SCALE MODEL NEWS

LOVERS OF THE OLD 'LOST IN SPACE' TV SERIES have something new to watch. It's the upcoming reboot, due to premiere online in ten episodes from Netflix on April 13, 2018. SMN report: The storyline is similar to the original 1965-8 series, featuring the Robinson family. Now they are part of a highly trained mission to establish a new colony in space, when their spaceship is unexpectedly pulled off-course, forcing them to crash land on a lost planet.  As the Netflix blurb declares, "Danger will find them." Let's hope that the series is a success, because we would like to see some kits and ready-builts of the machines and characters that will be appearing on our screens. In particular the new spacecraft looks good, as does the alien critter with the starry patterns in its faceplate. The trailer ( below ) looks enticing, not least because Netflix has gone for a somewhat older audience, no bad thing in our view. If the scripts and acting match the visuals, then we...

LOST IN SPACE is a science fiction TV series that ran from 1965-68. The second episode was called  The Derelict  and featured a large alien spacecraft. This is now the subject of a 1:350 scale kit from Moebius Models. Also included is the Jupiter 2, a saucer-shaped spaceship flown by the stars of the show, the Robinson family. Mat Irvine:  The Moebius kit is a large one that usefully depicts the alien Derelict’s much greater size, compared to the Jupiter 2. When assembled, the model Derelict’s main sphere measures 160 mm (6.25 in) across, and with the rear door sections closed, it extends some 430 mm (17 in) in length. The box base ( below ) includes useful details of the kit, and others in the Lost in Space range. Moebius includes a Jupiter 2 to the same 1:350 scale. In fact, you get a trio of them, as the way the parts are moulded, three clear runners each have Jupiter 2 top and bottom halves. This also means that you can build the Jupiter 2 with landing legs either ret...

THE ROBOT B9 FROM THE 1960s TV series 'Lost in Space' is one of the best-known screen robots, though its role often seemed to consist mainly of flailing its arms around, while intoning the warning, “Danger, danger, Will Robinson.” However, Robot B9 is an iconic design and one that’s welcome as a 1:6 scale kit from Moebius Models. Mat Irvine: The Moebius kit lists the robot by its technical designation, B-9 Class M3, and although very occasionally this was mentioned in Lost in Space, most of the time it was referred to as simply, ‘Robot.’ Comprehensive component set ( below ) include a group of flexible parts ( lower right ). The Moebius kit is a large one at 1:6 scale, for as Frank Winspur, CEO of Moebius says, “It’s about the most popular figure scale here in the US, and it matches all the major doll figures. Also, the majority of resin figures are similarly scaled.” B9's flexible components shown ( below ) in detail. The small part ( lower centre ) is for the neck. Robot ...