Moebius 1/2600 scale Space Station V
- Thread starter the DOCTOR
- Start date
the DOCTOR
Sr Member
Test shots, via Facebook:
If anyone is currently in the Inland Empire, that looks like it *may* be at the Pegasus' mothership store. (Don't blame me, if it isn't)
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Hunk a Junk
Sr Member
Some of the thin tubing on the spokes between the central hub and the ring seem a little chunky, but hopefully Moebius engineered the kit so those can be replaced with thin brass wire. Otherwise, it looks great! So now I need to start thinking about how I'm going to make it spin smoothly at the right speed.
Since it’s 2023, I can’t wait to get my tickets for the Pan Am clipper, to visit the completed station!I understand your train of thoughts Taz; makes sense that the SS-V should've been completed by then
The future isn’t what it used to be.
Shipping now.
I saw this test shot at the Pegasus Store in Upland California.
They may have left the lights on too long, as the girder portion had warped badly.
drusselmeyer
Master Member
This should have been a metal model kit.
joberg
Legendary Member
Amen to that, especially to get the "under construction" parts matching the Studio Scale one (the girders/scaffolding and different attachments)
A decent quality plastic kit could've been okay in terms of the girders. Etched metal would've been nice, but extra-costly.
However the final moulding quality, and the shortcuts taken with the design (Jeff Wargo's 3D-modelled original prototype was pretty good) and implementation, make it a thoroughly disappointing kit! Moebius kits feel like products from the 1980s to me.
However the final moulding quality, and the shortcuts taken with the design (Jeff Wargo's 3D-modelled original prototype was pretty good) and implementation, make it a thoroughly disappointing kit! Moebius kits feel like products from the 1980s to me.
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joberg
Legendary Member
I think that the scale was a little too small for my liking. I know that not everyone has the space to display large models.
A 30" in circumference would've been better in terms of details and, maybe, after-market etched metal
Yeah, but you want 8' diameter stations or whatever it was.
I think Moebius has definitely gone for size over other qualities in their kits. But giant kits have to be super expensive to recoup their production costs, which limits the market considerably!
As for my bitching about quality - just look at modern kits made in China by Meng (the Dune kits), in China by Round2 (the "studio" TIE fighter) or Britain by Airfix (their newish Spitfire). All are crisp, very accurate, well engineered, well textured. Not to mention Bandai's Japanese-made Star Wars kits, of course.
Then look at the 2001 kits from Moebius. Poorly moulded, riddled with design mistakes, thick plastic details...
It just feels kinda tragic, as I very much doubt anyone else will ever issue commercial 2001 kits in the future as the property ages.
Then look at the 2001 kits from Moebius. Poorly moulded, riddled with design mistakes, thick plastic details...
It just feels kinda tragic, as I very much doubt anyone else will ever issue commercial 2001 kits in the future as the property ages.
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joberg
Legendary Member
Sure, Japanese kits have always been the go-to-kits in terms of quality over the decades. I remember seeing the Tamiya kit of their F1 series during the '70s in Belgium
It was unaffordable already for me to buy them...As for Moebius' pricing, I think it's o.k., especially when you see the price of that Japanese Discovery...which I think suffers from too thick raised paneling on the command module.
That's very true. But my point in my previous post was that Chinese model kit manufacturing is vastly improved these days, even if it's not of Bandai quality. Yet Moebius clearly choose a low-end manufacturer to make their moulds and produce their kits, as witnessed by the final results.
Now, would they be as profitable if they made something of Round2 "studio" TIE fighter quality? It's possible they would claim that, no, because of the limited sales potential of 2001 kits, the only way for them to make money is to use this inferior-quality tooling and manufacturing. Or maybe they think these low-end kits are good enough, advanced model makers enjoy fixing all the flaws anyway, and that 2001 fans are a captive market.
The fact that they released the Space Station V kit without window cutouts does suggest a rather condescending attitude.
I have no idea! All I know is it makes me a bit sad at such a missed opportunity.
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joberg
Legendary Member
Yes, we're a captive market for sure, albeit small compared to other types of popular Sci-Fi kits on the market. If, 2001 fans/model makers want something out of the beaten paths, then we'll have to go to garage kits and the other problems they can bring (lack of updates, long delivery time, small quantities and quality problems to name a few).
The only 2001 garage kits released were: the Aries-1B, the 1/6th EVA Pod and the 45" Orion shuttle by various people.
I don't see anybody doing a bigger size Moonbus or anything else (models) related to the movie.
