OoB Review: Revell's 1/72 Space Shuttle Stack

[@darkknight1340]

I recently bought the revell boxing of the 1/72 shuttle without the boosters, and I didn't realise just how big the orbiter was.The shuttle with the booster stack looks incredible,I will have to track one down.p.s your 1/144 shuttle kit is absolutely beautifully built.

[@jpatt1000]

Just started mine. I was debating how to simulate the tiles on the bottom and decided to just scribe them all. I practiced on the rear piece with the main engines. Dennis Jenkins' book "Space Shuttle, The First 100 Missions has an awesome four view showing the layout of all the tiles, and the difference between the Columbia and the other Orbiters. Columbia has tiles on top of the wing near the outer edges where the rest of the fleet has nomex quilting.

[@jpatt1000]

Just got this myself. The two space men are quite larger than 1/72, slightly smaller than 1/48. I didn't do all the measurements, but just the payload bay scales out at 1/69th. Can't wait to get started!

[@Kae6502]

I built the "straight-up Monogram model from all those years ago" - minus the ET and SRBs of course. I remember it well. I used the "Atlantis" decals even thought at the time the real Atlantis hadn't even flown yet. Gave it to my nephew a few years later. Thanks for the look back.

[@JMChladek]

@Toppervision1 There were two 1/72 kits. The one with the etched tiles was from Revell (before the merger) while the smooth one was Monogram's tool. When they merged, the Revell kit went out of production for awhile and Monogram's stayed around until 1999. Revell's came back out in 2001 before finally being retired in 2009. Revell of Germany did reissue the Revell orbiter last year with a GREAT decal sheet. Monogram's full stack was done in 1986, had a limited reissue in 1999 and again this year

[@christurbo951]

I really enjoyed building this kit. I had to do quite a bit of filling on the external tank. I used a section off a screen door to paint the “tiles” in the bottom of the shuttle.

[@Starshipdown]

I love the irony of Revell doing a repop of this kit. I bought the kit over 25 years ago and modified the much more detailed Revell 1/72nd scale orbiter to fit onto the Monogram ET/SRB stack in place of the Monogram one. I am surprised to hear about the smooth ET as mine came with a texturing to simulate the foam!

[@manoman0]

This is soooo not my hobby but I love people who can build such models....my admiration, truly.

[@lunhil12]

To replicate the spray on insulation where you may have to sand it off try dabbing on premixed tile adhesive with a sponge or stiff brush. I use it for effects on structures. Nice model, I'd like to get one of those.

[@JMChladek]

@Toppervision1 Go for it! I've got no problems with that. :) Main thing to remember is during the late 1970s, Monogram and Revell were competitors and Revell was based in Venice, CA while Monogram was in the midwest. They didn't start to begin to merge until about 1987 when investors bought both companies. The merger was completed in the mid 1990s.

[@tylermoore2957]

i jus ordered a 1:144 scale shuttle with boosters and external tank. i ordered the paper model of the MLP and friday im ordering the paper model of the whole launch complex(thats gunna be some work). nice kits you have. ill upload a few vids of the progress imma make(especially ont the launch complex).

[@ModelManTom]

INteresting idea. Next time I have the shuttle down, I will do a side by side with my C-57D and a few other 1/72 kits I've got around -mostly mecha.

[@TopThrillDan]

That is a massive kit! Great review. If Revell brings it back out, I might pick up. :D

[@stuntmanmike37]

@ModelManTom Yeah, they're printed on stiff paper. All you have to do is cut them out and assemble. I just discovered them two days ago. The Crawler Transporter is listed but not the MLP. You'll have to special order that extra. But I'm highly interested in putting together a full stack on the transporter. It would be awesome.

[@ModelManTom]

Yeah, I definitely want to see! The instruction manual sounds formidable. Almost ordered the 1/72 crawler the other day, but needed to change priority at last minute.

[@joewittmer9119]

I had the shuttle and launch compound,,,,,still trying to find another one. I like the vids,keep'um coming.

[@Toppervision1]

@ModelManTom Ok, I will dig it out. I may make a quick vid if it does have the tiles. I'll get back to you. Hang tight.

[@stuntmanmike37]

Yeah, I know. If you zoom in and look really close you can tell that they are. But hey, I doubt anyone will EVER release an injection molded 1/72 crawler transporter and MLP, so, for the price, I'd totally give them a shot. And from 10 feet away, I bet they'll make a HUGE impression at my local IPMS club. ;) By the way, how easy are they to assemble, and do they look okay?

[@stuntmanmike37]

I just located a company on ebay that's selling 1/72 scale Crawler Transporters and Mobile Launch Platforms! Those would be perfect for the Revell full stack kit.

[@zensninja]

I did almost the same i built the 1/350 scale starship enterprise refit, and a 1/350 scale uss enterprise aircraft carrier( ive had it for a few years) and their displayed next to each other. very cool display ill try to post some pics.

[@Quaralane]

Used to have one of these. It's definitely a monster, Have fun with her

[@x3mperformace]

Hey. Just got the package, and my disapointment was made a bit at laugh... The material is pretty accurate and detailed, although there are some work to do... I'll probably first build it as intended, them i'm gonna make a "detail" kit to it from plastic. (Evergreen.) And i will make a video, or a detailed picture/timelap of it. Now tomorrow, i'm gonna get my hands on my second package from US. My Monogram 1/72 Space Shuttle with SRB and ET... Damn, Xmas do actually continiue to the easter...

[@jpatt1000]

Well, after a year and a half my orbiter is coming along. I read Dennis Jenkins book on the Shuttle's development and first 50 missions. In the book are diagrams depicting the tile layout and I thought at the time that it would be an awesome idea to scribe them all in! I don't think it was a good idea anymore! Even going oversize with 1/16 inch squares, that's a lot of scribing. That combined with the goofy way the tiles interact along the center of the underside, it's been a major undertaking! I see you've been conversing with x3mperformance about an aftermarket crawler, but I can't follow the thread. Is there a crawler/launch tower available? (I am planning to go to the nines and scratch build the tower to go with the stack!) One other question, what did you plan on doing for the seams on the ET? I'm stumped on that aspect.

[@ModelManTom]

Look around for 'Warbird' decals. They mostly do planes, but also have tile sheets for 144 and 72 scale! For towers, crawlers and launch platform, there's a guy on ebay, Educraft I think it was. 144 and 72 for not only the Shuttle, but also Saturn V (in 3 scales), It's paper, but the guy and customers say it's strong enough when done right. I got the 144 crawler and did a review, just about a year ago. It's in my Reviews playlist, I don't have the video link handy. Thinking on the ET texture... I saw a guy do a cool trick on a resin Godzilla model. He sanded the seams flat, but kept the areas tight and minimal. Then with a small amount of flexible clay (or something similar), he pressed it on a good portion of the texture pattern, let it cure, then put a light putty over the sanded areas and 'pressed the texture back into place', as it were. Wish I knew the media invovled I havent' seen that vid in years. Now that think of it, it was resin godzilla and ghidora But that was the general procedure. Hope it inspires ideas!

[@ModelManTom]

@Toppervision1 Please look if you get the chance! It might be worth buying that kit for that feature and this kit for the Booster stack. I've seen the orbiter-only regularly over the years and only ever saw this kit once a decade or more ago.

[@CinemaSo]

Great review, man! Loved seeing the parts out of the box and the size comparison. Wish I had this kit myself. Damn shame it's nearly twice the price to get it shipped to Norway.

[@SaorAlba1970]

what make is the 1/144 space shuttle on your video ?? looks excellent

[@ModelManTom]

That appears ot be the consensus. The fulls tack does not have tiling, but the stand-alone orbiter does having tiling. But I am led to believe that it is not accurate and I can't remember if it's raised lines or scribed. Scribed is better. I'd hate to try scribing tiles into this orbiter, but will consider it when I get to building it.

[@Generalsplatton]

WOW, that thing is massive! Looking forward to progress on this one for sure.

[@ModelManTom]

That sounds pretty freaking awesome! Pleas send the links along when you start! I wanna watch that series of vids!!!

[@Toppervision1]

@JMChladek And together they formed the infamous Revellogram! hehe. I'm glad they merged. I'd sure like to tour the factories. Thanks.

[@jpatt1000]

The scribing won't be 100% but if you follow the pattern you'll get something very close, and at 1/8 in square, they look pretty scale. (Looks way better than a smooth orbiter anyway!) I'll have to post a video while I'm in progress. What if Revell produced the decals for the numbers on the individual tiles!

[@mandaltby]

Looks killer, I just got the 1:72 Saturn V, Id like to do all 4 Mercury, Gemini, and your shuttle, good show.

[@Toppervision1]

@JMChladek Aha, so that explains that. I did do a video response here showing the tiled version and I'd love to put your historical description on my vid desciption if that's ok. It's hard to believe there are 2 1/72 molds. I built one as a kid and now I have no idea which one it was!

[@ModelManTom]

Wow. That would be a collection to see! Would love to do it myself.

[@humberlick]

@ModelManTom I was single so,I could afforded.In the video it show seam trouble with the plastic, I had that too when building it.Man! it was a beauty!

[@KrisLucky07]

i ordered an old Revell space shuttle scale 1/72 because of the tile detail does the monogram one have it just woundering because I want to do another shuttle with extreme detail

[@GhostofCicero]

No clear plastic for the cockpit or other windows?

[@endoftheworldnews]

its a model in 1-72 wow stunning

[@Helderhugo]

Fantiastic big kit. I want to see it builded.

[@ModelManTom]

I saw that. Are they totally cool? You were expecting plastic? That would be sweeter. But I bet if done right it will be very solid. Would like to see some vids if you can!

[@ModelManTom]

The stand-alone 1/72 shuttle has tile detailing. This shuttle doesn't. So you'd have to buy the other shuttle and put it on these rockets for a fully detailed kit. I think the lines on the other shuttle are raised, so you might have to sand them off and scribe your own.

[@Toppervision1]

Wow, I never knew they released it with the boosters in that scale. I've got the 1/72 orbiter only and I never built it but here's the major curiosity, I'm gonna have to look again but I swear it's covered in heat tiles. Same scale, same company I think but I'm pretty sure mine is covered in tiles. Want me to look?

[@64MojoMan]

can you get it anywhere else other then the internet! I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT ONE

[@ModelManTom]

@humberlick I believe it! Not that $22 was all that cheap back then either, I guess.

[@ModelManTom]

@Toppervision1 Don't go to too much trouble. It would be cool to see, but only as convenient for you.

[@TalksWithDirt]

I seem to remember a Revell kit I build back in the early 80's. Like 1982. It was 1/72nd and had lots and lots of heat tile detail.

[@ILSRWY4]

Its a real shame that this kit has the less detailed less accurate original Monogram shuttle... considering that this kit came out long after Revell purchased Monogram... considering that... the Revell Shuttle was far more detailed and more accurately shaped... and yet they didn't carry over the Revell 1/72 shuttle with this kit.

[@x3mperformace]

This is a very nice kit, but now it's ordered, 167.44$ And i look forward to see the arrival. ;)

[@humberlick]

I had this model in the 80's and it cost around $22.00..

[@jupitorman]

Just got a shuttle 1.7 yours is massive

[@ModelManTom]

@TalksWithDirt Yup. Check the video responses for a look at that kit a subscriber did.

[@joeylafko1003]

I'd rather get the 1:144 space shuttle with boosters and launch tower

[@x3mperformace]

Do note that the launchpad and crawler are made of paper, not plastic... I did actually buy'em...

[@CaptainSmith23]

Very cool.

[@Jodie842]

wow that's big

[@SaorAlba1970]

Cheers ModelManTom

[@securityrobot]

It still looks like the size of the cock pit windows are too big and need to be made smaller.

[@ModelManTom]

@DrvCommSpec1991 Damn, that's some big money!

[@TemplarsCrusade01]

Its massive!

[@jpatt1000]

I did find it. The launch tower is very expensive for a paper model at $187! It does look pretty good though. (As built by someone who knows their way around a paper model!) I've only built one paper model. Ken West's 1/48 XB-70. Very large! Fortunately you get the parts as a PDF you can print out yourself, cause it will take a couple more tries to get a result I'm satisfied with. $12 for the file download @ E-Cardmodels.com. Not a bad price, considering you can build a whole fleet if you're so inclined just for the cost of 110lb cardstock. For the tank, I saw a review from a guy who camouflaged the joint with textured paint. I'll give that a try. Thanks!

[@ModelManTom]

I've never built any paper models so even the Crawler as simple as it looks will be very tough. I'll look for that -ecardmodels. I've used fleck stone paint to good effect for simulated carpet. Might work on this too!

[@vietmom2con]

Cool!!

[@charliebowman785]

Lucky you!

[@x3mperformace]

A rather poor OOB of the MLP 1/72 paper model, on my channel now. Sorry it's my first...

[@ModelManTom]

Revell release from 2011.

[@AlejandroRodriguez-wy8pn]

i want to turnet into a moonraker 6 space shuttle

[@ModelManTom]

The body may be different enough that building one from scratch might be easier.

[@tomwestwood5318]

Good model keep it up ( use super glue

[@ModelManTom]

@64MojoMan Check your local hobby store

[@TheSpeedy197]

thats one huge kit

[@ModelManTom]

@stuntmanmike37 Do tell!

[@ModelManTom]

I think this was about $100.

[@williammann6198]

I should not watch this, it is going to make me want one.

[@williammann6198]

Yes it would :)

[@JMChladek]

The decal sheet in this kit sucks period. Revell Monogram really did a piss poor job on it as the colors are wrong (red is too maroon, the blues are not right and the yellow markings look almost zinc chromate in shade). The original version sheets are better, yet aftermarket decals are even better. Invest in some good aftermarket decals and you will have the makings of a good replica.