# Gigantics Scorpion, Tarantula and Mantis



## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi all - i got these Gigantic kit's from Ebay for only £2.50 each!.. around $4.00 - i had the full set in the 70's - these are the re-issues of the old kit's.. but the Wasp kit must not be issued?.. they were a fun way to pass a few hours.


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## Guest (Dec 5, 2010)

Oh, very cool!! I've never heard of these. About how big are they? Did you paint the backgrounds as well? Great job with that fire scene. Are these from 1950's sci-fi movies? The first one could be from "The Deadly Mantis", and the second from "Tarantula". I'm not sure about the third. Nice job! Looks like a lot of fun.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

The Wasp kit wasnt re-issued. I have the later 3 I picked up in the box still. They do look nice built up!
Steve


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## flygal46 (Dec 5, 2010)

These are really great models. In fact, of all the models I have built, children seem to like these the best. It's probably the small figures surrounding the large monsters. These models come out very nice. I found all of mine on eBay. Now looking for the Wasp model at a decent price. 
~ Kimberly King


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

Hey Ian, nice job on those. I picked them up a few months back on eBay as well. I had never heard of them until the subject came up on here. They will go great on the 50s B-movie scifi display shelf. By the way, how much of the dio is plastic and how much is paper? I guess I could just go out and open one of my boxes.

Bob K.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

I picked the Wasp up a few years ago for $165.00 still MIB...
The box is smaller than the Repops...








Back...








...and side...








Cool kits...
Mcdee


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

there isn't many plastic parts to the dioramas.. the bases and walls are card and are all 9 inches long by around 6 inches wide... but the insects are really good models!.. for the price i paid i thought i got a bargain, and i have been looking for a Wasp kit.. but with no luck as yet!. Kimberly your kit's look great!.. i love the movie posters in the background!


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

Mcdee the Wasp kit looks GREAT!.. beyond my price range i'm afraid, any idea why it was never re-issued??


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

I heard that the wings mold had been lost or destroyed...not sure if this 
info is true or not...but it makes sense...
Mcdee


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## jbond (Aug 29, 2002)

The third kit is obviously from "The Black Scorpion." The wasp kit has no correlation to a real 50s sci fi film though. I thought I'd heard that the wasp kit was never reissued because of something to do with the wings--the molds for the wings were lost or the reissues were done so cheaply they didn't want to spring for the clear plastic, something like that.


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

Its a real shame about the wing molds!... i will still keep a look out for the Wasp kit.. as it looks one of the best in the series..


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## flygal46 (Dec 5, 2010)

Thank you. They do add a good touch to the models. ~ Kimberly


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## louspal (Sep 13, 2009)

If you hurry, here is the wasp on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/FUNDIMENSIONS-G...057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3363148059


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Those are cool build ups. I had the Wasp, Mantis and Tarantula as a kid in the 70s. My friend Mark had the Scorpion. I always liked that one. The cardboard dioramas worked pretty well with a few plastic additions for a 3D look.


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## Matthew Green (Nov 12, 2000)

And there have been wish lists asking for what we want? More of this! Re issue the Wasp and come out with others....A Giant ANT attacking a baseball park or something...


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## MightyMax (Jan 21, 2000)

I heard they did not repop the Wasp with the other three because they could not find the mold for the wings. I have all the repops and was really lucky to get a wasp off Ebay for a good price.

Max Bryant


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

louspal said:


> If you hurry, here is the wasp on ebay:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/FUNDIMENSIONS-G...057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3363148059


2 hours to go on this one...$85.00!
Mcdee


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

I found an original wasp, sealed in box, on E-bait in 2006 for $37.96 and haven't seen one since. Naturally I built it. I have the entire set. (3 are repops)


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## Hooty (Mar 4, 2000)

I have all three as well. From what I can gather from this thread I may have the lead in who got the Wasp kit for the lowest price. I got it, at my first WonderFest, for $15. The box wasn't in good shape, but all the parts were there.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Excellent work Ian!! I've never cared for the groundwork on these kits but I really like the insects. They'd make great display models just by themselves.

Chris.


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

The wasp was unsold at $85.00 - i would love to see more being produced.. the Ant diorama from 'Them' would be fantastic!..


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## Mitchellmania (Feb 14, 2002)

Great build ups of these awesome kits!!! Is Fundimentions owned by MPC, AMT, or Revell...?!


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

I have all but the wasp and building these more then any other kits I have really brought me back to the days of being a kid. They weren't difficult, and they were so much fun to build.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Mitchellmania said:


> Great build ups of these awesome kits!!! Is Fundimentions owned by MPC, AMT, or Revell...?!


Fundimensions owned MPC back then. Now MPC is part of Round 2

Airfix issued two of the kits in the UK in Airfix boxes. I believe they sold the Mantis and Scorpion. They did not repackage all of the kits.


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## pugknows (May 28, 2002)

Great job Ian, I always loved these due to the Movies that inspired them. I still have a 4 originals someday I'll get these going, I always wanted to create a N-scale or Z-Scale train layout with these kits.
Rob
MMR


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## buzzconroy (Jun 28, 2002)

Great job Ian, they look awesome!!!

Randy


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## Duff Miver (Dec 18, 2007)

Loved these kits as a kid !! Heres my original 1975 Rampaging Scorpion from the 70s... notice the different street scene on the cardboard background... wonder why they did not use the original scene. I believe they did on the other two. I can remember Kiddie city blowing out all 4 of these at .99 cents each in '80 - '81. Picked them all up then but only the Scorpion survived. Do I win the cheapest wasp contest ? The box art on the originals is far better than the reissues [imho]. I did find all three at a discount place about 10 years ago for $1.88 and I bought 3 of each. I would love to see more of this kind of kit come out as well !


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

jbond said:


> The third kit is obviously from "The Black Scorpion."


Here is a link to the "B Movie" trailer the kit was based after...
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1441596441/

MMM


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

Duff Miver said:


> Loved these kits as a kid !! Heres my original 1975 Rampaging Scorpion from the 70s... notice the different street scene on the cardboard background... wonder why they did not use the original scene. I believe they did on the other two. I can remember Kiddie city blowing out all 4 of these at .99 cents each in '80 - '81. Picked them all up then but only the Scorpion survived. Do I win the cheapest wasp contest ? The box art on the originals is far better than the reissues [imho]. I did find all three at a discount place about 10 years ago for $1.88 and I bought 3 of each. I would love to see more of this kind of kit come out as well !


I never noticed the original was different! - thinking back i may also have had the Airfix re-issues of the kits in the UK, but the prices on these kits differs quite a bit - ive seen the Mantis go for £2.50 - £20.00.. i think it was one of the most popular in the series.


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## Duff Miver (Dec 18, 2007)

IanWilkinson,
I have never seen the Airfix reissues... was the box art like the U.S. reissues or the originals ? On the Tarantula we both used thread for the power lines - that little detail really adds to the overall effect. Your work looks excellent !!! --- Duff


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

Duff Miver said:


> IanWilkinson,
> I have never seen the Airfix reissues... was the box art like the U.S. reissues or the originals ? On the Tarantula we both used thread for the power lines - that little detail really adds to the overall effect. Your work looks excellent !!! --- Duff


Duff - i think the Airfix kit's were like the original box's. i remember the front had a paper with a headline on it, and the insect breaking up the city..


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

Great work, Ian, I still haven't built mine, but yours are an inspiration, particularly how you've done the cars and humans.


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