I’m building the resin kit of the Vega Scout from the Leif Ericson / Glow In The Dark Mystery Ship. Some basic info: this is a test-pull trial sample; the kit maker (Ed Holt, modelnutz on several modeling boards) is aware that there were some mold-slippage issues by the hull/neck join. He’s also aware that the windows are not perfect. So having a bit of resin kit experience means you can easily handle some minor issues. That being said, this is very, very cool!!!
There were no figures in my sample, so I’m using the old Airfix Apollo Astronaut figures, and modified the one in the left seat with a lady’s head - given that the canopy windows aren’t crystal clear, it’s going to be hard to see them.
Specifications:
resin Vega: L: 9 and 1/4", W: 7 and 3/4"
Moebius Voyager, L: 9", W: 7 and 5/8"
Final Cost: TBD
Availability: TBD
The resin for the kit is great, and overall, the molding and casting are very good. The resin used for the landing gear was too soft to hold the weight, so I bored the legs out and inserted wire. The kit-maker has been getting regular updates from me as I build, so he is aware of the things that need changing before the kit goes up for sale.
My build-log is on my PictureTrail page, and I’m up to 50 captioned photos so far…
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23041506
The model is finally completed!
Here’s the model next to the Moebius Voyager:
I will have it up at the Wonderfest show in Louisville this weekend (May 14, 15, 16).
Really cool! Even as much as I love them it’s nice to see something other than the usual Star Trek/Wars models.
The original kit came out in sometime in the late '50s/ early '60s? right? I love the ‘retro’ look.
Thanks!
The original kit was the Leif Ericson, re-issued in the early 1970’s as the Interplanetary UFO Mystery Ship. Allen Ury’s awesome site has a nice data page on it:
http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/LEIF%20ERICSON%20PAGE.htm
This resin kit is a 2009/2010 release of just the mini-shuttle from the Leif/UFO, scaled up to 1/72 instead of the 1/500 of the older kit.
The old styrene kit just was re-issued by Round Two this past year:
http://www.round2models.com/models/amt/ufo-mystery-ship
Thanks Joe, I’ve always heard about this model and the website clears up a lot.I didn’t know Matt Jefferies had designed it.
I think I saw one of the UFO Mystery Ship re-boxings for sale when I was a kid. The 'glow-in-the-dark- sticks out since when you’re about seven years ago that’s ‘neat’. I wish I’d picked the kit up now, though I’d have build it back then and it’d be worth nothing now. Still it would have been cool to say I had one way back then.
Cool to see a larger model of the shuttle.
I’m going to have to pick up one of the repops. Larry Niven and Jerry Pornelle claimed they based the two starships in ‘The Mote in God’s Eye’ off a Leif Ericson model one of them had.
Thanks again for the info!
If you want tons of fairly accurate and somewhat researched data on the Leif and it’s re-incarnations, bring up a Google search page and enter: “Leif Ericson model kit”
Two of the best sites are:
Winchell Chung’s site: http://www.projectrho.com/SSC/index.html
And:
Frank Henriquez’s site: http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/le.html
Wow, those are great sites!
Thanks Joe
Hi Joe, I’m new to the forum, my first time postin. I am a VERY amatuer modeler. I know resin might be beyond my skill level at this point, but I’ve got to have it.
I had the UFO Mystery Ship when I was a kid, but no longer have it. I did manage to keep the Vega scout ship; I always thought that was the cooler ship. I did not know any of the history behind the model until just recently, but find it very interesting. I have checked out all the sites I could find.
I’ve been waiting years for someone to do a larger scale of the Vega, in any medium. Then I see your post here!!
When , and where can I get the kit?
and the Moebius Voyager?
Thanks,Elfwine
Hi!
The kit maker, Ed Holt, (screen name of modelnutz on several modeling message boards) has total control over production and quality and issuing this resin kit. I’m just the test-builder! He is a free-lancer and a one-man operation, with literally decades of experience. This week he posted over over the Starship Modeler boards that he has been contracted to take on a big-ticket job, so he will be very tied-up probably thru September of this year.
This does give him a chance to fine-tune the masters before making any more as my build-up pointed out some issues that he will correct before selling more kits. He and I also collaborated on the odd cone-like landing gear that he is looking at including as an optional set for the Vega
If you go to Google and just type in ‘Moebius Voyager’ a lot of vendors will come up! Amazon and Ebay still have the kit - but don’t get price-gouged! It (the re-release) has been discontinued from Moebius’s current production run, but there are plenty of these kits to be had. If someone is trying to sell you it for more than $30.00, just say no and keep looking - you will find it!
I will make an effort to keep this thread alive with any additional information as it becomes available.[Y]
And approximately eight months (or so) later, the alternative resin landing gear is now on the model! They are an attempt to scale the styrene kit shuttlecraft landing gear to 1/72, and sadly, they do look somewhat goofy.
