Aurora's Sealab on the Moon

Hi Woodsy,

I am currently reading a wonderful book called Aurora Monster Scenes – The Most Controversial Toys of a Generation, by Andrew P. Yanchus (who worked at Aurora in the 1960s and 1970s) and Dennis L. Prince, StarComm Publications, 2014. 

While it is mainly about the Monster Scenes kits from 1971, there is a lot of information in it about other Aurora projects.

In the 1970s Aurora was looking for ways to cut costs, and get some additional use out of its older moulds. One of these was the US Navy Sealab III underwater research facility.

This kit, of a real underwater research base, had not sold well, and the moulds had been expensive. According to Andy Yanchus, some thought had been given to ‘providing a new Moon terrain base and some space-suited astronauts’, to turn the kit in to a Lunar outpost.

That sounds like a great idea to me, but it does not look as though this was ever more than a suggestion. There are no illustrations in the book of what the proposed Lunar Outpost might have looked like, or what colour it might be.

The Sealab kit has a copyright notice on the underside of its seabed base for Aurora Plastics Corporation, 1970. Kit number 721-400 (the price extension to the number means that this was a $4.00 kit), was only in the Aurora catalogues for 1970 and 1971.

In 2017 the kit was re-issued by a company called Masterpiece Models. As the original mould had been destroyed, a new mould for the kit had to be created.

The kit was again re-issued by Doll and Hobby Georgia in 2024, so you could make a do-it-yourself version of the Lunar Outpost. The only problem might be finding some suitable Astronaut figures to go with it, as the Sealab was moulded in the odd scale of 1/93rd.

There might be some 1/87th scale HO model railway figures that would work with the kit (perhaps modern firemen in fireproof suits and breathing gear ?). It might also work with HO/OO Airfix Astronauts, if these were posed in the foreground ?

Two photographs from Worthpoint

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Miniature Monster Sets of Grandmother Stovers

 Seeing bundles of plastic Spooky charms always gives me a Halloween buzz.

I adored little plastic nic-nacs and accessories when I was a kid, especially anything monsterized.

Favourite accessories included all the little parts that came with Aurora monsters.

The Witch's bats, cap, scissors and bottle. The circular cauldron contents too!

Jekyll and Hyde's flasks and phials 

And the Bride's bottles and electrodes.

They would have looked great in spare parts baggies with headers.

The Sixties Queen of miniature sets in the States, which sadly didn't make it to the UK, was Grandmother Stover of Ohio.

From basic dolls house miniatures to themed gag sets like these,

Grandmother Stover showed their true genius with these horror packs as part of the Sixties monster craze.

For those who like a little horror, yep, I would have loved them!

Like plastic pastiches of the equally colourful You'll Die Laughing gum cards of the time, my favourite of all the Stovers I've seen has got to be the Frankenstein Repair Kit!

There's even a mini Robby Robot charm thrown in for the hell of it!

Masterful!

I suppose a modern version of these sets would be something like the Victorian Gravedigger Set given away with Horrible Histories magazine.

Did you have any Stovers sets or any small spooky miniatures?

Monster Base Meobius!

Hi Woodsy,

Here's my Moebius Giant Insect and Dr Deadly kits!

BrianF

Monster Base

NJ USA

Aurora Monster Scenes Giant Insect

Hi Woodsy

Aurora was a US model company, who were most famous for their monster kits, mainly based on Universal horror movie characters from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. In the 1970s Aurora followed up their original kits from the 1960s with a series of smaller scale Monster Scenes.

These proved extremely controversial, as the subjects included various torture devices, and a girl character called The Victim. The line was quickly withdrawn from the US market, and the last few kits were only released in Canada.

The classic horror monsters were Frankenstein, Dracula, and a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde figure that could be built as either character. The whole range had a very short production life – 1971 only - although the kits were all re-issued by other companies in later years.

One of the last, Canada-only kits, was the Giant Insect, which I had always thought was an Aurora fantasy design. It was part Dragonfly, and part Scorpion, with a few bits from other creatures thrown in.

Well, it turns out this might not be the case after all. Because the Giant Insect bears a strong resemblance to the giant Dragonfly in the film Monster On The Campus (1958).

A regular dragonfly lands on a Coelacanth (a prehistoric fish, once thought extinct) in a lab, and reverts to its prehistoric form. So does an unfortunate scientist, who transforms in to a murderous caveman.

Since the Aurora kit was only released in Canada, it is now rare, and very expensive. The Moebius re-issue from 2008 is much easier to find, and it was a sales listing for this kit that mentioned the movie link.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/387791419535

The Aurora/Moebius Giant Insect is certainly not an exact match for the movie Dragonfly, but it is very similar. Aurora clearly changed the design just enough so they did not get sued.

The Giant Insect is a simple, snap-together kit, like the rest of the Monster Scenes range. It comes with clear parts for the wings and the bulging eyes.

The head and mouth are a different shape; the kit has larger mandibles and teeth; the eyes are horizontal rather than vertical; and the tail curves up and over, rather than being straight. But it has six legs, four wings, and is really ugly.

Supposedly, all the Aurora Monster Scenes kits were to a constant 1/13th scale, but the Giant Insect must have been a lot larger, if it is compared to the original giant dragonfly in the film. It seems odd that Aurora based this model on such a relatively obscure movie as Monster On The Campus, when most of their kits were taken from better known sources – movies, comics, and the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

There is a book on the Aurora Monster Scenes kits, by Dennis Prince and Andrew Yanchus, but as I do not have this I do not know what it has to say about the Giant Insect. 

Does it mention the apparent movie link anyone?

Four photographs from Ebay, Worthpoint and a Monster on the Campus movie still from Ebay - not exactly the same as the Aurora kit, but very close.

Have you got the kit? Do you like Aurora?

Paul Adams

New Zealand

Bloggiversary Late Night Creature Feature: Aurora and Penn Plax's Creatures from the Black Lagoon

Hi Woodsy,

You and Bill recently came up with a brilliant new box for the Penn Plax Creature From The Black Lagoon. This Aerating Action Monster was intended to keep the water in a home aquarium full of oxygen.

Some readers were wondering how close the Penn Plax Creature was to the famous Aurora plastic kit. Their poses are certainly very similar, although the bases are different.

A look on Worthpoint turned up several Creatures, but not all the packaging says Penn Plax, so I do not know if they are the same model or not ? Some Penn Plax have a plain rock base; and some have a larger base, with a lot of plastic marine plants.

Aurora actually did two Creature kits. The first was in 1/8th scale, and showed the Creature standing on a base, with a lizard.

This kit first appeared in 1963, and was later re-issued with Glow-in-the-Dark parts. After Aurora folded, the moulds were acquired by Monogram, and the kit has since been re-released under various brand names.

In 1975 Aurora released another line of kits, called Monsters of the Movies. This included a smaller, 1/12th scale version of the Creature.

This time he is swimming underwater. This model has not been re-issued as often as the larger 1/8th scale version.

Of the two different Aurora kits, the standing figure is the larger, in 1/8th scale, while the swimming figure is the smaller version, in 1/12th scale.

Looking at the two Aurora kits, the larger model is closest to the Penn Plax aquarium version. There seems to be some lee-way in the positioning of the arms, but the Penn Plax version is articulated in the middle, which was not a feature of the Aurora kit.

Four photographs from Worthpoint, showing the Penn Plax and Aurora models.

Don't have nightmares!

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Aurora Sealab III Re-issue

Hi Woodsy

Doll and Hobby Georgia is another small company reproducing vintage Aurora plastic kits, which have been unavailable for decades.

 Their latest project is the U.S. Navy Sealab III kit - the real Sealab being an underwater base for divers and undersea exploration.

Aurora kit number 721 was only available 1970-71. It was to 1/93rd scale, and was moulded in orange plastic, with a green base.

It had interior detail, and optional clear or opaque hull halves. There were also two scuba divers.

According to Scalemates, the only releases have been by Aurora in 1970; a resin copy by Masterpiece Models (J & S Technologies LLC) in 2017; and now a plastic version from Doll and Hobby Georgia in 2025. 

This video by CultTVman, the man behind D&HG, takes a detailed look at the kit, and its production from new moulds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRFzEYunE-Y

The new version comes moulded entirely in yellow plastic, and has over 150 parts, including four divers. Really interesting.

If you want one, it is a pretty expensive kit at $80 or $90 US, but that is still going to be a lot cheaper than a vintage Aurora model. 

The box art is the same as the original Aurora model, except that the U.S. Navy title has been removed.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

MONSTROUS HANDS

 I love obscure facts about obscure toys.

Here are Lincoln International's monsters.

I read on the brilliant Plaid Stallions that the hands of the Werewolf, Mummy and the Fly were based on the fabulous hands of the Aurora Wolfman, pictured below.

My own observation is that maybe Imperial's Classic Movie Monster Wolfman has the same hands too.

Have you any of these toys readers?

*

Another hand!

Mort Kunstler 1927-2025 RIP

Aurora box top artist Morton (Mort) Kunstler has passed away this month.

28 August 1927 to 2 February 2025 – age 97.

Apart from his work for Aurora, he later became famous for his Western and American Civil War paintings.

His Aurora work included several aircraft, and the two Man From U.N.C.L.E. figure kits.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

AURORA! REALLY?

I saw this Skittle Bowl game in a junk shop and couldn't believe it was by Aurora!

Is this the same company who released the monsters?

How different could you get!

Its Wild! The Aurora Black Fury All Plastic Assembly Kit by Paul A

The Aurora Black Fury All Plastic Assembly Kit came up this year, so I thought it was time for a quick look at all the different versions. Between 1959 and 1968 Aurora released three horse kits, and two of these were used as the equine half of several mounted figures.

Black Fury - King of the Wild Horses was the first of these. It was also the largest, at 1/8th scale, and was 11 inches long, and 9 1/4 inches tall.

Although I can not see a copyright date on the parts, the earliest box design is dated 1958, and Thomas Graham in Aurora Model Kits gives a release date of 1959. It looks like Aurora planned to issue this kit with and without a rider from the outset, and all the kits appeared at much the same time.

The address on the side of the box is Aurora Plastics Corp. (later Aurora Products Corp.), West Hempstead, L.I., N.Y. - which is Long Island, New York state. Much later the ZIP postal code 11552 was added.

The kit contained only 12 parts (left and right body halves; four inner leg sections; left and right tail halves; and four horse shoes, which were not needed for the wild Black Fury, or the Apache Warrior on Horse. There was no base.

The various mounted kits also included saddles, reins, etc. Some of the horses were also moulded in different colours to the usual black.

Woodsy asked about the significance of the name Black Fury. Charlton Comics had launched a comic in 1955, called Black Fury, which lasted until 1966.

It was about a wild horse, and his adventures in the Old West. He had his own herd, and humans tangled with him at their peril.

There was also a TV series called Fury (1955-60) about a boy and his horse. Fury - King of the Wild Stallions, is also black, but the series was set in the present day West.

There is no mention of the comic book or the TV series on the Aurora Black Fury box or instruction sheet, but surely the name and the western setting can not be a coincidence ?

The Black Fury kit was initially included in the Famous Fighters series, before being moved to the Wild Life series in the 1962 catalogue. It was last seen in the 1975 Aurora catalogue.

It seems that the solo Black Fury kit has not been available in decades. However, the Gold Knight and Confederate Raider have been re-issued by other companies, with the horse being moulded in different colours.

400 Black Fury - horse kit

Also included in the Apache Warrior, Confederate Raider, Gold Knight of Nice, and Knights in Shining Armour King Arthur mounted kits. Twelve parts in black plastic. Three different box designs.

The earliest box, copyright date 1958, shows Black Fury protecting his herd of horses against a hungry mountain lion (barely visible, to the left of the picture). There are two versions of the Aurora logo - with either Famous Fighters or Educational Kits on the blue outer ring.

The second has him rearing up on his hind legs. This also has a 1958 copyright date on the box, although Scalemates says 1963.

The last box has Black Fury against a purple and orange sky, mane and tail flying. The kit is moulded with the right foreleg raised, but this style of box shows the left foreleg raised instead.

There are two variations of the box - either undated (the earlier version, 1969 according to Scalemates), or dated 1972 with a list of Aurora branches in various countries. This box has the Aurora name on a large letter A.

The instruction sheet was the same in each version, and is dated 1958. The back of the sheet promoted various other Aurora kits and product lines, and changed over the years.

The kit number remained 400, but the suffix changed as the price increased over the years, from 400-98 (98 cents) to 400-130 ($1.30), before the suffix was dropped entirely. Obviously, the mounted kits were more expensive.

401 Apache Warrior on Horse - included the Black Fury kit in brown plastic. Not re-issued.

Number later re-used for the White Stallion.

402 Confederate Raider - included the Black Fury kit in black or brown plastic. Re-issued by Moebius with the horse in tan.

Number later re-used for the American Buffalo.

K-5 Gold Knight of Nice - included the Black Fury kit in black plastic.

Also 475 new box, 885 Chrome-plated King Arthur (released in Britain by Aurora Plastics (U.K.) Ltd). The horse parts were not plated, only King Arthur and the accessories; and the horse was still moulded in black.

Re-issued by Monogram, with everything moulded in light grey.

Ten photographs from Worthpoint

Paul Adams from New Zealand

The Aurora Sabre Tooth Tiger Kit by Paul A.

Back in April I found some original, 1970s vintage Aurora kits at a fair. Four models from the Prehistoric Scenes series, that were only available between 1972 and 1976.

Aurora was one of the Big Three American kit companies, along with Revell and Monogram, but they went out of business in 1977. Aurora were best known for their figure models.

The Prehistoric Scenes were a range of 1/13th scale cavemen and dinosaurs, all of which came with a scenic base. They were simple, snap-together kits, but were very well detailed.

Over the years the dinosaurs have been re-issued, but the prehistoric humans and most of the mammals have not. Just this year, Atlantis finally re-issued the Saber Tooth Tiger and Cave Bear kits from this series, the first time they have been available since the 1970s.

The kits I found had been assembled (but not glued together), and partially painted. Whoever built them originally did a good and careful job.

After sorting through the parts, I found there were all the main parts for four models, with only a few minor accessories missing. I had the Saber Tooth Tiger, Cro-Magnon Man, Cro-Magnon Woman, and the Neanderthal Man.

Since he is the only one I could replace (with the Atlantis re-issue) if things went horribly wrong, I decided to start off by restoring the Saber Tooth Tiger, or Smilodon. This is kit No.733, and originally contained 24 parts (including the nameplate, which I do not have).

The kits may be simple, snap-together models, but they have two full sets of limbs giving a choice of pose. The limbs also move, or can be swapped around as desired.

First, a couple of photos showing how I got the model. I carefully took the model apart, without breaking anything, and removed as much of the original paint as I could using regular brown Dettol disinfectant, which is an effective paint stripper that will not dissolve the plastic.

The only part missing from my Tiger kit was the nameplate for the base. Everything else was there.

The base is one piece (this was later changed to a larger, two-piece base), with a two-piece tree, and the two-piece leg of some small animal. Painted in various shades of green, grey, and brown.

To help with the leg assembly, not only are the limb parts numbered, but they are also marked L or R, for Left or Right half. This certainly helps to keep everything organised, and shows the thought that Aurora put in to these kits.

There is an odd hole in the centre of the chest - I wonder if the spear of the Cro-Magnon Man would fit ? Since the spear is one of the parts missing from my Cro-Magnon Man kit, I can not check this.

The inside of the mouth needs to be painted before assembly. I used a dark pink, with a lighter pink for the tongue.

Off-white for the teeth and claws, and dark grey for the paw pads. Tiny black dots for the whisker holes - fanatics can drill these out and add actual whiskers.

The model is mainly a sandy yellow, with cream for the lower body and chin. I did think about adding some tiger stripes over the hindquarters, like a Tasmanian Tiger, but decided to keep things simple, and went with a plain coat.

I borrowed a book on Big Cats from the library to help with painting the face. The eyes, nose, and mouth are out-lined in matt black.

The eyes are gold, with a black dot for the pupil. Using metallic paint for the eyes gives them a slight lift that really makes them stand out, but the area is so small it is not obvious that the paint is metallic.

Sanding down the joins in the body and legs risked losing the moulded fur texture, so I just scraped these down lightly with a knife blade, and accepted that the joins were going to be visible to a certain extent.

The copyright date 1971 is visible inside one body half, and under the base. Overall length of the Tiger is just over 6 inches, or 15 cm.

This is a wonderful kit, and it is again available from Atlantis for anyone who missed it in the 1970s, along with the Cave Bear. I am now a big fan of the Prehistoric Scenes series, and plan on getting the re-issues to go with my Aurora originals.

Hope you like it.

Here is my earlier look at the Aurora boxes.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2024/04/pauls-aurora-prehistoric-scenes.html#comment-form

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Atlantis and Aurora Kits Update!

kindly forwarded by Paul A,

New Zealand

SAVE10 PERCENT

We hope everybody is having a great weekend! Now up for Preorder is the Aurora Blue Knight and The USS Bainbridge Both kits will feature the Aurora classic oval logo. These kits have not been issued for over 45 years! Get them while you can. Mickey Thompson Funny car we have about 24 in stock. All preorders have shipped along with the willy ley Orbital Rocket! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ORDERS. If you spend $100.00 you will receive a free Atlantis Tee Shirt. You must add the Tee Shirt to the cart and choose your size. The price on the Tee will go to Zero once you have added $100.00 of Atlantis Products to the Shopping Cart. USE COUPON CODE NAME SAVE10 TO RECEIVE 10% OFF YOUR ORDER! Take a look at the Atlantis Appreciation group on Facebook! Leave us a review on Google and post your Atlantis builds we would appreciate it. We always get a lot of questions about molds, please read this blog post. Atlantis make awesome kits! The orbital rocket has never been reissued!   Atlantis thrives on keeping those childhood dreams alive. We have received so many calls and emails with this exact sentiment. We thank you. We did not realize the impact these old kits would have on all of you and ourselves. To take you back to these great memories is a blessing. Plenty more to come! If you are in need of any parts please submit requests to the Parts Requests We ship parts around the world and have the best customer service in the business. Once again we thank you all for the support! 2024 will be a great year for the Atlantis Nation. Most important Stay Healthy and Safe and build some models and make those new memories! Respectfully, Peter Vetri President Atlantis Toy and Hobby Inc.

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