# MPC/AIRFIX Space 1999 Hawk question.



## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

*1. Who released the Space 1999 kits first MPC or Airfix?*

*2. I know there are aftermarket goodies for the EAGLE but....Is there any decals or detail parts for the HAWK kit? *OR are some of the decals the same per Eagle and Hawk?

I already have good pics and references lined up but *if you have built the HAWK kit I would like to hear how you did it or some words of advice. *

*THANK YOU!!!!*


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

All I can tell you is the one I bought had the MPC label on it.

Warp recently released a resin one the same size as the old MPC kit. Federation Models has it in the what's new section.

SMT is going to release one in 1/48 soon!!! I am SO there!


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## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

> SMT is going to release one in 1/48 soon!!! I am SO there!


I must be blind! :drunk: I can't find a reference to this on their site. When is the release date?


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

^^ And how much???


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## Arronax (Apr 6, 1999)

fluke said:


> *1. Who released the Space 1999 kits first MPC or Airfix?*
> 
> *2. I know there are aftermarket goodies for the EAGLE but....Is there any decals or detail parts for the HAWK kit? *OR are some of the decals the same per Eagle and Hawk?
> 
> ...


I would have thought that since it was a British show, Airfix would have produced the "Space:1999" kits but some research indicates that MPC produced the kits first. 

Check here for some more info: http://www.space1999.net/~catacombs/main/merc/vmmhawk.html

That site also has some good links to reference photos and to kit instructions and box art. Jim Small's site has a lot of photos including his scratchbuilt Hawk.

Never seen any aftermarket goodies for the Hawk kit - there are no markings/insignia on the ship. If you need clearer copies of the kit instructions, let me know.

Jim


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks Jim but I think I'm covered ......plus "Real men don't noeed no stinking instructions!"  

I thought on one site I saw markings on the hawk?

From what I gather the Hawk has no landing gear....must be launched from a certian type of platform?


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Airfix in the UK.

MPC in the US.


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## ChrisDoll (Sep 2, 1999)

Great Hawk Reference:
http://www.space1999.net/~catacombs/main/models/w2mhawk.html

Also, check out E. James Small's website, he has a fantastic series of pictures of a studio scale hawk he worked on.

The Airfix kit was really nice. I'd love to get another one myself. The original model in the show was painted like a standard Eagle first - all white. After looking at it, they decided it looked to similar to an Eagle so the orange markings were then added.


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## Arronax (Apr 6, 1999)

fluke said:


> I thought on one site I saw markings on the hawk?


Jim Small is considered one of the 'experts' on Space:1999. His scratchbuilt Hawk - http://www.smallartworks.ca/Gallery/Hawk/Hawk.html - shows no insignia and gives some explanation on the color scheme.

But then you probably have checked all that out yourself. 



Trek Ace said:


> Airfix in the UK.
> 
> MPC in the US.


But the question was which came first? Who made the mold? MPC sold Airfix kits reboxed as MPC kits and vice versa. The Hawk was an MPC kit reboxed by Airfix for sale in Europe.

Jim


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

starmanmm said:


> I must be blind! :drunk: I can't find a reference to this on their site. When is the release date?


 Unknown. Alfred previewed his master parts (!) a few weeks ago on Starship Modeler. The thread seems to have gone away.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

Jim Smalls hawk is beautiful. The hawk is a kit bashers dream. Glue together a bunch of stuff and it looks mean and cool. One of Bowers best designs.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

*ABOUT THE DESIGN*​ 
*Taking its overall design cues *from the Eagle Transporter, the Hawk was Moonbase Alpha's main tactical military spacecraft. Although it was one of *"Space: 1999"*'s most popular designs, the sleek and powerful Hawk actually only appeared in one episode, Season One's _*"War Games."*_​
​​
*ABOUT THE KIT*​ 
*First released by *Britain's Airfix company, the Hawk was later released -- briefly -- by MPC, which also published the original Eagle 1 kit under its Fundimensions label. ​ 

*Here is the page I found this info on:* 
http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/HAWK%20FIGHTER%20PAGE.htm


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## Jay Chladek (Apr 17, 2001)

Well, from talking to a few Brit buddies, it isn't quite clear who actually financed work on the molds, but it appears that MPC ended up with possession and the rights to use them as otherwise AMT wouldn't have had the Eagle molds to do the reissues back in 1998-99. As I recall back in the mid 1970s, the Eagle kits from Fundimensions hit the shelves at about the same time that Space:1999 season one was on the air and that suggests that the kits were already tooled up in the UK when the show debuted in the USA as the US broadcasts if I recall correctly were about a year behind their original UK transmissions. So that would suggest an Airfix origin.

Ravenstar did issue a resin Hawk kit that was a minor improvement over the MPC kit and word is that he got permission from AMT to do it as apparently there was some stumbling block that prevented them from reissuing that kit.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks for the info Jay.


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

Jay Chladek said:


> Well, from talking to a few Brit buddies, it isn't quite clear who actually financed work on the molds, but it appears that MPC ended up with possession and the rights to use them as otherwise AMT wouldn't have had the Eagle molds to do the reissues back in 1998-99. As I recall back in the mid 1970s, the Eagle kits from Fundimensions hit the shelves at about the same time that Space:1999 season one was on the air and that suggests that the kits were already tooled up in the UK when the show debuted in the USA as the US broadcasts if I recall correctly were about a year behind their original UK transmissions. So that would suggest an Airfix origin.
> 
> Ravenstar did issue a resin Hawk kit that was a minor improvement over the MPC kit and word is that he got permission from AMT to do it as apparently there was some stumbling block that prevented them from reissuing that kit.


The original molds were lost/destroyed for the 1999 kits. One of our board members here was involved in providing kits for the recreation of the Eagle and the MoonBase Alpha kits. I think they were going to wait to see how sales went before attempting to remake the mold for the Hawk.

Now I don't think we'll see it.


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## rabbit (Feb 22, 2000)

terryr said:


> The hawk is a kit bashers dream.


Well, I'm guessing the main engine bell comes from a 1/96 Saturn V. I'm trying real hard to spot other familar features... I'm sure they're there, but not as obvious as in some of the other Space: 1999 models.


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## ChrisDoll (Sep 2, 1999)

Ravenstar got permission to do a limited run of the kit - something like 40 - from Airfix themselves


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## swhite228 (Dec 31, 2003)

rabbit said:


> Well, I'm guessing the main engine bell comes from a 1/96 Saturn V. I'm trying real hard to spot other familar features... I'm sure they're there, but not as obvious as in some of the other Space: 1999 models.



The main body from the back of the nose to the flaired (the ribbed area) is the 1st stage of an Airfix Saturn 1b model, from the flair to the engine is the 2nd stage of the Airfix Saturn 5 kit.

Scott


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

terryr said:


> The hawk is a kit bashers dream.


 Also fun as a kitbashing _source_:
http://www.inpayne.com/temp/hawk4.jpg
I just wish I'd saved one stock .


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

There were 2 models in different scales, so details change between them. 
I see Gemini balls and tanks, lunar module blast deflectors on the smaller engines, and rocket launchers from a harrier. The large models main bell is part 1/96 and part 1/144 saturn glued together. The y-shaped pieces are saturn 5 too, I think.

..and the hawk and eagle noses were used to make the sidon ship;

http://www.space1999.net/~catacombs/main/models/w2msidon.html


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## Jay Chladek (Apr 17, 2001)

heiki said:


> The original molds were lost/destroyed for the 1999 kits. One of our board members here was involved in providing kits for the recreation of the Eagle and the MoonBase Alpha kits. I think they were going to wait to see how sales went before attempting to remake the mold for the Hawk.
> 
> Now I don't think we'll see it.


Well, if molds were redone, it wasn't all of them as most of the kit parts are original and seem to match up with my original kit examples exactly. In the case of the Moonbase Alpha kit, the vaccuform base was a new mold, but I think all the injected bits were the original molds (maybe some of the tiny bits weren't). The only thing I found puzzling about the Moonbase Alpha kit is that it was issued in a box big enough to hold a one piece base and AMT/Ertl's base was two piece, just like the original (and designed that way on the MPC kit so it could fit into a much smaller box). I wished it was one piece as gluing vac base pieces, hiding the seam and getting them to keep from cracking apart can be a bit of a challenge.

Of course, right now there is one kit with a 1999 connection availble from AMT/Ertl and that is the Moonscope. The original Barris Moonscope was quite a bit different and it apparently was almost entirely retooled to make the wierdo MPC "Alien" car in 1999 packaging (thankfully Airfix never decided to offer that one in the UK). Of course the thing never appeared in an episode, this was just MPCs idea to get a little cross merchandising done with a car kit as cars were the king of plastic at the time. The current kit offered as the Moonscope is essentially what was offered as the Space 1999 Alien car kit.


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

Jay Chladek said:


> Well, if molds were redone, it wasn't all of them as most of the kit parts are original and seem to match up with my original kit examples exactly. ....


If you have trouble believing the truth of the fact that the mold was backwards engineered, give AMT/Ertl a call. The original molds were destroyed. I only wish they had gone forward with the Hawk. I liked that ship more than the Eagle.

For someone who want a studio scale Hawk, get a few of the Airfix Saturn Ib and Saturn V kits. These were used for the main body.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

I suppose these days the patterns are carved out using CAD/CAM, so the master is always on file.

Hey Heiki, are you a female? Just noticed, your title should say Elder Stateswoman. Statesperson?


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Ya....goot question....The avitar has always got me to wondering.

I will post pictures of my completed AIRFIX HAWK around Oct or so. gotta finish R2 and 3PO first. having a blast!


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## dreamer (Jan 1, 1970)

Troy, that's wierd - I've been thinking lately about doing all three of those - the Hawk (but more the Eagle), 3PO, and R2, and I was thinking of how perfect that R2 of yours was andd wondering if you had him done! If I make it up there this year (and I'm tryin') I'd love to see them - ya think they'll be done in time for Sci-Fan?


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## spacecraft guy (Aug 16, 2003)

SCi-Fi and Fantasy Models Magazine issue 39 (the Space:1999 issue) has an article on doing a scratchbuild on the Hawk, and the where the parts used to build the original miniature came from.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thanks Spacecraft guy!

Dreamer,

wow....Sorry dude! ....The HAWK as well*??*....and are you talking about the MPC droids?

Yep! R2 and 3PO will be ready by Sci-Fan....I'm thinking the Alclad pale gold for 3PO *unless there is something better out there?* .....*SnJ* you say.....NO WAY! not matalic enough.........3PO needs some work on his face and a custom job on his waist area....I wanted to custom build all his joints and all those sevo type actuators but not enough time.
As a model kit....I can't believe how well MPC did that *R2* kit!.... close to the real droid! very well researched. This was a project I started a few years ago and after looking at the kit I can't beleave how far I got and what I did! man.....I wish I had the fire and the time to build like that these dayz.


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## DX-SFX (Jan 24, 2004)

The engine bell on the large studio model was a caddymatic tea dispenser. These have not been made since the sixties but if anybody is building a Hawk and wants a vac form moulding from an original in the same guage plastic, they're three UK pounds plus shipping. I can also supply a set of vacform mouldings for the Hawk nose for twenty UK pounds.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/sfx_films/hawk.jpg


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

I know the cadimatic was used on the Sidon ship, but to me, those photos above look like saturn parts.

Interesting on the vacuform. These parts were used in many anderson models.

Updated; I read the article in Sci-Fi and Fantasy. 
Quite detailed. Colin M. Taylor built it. It says the Airfix/MPC models were based on the small studio model. The outer tubes were paper towel cardboard rolls! 200 Pounds worth of kits were needed to build the replica, in 1999 prices.

He says the main nozzle is a cadimatic tea set. ( the early type, not the later one.) He doesn't go into great detail on it however.


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## DX-SFX (Jan 24, 2004)

The outer booster tubes of the large studio model were cardboard rolls covered in plastic. I'm not sure what the smaller model used.

Colin bought his vac forms from me.


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## dreamer (Jan 1, 1970)

fluke said:


> Thanks Spacecraft guy!
> 
> Dreamer,
> 
> wow....Sorry dude!


Whataya talkin' about? this way you do all the hard work and I get to copy off ya! :devil: :jest: Seriously, only the Threepio would be one I'd want to take to the show, and that will probably take me awhile to do anyway.

Yep, I've been wanting to do Threepio for a couple of years now, the full treatment like you're doing, on the MPC. I've never seen anyone do a decent metallic finish or accurize the details (not that no one has, I just haven't seen it), but after seeing Steve's Steel and those Alclads I knew that was the way to go. And that R2 job of yours was just gorgeous, I was hoping you'd finish!

On the Hawk, I'd _like _to fix up the old kit from AMT or whoever it was, have it stripped down already, but I don't have your ability to really fix the thing up as it needs, figured it wouldn't be something I'd be showing off. Checked out the pics on the web, one of those guys mentioned earlier has some detailed drawings/blueprints for sale, that's the only way I'm gonna know what to do to fix the thing up.

The Eagle, though, that's gonna be my focus. That's the one I hope to have up there, maybe '06 if not '05.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

I jsust spent the afternoon of a rainy day reading my old Sci-Fi and Fantasy mags. Lots of neat stuff including several things by Martin Bower. 
He made 86 models for 1999. He was 1999! Without those creations it would have been talking heads in pantsuits.


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

terryr said:


> I suppose these days the patterns are carved out using CAD/CAM, so the master is always on file.
> 
> Hey Heiki, are you a female? Just noticed, your title should say Elder Stateswoman. Statesperson?


When I went to school, one would get a failing grade for not using the proper masculin form of a word. In fact, english has not used a nueter for any words for at least 1300 years. It is proper to say statesman and chairman. The femine form of the words are not true english and are considered bad gramar.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

heiki said:


> When I went to school, one would get a failing grade for not using the proper masculin form of a word. In fact, english has not used a nueter for any words for at least 1300 years. It is proper to say statesman and chairman. The femine form of the words are not true english and are considered bad gramar.


I agree! :thumbsup: 

I'm also sick of 'their' and 'they' being used instead of 'his' and 'him.'


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

They must have been more slack with spelling.

masculin = masculine

nueter = neuter

femine = feminine

gramar = grammar


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

And note that he/she still didn't answer the question.


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## DX-SFX (Jan 24, 2004)

I know for a fact that the rest of the effects crew are continually irritated by the coverage Martin gets for the models of Space 1999. Sometimes it comes across like he did it singlehandedly. That's not to belittle Martin's contribution, which was considerable, but the model crew at the studio are seldom given equal weight.

Terry Reed, Derek Freeborn and the rest of the team built Moonbase Alpha, all the large buildings, the huge launch pads in all scales, the hangars and hangar furniture, fibreglass moons, moonbuggies, all the landscapes, large sections of space ships and all the less glamorous "toys" that are less noticed but equally important to the look. They were also required to rework a few of Martin's contributions for various reasons and were often required to make the things "work" whether it was adding freon engines or building radio controlled moonbuggies on a pitifully small budget and never with enough time. They also had to scratchbuild more from design than relying on plastic kit parts or found parts which anyone will tell you is considerably more difficult and labour intensive.

It was the lack of money that allowed Martin to work on the series because as a young outside contractor, he was basically cheap. All of them continue to work in the industry on the Bond movies and Titanic (to name a few) and seldom get the recognition they deserve. It was, as with all films, a team effort.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

Interesting stuff. Too bad the magazines never bothered to get the whole story. Perhaps it was because he was an outsider that he got the attention. 'A fanboy who got a job building models'.


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## DX-SFX (Jan 24, 2004)

The ironic thing is that Martin has managed to get well recognised from effective self publicity (and there's nothing wrong with that) but the downside is the resentment from the others it generates which may be why he's not worked in the industry since the mid eighties (that and living 150 miles from the studios). It's one of those jobs where you can't afford to annoy people. It's a shame really. You wonder what he might have moved on to.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

His website seems quite popular.

http://www.martinbowersmodelworld.com/


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## DX-SFX (Jan 24, 2004)

Yes, he's done some good stuff.


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