I was in Hobby Lobby and saw this kit, Academy 1/288 Space Shuttle & Boeing 747 Carrier - 1640, for the unheard of price of just $3.32, so I had to get it.

The subject matter is most interesting, but my concern is whether or not the kit is of good quality. If it is of poor quality, I won't build it and wait for the retirement of the shuttle and maybe the kit will appreciate. LOL
Otherwise, if it is fair or better, I would like to see what the completed model looks like.

Thanks for your help!

Well its not very good. The whole kit is very old and fairly crude. I think Revell also sold this kit at one time, or else the Academy kit is a cheap Asian knock off of that kit. Its an odd scale, too. I have the Revell version, and aside from the decals its not very good, although the 747 is somewhat better than the shuttle. The Shuttle itself is poor and toylike. I have an old boxing of the stand alone shuttle and boosters and it had flash light bulbs that make it light up! A better kit is Revell's 1970s vintage Enterprise on 747 kit. The Revell combo was 1/144. Revell's shuttle isn't perfect, but it was the first Shuttle kit out. Surprisingly, there are a fair number of Shuttle kits, but most of them are poorly done. Also, they come in assorted scales and few match the other space kits on the market which are usually 1/144 or approx 1/100. In 1/144 I am sort of partial to the Airfix kit. The Tamiya one is pretty nice externally. I think that one is 1/100. All of the Shuttles have very dated and inaccurate cargo bays and cargo loads like old ESA stuff.

For $3 I would build the Academy kit and be happy with it.

I'd consider it an investment. Some day in the far future, you may be able to resell that for as much as four, maybe even five dollars!

:freak:

John, don't be mean. :)

I have this kit, too, and it's not good for anything but building it in an afternoon and playing with it. John's point is that it will never achieve any appreciated value, there is nothing about it that warrants collector status.

Thanks a bunch, gentlemen. I sort of figured it wasn't much of a model when there are two aircraft in the kit and it RETAILS for only about ten bucks. Wanted to make sure though. You never know if you might have a "diamond in the rough." LOL

If it is the old Revell kit it is actually older than that cause the Revell was a rebox of a company called Union. I have both the Revell and Academy but cannot get to either one for a comparison. The Academy kit offers the decals to do the White 747 and the Revell had the old ex- American Airline scheme.

Build it and have fun.

Max Bryant

If it is the old Revell kit it is actually older than that cause the Revell was a rebox of a company called Union. Build it and have fun.

Max Bryant

Thats it... the Revell, Minicraft/Academy and Academy issues are the ex-Union tooling from the 70s.

Those cheap kits are perfect for kitbashing!