# Avatar RDA GUNSHIP



## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

*Avatar RDA Viper Gunship*

Whadiya bet some resin head is down in the basement right now chiseling away at the 1st molds for an all resin kit of this all too cool of a ship from Avatar. I would love to see this puppy in Styrene and I know I can't be the only one right? Lets say 1/35 scale? yeah! :thumbsup:

Too bad obtaining rights can be so expensive, the studios have such tight lids that Model kit companies can't get cooperation or info to plan a kit like they use to. If I have any of that straight at all?

Remember when model kits were out practically months if not sooner after a big film was released gee I remember a few that came out before the film LOL. Yes ...I know...I know.....for us older and more experienced modelers the rush and possible inaccuracies killed it it for us but still one, two or more years after a movies release isn't the same.

Must have this one and not to mention plenty of other fantastic creatures and ships from this AMAZING film....ok so I just saw it ....WOW!!! :thumbsup:

The pic is of the toy and it seems very cool and close to the ship in the film...it could probably be detailed and dressed up to look very nice.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

While toys aren't as good as kits, at least today's toys often are pretty accurate. I can remember the toys we had as kids..."close" was about as good as they ever got when it came to accuracy. Think about Dinky and the Eagles from _Space: 1999_...you couldn't even get them in the right color!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Yup! Look at the early Star Wars Vehicles- The X-wing and Tie Fighter LOL! If that RDA Viper Gunship is close enough in many ways I may just go to town on that puppy and call it even. 

The canopy may need some re-work, other details, new paint and markings for sure.

I wonder if a totally re-worked 'toy' can be considered an entry for something like Wonderfest...anyone? I never needed to consider that before.

AND! If anyone picks up one these gems give us your thoughts....it looks pretty good and the size is great....I mean if the figures are 3 and some inches this thing must be a bit more than 1/35 scale?

Here is a toy review link that shows the size of this puppy compared to a 1/1 scale average nerd LOL


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## halcyon_daze (Jan 6, 2004)

*Here's another*

Toy that is. Only $1199.99...

http://www.sideshowtoy.com/?page_id=4489&sku=300032&utm_source=search0109


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## fire91bird (Feb 3, 2008)

Well, so I sprung for one of these toys thinking no model would be available, although as it was mentioned, in the past a model would have been a no-brainer. Anyway, my impression is favorable, I would not be surprised if they used the computer files from the film to develop the toy. I don't get the sense that they messed with the external proportions much at all - it presents an accurate profile. The cockpit is pretty spare and looks like it's made for a figure larger than the scale of the craft. Some detail is missing such as the mesh on the inside of the rotor ducts. The panel lines are very thick. The weapons loads are very simplified. There is a four-missile pod on each wing with one firing missile. Screws are visible from the underside of the rotor assemblies and the pods with the firing missile. I would guess the scale to be about 1/32 - 1/35, ignoring the cockpit. It's 16 inches long, and 13 3/4 rotor-tip to rotor-tip. Externally, I think it's an accurate representation for a toy, but it will take some work to make it look like a very detailed model. I'm sure that talent is on this board, though. :thumbsup: I'm not sure what kind of plastic it's made of other than to say it's softer than styrene in thin areas; the tails are a bit bendy, for example.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Holy cow! uh I changed my mind. I may be out of of my mind but PHEW!


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## Lee Staton (May 13, 2000)

fluke said:


> I wonder if a totally re-worked 'toy' can be considered an entry for something like Wonderfest...anyone?


Yes, it can be, subject to the normal categories and quality considerations.

Years ago, we even had a customized action figure category. That's back when action figures were super-popular. But it fizzled after awhile and we dropped the category due to lack of entries.

Lee


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks Lee. Of course I would not even dream of such an entry if I did not take something like that completely apart and then pretty much rebuild it from ground up.

Even most high quality GK resin kits are less expensive those Avatar toys.

Are those the only Avatar toys on the market so far??


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## fire91bird (Feb 3, 2008)

I got the Scorpion in your attached photo and in the YouTube review for under $30. I thought that was pretty reasonable. $1200 for an AMP suit miniature, well, it's not in my budget, let's say.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Now your talk-en! :thumbsup: 

THANKS! So the blue boxed toys in the U-tube video are what we should be seeing 
at Toys R Us etc huh?


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## fire91bird (Feb 3, 2008)

Yes and Walmart. I don't remember seeing them at Target, tho.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks! Wallmart would be the better price - tho I loath the idea of going there


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## fire91bird (Feb 3, 2008)

My pleasure. Maybe we'll see your replica at Wonderfest! :wave:


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## modelsj (May 12, 2004)

Kmart is selling those gunships out at 50% off- 15.99!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Maybe mid or east coast but not at mine....no biggie...at 26.00 bucks why not! so thank you still! :thumbsup:

Had to get one for myself....plus it was the only one in the store.

I have not assembled it yet but dang nice size! This will not take too much at all to make it a model worthy display. For myself the cockpit will be 60% of the work as I will not have the two side main weapons pylons attached as my ship will be a RECON version with only the forward guns and use 1/32 scale F-18 or various Airforce recon type nose art.

This 'toy' has lots of parts 10 total....I know its not what we like to see 
when we open a kit.

The canopy is very clear, pretty thin for a toy and crisp.
The cockpit even has those two clear tactical H.U.D display parts and they look pretty nice two from what I have seen through the bag the main body is stored in. 

The rear wing assembly is separate.

All in all I'd say very nice details and very cool even out of the box.
Heck 15 or more years ago this kind of quality is what we would have seen 
from Revell or Monogram if not less.

If a kit this *size* was produced by pretty much anyone it would be a 105.00 and up and resin...175.00 to 250.00 easy!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

fire91bird said:


> Maybe we'll see your replica at Wonderfest! :wave:


*You just may Fire92bird....you just may.*


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Is there a difference between a Gunship and the Scorpion?

I see some slight expected image differences on line ( from what little there is ) but on the u-tube movie trailer I see what seems to be the toy ship I have but the film ship has the side doors.....PLUS....there there also seems to be a room for 3 to 4 people in the cockpit alone.

Has anyone found a site for set pics? or drawings?

I guess at this early of the films release I will not have a lot to go on.

This things shows lots of promise...the canopy after the hinge and forward snap part is removed
sets in with almost no seam at all....very tight...better than most model kits.


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## fire91bird (Feb 3, 2008)

I believe the Scorpion is referred to as a gunship, but there is another craft called a Sampson which looks very similar. The Scorpion is like an Apache helicopter, the Sampson like a Blackhawk. The Scorpion has vertical tail surfaces, the Sampson's are a "V". The Sampson has the side doors and it looks its fuselage is a bit wider. This link may help: http://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Vehicles


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks Bud, funny after I posted that question last night I found this link over at Starship Modeler. 

You may find it interesting ( if you have not yet seen it that is )

http://www.pandorapedia.com/doku.php


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## fire91bird (Feb 3, 2008)

Nice link! Doesn't mention the Samson, tho. It's in the link I posted under Aerospatiale SA-2 Samson. You may have seen this already, but there's also this featurette on YouTube that talks about all the Avatar hardware, including the Scorpion and Samson:


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks! Thats pretty cool. More pics and studio images will leak out in time I'm sure but probably only after I'm finished with my upgrade LOL. No biggie...who sees that much detail in the film anyways...heck you see more close ups on the lizard dragons than you do on the hardware. 

Oh well...I guess I'm going to have to see it a few more times....If I must...if I gotta....sigh.


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## xr4sam (Dec 9, 1999)

I could only find one glitch with the Scorpion: If you look at it straight on, the wings and upper fuselage are canted to the right a couple of degrees. As nicely detailed as this toy is, such an obvious error is surprising.

I'm thinking of doing some detailing on mine, and painting her up. It's a beautiful pieve, and would make a great display.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

That has been mentioned on other boards too, I figure fix it the same way we would with any other model kit. No biggie.


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