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SPACE:1999 EAGLE AUTHENTICATION KIT
from Small Art Works
Review by CultTVman
For me, Space 1999 was the first science
fiction show that reflected on the designs of the Apollo moon program. The Eagle, essentially the "shuttlecraft" featured on the series, appears to be a grandchild of the LEM which carried US
astronauts to the moon's surface. The vehicle had a boxy, modular appearance that appeared more functional and practical than previous science fiction space craft.
The Eagle model appeared in 1976 when
the television series was first syndicated in the US, and was recently reissued by AMT/Ertl.
Even this reissue is getting hard to find! At first glance, the kit appears to be an accurate representation of the Eagle, but closer inspection shows that there is plenty of room for improvement. This is where Jim Small comes to the rescue.
Jim Small is a Space 1999 fan, as anyone who has visited the SF TV section of the CultTVman site knows. His passion for the series is reflected in the quality and diversity of Space 1999 models he has
built, as well as the kits and accessories that he has produced with his company, Small Art Works.
Small Art Works has put together a kit that will allow you to take the
MPC/Ertl kit and create model that
more accurately reflects the ship seen on Space 1999. What you get is a package of resin cast parts, illustrated instructions, and a decal sheet.
You'll need to supply your own Eagle kit. I quit counting the number of parts when I hit 20! Among the replacements are a new front nose section, landing gear, bulkheads, tubes for the "spine" superstructure, replacement fuel tanks and more. The parts are very clean, with little or no airbubbles and just a small amount of flash to remove.
The instructions suggest you carefully study the model and test fit all the parts before building. Jim notes that "sanding and tweaking" is needed for the parts, and that "the more time
you spend doing this, the better your model will be." By following this basic guideline, you should be able to create a very fine model!
The Eagle Authentication Kit is available postpaid for $35. Visit Small Art Works to order your kit. While you are there, check out the other fine products from Small Art Works.
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