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Space:1999 Model Kits: All-new Hawk update
I’ve been hip deep in other matters this week, but I wanted to be sure I upheld my promise to show something cool this week. You could skip to the bottom of the post if you want another clue about “what’s in the box,” but you’ll miss a closer look at our new 1:72scale Space:1999 Hawk kit box art and test shots!
Here is a full view of the Hawk box illustration followed by a closer look at the ship and the illustration placed in the context of our box face layout. The rest of the packaging is still underway.
As with all first test shots, this one DOES have some problems that will get worked out before release. The most noticeable problems are sink marks due to the injection machine not being fully primed for injection. Additionally, there are fit problems with some of the locator pins. Some parts appear to be bent, but straightened out during assembly. Here is a look at the full sprue followed by various looks at the assembled test shot. Don’t mind the mess. These builds are usually hastily assembled glue bombs. Photos of our publicity buildup will be available soon.
And as promised…
Space: 1999 Model Kits: All New Hawk Mk IX
It has been no hidden fact that we have been considering other scales to use for our line of Space:1999 model kits. Kits in a new smaller scale will allow us to shoot for the same accuracy we always pursue, but let’s us bring kits to market at a lower price point. It allows our tooling consideration to go further. Instead of one big kit every couple of years, we can bring out a series of kits in the same scale just like we do with our line of 1:1000 Star Trek kits. So if 1/48 is too big to keep up the pace, what scale would be acceptable for these ships. This question was recently posed to a Space:1999 facebook group to get the answer straight form the consumer. The overwhelming favorite was 1/72 scale. At this scale an Eagle comes out to about 14 ½” long. Landing at 2 ½” longer than the old MPC kit, that should give us a enough room to work and get plenty of detail.
But, why do another Eagle right away when the last Space:1999 ship we created was an Eagle. So, we decided to take a step in this scale with a Hawk instead! By no fault of its own, our new 1/72 Hawk kit will land at about the same size as the old MPC/Airfix kit. But don’t worry. We are ignoring that old inaccurate kit and starting from scratch. Our new model will be as close as we can manage in injected styrene to match the original filming miniature.
So here for the first time, we are showing the progress on the kit thus far. We are shooting on a May release. So look for it at Wonderfest 2018.
(some higher res versions of these files will be posted to the Round 2 Models Facebook page.)
ROUND 2, LLC, ACQUIRES LINDBERG & HAWK MODEL KIT BRANDS
Round 2 to Produce Popular Land, Air, Sea & Space Models – Adding to AMT, MPC & Polar Lights
For Immediate Release
SOUTH BEND, Indiana – 03/18/2013 – Round 2, LLC, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Lindberg and Hawk Models brands and assets from J. Lloyd International. With the transaction, Round 2 adds these two well-recognized and historic plastic model kit names to their existing trio of AMT, MPC and Polar Lights mode kit lines, licensed from Learning Curve Brands, Inc. in 2008 and purchased outright in 2012.
Consumer trust and excitement has been building over Round 2’s efforts with the initial three brands since 2008. Now, with the assets of five major model companies in its stable, Round 2 solidifies its position as a top producer and fierce competitor in the plastic kit sector of the hobby industry. Thomas Lowe, President and CEO of Round 2 states, “The addition of Lindberg and Hawk results in a combined product catalog for Round 2 that is so diverse, it will include virtually every type of model kit genre imaginable and in a wide range of scales. Whether you’re looking for cars, trucks, aircraft, ships, sci-fi, space exploration, anatomy and figures or even crazy monsters, we now have it all! We’ve made plans to hit the ground running with these brands and are ready to go. As we progress into the future, we will be working with the vintage Hawk and Lindberg tooling to resurrect more exciting kits that haven’t seen the light of day in decades, just like we have with AMT and MPC. We’ll also be happy to put the 1934 Ford Pickup tooling back under the original AMT brand, from where it originated.”
Lowe continues, “Like our customers, we love model building. Lindberg and Hawk models are sure to excite modelers of all ages. From the connection with history to a hunger for an understanding of how various machines, both human and mechanical function, the kits created by the original brands have always offered a wide variety of subject matter for model makers, and we plan on continuing that long standing tradition.
About Round 2
Round 2, LLC is an innovative collectibles company located in South Bend, IN. The team at Round 2 is dedicated to producing detailed, high quality collectible and playable items appealing to the young and young at heart. Round 2 brands include Polar Lights®, AMT® and MPC® model kits, Auto World® slot cars, Forever Fun™ seasonal products and the licensed brands American Muscle®, Ertl Collectibles® and Vintage Fuel™ die cast.
For more details on all the product lines produced by Round 2, visit our website at: www.round2corp.com
AMT, Polar Lights, MPC and Round 2 and design are trademarks of Round 2, LLC. ©2011 Round 2, LLC, South Bend, IN 46628. All rights reserved. ###
-END-
Polar Lights Model Kits: Quick update
[UPDATED] I know it has been a while between posts and that is due purely to getting super-busy. (It happens all too often… but that’s a good thing, no?) I just received something to share that is worth interrupting my busy workday, but it will need to be quick. But while I am writing, a few updates…
POL952 U.S.S. Defiant – Arrived at our warehouse this week. You should be seeing it available from your retailers in the next couple weeks.
MKA028 Eagle Weathering Panel Decals – I totally overlooked the announcement of this. It is essentially the same sheet we included in the Brian Johnson special edition we did of the 22″ Eagle kit. These should be available in mid-late June.
MPC881 Hawk – Should be available from your retailers by the end of June.
POL957 U.S.S. Grissom & Klingon Bird-of-Prey – Due to delays in getting the test shots refined, this kit is slipping back to August. The shots look pretty good, but refining fit for a snap kit is always tricky. Packaging for the kit is being worked on now and we’ll show that off soon. We are thrilled to announce that it will feature a box lid illustration from Star Trek production designer John Eaves!
POL950 Klingon K’t’inga – Good news/ bad news … Delays in refining the CAD has caused this to slip all the way back to October. That’s only part of the bad news. The other is that this delay also pushes the test shots past Wonderfest by a few weeks. So we won’t have a fully built and painted model on display. On the good news side, the revisions were definitely worth it, because the factory was able to supply a second mockup based on the final CAD data and it has been assembling like a dream! We will have a new primered prototype with the lights on to show off at the show along with all of the buildups of the rest of our new kits mentioned above. We really look forward to seeing everyone at the show!
Now on with the thing I mentioned. A behind the scenes look at the K’t’inga nacelle tooling being created…
Lindberg Model kits: Jolly Roger Series: 2nd & 3rd Releases!
Lindberg welcomes 2 more 1:12 scale figure kits aboard Jolly Rogers. Because of the popularity of last year’s of the Jolly Roger Series: Hex Marks The Spot, not only will we be doing a second run but we are also releasing the next 2 in the series: Dismay Be The End and In The Pinch of Peril. Each kit portrays a skeleton pirate posed mid struggle within a beautifully detailed scene.
Abandoned by his crew and shackled to a stone, he was left as gator bait for “Dismay Be The End”. The pirate skeleton sits on a mound of sand, chained to a rock, guarding a barrel of grog. Strewn around him are bones and the remains of some creature. A hunger alligator is lunging for his leg. A rubber band powered sword chops at the furious beast. The kit sits at 5″ tall and 10″ wide. Bonus 1:1 pirate coin and medallion are included.
As the sand pulls him deeper, a giant crab is looking for a bite. He has found himself “In The Pinch of Peril”. The seconds skeleton tries to pull him free, but instead pulls his arm out of the socket. The kit sits at 6″ tall and 6″ wide. Bonus 1:1 pirate coin and medallion are included.
Lindberg Model Kits: Mini Lindy’s: An Illustrated History 1980s & 90s
This is the 3rd and final part of an illustrated history of the Lindberg’s Mini Lindy line based on found images, catalogs and info from some modeling sites.
In 1980 4 more garage kits were made under the Truckin’ Big series.
All new tractor trailer kits were made in 1982. A mix of 2 semi-trucks (GMC Astro & Ford CL-9000) and 4 trailer variations made up the 8 releases. The first 4 in these series were reissued in slightly different packaging at some point before 1987.
In 1984 the addition of a tanker trailer lend itself to 4 more truck kits.
In 1990 the Miniature Mint Collection 2-packs were introduced. The 1990 catalog showed 6 kits, No. 72301-06, showing 8 previous cars and 4 new ones. Ultimately only 4 of the 6 two-packs were released. In 72303, the 1932 Ford was replaced with the newly-tooled 1990 Corvette ZR-1. In 72304, the MG-TD was replaced with the newly-tooled Lamborghini Countach. From what I can tell the 1990 Camaro Z28 and the Ferrari Testorossa were never tooled.
The final Mini Lindy release was the Super 8: Street Machines in 1991 feature 8 cars: 1964 Corvette, Jaguar XKE, 1970 Corvette, 1967 Mustang, Corvette ZR-1, Chevy Pickup, Lamborghini and 1968 Camaro.
Some of the dates and images were found on these fantastic sites….
Commenters let us know……Should we bring these back? What kits do the modelers want to see?
Lindberg Model Kits: Mini Lindy’s: An Illustrated History 1970s
This is part 2 of an illustrated history of the Lindberg’s Mini Lindy line based on found images, catalogs and info from some modeling sites.
In 1970 the existing kits from the 60s were rereleased with new packaging and item numbers; 8 under the name 1971 Hot Shot and 8 under the name Mod Rod which included psychedelic flower decals. Other Mod Rod versions of previous cars were made available though a mail-in promotion; they came in plain boxes but included Mod Rod decals and instructions. These included the Porsche Carrera, the “1971” Corvette, the Ford Mustang, the Jaguar XKE and probably more.
In 1971 8 of the original trucks were rereleased under the name Big Wheels. That same year seven new cars were released under the name 1972 Super Sport. The ’68 corvette was included to round off the 8. New cars included the Cadillac Eldorado, Lincoln Continental Mark III, Chevrolet Vega, Buick Riviera, Gremlin, Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix (in catalog as Grand Ville). The Super Stock series are some of the more difficult to find Mini Lindy kits. One interesting thing to note is that the Pickup Camper was a Ford now it is a Chevy. The box art is the same as the 1960s but has been altered slightly. I believed the pickup was altered for a dealer promotion, because the Camper can be found in pink & orange striped Chevy promo boxes. The chrome grilles look different but the bodies are similar enough that the tool may have just been altered. It still has the number 22 on the underside of the body.
In 1972 some of the trucks were released in 2-packs.
In 1975 10 trucks, vans and bus were released under the Hi Rollers series. The back of the packaging showed all the releases except for the 2 buses.
In 1976 8 cars were rereleased in the Speedy Wheels series.
In 1977 the Van Go series added a new twist to 8 previous cars with bold graphics and glitter in the injection plastic.
In 1979 the Car and Garage Kit series include a plastic garage with windows and an opening garage door. The Cadillac Eldorado and Lincoln Continental Mark III returned for the first and last time.
Look for my next post for part 3 – the 80s & 90s.
Some of the dates and images were found on these fantastic sites….
Space:1999 Eagle
A real quick post this week. We will be posting a new series next week featuring an accurized buildup of the MPC 12″ Eagle from Mike Scarola. Here is a sneak peek at his build.
Also, our friends at Sci-Fi Fantasy Modeller had so much fun putting their Modelling the Eagle special last year, they are following that up with another great special this year. Here are the details…
September 13, 2016…
…A massive explosion of Space:1999 modelling rocks the world! Mark this date in your diary, because this is the day we publish Modelling:1999!
Featuring: * Alpha! * Eagles! * Hawks! * Swift! * Moon Buggies! * Alpha Tanks! * Ultra Probe! * Gwent! * Stun Gun! * Comlock! * Original studio miniatures! * Original studio spacesuit! * More Eagles! Plus much, much more!
Following the success of our recent Modelling the Eagle special, we are delighted to present an even more exciting large format Space:1999 modelling extravaganza featuring more pages and hundreds of exclusive photographs!
100 pages. A4 format.
To pre-order your copy now for immediate despatch on day of publication (mid-September) click here or visit www.scififantasymodeller.co.uk
Lindberg Model kits: New Instruction Sheets
One of the great features in the new Lindberg and Hawk releases are the improved instruction sheets. We want modellers to have fun with our kits and the instructions are a large part of that experience.
Many of the previous iterations included excessive amounts of text, steps that jumped around the page, and sometimes in sequences that made little sense. See the old and new version of the HL429 USS Hazard Navy Minesweeper. Or in some cases, such as the HL439 Tabletop Navy 2-Pack: HMS King George V & HMS Dorsetshire, the vintage instructions contain errors that have been overlooked for year. The parts in the kit were different than what was pictured in the original instructions. I have found several instances where tools were modified but the instruction sheet stayed the same.
In our new releases you will see instructions with clean line art, steps ordered in a more clear and thoughtful manner, an extended layout allowing for more detailed paint and decal diagrams, and an overall better look. Let us know what you think of the improvements.
Lindberg Model kits: Mystery Sword Tool
As we dive deeper in to the Lindberg/Hawk tooling collection there is occasional a tool that we can find no information on. This one is stumping me more than normal. We have a MYSTERY SWORD!
At first glance the tool looks like one of the 1:1 gun kits from Pyro (also released by Life-Like). Part of it looked like a rifle barrel however the gunstock was missing. Test shots revealed that it was a sword. It is very decorative with an eagle-shaped pommel, armor on the chape, a knight and lion head on the scabbard, a knight and axes on one side of the cross-guard, and an AOUW Shield on the other. There are several places where gems would attach. So far in our research I have found Lindberg and Hawk kits previously released under O-lin, Pyro, Life-Like, Eagle/Eaglewall, Palmer, IMC, and a few others. I can not find any sword model kits release under Lindberg or any of those brands.
While I have not found any evidence of the model being released as a kit I have found the real life sword it was patterned after. And here. The AOUW on the cross-guard is for the Ancient Order of United Workmen, a fraternal organization founded by John Jordan Upchurch, a Mason, after the Civil War in 1868. Swords like this would have be used during ceremonies and given to a member of the society often with his name scribed on the blade. This info, while interesting, has not help me track down the origin of the kit. So I call out to you, modellers, and your vast knowledge of vintage kits. If this seems familiar or you know any of its history, let us know in the comments.
UPDATE 3/4/2016
Thanks to Craig Bennett for this. The sword was released as Palmer Jeweled Renaissance Sword & Scabbard. I am not sure what year. The box design is done in the style of some of the cannons. I found this small image.
