Polar Lights, Moebius, Monarch version II
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- čas přidán 21. 07. 2024
- A brief overview of Polar Lights, Moebius and Monarch models with some rather embarrassing errors corrected. I had some wrong photos of people and the original Aurora Wonder Woman was made 20 years before Lynda Carter portrayed her. Had to kiss 1,400+ views goodbye but I do not want to knowingly leave bad info out there.
My Moebius B9 Robot build:
• Lost in Space B9 robot...
Music: Monster Mash by Bobby Pickett - Zábava
As an owner of an actual 1953 Hudson Super Wasp sedan, I have to say, Moebius Models produces incredibly detailed plastic kits of a 1952, '53, and '54 Hudson Hornet and Hornet Special in 1/25 scale. Both as passenger cars and in their 1950s NASCAR livery such as the Hornets driven by famous stock car drivers Tim Flock and Marshall Teague. Thanks for sharing the history of these newer model kit companies!
These company breakdowns are so fascinating, mostly because the molds are so precious they never really get thrown out just sold and resold. I wonder what the oldest mold in current use is? But more importunately, what would the person who scraped up the money to have the mold made in the first place think about that mold still being in use long after there gone. I assume they thought it was foolish to follow there dream and they probably wouldn't even break even. That's what i normally think when i go off on a crazy project. (One of the things I do is make props for magicians, luckily for me magicians will usually buy anything that packs small and performs well.)
I had the mixed pleasure of working in product development for Polar Lights in the years before the buyout by RC. We did pretty well considering how incredibly under-capitalized we were. Tom Lowe made one great move and that was to acquire the Johnny Lightning trademark. He was never very involved in product development at the ground level - and - oh the stories I could tell . . .
mirrorblue100 well don’t just leave us hanging, SPILL!
FURST...YEAH ME! Wait, does it count if it's your own channel? 🤔
Well...okay. We'll let it slide this time... :)
yes! that's count!!! :-E
Of course!!!
You bet'cha it counts.
I managed to pick up one of the promo boxes for the Monarch Moon Suit. I really really wish that had been released. I've really enjoyed building the Moebius kits. Now about finishing the Batman series with Batgirl.....
I had the pleasure of working with Frank Winspur on several project, most notable of which was the 1/72 SKIPJACK kit, which I was lead-man on. Frank was supportive and a straight-shooter throughout our relationship. One of the good ones.
tell me more
@@maxsmodels My initial relationship with Frank was through Gary Kerr, who at the time was lead-man on the SEAVIEW kit; I had contributed some source material on the subject to Gary years earlier and he was kind enough to bring me in on the project for Moebius.
A few years later I made a cold-call to Frank suggesting he consider producing an injection formed kit of the American SKIPJACK class attack submarine. I was quickly contacted by his associate, Dave Metzner, who suggest going 1/72 scale on the project and put me to work providing Moebius with documentation and recommendations on how to best engineer the kit.
I also did art-work for the markings and acid-etched parts. After reviewing and correcting the test shot they sent me, we were off to the races.
A most enjoyable experience. Unfortunately sales proved to be a disappointment and the SKIPJACK was the first and last of what we had hoped would be a series of 'cold war' model submarine kits. Oh, well.
These kits have since been re-boxed by Revell of Germany and are a big hit to those modelers who convert these static display models to full functioning r/c submarines. The kit is now a valued 'collectors item' in those circles.
Thanks for the video. The history of the 3 companies was more convoluted than I thought, especially Polar Lights/Round 2. And I was confused about the original of Doll and Hobby, glad you've cleared that up. I've made many Moebius kits and have more in the stash but don't have all I wanted to build. Round 2 has been mainly Trek kits for me while Polar Lights was Trek and Lost In Space.
Dang, they took down all the comments with the original video. I went to high school with Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) and was introduced by a mutual friend. Her parents ran Peterson's Party Land down on South Tejon St. (pron. Tay-HONE). Elvira is no act, she's like that all the time! Lance Revell, if you read this, I have the Elvira T-Bird in my collection, it's open but complete, still bagged inside and Elvira still wrapped up in packing.
sweet
Max I have always enjoyed your Livestreams and I still do. But the place where I first heard you was on you're Aurora, Monogram & Revell Bio videos. I have always been interested in not just the models, But their company history as well. I have seen and read about them, But I find your video's to be the best. Most of it has to do with your delivery.
I've got some Polar Lights "Kiss" models, still haven't made them yet.
Moebius, Polar Lights, and Monarch are hard to come by in Canada. I never saw a Monarch kit at any hobby stores even though I live in a city 70 miles from London, Ontario Canada. I had my local hobby store look into it and they managed to scrounge me two Gorgo kits. There were two different box art pictures, and one model is molded in green plastic and the other in purple plastic. Only about 5,000 total kits made. There is supposedly a glow in the dark version of 1,000 kits but I have never come across one.
There are two boxes for the standard version - I call these the Day and Night styles, as the latter has search-light beams. Yes, there is a Glow-in-the-Dark version, with a Frightening Lightning Strikes lightning bolt superimposed on the Day box artwork. The standard boxing has the copyright date 2013, and the number 410-149. The Glow box is dated 2014, and is numbered 460-200. I have never seen any of their kits either.
@@pauladams286 There might be a chance of a re-issue. Monarch Models is back in business. They have done The Fly and a Dracula-Hyde-Jekyll trio kit.
I had never heard of any of these guys or built any of these kits. Like I have said, I was not keen on building the monster models. I really liked the Monster Mash at the end. You brought a smile to my face.
Kudos
I’ve purchased the invisible man and Michael Myers from Moebius and must say they’re absolutely fantastic! Can’t seem to get my hands on any Monarch kits for a reasonable price! Never really cared for the Polar lights kits if I’m honest. Thanks for sharing
They are rare
I wanted those Aurora monster kits, sooo bad as a kid. Never got any of them. I may have to finally get a couple of them.
I forget what late 1990s year it was when I walked into a Longs Drugs Store model section and all of a sudden I spotted something that didn't exist when I was growing up. An actual model of the Jupiter 2 from Lost in Space!.. That was my first introduction to POLAR LIGHTS . I spent the next few weeks assembling it and thanking Polar Lights in the back of my mind for fulfilling a childhood dream.... ( I was always wondered why AURORA never made one )
Yes, strange. They made a model of the Spindrift from LOTG. They made 3 kits from LIS and also did not build a separate"Chariot" kit.
@@garfieldsmith332Only problem was the Spindrift was just a repackage of the inaccurate Aurora Kit.. I'd love it if Moebius would make a large Spindrift kit like the 1:32 scale Fly Sub they produce.. But all they choose to make was a little dinky arse version :(
@@Spindrift-id1ez Yes, I have the dinky version as it was cheap. I built the original Aurora kit, long since gone to the bone yard. Polar Lights re-popped the kit several years back, so there is hope of a re-re-issue.
Oh come on. I watched both versions and the errors weren't that bad. In fact, there were hard to detect.
Keep up the great work.
I had the wrong people in the pictures. I couldn't live with it.
I did build Polar's "Robby the Robot" from Forbidden Planet. The kit was, as expected, a bit crude, but perfectly buildable and with a bit of work will look just fine. I modified the arms to look a bit more "realistic" if such word can be used for such subject... was a brief brake from my usual 1/48 planes and 1/35 armour.
I bought the kit from Amazon quite cheap but I have seen it incrementing the price fast... mine was the limited edition (to 5000) with "chromed" parts...
Why did I pick up this? Nostalgia as you said Max... I was fascinated by this robot when I was a little kid, and I mean little, no doubt is the first memory I have of any science fiction thing I watched on TV, and was already a classic. Now I want the UFO moon interceptor in 1/48... or the Spectrum Angels in 1/48 from Captain Scarlet.... perhaps a reissue of the APC from Alien 2, at a reasonable price...and in 1/35... so little time and so many kits...
Thank you Max for the research and effort you put in all your videos, and your sense of humor just make them even better!
Fascinating and cleared up a whole load of questions for me 👍
I was 'lead-man' on the Moebius 1/72 SKIPJACK kit. And earlier had done several articles for the CultTVman site.
I’ve a closet full of unbuilt models from moebius and polar lights! A lot of duplicates as they are so good to build! Igotta have more than one for each!
I built the Halloween kit with Michael Myers on the front porch. It turned out very nice and my son has it on his bookshelf to this day.
I guessed that you would use Monster Mash as the musical outro...
I've built quite a few Moebius kits and one pr two Polar Lights offerings - all excellent. I have only ever built Monarch's 'Sinbad' which I thought was great... I actually initially thought rhe latter was a reissue of an original Aurora kit... =)
Amazing song! And Elvira looks really hot!
Finely back on line, and this is the first site I came to June 4 2020. Love this site. Last one I seen. BOX ART HISTORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN. How about BOX ART, PACIFIC???. Anyways, thanks to all my fellow modelers, I enjoy reading the comments
Polar Lights and Moebius both!
OMG I'm typing this as the song came on - 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Have the Polar Lights D7 the only Trek model thus far that's survived. Have their TOS Enterprise too but battle damaged it and eventually it will be used for gunnery practice with my new AR build. Love that you could make different versions of the Enterprise from the Pilot episodes to ISS Enterprise plus different names.
The first model that I talked the Spouse into undertaking was the Polar Light's Delorean Time Machine from the 1st movie. ;o)
Skipjack (SSN 585) and the missile version George Washington were actually the idea of Department of Navy in the late 50s. There is a book Blind Man's Bluff that covers it. They wanted to sell the idea of nuclear missiles on a submarine to the public. Skipjack was the first modern round hulled submarine in the world. Took interest in it because it was still around in the late 80s, and I spent a year onboard
Great book you mentioned "Blind Man's Bluff", a NYT Best Seller at the time... I read it a few years ago... very recommended for those interested in submarine history.
The Skipjack was the first nuclear powered round hulled submarine. The USS Albacore was launched in 1953 and it was diesel powered but had the rounded shape known as teardrop hull or Albacore hull shape.
@@garfieldsmith332 True it was the test bed for Skipjack, no weapons. It's still around as a Museum someplace in New England
@@dirkbonesteel True. It wasn't until after I knew of the Skipjack and the others that they built the Albacore. NAd if we look back there were some oddly rounded hulls in the 1800's of "submersible boats"; if one wants to call them that. I read that the George Washington was created using the first Skipjack hull or possible some other one and they cut it in two and added the missile section to get the Polaris system up and running ASAP.
@@garfieldsmith332 True, and for bonus points one of the two nuclear subs we lost, Scorpion was a Skipjack class
I remember buying the back to the future delorian to build with my daughter..
Was fun to do but not something I'd buy for myself!
Be co to hear about your old BBS experience
Who remembers having to shut off TSR programs to get your computer running under the 640K barrier so you could run a program or game or having to manually set up a serial data connection for "coop play"? Kids today don't have to learn the inner workings of computers like we did back in the day... so there!
EDIT: And what's up with the Battlestar Galactica franchise?
Yep. EBCIDIC code, Hollerith cards, DOS, tape drives. Big Mainframe machines. All where I started. No PCs, no screens, and 32K of memory at first.
Great history classic oldies
Forgot to add: A video about the message boards for models? Yes, please.
maybe someday
Monster kits seems a bit hard to build and paint for a kid idk
Great video as always thanks
1969 I build my first Aurora kit which was the Lost in Space robot I also built the Seaview submarine.... today I still have the Lost in Space robot I move the clock forward recently I bought the new version of the Lost in Space robot the same scale and the Sea View and the new Sea View.
Oooook. So i have to write my comment again....Sigh...you're killing me, Max!
Larry the owner of Pegasus is a nice guy. We always talk hockey whenever I go in. He's a big fan with a lot of memorabilia.
As for the kits, I've built all the Moebius 1966 Batman, and Munsters kits. All very nice. Star Trek Round 2 kits aren't bad either, even though many of them are AMT molds.
Had to fix boo-boos. Sorry
This video's better than Diazepam...
I have a Johnny Lightning Speed Racer. Very high quality.
Well done, my injection-molded friend...
It frightens me, that I guessed the outro music. LOL
Good one
2:50 I feel called out
😜🤣
Does anyone make a "Rick Grimes Bashing A Ghoul With A Shovel" kit yet? And why not?
Also, the Elvira in the corner of my eye, blew out a blood vessel in said eye. Great. Another old guy problem.....
Why are all the logos similar in shape?
I think they wanted to get that AURORA logo vibe going. They make a similar product line that tends to tap in to nostalgia.
I was on the chat board everyday when it first started for Polar Lights. So glad these companies brought back a lot of those old favorites of ours. A lot of um we couldn’t afford to buy original. Re-issues were fine. Too many favorites to name. Love that they still make new model kits. I personally hope to see new subject matter in kits. Monarch had some great original ideas. Too bad they only had a few kits. Would love to see them return somehow. Max if you ever decide to put together a video on model related websites you have to include Monster Model Review. www.monstermodelreview.com/
thanks
Ah, yes... 300 baud, then 1200, then 2800, then 9600, then 19200, then 28000, then 56k... had ‘em all.... ssssccccrrreeeecccchhhh, ka-chunk... CONTACT!
I have the forgotten prisoner from moebis...
Like....
I don't have any kits from those companies but I was a Sexton for ten years.