# Aurora 63 Mummy



## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

I've been grabbing all the reasonably priced vintage Auroras I could find, disassembling and stripping the old paint and giving them an upgrade.

First off the bench was The Mummy, which once down to original styrene, is actually a pretty impressive sculpt. 

Besides seam work, I only changed the left eye to a more appropriate version, I wanted to preserve as much of the original intent as possible.

I added some texture to the face and hands since the kit reflects the Mummy's Tomb with Chaney, Jr. and Kharis was burned earlier in his afterlife.

Painted with Vallejo acrylics, Airbrushed, dry brushed and some dry pigments added.










































































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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

2 more pics of the base:


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## Xenodyssey (Aug 27, 2008)

Nice subtle tones. I like it.


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## djmadden99 (Dec 23, 2008)

Very nice work!


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

ausf,

Ditto what everybody else has said! Your lids on the left eye make a world of difference, and I appreciate that you filled the gaps where the loose bandages fit into the figure - not everybody deals with that. Good effort on the seams, which isn't easy to do with all that surrounding texture. I look forward to seeing photos of your other Aurora monsters! :thumbsup:


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Yes, very nice job on this! It certainly does the kit justice!


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

Thanks guys.

Mark, I just made a quick texture stamp that I pressed into the putty to cover the seam. The linen texture on this model is outstanding, even more impressive considering the age and market it was intended for.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

ausf,

Your texture stamp was probably an easier way to deal with the seams than the route I took the last time I did one. Mine was the 1999 reissue, but I don't think the pieces were _too_ different from the original offering. I used liquid cement to get a good weld bead between the parts, then scraped the bead with an X-Acto knife and restored the texture with files. Brushing this work with a little lacquer thinner took the sharp edges off. I don't think I'd even heard of epoxy putty back then - I used Squadron Green putty to fill any remaining gaps.

BTW, I forgot to mention how much I enjoyed the colors with which you painted the figure. :thumbsup:


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

I'm a sculptor, not really a painter (but I'm trying), so my natural solution is to build something up.

The only reissue vs vintage I have is a Frankenstein and there was a significant loss of detail over the years. I read that Aurora produced over 7.5 million Monster kits by '64, so I'd imagine 38 years later it would be expected.

Here's a comparison of the 1999 (black) and an untouched '61.


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## Lummox (May 26, 2007)

Your efforts to restore and at the same time preserve this masterpiece of
creepy-cool pop-culture is an important and heroic act.

The likes of which that time period will never be seen again.

Roth, Von Dutch and others really nailed "cool" to no end.

Thank you for bringing us such mastery!

Lum :wave:


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

Lummox said:


> Your efforts to restore and at the same time preserve this masterpiece of
> creepy-cool pop-culture is an important and heroic act.
> 
> The likes of which that time period will never be seen again.
> ...


Thanks Lum!

I've got original Phantom, Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, Creature, Dr Jekyll, and finally King Kong in the lineup.

Then I also have Alfred E Neuman and Rat Fink repops.


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## Lummox (May 26, 2007)

You bet!!!! Well deserved.

Hey, are you familiar with The Red Baron model kit?

It's a cartoony take on the side view of the Red Baron in his plane.
Made to hang on the wall I think, it's like the plane is sliced down the middle if I remember correctly.

Mocking the Nazis, it's a hysterical take on lampooning the whole "master race" debacle.


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

I remember a Messerschmidt with a goofy pilot, then there's the Tom Daniel's Red Baron hot rod and a bunch of Red Baron, but no wall hangings.


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## Lummox (May 26, 2007)

Yes...the first one you mentioned. That's it!

I think chrome helmet and goofy face were 2 seprate halves is what I was thinking.

Been a long time since I seen it. I might even be in the basement....hmmm..

Do you by chance know who made it?


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

The only kits I remember were Monogram's companion to their "Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel" kit, the "Red Baron Fokker Triplane"...










...and Revell's "The Baron and his Funfdecker Fokker" which was part of their Deal's Wheels line...










...neither of which were wall hangers.

Getting back on topic, excellent work ausf! I've been around a while and have seen countless build-ups of Aurora kits, and this is by far the best Mummy build-up I've seen. Your seam work is flawless, and your color choices make it look far more realistic.


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Excellent restoring job, the texture, and painting, so impressive.


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

Thanks guys, you are way too kind.

I remember the Snoopy kits, I believe I had one as a kid with a small motor to spin the prop.

I couldn't find the Bf109 model I have in mind. I looked through the Aurora catalog, but didn't see it, I thought it was around the Weird Ohs era. Maybe it was Revell, but it was clearly a 109 and a huge pilot head sticking up. Unfortunately all google searches I've tried pull up thousands of scale models or Willy M himself.


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## Lummox (May 26, 2007)

It's the last one pictured.

The Revell kit. MAN that thing is awesome. GOT to find it.

Thank you Zombie and you too ausf for your indulgence.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

ausf said:


> ...I couldn't find the Bf109 model I have in mind. I looked through the Aurora catalog, but didn't see it, I thought it was around the Weird Ohs era. Maybe it was Revell, but it was clearly a 109 and a huge pilot head sticking up. Unfortunately all google searches I've tried pull up thousands of scale models or Willy M himself.


You might be thinking of Revell's "Weiner Moldy und his Blown Messa-Schnitzel 109" kit:










Another kit in their Deal's Wheels line, reissued in 2009 as simply "Messa-Schnitzel 109".


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

That's the one!


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

Yeah! The redone eye. Great job. I'm equally impressed with how the sand looks. Excellent!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Don't forget Riff Raff and his Spitsfire:


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

What, no love for Lucky Pierre of the Lafayette Escadrille?


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

Those are great kits.

I guess the modeling industry is only targeting adults now, you don't see anything like this anymore, except the egg stuff, but that's really adult themed IMO.


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## Lummox (May 26, 2007)

This is too much!
Thanks for adding another great pic, Zombie.

Dunno if you built this, but it's masterfully done. 
Just the paint work on the prop itself is amazing.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Lummox said:


> This is too much!
> Thanks for adding another great pic, Zombie.
> 
> Dunno if you built this, but it's masterfully done.
> Just the paint work on the prop itself is amazing.


Nope, not my work. I had a couple of these kits when they were first released back in the early-70s, but those are long gone (long story). I have, however, picked up all of the reissued Deal's Wheels kits as they've been released in recent years, but I haven't built any of them yet. Being a product of the early-70s they require a little extra work to make them shine, but otherwise they're simple kits that are a lot of fun.


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## phrankenstign (Nov 29, 1999)

Outstanding seam work! I remember working on that model as a teen. I sanded the heck out of it. At the time, I didn't know anything about filling in seams with putty. All I would do was to put gobs of Testors/Pactra oil paint into the holes/spaces, and then scrape or cut into it with a knife. The results were adequate at best, but nowhere near as invisible as your fine work!


As for Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel......


I kind of remember the Red Baron he was paired with.......


.....but my dad paired Snoopy's Sopwith Camel with his Bugatti!


If I remember correctly, both were powered by AA batteries. The propeller spun on the Sopwith Camel, and the elevated rear wheels spun on the Bugatti.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

phrankenstign said:


> ...As for Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel...I kind of remember the Red Baron he was paired with...but my dad paired Snoopy's Sopwith Camel with his Bugatti! If I remember correctly, both were powered by AA batteries. The propeller spun on the Sopwith Camel, and the elevated rear wheels spun on the Bugatti.


You remember correctly. All of the kits in Monogram's "Snoopy" line had some for of battery operated animation--the propeller on the Sopwith Camel, the tires on the Bugatti and Motorcycle, even the Surfboard kit moved around on it's wave-shaped base.

Revell did re-release the Lucky Pierre kit in 1980, but they called it "Incredible Flying Machine". They added a wire and clear plastic gadget that attached to the tail, and paper letters that fit into the plastic holder so you could make your own "sign" that would appear to be trailing behind the plane as it "flew". They also added the same kind of motor used in the Sopwith Camel kit, so you could build the kit, hang it from your ceiling with a piece of string, and when you spun the propeller it would "fly" around in a circle. Fun stuff when you're a kid! Unfortunately, they had to modify the molds in order to make the cowling removable so you could replace the battery, and while they were at it they replaced the plastic Lucky Pierre figure with a cardboard cutout of a cartoonish pilot. As such, they've never reissued the Lucky Pierre kit in it's original form.


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

Thanks again guys.

Zombie, I see some of those Revell Deals Wheels reissues are available, if I haven't been buying kits like a drunken sailor for the last two weeks, I'd grab a few, but there is only so much bench time.


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## roadskarekustoms (Oct 4, 2017)

I think you did a smashing job on Kharis, the only aurora monster I did was Dracula....and after 3 nights of him glowing in the dark in my bedroom....I gave him away, as he skared the booboo outta me!...well, I was only 7 when I built him...


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## phrankenstign (Nov 29, 1999)

roadskarekustoms said:


> I think you did a smashing job on Kharis, the only aurora monster I did was Dracula....and after 3 nights of him glowing in the dark in my bedroom....I gave him away, as he skared the booboo outta me!...well, I was only 7 when I built him...


 
That's funny!!! I've never known of anyone being scared by any of the kits, but I can understand it for someone that young!


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

phrankenstign said:


> That's funny!!! I've never known of anyone being scared of any of the kits, but I can understand it for someone that young!


One birthday, I must have been 6 or 7, my parents bought me a huge (6 feet) styrofoam T-rex skeleton. Sounds cool right? Problem was, they assembled it and put it in my room to surprise me in the morning. Of course I wake up in the middle of night and the street light filtering through the window lands right on the skeleton. 

It seemed like I was laying there frozen with the covers pulled up to my eyes for 40 hours or so until daylight. 

This SCTV clip always reminded me of it:


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## roadskarekustoms (Oct 4, 2017)

HAHAHA!!!!...poor Billy!!!!


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

ausf said:


> ...Zombie, I see some of those Revell Deals Wheels reissues are available, if I haven't been buying kits like a drunken sailor for the last two weeks, I'd grab a few, but there is only so much bench time.


You're preaching to the choir here. I don't have an exact count, but I'd guess I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 200-300 kits around here waiting for me to get to them. I'll never be able to build all of 'em before I die, but when the mood to build strikes I have a lot of options. 



roadskarekustoms said:


> I think you did a smashing job on Kharis, the only aurora monster I did was Dracula....and after 3 nights of him glowing in the dark in my bedroom....I gave him away, as he skared the booboo outta me!...well, I was only 7 when I built him...


I've mentioned this here before, but since you brought it up...  The first model I ever built was Aurora's "The Forgotten Prisoner of Castel-Maré", the Fright'ning Lightning version with glow-in-the-dark parts. Thanks to my older sister I grew up watching old horror movies on TV, so it didn't scare me at all. I spent many nights falling asleep to the warm greenish glow of the Prisoner's skeleton staring back at me.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

We can tell it didnt effect you bit. Not even a little.


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

Zombie_61 said:


> You're preaching to the choir here. I don't have an exact count, but I'd guess I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 200-300 kits around here waiting for me to get to them. I'll never be able to build all of 'em before I die, but when the mood to build strikes I have a lot of options.
> 
> I've mentioned this here before, but since you brought it up...  The first model I ever built was Aurora's "The Forgotten Prisoner of Castel-Maré", the Fright'ning Lightning version with glow-in-the-dark parts. Thanks to my older sister I grew up watching old horror movies on TV, so it didn't scare me at all. I spent many nights falling asleep to the warm greenish glow of the Prisoner's skeleton staring back at me.


My two older brothers tied my hands and legs to a chair (think A Clockwork Orange) and stuck me in front of my Grandparents Zenith for Creature Feature's showing of Frankenstein. I was 5. No wonder I've been fascinated with the stuff since, it's a survival instinct.

In terms of kits, I think we all have a stash going, but in the past weeks I've bought 4 vintage Auroras, Robbie w/PE, a '67 Pontiac for a Night of the Living Dead dio, a '57 Ford for an Invasion of the Saucer Men dio, Moebius' Creature, Dracula, Orion, Moonbus, Polar lights Wolfman, Dark Shadows duo pack and for giggles, some Monster Scenes repops and a Mach 5.

And I didn't exactly have an empty bench going in. :grin2:


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## ausf (Sep 25, 2017)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> We can tell it didnt effect you bit. Not even a little.


Nope, nothing another kit won't fix. >


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## HarryDean (Aug 30, 2017)

Nice!


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