# Aurora Vampire



## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Hi guys. Here's a couple of pics of the Aurora Vampire that Denis and Ed (emsinker) bought me for my birthday (thanks again guys!. 
Her face and hands are airbrushed white with airbrushed shadows in azure blue. The rest of her is layered,washed,and drybrushed. The dressing table is Humbrol ivory with streaks of Tamiya flat brown and black acrylic to resemble woodgrain. The mirror is bare metal foil.
I had an absolute blast building her from a near mint, virgin kit!!:woohoo:
There's no bigger modelling buzz in the world!! 
She was- and still is my grail Aurora kit.
I hope you like. Sorry about the quality of the pics- I need a better camera.

Chris.


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

ive never seen one finished better. congratulations!


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

razorwyre1 said:


> ive never seen one finished better. congratulations!


I've never seen one at all! Thanks for showing such a rare kit on Hobbytalk; this is almost cetainly the first time this kit has appeared on either Hobbytalk or its old incarnation, the Bulletin Board. Great paintwork all over!


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## beck (Oct 22, 2003)

nice work A-nut !! it's great to see one these old gems get what it deserves and that is to be built , painted and displayed . :thumbsup:
hb


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thank you Razorwyre, CMM, and beck for your kind words. They're appreciated.
You're right beck- I love building these beautiful old kits. I couldn't for the life of me leave one in its box! I collect to build and my Aurora collection's building up just great at the moment. I have another half dozen on the go and I'm having a nostalgia hit you wouldn't believe!!:woohoo:

Chris.


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

Chris as always Excellent job ya did on Vampira:thumbsup:


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks Dan. I enjoyed every minute of the build!

Chris.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

A rare kit given to a talented guy with rare abilities = eye candy for all of us :thumbsup:...Yeah all around... money well spent :wave:
Mcdee


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thank you Denis. I'm humbled by your words, and I'm glad you're happy with how she came out. She's the centrepiece of my collection and always will be.
I can't wait to see how yours comes out mate!

Chris.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

If it is 1/2 as good as yours I will have outdone myself :wave:
Mcdee


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

I've seen your work Denis, you'll do a great job mate!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
You've overcome the biggest obstacle already- FINDING her!!
I'd been looking for this kit for over 20 years.
I actually found Hobbytalk while I was looking for her. I'd heard that Aurora had reformed (?) and were reissuing the Vampire, so I went looking for info and stumbled across this place. I thank God I did!!
I suppose I do have something to be thankful to A-corpse for....

Chris.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Cheers Chris...
Mcdee :wave:


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## Marko (Jul 11, 2002)

Really nice A-nut, subtle yet strikingly beautiful. Very good to see the less common kits built today. Nice job, thanks for posting.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks for the positive feedback Marko. 
Watch this space- there's gonna be more rare Auroras posted soon (with any luck).:thumbsup:

Chris.


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

I remember seeing ads for her and the Frog on the back of DC Comics in the 60's...but I've never seen the actual kit, either unbuilt or built. That's a beautiful kit beautifully rendered. My compliments to you, Sir Chris! :thumbsup:


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thank you Sir James! I have an original Castle Creatures ad that's going to be displayed with her. Hopefully I'll have the Frog one day and I can complete the set.

Chris.


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

Looking forward to the day the Frog is reunited with your Vampire, Chris! :thumbsup:


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## Duck Fink (May 2, 2005)

Oh great job! I have not been on here very much over the course of the past 2 weeks. This is the first time seeing this. That is one to be proud of! That is a great kit to have in your collection and you are very fortunate!!!


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Saddle up boys...Looks like we're going on a Frog hunt 
Mcdee


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

There's not much chance of locating the Frog Denis- it's way too rare!!
I believe Al at Pythonkits has one as a resin repop so I might pick one up 'till an original comes along.

Chris.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks Scott. I'm extremely fortunate to have Vampy in my collection. She's the centrepiece and she'll remain so!!

Chris.


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## MadCap Romanian (Oct 29, 2005)

Interesting how great a kit can look when built by the right hands. When Lapco was promising to produce this kit again, I was looking at it and thinking "Good luck trying to sell that!". Now that I see one built, I think I'd like to have one for my collection.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thank you Trevor.
She's definitely one of those kits that you either love or hate. I think if more modellers saw the detail in her, they'd like her too. She was a poor seller when released, but as we all know, the less produced the higher the collectors premium! With the amount of comical, cartoony kits that are being reissued lately it'd be great to see her repopped, but I highly doubt it'll ever happen.....

Chris.


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

Auroranut said:


> She's the centrepiece and she'll remain so!!


She's the centrepiece??? So, not the Dutch Boy and Girl, then? 

Good luck with finding the Frog, though a long hunt can be rewarding; you often turn up other things unexpectedly whilst looking for your primary kit. 

And I've often thought that a long hunt makes the kits all the more appreciable; if you knew you could find every kit tomorrow, it wouldn't be as much fun somehow.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Never a truer word spoken my friend! The thrill of the chase is part of the fun.
I'm trying to find out who it was that did the resin recast of the Frog so I can at least have that 'till the genuine article comes up. I thought it was Pythonkits but Al says he hasn't done that one. I know I've seen it somewhere but I cant remember. I think it might have been ebay...
As for the Guys & Gals, I'm hunting those down too. The only one I have so far is the Scotch Lassie, but they're not too hard to find.

Chris.


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

Auroranut said:


> As for the Guys & Gals, I'm hunting those down too.
> Chris.


 
Then your Aurora addiction is even stronger than mine...!

Mind you, I have been tempted to go for the Mexican Cabalero and Senorita, and build them in gunfight poses with a US Marshal kit (I'd have to find all these kits first, of course!), maybe like a Spaghetti Western.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

I'm after EVERY figure kit Aurora produced!! The non figure stuff would be nice, but there has to be a cut off somewhere!! I'm also trying to collect only the first issues. I'm trying to avoid mint examples as I'm a builder and don't want to take the top shelf examples out of circulation if I can help it.

I like you idea for a western scene, but you've certainly picked some of the toughest to find kits to do it with!! I think the Caballero and Senotita are the rarest of the G&G series to find! If you do manage to do it though, it'd be impressive!! Best of luck CMMM:thumbsup::wave:

Chris.


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## buzzconroy (Jun 28, 2002)

Very nice work on a rare kit.

Randy


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thank you Randy!! I really appreciate your comment mate.

Chris.


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

You did her well Chris!
Years ago I remember reading an article about Aurora, and in a list of releases seeing the title "The Vampire". My mind reeled, having no idea what kit they were referring to! I finally saw a photo of the kit in Bill Bruegman's price guide and was ...underwhelmed. But after my initial disappointment (my imagination conjured up all sorts of dramatic looking kits) my appreciation for the kit grew to where I really like it now.


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## MadCap Romanian (Oct 29, 2005)

Next you need the Deer's and Squrrels! LOL!


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## Steven Coffey (Jan 5, 2005)

Nice build! I love the cartoon looking kits from the 60s-70s.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks Steven and Chris.
It'd be cool if she was reissued. I'm sure there's be enough people interested that it'd warrant another run if the molds are still extant.

Chris.


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

I'd definitely want one! :woohoo:


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## VADER66 (Nov 16, 2001)

I really like this, I think it's very cool! :thumbsup:


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

I don't know how I missed this thread....great job on an oldie but goodie!:thumbsup:

MMM


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Hey guys just scored this of the old evilbay last week...some of the pieces are still on the sprues..
The little Bear Monsters were sent to me by Auroranut last autumn! She is an old and rare beauty and after seeing Chris' Great paint job , it quickly became a must have kit for me as well:thumbsup:
Mcdee


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Excellent score Denis!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: 
It's fantastic that you now have one as well. 
It looks like the box on yours takes up the whole case. Your instructions are different too. 
We've gone from no Vampys to 2 in less than a month! How many others have got pics of her thay can share with us?
Mine's the European issue, yours is the Canadian issue, who's got the American issue? We could have a hat trick!!

Chris.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Thanks VADER66 and MMM for your kind words- they're much appreciated.
James, maybe we should all keep an eye out for the US issue. If I see another one, I'll definitely let you know my friend:thumbsup:.

Chris.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Yeah Chris, Your Vampire box is the rarer of the two, I believe it is like the Original Frankenstein(Thin) box just a little smaller and not as deep My Vampire box Measures (in inches)13 1/8 X 5 1/4 and 2 1/4 deep...My instructions are in both French and English...Kit number is 452 - 129...of course the 129 back then was the price $1.29...expensive in 1966 and of course like all my original unmade Auroras I keep it in the Acrylic case made by Dr.Syn:thumbsup:
Mcdee


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

The number on my kit is 952. There's no price printed anywhere. The instructions are printed in English only which seems a little strange considering it was produced in Holland! It's molded in a dark yellowish colour.
The box protector you put my kit in is a godsend!! Vampy's only been out of her protector when I've been working on her and now the box is gonna live in the protector permanently. I can't recommend Dr Syns box protectors highly enough! Once the Aussie dollar's recovered from its dramatic fall I'll be ordering some for my other precious Aurora boxes!

Chris.


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

...that sound you hear is Denis doing the "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy" dance...and rightly so!


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Chris.


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## pagni (Mar 20, 1999)

I'll have to dig mine up.... I think it's the US version.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

That would be cool pagni...Hey Chris!,,, might have that hat trick you were speaking of... Could you post pictures? and specs? you know, box dimentions color of plastic etc...it's neat to hear regional varations, it was a different world 40 years ago and no one ever forsaw that one day these models would be compared side by side, so to speak, we used to live light years apart ...not anymore...:thumbsup:
..... and you're right deadmanincfan... I am doing the HHJJ dance :woohoo:
Mcdee


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## unkljune (Mar 6, 2002)

actionhobbies has or had a nice resin kit of the frog


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

I checked it out but no luck the hunt continues...:thumbsup:
Mcdee


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

I'd already looked too. It looks like the resins are as rare as the original....

Chris.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

pagni said:


> I'll have to dig mine up.... I think it's the US version.


Hey pagni, any luck finding your Vampy?? It'd be interesting to see if there's any differences between your kit and ours....

Chris.


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## pagni (Mar 20, 1999)

She's around somewhere in a mountain of totes in storage.
I'll take a pic as soon as I locate her.


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