Jupiter II, Moebius vs Polar Lights your views?

11B30B4

11B30B4

Well-Known Member
Ok guys, I need some information on accuracy and ease of build. I am considering a Jupiter 2 build in the future and wanted everyones opinion on Moebius vs Polar Lights. I plan on lighting the kit, and doing a detailed interior with figures etc...

I have seen a few third party enhancements for the Moebius Jupiter 2 but nothing for the Polar Lights???
Are these kits basically the same or does one stand out for detail or clear parts to ease lighting it or screen correctness etc....

I looked for a thread on this topic but found nothing. Your comments would help me make the correct choice.
 
Moebius' J2 is considered by many to be more accurate than Polar Lights' J2. Moebius' J2 is also larger, which many modelers find makes it easier to light. I haven't built the J2, but in my experience the parts fit of Moebius' kits is far superior to anything Polar Lights ever produced. And the Moebius kit is still readily available; the Polar Lights kit has become a collectible of sorts, and will likely cost you as much as (if not more than) the Moebius kit.

All things considered, the Moebius kit is a far better option.
 
Some of the same people worked on both the Polar Lights' and Moebius Jupiter 2s. Of the two, the Moebius is more accurate in many ways. Moebius didn't compromise the shape of the ship overall in development, and the interior has better proportions, more detail. It's a much better kit overall as a result. It's a really big model, however, so you're going to have to consider that as part of your build.

The biggest accuracy complaint I've heard with regard to the Moebius kit is the landing gear. Instead of following the design of the 4-foot studio miniature, they matched it to the 1:1 set used with the actors. Basically this means a difference in thickness of the parts, but the shapes are so darn close (and it looks good) that I can't be bothered to correct it.

The Polar Lights Jupiter 2 is a lot of fun on its own, and has the lower deck (although it's a different scale, the result of scale issues and the fact that the damn thing wouldn't fit anyway). It's smaller, which may be to your liking, and has a top lid that can be easily removed to show off the interior. The overall shape of the Jupiter 2 is not 100% accurate, but it's really damn close. I can tell the difference between the two, and I wouldn't call myself a dedicated accuracy freak on all things Jupiter 2.

Go with the Moebius one, keep a PL kit as a collectible.
 
By the way, the big Jupiter 2 fans are over on Hobbytalk:

Science Fiction Modeling - HobbyTalk

Moebius Models - HobbyTalk

Do a search for Jupiter 2 in those threads and you'll be flooded with information, discussion, accuracy issues, lighting, mechanized legs, etc.

I should add that the Moebius kit is superior to the PL kit for lighting, especially the interior. In the PL kit, the hyperdrive on the bottom (the bit with the light chaser) is one clear piece. As a result, it's a ***** to mask and paint. In the Moebius kit this is presented as two pieces (with two options - fins or no fins).
 
I've built the PL J2 but have the Moebius (J2, Chariot, Pod) still on the shelf waiting for motivation. The PL needs a lot of work to accurize that Moebius took care of. The PL hull shape is spot on to the 3' filming miniature. Ron Gross saw to that.

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Thanks everyone for the information. I will most likely go with the Moebius version and it will have to wait until I finish my PL Enterprise and my 1/350 Space battleship Yamato. I was just starting my research for this project to be in my que.
 
I'd go with PL because
A) easier to store or display after it's done
B) more of a challenge to get just right

But that's just me.:love
 
BEATLEPAUL said:
Thanks! It's a great kit.

I did a lot of extra Scratch-Building/Detailing to this kit.
Click to expand...
Don't tell me you somehow fit a power core on the lower, lower level....:rolleyes:lol

I have a 17" Japanese B9 Robot model, but no vehicles. I would have sold my young soul to have a J2 as good as yours.:cry
 
I just won an auction on eBay for the Polar Lights Silver Chrome Jupiter 2 (1 of 5000). It cost me $41.00, which I thought was a pretty good price compared to some of the prices I have seen. I believe there are lighting kits available as well for this model. Anyone have recommendations on the best place to get the lighting kits? Thanks.
 
The fit so far seems good with the Moebius kit and the lighting options are open to one's imagination. There is a lot of space. The only thing I find a bit annoying is that the Moebius J2 kit is 1:35 scale but the Chariot, Pod and Robot are all 1:24 scale. It would have been nice to get them all the same scale even if it cost a little detail-wise.
 
PeterLC said:
The only thing I find a bit annoying is that the Moebius J2 kit is 1:35 scale but the Chariot, Pod and Robot are all 1:24 scale. It would have been nice to get them all the same scale even if it cost a little detail-wise.
Click to expand...
Moebius is producing a Chariot kit, a Pod kit, and maybe a B-9 kit in 1:35 scale. Last I heard they were planned to be mixed media kits including styrene, resin, and photoetch parts, but that may have changed. They were supposed to be available in early 2011, but got pushed to possibly May, 2012; the last comment I read from Frank at Moebius regarding the delays was, "There has been very little interest in these on the distributor side, so they have fallen behind, with no incentive to 'rush them to market'."
 
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