Open Model Shop

This kit is a perfect reproduction of a model kit originally released by Aurora, of the Lost in Space robot. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to build models, the Aurora kit was no longer on the market and for whatever reason, it wasn’t one of the kits that was re-released by Revell/Monogram in the 1980s.

Polar Lights released this reproduction a while back. The early versions of the kit were molded out of ABS plastic, which is somewhat stronger and harder than the styrene plastic that most common model kits are made of. Because of this, normal model cement won’t work at all. You either need to use glue specially formulated for ABS plastic, or use “super glue”. I’ve heard that later versions of the kit were molded in the normal styrene. Polar Lights included a special note in the ABS kits, so there shouldn’t be any confusion over which one you have.

Since this is a reproduction of the original kit, it shares the same flaws. The torso is undersized compared to the legs and the shape isn’t quite right. The “neck” is a large cone-shaped piece rather than the barely tapered piece on the original. The treads stick out too far from the feet and the ridges on the treads are mis-aligned due to poor mold alignment. The arms are notoriously hard to assemble without leaving very noticeable seams. The two “ears” are provided as two round pieces when they should be ovals. The tread pieces are quite fragile and can be easily broken just by the movement of the parts in the box.

Of course, all the above can be blamed on Aurora, not Polar Lights, who simply produced a faithful reproduction of the kit.

In spite of the flaws, this kit can be assembled into a pretty decent representation of the robot. The real key to making it look good is in how much care is taken in painting it. I’m not exactly an expert in this department, but I know that a good paint job can make you overlook the kit’s various flaws.

There is also a third-party set of parts that includes a bubble with a less obvious seam (it’s in a different location), two sets of arms (extended and retracted), a clear chest panel for lighting purposes and a more accurate neck section. However, you’ll probably pay more for these parts than you will for the kit itself.

In closing, I’d like to offer a tip; Don’t use super glue on the clear pieces. The fumes from it will fog the clear plastic, ruining the look of the model. Use watch crystal cement, or even white glue. White glue doesn’t really work on plastic, but it will hold the parts well enough if no force is applied to them.

Rating: 3 / 5

Lost in space robot model from bkseller. This is not the original model made in the 1960’s, its a reproduction made in the 1990’s, but it looks like the original.
Rating: 4 / 5