Moebius Models prebuilt 2001 Moonbus

[phase pistol]

This one is not for everyone, admittedly. But since I have a lot of the old Aoshima, Product Enterprise and other pre-built diecast spaceships, I figured why not.

This is essentially just a built and painted version of the Moebius repop of the Aurora 2001 Moonbus. It's a little better than that though, since Mobius fixed some of the issues on the original kit, like the front windows which were wrong.

Pricey (lists for $70!) and definitely not for you do-it-yourselfer types who would scoff at the level of detail. But if you don't mind the slightly toy-like quality, this is a fantastic shelf-sitter!

Comes with the photographic cardboard diorama background, plus scaled astronaut figures to sit in the chairs.

1999 vs 2001 ULTIMATE SPACE SMACKDOWN!!!!! :cool

Not really to the same scale but what the heck. Sizing those Eagles is tricky :lol but the PE Eagle is about 1:72 while the Moon Bus is about 1:55. (the 23" Product Enterprise Eagle is around 1:48 which is much closer). My Product Enterprise Eagle here has got aftermarket turned aluminum engine bells for that "snazzy" appearance.

Deluxe box with slipcover. Class all the way!

But if you're actually talented, you'll prefer to just build the assembly kit anyway. :lol

Karl

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Karl,

love it, and your comparison

From this interview with Brian Johnson

http://www.space1999.org/features/ask_brianjohnson/2001-10a.html

I noticed that many sources show a very early piece of concept art for an Eagle-like vehicle lifting off a pad, with two astronauts watching. This artwork is credited to Chris Foss, and supposedly dates from a period when Space: 1999 was still seen as an offshoot of U.F.O., but every source I've seen has definitively credited you with the design of the Eagle. Was this artwork indeed produced first, and if so, did you draw inspiration from it? Or was this produced after you had come up with the basic elements (which are in evidence in the drawing, but way out of proportion to how they would ultimately appear)?

I had the basic design of the Eagle worked out long before Space was thought of. It was a result of me working on 2001 and photographing the Moonbus which I felt needed some reworking [arrogance of youth!] So, in my spare moments, I sketched an alternate design. It remained hidden in my office drawer till I left MGM and I binned it along with what would now be considered memorabilia. Chris Foss is a fantastic artist and I honestly cannot recall his painting anything on Space, so it might have been produced for a book cover or whatever, but the merchandising side was hardly ever involved in any day to day contact with the production.

The Eagle was in my head from 1965 onwards and Space: 1999 was the perfect vehicle for it to emerge. Michael Lamont did the draughtsmanship and turned my basic sketch into a realistic vehicle. We clad the prototype with plastic kittery ["wiggits"] and so the drawings were basic structure and fine detail was added on the models themselves. If you want to see serious detail look at the Space1999Eagle.com web site. It is the best I have ever seen.

 

[phase pistol]

 

[micdavis]

Does it comes with coffee and sandwiches?

Very cool!!!

 

[Mola Rob]

I bought one of the prebuilts as well and I think they did a very nice job on the whole package. It's a little toy like but still nicely done.

It's funny I was comparing the Moonbus to my PE Eagle as well. :lol

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

I am glad that Foss was not able to make checker patterns a standard in SciFi design :lol

 

[phase pistol]

But Foss is known throughout the galaxy for his wildly colorated spaceship designs. :lol

Interesting interview where Foss talks about his work on ALIEN

Chris Foss on the Nostromo - Den of Geek

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Ah yes, Chris Foss, the man who wanted to see clown fish in space...

No, I love Chris Foss, since I got his book "21st century" out of a clearance bin at a department store (coincidentally the department store across the street of the toy store where I got my star wars figures) when I was maybe 8, and loved that book and its images to death. I remember one image where a giant squid like alien gets sucked into the exhaust ports of a ship, really weird image. And of course the checker patterns stayed

But back on track, do you have more of that eagle concept artwork?

 

[phase pistol]

I wish I had a clear pic of that green "Foss" image but alas I just sized it up off of the same little thumbnail you see everywhere.

Somebody needs to get to the bottom of that, BTW, is it really Foss, did he paint it off of Brian's design, or is something else going on...

I will say that in general, the Space:1999 concept artwork is VERY sketchy. Rough and ready, not super precise like McQuarrie or Syd Mead.

Here are a couple more pieces from my files. Note that in this first one, the spacesuit helmets have got little rectangular packs around the back just like the 2001 helmets! :lol

Starlog page

Moonbase Alpha, by the way, looks a WHOLE lot like a more built-up version of Clavius Base from 2001... :confused

Clavius

Alpha

 

[phase pistol]

Another name to check out is Mike Trim... he did a lot of design for "UFO" and some very early work on Space 1999 when it was still "season 2 of UFO". The space1999.net "catacombs" (fantastic site) actually says

"Mike Trim, who did an original design for the Eagles when the series was still a second series of UFO"

The Models of Space: 1999