Revell 144th Int. Space Station

I've built this one a few months ago and I must warn you that you will have to buy an upgrade kit for the solar array cause the one supplied with the kit sucks.  They are to heavy and the pin to hold them will eventually broke off. (That's what happened to mine)  Other than that, the only other flaw about this kit is the lack of detail.  Intermountain Railway makes a much better one but it sells for about 160$.  You can check for array set here http://www.realspacemodels.com/html/isspg.htm

Plan some room to build and to display cause its a big fellow.  Fun to build and plenty of room for extra detailing and scratchbuilding.

And I agree with you, it's a very interesting subject and you can spend a lot of time doing research at the nasa web site.  Cool stuff.

Oh, and there is a very interesting paper version for free right here: http://www.marscenter.it/eng/veicol.asp?pa=605

Thanks Yann Solo,

I see the solar array replacement from IMR look very good. The only thing I dont like is that that kit comes pre-painted and the fact that the Revell kit is $100 less. Question: What is the level of injection moulding detail on the Revell kit???? Is it comparable to the IMR kit on injection detail.
Can you or did you try to put small Alum tubing in your arrays so they would not break off???? Can that be done?

I may have some more questions later, if thats ok.

Wilbur Wright wrote:

Thanks Yann Solo, I see the solar array replacement from IMR look very good. The only thing I dont like is that that kit comes pre-painted and the fact that the Revell kit is $100 less. Question: What is the level of injection moulding detail on the Revell kit???? Is it comparable to the IMR kit on injection detail. Can you or did you try to put small Alum tubing in your arrays so they would not break off???? Can that be done? I may have some more questions later, if thats ok.

No problemo!

The level of detailed is not comparable at all to the IMR version.  As the rule says, you get what you pay for.  If you want details you'll have to invest a little more cause the Revell one is basic.  The main truss is nice tough.

The solar arrays supplied with the kit has a semi-hollow truss which makes the installation of aluminum tube praticly impossible.  It's still in the repair shop and I'll probably make decent solar arrays with paper.  I've done several paper models and you can get very realistic results with it.

If money is a factor, go ahead and buy the Revell kit, you'll have fun building it and its a nice big model to display.  But if you want to build a well detailed outstanding model ... go with IMR.  There is a review of both kit on starshipmodeler.com

The revell ISS is a bear to build. It can make a great model but it requires lots of work to build it. The sheer size makes it difficult. The Revell engineers did a great job reinforcing the structure but alignmnet has to be perfect.

All the ISS kits differ since plans keep changing. Revell and iMR used different configurations. Also the ISS is weathering in space so the colors keep chnaging and new modules look very different.

New Ware at mek.kosmo.cz/newware also makes improved solar panels for the ISS.

 

I just recieved this kit, and it looks pretty good. I did do a parts inventory and there were six or seven small parts broken, luckily I found four of the little pieces. Its packed quite flimsy for a kit with delicate parts. I am starting this after I finish my B36 which is now about 7/8ths done.

Instructions are vague in some sections, particularly #1. So I will have some questions.

The painting (airbrushing)  is going to be a pain, to achieve the results I hope for.

Peace

Wilbur Wright wrote:

I just recieved this kit, and it looks pretty good. I did do a parts inventory and there were six or seven small parts broken, luckily I found four of the little pieces. ...

Yeah!  I forgot to tell you that most of the time, parts for the main truss are broken.  I got mine that way and I had to fix it.  You can't notice it once repaired.

I had that same problem with the panels breaking on ISS I'm building!  I went to Hobbytown and got a piece of brass rod about the same diameter as the plastic pin on the array, drilled out the panel and presto! the panel is fixed and it doesn't show.  Now to fix the next one that just broke.....I think I'm just going to re-do them all.

Hi all, ........Yes Griz good idea. I may do that as I have started to build this kit. I have the main truss built without too much trouble. I used evergreen styrene strip to replace the small broken pieces on the end of  two opposing truss pieces and you cant tell the difference. I am  doing research as to colors  now. How accurate is the "artwork" on the NASA website for this model????? The main truss looks like Tamiya field gray to me. Kind of a greenish gray.

I have also seen a great shuttle model with different white panel variations .....looks very real to the eye. I would like to do this (I will see if I can find the link on that model.)

I also have to scratch build the small  round (trunions?).......Any ideas will be helpfull.

I don't have a digital camera so I can''t upload very often (unfortunately).

I am 90% done with the Space Station. I have just painted the base Earth. I painted the whole thing flat black and then used artists oils to do the earth to a very realistic job. I now have to do the small yellow lines on the modules  (a real pia), then assemble the entire structure. One more coat of  Tamiya Gold on the solar arrays as well. Then some odds and ends.

I have stayed away from Tamiya clear blue and am leaving the undersides of the arrays flat sea blue, then drybrushed. I feel the Tamiya clear blue looks too toyish. Comments welcome on this subject???

I will post photos when I finish and look forward to get your opinions on my take on this model.