# Where are the model kits of current spacecraft?



## LGFugate (Sep 11, 2000)

By this point in the Apollo program, there were kits of the Command and Service modules, the Lunar Module, and the Saturn V. Today, there are only resin kits of the Orion capsule and a no longer planned service module, and a model rocket of the SLS. I understand conditions are different this time around, with fewer modelers and higher costs. Not to mention there are licensing fees now to be able to use the spacecraft designs. 

Of course, there never was an injected-styrene kit of Skylab, and the Revell kit of the ISS was VERY expensive. The Heller one was less so, but not complete. I do have the kit of Mir. 

However, if NASA wants to get people interested in the new Orion program, it's past time to incentivise manufacturers to make kits and toys of it!

Has anyone seen or heard of Orion program kits or toys? (I know about the NASA paper model of the Orion and its' Service Module - it's terrible...)

Larry


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## mhvink (Aug 24, 2010)

Unfortunately, Apollo happened when we had a very large fire under our collective butts and Revell, etc. rode the wave of popularity when they made those kits.
Nowadays, that fire isn't really there. Plus the fact that plastic modelling, in general, is on the "downslope" of interest to the younger generations.

As for the Orion, there are two paper models that are quite good, depending on the version you are looking for.
AXM Paper Models has an awesome Orion EFT1 (Exploration Flight Test 1) at:


Orion EFT-1


This site also has a very nice SLS and ISS, all in paper.

And, John Leslie at the Lower Hudson Valley Paper Model E-Gift shop has the Orion with the round solar panels here:





The Lower Hudson Valley Paper Model E-Gift Shop - Download - Post Apollo







jleslie48.com





Both are free, but neither host would turn down a donation.

Disclaimer - I am not affiliated with either of these sites, I just like their models.

Mike


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Have you downloaded and made either one? Would love to see photos if you did. 🤙


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## LGFugate (Sep 11, 2000)

Thanks, MHVink, I had forgotten about those. While do occasionally build a paper model, I prefer styrene or ABS. Resin kits have their own particular problems. I'm currently working on a large Fireball XL5 resin kit but I'd go nuts for a styrene one. I guess I'll just have to continue to wait. Maybe after the Artemus-1 flight interest will pick up.

Larry


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

You could always pickup a kit of a modern day rocket and do some scratch building for the capsule area.


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## LGFugate (Sep 11, 2000)

Hi, Irishtrek!

I haven't seen any models of modern day rockets outside of the odd resin one. Even Dragon doesn't seem to be capitalizing on all of the current space events going on, and they are prolific on older boosters and rockets. I'm (impatiently) waiting on their 1/72nd Apollo Saturn 1b kit, promised over a year ago, and still a no-show.

What space-themed kits do you have, or have built? I'd love to hear about other's wants, haves, etc. in this field.

Larry


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## LGFugate (Sep 11, 2000)

Oh, I forgot to include that after years and more years of waiting, I finally got a styrene kit of the Jupiter II from the original Lost in Space TV series thanks to Round 2 and Moebius. Both are really great, and I know both have "problems" incurred over fitting a big TV stage into a small space ship hull, but hey! It's the Jupiter II, dangit! The problem is that I'm turning 66 in a couple of weeks and I don't think I have the time to wait much more for Orion, SLS, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, etc. I'll pass on the Blue Origin rocket, it's just a carnival ride. (Estes has it as a flying model).

Larry


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

I've got 2 kits of the Saturn V, one from Airfix and the other from Revell plus the Revell shuttle stack all 3 in 1/144 scale.
And I also have a from academy models of the shuttle stack and the others the shuttle with a 747. I also got a mode rocket a bit more modern in storage, can't recall the model company or the name of the rocket right now.


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## ExLunaScientia (Mar 25, 2020)

Airfix made a 1/144 Skylab-Saturn V kit that also included all the Apollo parts.


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## ExLunaScientia (Mar 25, 2020)

Oh, forgot something. Apparently, and this is just conjecture, there are no styrene Orion-SLS kits because people are expecting the Senate Launch System to make only the EM-1 flight before being scrapped due to the operational costs of launching the thing. This prospect thrills the SpaceX fanboys. The negativity for Orion-SLS is rampant on the Ars Technica forums.


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