# Aoshima (Imai) Sky 1 overhaul from show U.F.O.



## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Thought I'd post pics of this 2 year and 2 month overhaul of the lousy Imai kit
that I just finished. It was a labour of love as nearly every part needed to be scratched!
Hope you like it.:thumbsup:

























































Model clocks in at about 7 inches(nose to Exhaust jets). Anyone familiar with this kit/toy will see the amount of work that had to go into it. A painful build to say the least!
Oh, and this would be my take on the 2 foot hero shown in the title part of the series.
James Webb

jimandjudyshorrormodels


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## The-Nightsky (May 10, 2005)

I have never seen the toy but if its anything ike the Thunderbirds model/toys with the motor an the wheels,yeah I understand....Great work Hunch! That was one of my fav Sci fi vehicles.Thanks for posting the pics


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

If anyone wants to know what it looks like "out of the box"


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Like it? I love it!

Great job, I understand the work you put into it. The original kit is really bad.

Thanks for sharing the photos.

Mark


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Thanks guys! I appreciate it!
If anyone wants to see the entire painful build you can find it here-
http://www.eagletransporter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4569
Pretty long read tho....


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

That truly must have been a labor of love. The results are breathtaking. What a beautiful build! Great job. :thumbsup:


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Why thank you Fozzie, very kind of you to say.
Heres a few more pics, mostly inside.


























































Notice how the color changes from outside to inside shots. Very strange color indeed.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

Here's mine. Never did finish it.

The problem with making an accurate copy is that there are several sizes, each with differences. The larger one is squished together to fit in the frame. I picked the bits I liked, and used a Warthog pilot, the finest pilot figure of the time.


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Looks great! Fantastic job on the nosecone. Drives ya nuts trying to make that model look good doesn't it?:freak:


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

That is beautiful! Well done!


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## Daikaiju1 (Apr 26, 2005)

Hunch that is great work! I have built that one a couple of times but not as well as yours. It really takes alot of work to get it to that level.

What colour did you end up using?


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

Hunch said:


> Looks great! Fantastic job on the nosecone. Drives ya nuts trying to make that model look good doesn't it?:freak:


Yeah. Studying photos and making all the angles the same. I think that's what put me off.

Nice paintwork.


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Daikaiju1 said:


> Hunch that is great work! I have built that one a couple of times but not as well as yours. It really takes alot of work to get it to that level.
> 
> What colour did you end up using?


Ford oyster gold metalic.


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## Moonman27 (Aug 26, 2008)

Wow Hunch,that is some excellent work! You really can "polish a turd"!:thumbsup:


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Moonman27 said:


> Wow Hunch,that is some excellent work! You really can "polish a turd"!:thumbsup:


LOL! Yeah, I guess you are familiar with the model. Almost (97%)all of it was scratchbuilt. Wont be making another of these unless its studio scale (take 2-3 months) !:dude:


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

I have one unbuilt, so I know what you are talking about. Your work is amazing! I really can't tell the difference to the studio one!


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

I know this thread is pretty old, but I just went through the thread in which you discuss your build, and wow, that is something else. Now I appreciate even more the incredible job you did! You really did justice to the subject! And you also saved me from buying a kit! I'd never be able to do justice to it!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

That looks 1000% better than my old out-of-the-box build!


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Wow, thanks guys. Forgot I'd even posted this and just saw more responses.:lol:
This kit is not for the faint of heart!:freak:

Jimandjudyshorrormodels.com


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## Gslinger (Feb 7, 2009)

Hunch, you did a wonderful job. Thanks for posting. You and all these folk are an inspiration.


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## eimb1999 (Sep 8, 2007)

Wow! Beautiful job!!!!!


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## MightyMax (Jan 21, 2000)

I have one in the stash as well. Every so often I look at it and take a deep sigh and put it away. I recently got the UFO Mega DVD set and I may give it a try.
Until then I have my small SKYDiver Gasaphon toy on top of my dresser...

Yours is inspirational

They made a new Fireflash as well as a TB-1. They really need to go back and redo the whole slew of G Anderson stuff. I am sure it would sell.
Ya listening Moebius??? I would buy it all!

Max Bryant


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

If only we could get Ford Oyster Gold in the US!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Great job!  Those are going to be reference pics due to the detailed paint job. :thumbsup:

I need the right paint color for mine--I've got the structural work done and the cockpit sealed with pilot inside. I kept the smaller pods since the smaller special effects model that size but otherwise tried to make it more accurate.


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

You can ballpark the color mixing = parts gold, silver and OD green. It will look a bit on the light side but weathering will make it look dead on.
And thanks again guys!


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

That's the colors I read too.

But you would think the basic colors it's made from would be the same anywhere. If someone in Britain would go into a auto body paint supplier and ask for Ford Oyster Gold, the chart would show up on a computer, telling the Paint Man what paints to use to make it. 
12 parts this
7 parts that
4 parts other
1 part etc.
The cans of colors should be the same anywhere.

If someone in Britain could just write that down and put it on the web we could check.

Edit; just checked the eagletransporter forum. Here's what someone said;



> Here in the states, it's known as "Ford Oyster Gold Metallic"
> used from 1963 to '79 & also simply "Oyster Gold" '76 to '80.
> Can be mixed by your local auto-body paint supply with a PPG No. 24567.


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Yeah, but car paint aint cheap!:lol:


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Hunch said:


> You can ballpark the color mixing = parts gold, silver and OD green. It will look a bit on the light side but weathering will make it look dead on.
> And thanks again guys!


Thanks! I'll do that using the Sky Diver from Product Eagle as a reference for the right shade.:thumbsup:


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Might not want to use that color professor. Way too brown and not nearly light enough. Product enterprise did not get it right.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Hunch said:


> Might not want to use that color professor. Way too brown and not nearly light enough. Product enterprise did not get it right.


Gotcha! Thanks! I'll find some photos to use, then.:thumbsup:


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## robtrek (Sep 26, 2007)

The whole build is really impressive. I remember getting that kit over 30 years ago and it took so much import paperwork at the time(no internets back then and I was still in Canada) to get a kit that was truly....umm..disapointing. Your kit looks great and One thing that really works is your amazing paint job. Truly fantastic and looks so much like the original miniature. Great Job!!!


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