Retro Review: Vulcan Shuttlecraft

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!

Did you have a good New Years?  I did!  Thank goodness 2016 is over, time for a renewed sense of optimism for the future.  I shoulda known 2016 would be a challenging one with personally the worst New Years Eve celebration I've ever been to a year ago, but thank god that is over and so much so, the past...history...over!  2016 wasn't all bad, it's been the best professionally in years, and personally gratify too ;) (from February onwards)  and challenging in a good way with my coolest build to date, USS Olympia which I started back in December 2015.

So this is a bit different, it's not an update but a review of a kit I recently acquired, a 1979 Vintage Vulcan Shuttle from Star Trek The Motion Picture.  Earlier this year, I did a similar review of a 1986 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A model kit here.

Listed below are it's 'features':

And photos of the studio model

 

side box art

Although not stated, this is 1/187 scale, which is half of a 1/350 scale, or double depending on which way you would be looking to size up or down.  Good reference for anyone building a 1/350 Refit and wishing to sculpt a 1/350 Warp Shuttle to go with it. ;)  This particular kit is made by Matchbox, in conjunction with AMT, prior to AMT merging with Ertl the following year.  A dead giveaway that it's a Canadian release are the required by law English/Français language on the packaging and the dual measurements in both Imperial and Metric.  As a 'Canuck', I use both, mostly feet and inches for building material measurements (including models), and the metric system for everything else (temperature, weight, distance, etc.)

When you open up the model, this is what you get.  Yes, I opened up this originally sealed model.  I believe it was factory sealed as the condition of the plastic is really good.  If I didn't open it, it would hardly be a review.  Also, I look at these vintage kits as something that needs to be both honoured and used as intended.  I photograph all of my builds (I have been since I was a long-haired, guitar wielding teen), so that and my blog entries are how I document this.  At the end of the day, this is a hunk of plastic, in a cool form.  In terms of building this kit, I'm not sure what my plans are currently.

this is what you get when you open up the box 

Back in the day, AMT experimented with rub-down transfers vs. waterslide decals.

And 'rainbow effect' stickers.  These are actually cool in their own right.  Not appropriate for a studio accurate model.

FAST FORWARD TO...2009

In 2009, Round 2 re-released this classic kit, and would continue to each and every year release a classic vintage AMT or Polar Lights Star Trek kit as they acquired the license to reproduce these kits.  And they've done an amazing job largely speaking.  Their original kits, like the 1/350 TOS USS Enterprise is a work of art, as is Space 1999's 22" Eagle Transporter (both future builds on this blog).

1979 on the left, 30 years later, 2009 on the right

When you open up the primary bag in the kit and lay out all the parts, you get four 'trees'.  I'm comparing it with the 2009 kit which was moulded in mauve.  (There was a article on Round2's website called 'Pretty In Mauve' which detailed the assembly of this model.)

the original model was moulded in white; the new release moulded it in mauve (pink)

The first tree is identical which holds main body of the warp sled, the docking port and the 'burnisher' for the rub down transfers.

the new kit prints in ink the copyright info

this is the burnisher

which is broken off in the 2009 kit

Here is a direct comparison of the 2nd tree.

The old kit contained the 'standard base' of it's time, a triangular 2-piece base, vs. the 4 piece base with metal rod and articulating connection.

here is the new kit tree overlaid over the old

The 3rd tree has a modified part.  The newer kit uses a set of magnets to keep the crew cabin attached to the warp sled.

These are the indentation for the magnets.

The 4th and final trees.  At a glance these are the same.

On closer inspection, the old kit has soft details for the warp engines.  It looks like a re-sculpted part.
Looking a some studio references say the original may be more accurate that way.  It would have been nice to have a clear version, but that's what the aftermarket Trek modellers are for.

Looking a some studio references, the new version is a dramatic improvement.  It would have been nice to have a clear version to light it up, but that's what the aftermarket Trek modellers are for.

from Star Trek The Motion Picture

DECALS

Clearly the new sheets which come with the Round 2 repackaged model is considerably far more detailed than the original rub down transfers and stickers.

The new kit gives you names for three Vulcan shuttles: Surak, T'Pau and Sak Ar.

The original transfer only has the name for Surak.

 In addition to the Vulcan names, the newer kit also has Federation markings for shuttle Herschel and Hailey, from the Refit Enterprise.

When I built my Warp Shuttle in 2010, I named mine Shepard, after Alen B. Shepard who was one of the Mercury 7 astronauts and the first American to be launched into space.

INSTRUCTION SHEET

The instruction sheets back in the 70s were quite simple and standardized.

One thing I really liked it showed a layout of the model kit parts with callouts for each part number.

On the inside, it's quite primitive but straightforward.

There were no instructions for painting or decal placement as you referred to the studio model pictures on the box as a guide.

Comparing the two instruction sheets, I noticed that it appears Round 2 has basically photoshopped the original line drawings and adapted them to the new instructions.

Original on top, new on bottom

new instructions on top, old on bottom

Final assembly is quite similar - even the opening for the rod/peg is the same diameter, funny enough.  The original instructions gives you a suggestive 'thread' hanging display option.

And finally the instructions for the decals.  Very Detailed.

This is what you get with the original for decal placement and paint guide.

Overall, if you ever come across the original model kit, it builds a very nice kit.  You can get upgraded decals online from Starship Modeller in their download section and print off on decal paper.

Happy model building!

Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan blog (production) is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made blog intended for recreational use.  No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.  Any and all pictures, screen caps used are for educational uses under fair use.