[Chrisisall]

I made more of these as a kid than the AMT Enterprise:freak:, but in examining my PL repop kit, I have to ask, does anyone have ANY idea just why, if most of the kit is SO accurate (too small non-front vents aside), that THIS very important piece is SO wrong?

As a kid, I never attempted to rectify it, though I knew it was inaccurate deep down, and today, it presents no real hardship to correct, but really, what was the sculptor/model-maker(s) thinking?
Anyone got a story/interview/theory?

 

[steve123]

They wanted to send something down the decades...something for you to fix, and something for others to discuss 'till the cows come home...lol

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Click on the image to hear what benign has to say


Steve

 

[kenlee]

I made more of these as a kid than the AMT Enterprise:freak:, but in examining my PL repop kit, I have to ask, does anyone have ANY idea just why, if most of the kit is SO accurate (too small non-front vents aside), that THIS very important piece is SO wrong?

As a kid, I never attempted to rectify it, though I knew it was inaccurate deep down, and today, it presents no real hardship to correct, but really, what was the sculptor/model-maker(s) thinking?
Anyone got a story/interview/theory?

From what I have observed, accuracy was not in Aurora's vocabulary when it came to models from movies and TV in the early to mid 1960's. The attitude seemed to be, especially with TV based kits was to get it out quick and close enough was also good enough.

 

[Chrisisall]

From what I have observed, accuracy was not in Aurora's vocabulary when it came to models from movies and TV in the early to mid 1960's.

I worshiped at the altar of Aurora in the Sixties; the Seaview, the Flying Sub, the Spindrift- nearly every kit they produced freaked me! Today I can see some flaws, but none so glaring in their kits as this.
But, I have no insight into their production. Was this last piece rushed to production by a talented (and fast-working) yet uninterested artisan?

 

[hal9001]

They were selling them to kids that built them in a few hours and was playing with them before the glue was dry (in my case anyway)! Most kids probably weren't aware of the discrepencies or didn't care. So, it comes down to economics. Why put more into it than necessary? They sold them as is and that's what mattered. Then we blew them up!!
Now if they had had any idea that these 'kids' would never grow up and would critique them 40+ yrs later, then.....they sitll wouldn't have cared!

hal9001-

 

[Chrisisall]

They sold them as is and that's what mattered. Then we blew them up!!

LOL, well, I never blew up a Robot- mostly they broke in moves to new homes. And I got new kits.
The point is, why devote so much attention to detail in so many other areas, then mess up in so obvious & important an area?

 

[Steve H]

Not an expert on tool cutting or mold production in any way, but I think it was just a case of parts count. To get the details right I suspect that would have needed to be two pieces, or even three and that may have been more than would fit in the given space allowed for the sprue within the tool.

Otherwise, as others have stated. It was 'good enough' for the intended market. And don't forget, it's possible they didn't have good reference pictures of that area. I have no idea how much research they did, if they even visited the studio and looked at the real suit or if the production just sent them a bunch of publicity pics.

I remember in Fine Scale Modeler magazine there used to be a page given over to an ex-Aurora guy (I'm sorry, I *think* I recall the name but I'd mis-spell it and I don't intend any disrespect) who would give a little background on the production of this or that kit, but I don't know if he's ever been tapped to write about specifics of the process, just how much work went into research. Were there sculptors who WANTED to go all out on a super accurate kit on something like the Robot and budget prevented that?

I would love to know how the decision was reached to put that full interior in the Flying Sub for example. It set a standard I think.

 

[Chrisisall]

I would love to know how the decision was reached to put that full interior in the Flying Sub for example. It set a standard I think.

To this day, it's really very well done.:thumbsup:

 

[B-9]

Most of this kit is in fact INaccurate. No taper on the torso, wrong angle on the tread section, the conical neck, legs are a bit too wide at the top, etc. It's still fun and brings back good memories of when we first got one of these back in 1968-69.

 

[Chrisisall]

Most of this kit is in fact INaccurate. No taper on the torso, wrong angle on the tread section, the conical neck, legs are a bit too wide at the top, etc.

Eh, all that can be fixed pretty easily.:thumbsup:

 

[zike]

I think the most unfixable thing about this kit is that the legs are too square. The upper legs have very small radius curves in the four corners which gives the upper legs a square box-like appearance.

The thing about this kit is that all the parts are close enough but none of them are truly correct. When you put it together, it's a good representation of the robot. But when you start looking at individual parts, everything is off by a little bit.

 

[Chrisisall]

When you put it together, it's a good representation of the robot. But when you start looking at individual parts, everything is off by a little bit.

I intend to make a fully accurized version of this kit by Christmas. Yes, a lot of sanding, cutting & fabrication will be in order... just tapering the torso will be a chore, but that's what I like!

I originally wanted to fully accurize my Masudaya 16" one, but my Son won't allow further changes to it, so this will be my *perfect* one!

 

[hal9001]

I intend to make a fully accurized version of this kit by Christmas. Yes, a lot of sanding, cutting & fabrication will be in order... just tapering the torso will be a chore, but that's what I like!

I originally wanted to fully accurize my Masudaya 16" one, but my Son won't allow further changes to it, so this will be my *perfect* one!

Oh great, make the rest of ours look like crap!

hal9001-

 

[Chrisisall]

Oh great, make the rest of ours look like crap!

LOL! Thanks for the pre-compliment.
Actually, I've always loved the Robot, being a wee tot in the Sixties, I bonded to him big time. I had 2 Remco toys, THEN I got the kit! The toys went in the closet, being so outclassed in accuracy by the model.
By the time I made my first Enterprise model, I'd already made 2 Robots. This PL repop is totally memory lane- the last one I made was in the very early Seventies, then it seemed to vanish. And time & too much playing did in the last Robot I had...
It wasn't until 1993 when I got my present Masudaya Robot that I was again truly happy.
By Christmas I expect to be ecstatic.

 

[liskorea317]

LOL! Thanks for the pre-compliment.
Actually, I've always loved the Robot, being a wee tot in the Sixties, I bonded to him big time. I had 2 Remco toys, THEN I got the kit! The toys went in the closet, being so outclassed in accuracy by the model.
By the time I made my first Enterprise model, I'd already made 2 Robots. This PL repop is totally memory lane- the last one I made was in the very early Seventies, then it seemed to vanish. And time & too much playing did in the last Robot I had...
It wasn't until 1993 when I got my present Masudaya Robot that I was again truly happy.
By Christmas I expect to be ecstatic.

I hope you document your progress step by step!

 

[Chrisisall]

I hope you document your progress step by step!

I will, in a future thread.:thumbsup: