# Aurora Batmobile - a model kit like no other



## The Batman

I purchased a Polar Lights reissue of the classic Aurora Batmobile kit from the CultTVman online Hobby Shop quite a while back. When the parcel arrived ( very quick delivery ) I didn't even bother to open it - I just handed it to the wife and told her to have the kids give it to me for FATHERS DAY.

Well, yesterday was the big day when I finally got to open it, and I've got to tell you... it affected me more than I ever thought it was going to!

I was 8 1/2 years old when the Batman TV Series debuted back in January 1966. I was hooked before I even saw the first show - we'd seen the numerous tv promos played and re-played so many times, so, naturally, there was a very high level of anticipation. Not just me, mind you, but every kid in the neighborhood - every kid at school - every kid in the city! And that first week's two-part episode did not disappoint! *Batman* became the hottest thing ever, and *Batmania* swept across the nation like wildfire!

This series had so much going for it; the glitz, the glamour, the big-name stars... who knew that fighting crime could be so much fun? But of all the things that tv show had to be impressed with, THE BATMOBILE was the ultimate! It was the coolest car I had ever seen in my life! ( and it's _still_ #1 in my heart! )

Anyway... when Aurora announced they were coming out with a model kit, I knew I had to have one! I was always on the lookout for one but, none of the stores ever seemed to have it in stock. I remember I was on vacation visiting my Grandma's house in Kentucky when it finally happened. My uncle bought me a car model that we were painting to_* resemble*_ the Batmobile when my parents walked into the house carrying a bag. When they handed it to me I looked inside and saw that beautiful boxart - it was the original *purple* box edition. Wow! I dropped everything - completely forgetting the _other_ car model - and immediately began assembling _*my*_ BATMOBILE!

Well, to make a long story short, I have a vague idea that I probably went through 4 or 5 of those Aurora Batmobiles between 1966 - 1968. I have a clear memory of *three* of them for sure: one purple box and two blue boxes! And only one of those Batmobiles from my childhood survived into my grown-up life. A few years back, when Polar Lights first came on the scene, I did a serious refurbishing and customization of my original Aurora Batmobile and have been very happy with the results. Yet, even though I was fortunate enough to still have this treasure from my childhood days, I still wanted to see this kit get re-issued ( like just about everyone else in this hobby )!

Well. as I said, yesterday was the big day... I finally got to open my FATHERS DAY present. And that boxart sure was a thing of beauty! But, that didn't take me by surprise because I've seen the boxart for years. Photos are in books, on the internet, etc... I've even got a repro box of the original purple version ( which I still think is the superior design ).

It's when I opened the box that it *hit* me ... For the first time in about 40 years I was seeing the peices in the box attached to the sprues! It was as if I was beholding the kit with the eyes of an 8 1/2 year old boy again! It actually choked me up! What a surprise... I hadn't anticipated reacting this way!

I had originally thought of just getting one of the Aurora re-pops to build because the new 1/25 scale kit is the one I'm really waiting for Polar Lights to release. But, now... I'm beginning to think maybe I'll get another 1/32 Batmobile. One to build, and one to leave on the sprues just so I can open the box and look at it!

- GJS


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## Zathros

*wow...reading that stirred a few emotions myself , of those great days when we were kids, and the only things we looked forward to after school, was the great entertaining TV shows we loved so much, and the great toys and model kits that sprang from them....I too had a batmobile, back when it came out in '66...I bought 2 re-issues 
two weeks ago when they came out..I think I had the same reaction you had with the batmobile kit, when the LIS robot was repopped..I bought a case of them....lol..same emotions with the spindrift...And of late, the moonbus...but the best part about the batmobile re-issue kit, is that its really a TRUE piece of aurora modeling history...since its an original mold made in 1966 by aurora, not a reverse enjineered one made in china..I would say its just a tie in to our remberences of happier, simpler times...I dont envy todays youth one bit...we had creativity..
they have electronics...

Z
*


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## The Batman

Yeah... to some degree I knid of felt that way about the other models, too. But not like I did with the Batmobile. I guess it's because for the most part a lot of these kits have been re-issued over and over again ( the Monster kits, some of the vehicles like the Flying Sub, the Invaders UFO, etc... )

But this Batmobile kit looked like it would never get re-issued. Not in my lifetime, anyway. And here it was almost EXACTLY the way I remembered seeing it the first time I ever laid eyes on it in my life! Not a back-engineered kit, just ike you said. And even though it was too small ( 1/32 scale ) and wasn't very detailed, and had it's other share of flaws ( didn't look quite as sleek as the real deal ) back in the sixties this was the one to own! It was as if I was 8 1/2 years old again! 

- GJS


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## Zathros

in error


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## Bobj812

When the weather gets rainy, I tell my wife it's "Batmobile weather." The first kit I got was through a promotion of Raisin Bran cereal. For reasons I don't remember (probably played with it too much and broke it), I had to get another one. I can remember my dad coming home from the store and me staring up at him expectantly, and he grinned and pulled it out of the sack - and then set it on top of the refrigerator! For some reason I couldn't have it yet. I just remember it was a cold, rainy day. So whenever the weather gets like that, that's what I think of. I looked out the window yesterday and told my wife that it was Batmobile weather. She told me that I had one to work on now.
Yep. But I want to finish the Moonbus first.


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## PF Flyer

Agree with all that's been said. It's a treat to have it back in black and I thoroughly enjoyed building mine. Still fun to slide it across the floor in one of those patented "bat turns." (Not that I would ever do that at my age, of course.) If you want one to keep, the collector's tin edition is really nice (got one yesterday as my gift)--with a complete boxed and shrink-wrapped kit inside as well as an interesting "Wayne Enterprises" blueprint of the car. Not to mention the TV logo on the band that goes around the tin.


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## Tim H.

Great car, we all wanted a real one! Batmania was a fun crazy time to be alive.


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## rkoenn

I am building mine now. I am fairly certain I had one as a kid, I would have been about 13 when it came out. But now putting it together I don't recall the figures and it seems kind of small. Maybe I never had one but I am very happy I have the new one. And the new 1/25th version is definitely on the list to purchase as well. I saw one of the actual Batmobiles at Megacon in Orlando a few years back. And I saw a Munster's Dragula at Monster Bash 2 years ago. I am awaiting the re-release of the two Munsters' cars as well.


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## DocJam00

At Worldcon in Anaheim a few years ago, they had a full-sized Batmobile. Beautiful piece of restoration on it too


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## hedorah59

I never had one as a kid, though it was probably my most wanted model.


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## apls

I too have fond memories of this kit. I bought on in October 1966 on a beautiful sunny day. The last one I bought was in 1970, it did not have the bubble windows. I have to write Aurora for them. They were very good to kids, when sendind letters. In the late 80's, I bought a "Batcar" from Lunar Models. I convered Tamaya Figure into very good copies of Adam West and Burt Ward at 1/25 scale. I have the repop from Polar Lights, I was amazed of how small it was. But it is in scale with the Black Beauty, now I'll have to make 1/32 scale figures of the Hornet and Kato.


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## DocJam00

I have the kit; I am still finishing up the Batboat first.

On the plus side, my wife got me a magnifying light for Father's Day so I can do the detail work


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## Mitchellmania

I got my Batmobile from a Fudge Cookie promotion and got it in the mail in the late 60's. I love that car and Batman show!!


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## scooke123

I had the original that was one of my favorites= thought I did a great job on it way back when--- it went with all my other Aurora Monsters along with my comic books and Famous Monsters magazines at my Aunt's garage sale when I was 18. I think I got around $20 total for everything and was happy about it!!!!
Still pains me to think about it today - had all the monsters, Big Frankie, Weidos, Roth kits - gotta stop!! Hate to think about it.
Getting the new Batmobile and opening the box brought back all those good old memories -- sometimes you CAN go back, if only for a few moments anyway. Hopefully I can build this one a little better than before. Got 2 of them so far plus the tin version.
Steve


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## PF Flyer

During all the Batmania, I have a memory of walking into I think a JC Penney and they had yellow bat signal stickers on the floor for kids to follow with a caption like "Bat Stuff This Way" on each one. Also remember my Mom making a Robin cape for me out of yellow cloth. The kid down the street had dibs on Batman.


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## The Batman

Mitchellmania said:


> I got my Batmobile from a Fudge Cookie promotion and got it in the mail in the late 60's. I love that car and Batman show!!












I remember the first time I saw the Batmobile model mentioned was on the back of a box of Burry's GAUCHO peanutbutter sandwhich cookies. I don't know WHY we didn't just send away for it then and there, but...
...in a way, I'm glad we didn't. The Burry's promotional model - as I understand it - came in a plain brown cardboard box. It wouldn't have been quite the same without that classic Aurora boxart!

- GJS


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## The Batman

Oh yeah, GAUCHO anyone?










- GJS


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## Zombie_61

Like many people who were alive in 1966 I was crazy for the _Batman_ tv series. I had the Aurora Batmobile, but only because my older sister built it for me. That one is long gone, but I'm happy to have the repop to build for myself.


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## Bobj812

Oh wow, it wasn't Raisin Bran that we got the Batmobile through, it was from Scooter Pies! What we got through Raisin Bran was the Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang kit. Thanks for posting that ad - brings back memories!


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## ChrisW

GJS - you're right, it came in a cardboard box. I got mine with a Burry's Mr. Chips Chocolate Chip Cookie promotion. Of course, it combined the best of 2 worlds: the anticipation of waiting for a mail-away premium combined with opening up a new Aurora model...


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## The Batman

Bobj812 said:


> Oh wow, it wasn't Raisin Bran that we got the Batmobile through, it was from Scooter Pies!


 
Could it be possible that you got a Batman Periscope through Raisin Bran?










Or maybe the Batman Stamp Pad set?



















I'm pretty sure I had the Stamp Pad Set at one time.

- GJS


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## The Batman

ChrisW said:


> GJS - you're right, it came in a cardboard box. I got mine with a Burry's Mr. Chips Chocolate Chip Cookie promotion. Of course, it combined the best of 2 worlds: the anticipation of waiting for a mail-away premium combined with opening up a new Aurora model...


 
Yeah. And all for 75 cents and a coupon! What a deal!

- GJS


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## PF Flyer

This is the best thread in quite a while...lovin' every memory of it.

Seems like all the good stuff--except maybe the Batmobile--came from Battle Creek, Michigan.


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## The Batman

Glad to hear it, PF!

You know, as strange as it may seem, when the Batman TV series first premiered, I had no clue that it was based on a COMIC BOOK character. I didn't discover BATMAN comic books until a little later on! If I'm remembering correctly my compulsion of collecting Batman comic books all began with this issue:










Which featured the first appearance of the perilously pulchritudinous Poison Ivy!









How about the rest of you? Were you Batman comic book fans before the show? Or after? Any memories of your first comic book encounter with the Caped Crusaders?

- GJS


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## The Batman

I meant to post this for PF earlier...










- GJS


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## Bobj812

The Batman said:


> Could it be possible that you got a Batman Periscope through Raisin Bran?
> - GJS


Nope, never had either one of those (although I would have wanted them I'm sure). I'm sure I got the Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang through Raisin Bran - I didn't like the cereal, so my dad and sister (mom must not have cared for it either) ate it - can't recall how many box-tops you needed to send in for it - until they were sick of it. I had no problem eating Scooter Pies, for the record. If I recall right the Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang model was pretty detailed.
And man, I loved PF Flyers. I remember the decals you could rub on them, although they didn't stay on very well....


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## Zorro

The Batman said:


> How about the rest of you? Were you Batman comic book fans before the show? Or after? Any memories of your first comic book encounter with the Caped Crusaders?
> 
> - GJS


I was. I'm pretty sure this was the first Batman comic I ever purchased.










Carmine Infantino was the definitive Batman artist for me so when Aurora used his artwork for their Batman kit it really hit home. Of course the kit inside looked nothing like Infantino's art.

When I was a kid, our local newspaper had a TV insert in the Saturday edition. That insert was printed on green paper for some reason. I vividly remember my Dad calling me into the living room one Saturday evening in 1966 and showing me a publicity photo from an upcoming ABC TV series that was to premiere the following week. It was a photo of Adam West jumping into the cockpit of the Barris Batmobile. It was almost too much for me to take in. I couldn't believe that my favorite comic book superhero was going to be in a live-action TV show - and from what I could see in the photo - it looked cool as heck!










I do remember being slightly crest-fallen while watching the premiere - I was old enough to know they were sort of making fun of Batman - but the costumes, sets, and hardware were so cool that I quickly forgot my disappointment. And for a 9 year-old Batman fanatic - the "Batmania" the show generated was like heaven! Not only the Aurora model kits but the seemingly thousands of toys and products that hit store shelves in '66 and '67. It really was a great time to be a kid.


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## The Batman

> Originally posted by *Zorro*:
> the "Batmania" the show generated was like heaven! Not only the Aurora model kits but the seemingly thousands of toys and products that hit store shelves in '66 and '67. It really was a great time to be a kid.


It sure was, Scott! Thanx for sharing!

- GJS


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## Seaview

Everybody wanted to do a cameo on that show!


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## Bobj812

I think I was introduced to Batman by the TV show. I believe my dad sat me down in front of the TV and told me he thought I might enjoy this. Boy, that was an understatement. I think he didn't enjoy the show that much because of the camp (man, he loathed "Lost In Space"), but I think he enjoyed the humor from time to time. Me, as a 5 year old, I took it seriously.
One of the first comic books I had was a Batman or Detective. All I remember was one of the stories was about a kid who had a bomb in a rubber ball and The Batman was trying to track it down. No longer have that issue, but still have the first Charlton The Phantom he bought me.
Yep, a great time to be a kid. While I smile at the cool new Star Wars and other toys that are awesome, give me my Major Matt Mason and Capt. Action any day. I made my own stories.


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## PF Flyer

Dig the shoes. Now you know how I got my screen name. I grew up a preacher's kid and ALWAYS had to go to church on Wednesday night. So I never got to see how the dynamic duo got into whatever trap they escaped from on Friday. I was always calling friends on Wed. night after church to find out what was happening.


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## The Batman

Bobj812 said:


> Nope, never had either one of those (although I would have wanted them I'm sure). I'm sure I got the Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang through Raisin Bran


 









Go here for more:

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=147791

- GJS


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## Bobj812

Very nice. CCBB never looked as good as that!


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## Dyonisis

Thanks for sharing that, Batman, I have only the T.V. show to remember, we never had any money, or new toys - we were too poor! I never had anything bigger than the hotwheel version. All the boxed cereal was before my time. If the ones in the pictures you posted are yours - keep them, they're worth a mint!!


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## The Batman

With Polar Lights/Round 2 reissuing some great old model kits based on the 1966 Batman tv series:





























As well as a great new kit based on the same series:










I would really like to see them surprise us with a few more new kits... Like how about these?



















Wouldn't you just love to add these to your Bat-Collection? I sure would!

- GJS


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## Zathros

The Batman said:


> With Polar Lights/Round 2 reissuing some great old model kits based on the 1966 Batman tv series:
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> Wouldn't you just love to add these to your Bat-Collection? I sure would!
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> - GJS


*I'll take The real live Yvonne Craig in my collection...

Z*


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## BatToys

I like the bat copter but is it missing the holes in the bat wings? The holes allow air to escape rather than let air pressure from the blades rip the wings off.


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## Zombie_61

BatToys said:


> I like the bat copter but is it missing the holes in the bat wings? The holes allow air to escape rather than let air pressure from the blades rip the wings off.


I don't remember whether or not they used the Batcopter in the tv series, but the one they used in the theatrical film didn't have holes in the wings.


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## louspal

You could probably modify a M*A*S*H Bell(?) chopper pretty easily,no? Without checking, it looks like the same bird.
Here's a few of my Batmobile build. Looks like I painted it in a dust storm (Have to figure out how to buff it out), but it's better than the 1st one I did 40+ plus years ago.


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## spocks beard

louspal said:


> You could probably modify a M*A*S*H Bell(?) chopper pretty easily,no? Without checking, it looks like the same bird.
> Here's a few of my Batmobile build. Looks like I painted it in a dust storm (Have to figure out how to buff it out), but it's better than the 1st one I did 40+ plus years ago.
> View attachment 111487
> 
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> View attachment 111488


The Detailing you did looks great!
Especially the pinstriping.
What type of black paint did you apply to the chassis?
You may have been able to sand most of the orange peel down before you added the pinstriping/Decals,But if i were you i would leave it as it is.
It still looks very nice:thumbsup:
I still need to get this kit,& as glad as i am to see Round2/Polar Lights reissuing all these scarce kits,I hope they will eventually start issuing some new kits.I know they did a smaller motion picture Enterprise, & were possibly going to do a larger scale original series ship,But i hope it doesn't stop there.Any one heard any thing new?


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## The Batman

Zombie_61 said:


> I don't remember whether or not they used the Batcopter in the tv series, but the one they used in the theatrical film didn't have holes in the wings.


 
Yes. You did get to see the Batcopter a few times in later episodes of the tv series - But, it was all stock footage lifted from the movie. The only new footage was of the Dynamic Duo in the cockpit. All of the actual 'flying' shots 
were filmed previously.

- GJS


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## apls

Is the Batboat reissue 1/25 or 1/32 scale?


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## Trek Ace

1/25 scale.


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## rkoenn

apls said:


> Is the Batboat reissue 1/25 or 1/32 scale?


The just released Polar Lights Batmobile is 1/32 scale. It is small but a great model, particularly for those of us who had one when we were kids and the first came out. It doesn't take up much shelf space either. They are also releasing a 1/25 scale, highly detailed Batmobile later this year. I believe it will be available both as a glue version and a snap together version. I know which one I will buy if so, the glue version. Here is a link to mock-ups of the model they are showing. Looks to be a really great model.

http://1966batvehicles.yuku.com/topic/3969


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## clark_savage

louspal said:


> You could probably modify a M*A*S*H Bell(?) chopper pretty easily,no? Without checking, it looks like the same bird.
> Here's a few of my Batmobile build. Looks like I painted it in a dust storm (Have to figure out how to buff it out), but it's better than the 1st one I did 40+ plus years ago.
> View attachment 111487
> 
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> View attachment 111488


Not sure about your comment of the sandstorm either. Did you mean the sparkles on the black paint? They looks so consistent throughout that I would have thought they were just the sparkle that comes with most modern car paint!

Did you use the stripes included in the kit? They look awfully wide to me and not to scale of the real car. 

Great job on the colours on the figures. Looks like they're spot on even though you did not show a front view of them. Am curious to see how you did the faces.

Congrats on finishing a great model!!


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