for the production version). Both versions of the front end caps for the warp nacelles have a smooth clear domes which fit over ridged clear domes so you can paint up the interior details of the front end caps if you want to. There are a number of clear parts that fit into holes on the model, and the pattern indicates it was specifically designed for people who like to install lights in their models.

You forgot the alternate nacelle inboard slots - with or without cross hatching.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Frankly, the teeny tiny size of the PL kit is probably one of the reasons why I never finished any of the four or five that I bought. Too aggravating.

A kit of that accuracy, but closer in size to the old AMT, one would fit the bill nicely.