It seems like humanities involvement in space has been ongoing forever. If you look at the amount of stories and books, tv programmes and films that have covered the space race, its not hard to think that we had explored every inch of the cosmos. Its difficult to comprehend for me that basically the first steps began within my lifetime - the year before I was born, Gagarin took his life in his hands and lifted off on Vostok into a totally alien and unexplored territory. Now, fifty years on, space appears commonplace and routine,as Gagarin is feted as the national hero, the US Space Shuttle programme is retired. What does this mean for space travel in the future ? The proposed US mission to return to the moon fizzled out and Russias space program is small in comparison to the glory days. Maybe in the next fifty years, we will find renewed enthusiasm and resources and reach out towards Mars and beyond.
Meanwhile, I noticed that Airfix have seen fit to re-release the excellent Vostok kit - probably for the third time, but with a very tame box art this time. I recall my excitement as I watched my dad building me the original kit, complete with Sputnik and Soyuz variants and a tiny, bubblegum sized Vostok capsule...
Interestingly though, besides the old Saturn rocket kits, they have also made the Skylab launch vehicle too and re-released the Angel Interceptor too - Starcruiser and the Cosmic Clipper next maybe...?
http://www.airfix.com/airfix-products/new-models-for-2011/space/a05172-vostok-1-a05172/gallery/
I can still remember the excitement getting the Airfix Vostok from the local newsagent. The 2001 Orion space clipper too. Remember when every corner shop sold Airfix and Matchbox kits? I loved the way they had the pocket money kits in bags on those revolving stands so you could see before you buy.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't keen on the Starcruiser kit as it wasn't the same scale as the Space 1999 Eagle and Hawk which spoilt it for me. Seemed about 1/48th whereas the Eagle seems to be about 1/90 so you couldn't put them side by side. And that awful mobile pod underneath. If you've seem Martin Bower's original Starcruiser model its a beauty. Airfix somehow manage to ruin it. Still bought one though!
Then there was the Starcruiser Interceptor which was about 1/32 scale.
I enjoyed the Cosmic Clipper, particularly the main body as it somehow reminded me of the blocky prison ship London from Blake's 7. It was nothing like it really but in my imagination it worked.
Airfix did a Flying Saucer too that looked like a giant space station with a radar dish on top.
i had all those space kits - have to admit to being dissapointed with Starcruiser after i saw Martin Bowers model in Look In, but any port in a storm. The Flying saucer was awful - probably a total of 10 parts!
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