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Science Fiction Modeling
The 'net is filled with web sites dedicated to just about every interest that people might have. Listed below are some of the many web sites that deal with the subject of science fiction model making. Here you will find sources for model kits, galleries of pictures showing the imaginative work of modelers from around the world, information about assembly and painting techniques for SF modeling, reference information about various SF subjects and information about real world spacecraft that never flew but which would make cool subjects for scratch building. This list is not complete - can such a web site list ever be complete? - but it should be a good starting place for your explorations. Enjoy.
Science Fiction Modeling Links
John Lester's Starship Modeler web site is one of my favorite haunts on the web. It contains news about science fiction modeling, reference information and pictures for various science fiction subjects and pictures of numerous models covering a diverse range of science fictional subjects. Most Highly recommended. Click here to learn more about their 2001: The Future That Should Have Been contest.
Another great science fiction modeling site is the CultTVman web site. Like Starship Modeler this site contains lots of news, information about modeling and pictures showing examples of some fine modeling work. Also highly recommended.
A wondrous reference site for space models is Ninfinger Productions - Scale Models:
Spacecraft, Rockets, Missiles, and X-Planes!
. Here you can find information about just about every space model that's ever been produced. They don't cover science fiction per se since their emphasis is on models of real, experimental and never produced spacecraft along with experimental aircraft. High recommended. My only complaint is that this site does not get updated very often.
Captain Cardboard's Atomic City produces some exquisite models of subjects from 2001:A Space Odyssey, such as the Space Pod and the Aries-1B and will soon be releasing a model of the Moon Bus. They are even doing reproductions of the studio models used for 2001 and these are being used in museum displays as well as being available for purchase. Seriously cool.
Lunar Models is one of the largest makers of science fiction and space models. Their kits include subjects from various Irwin Allen TV shows, classic science fiction movies - such as 2001:A Space Odyssey, Destination Moon and First Spaceship on Venus, to name a few - actual space subjects like the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle, Dinosaurs and other things to numerous to mention.
Skyhook Models is a small, but very good, maker of resin kits of science fiction subjects. Their kits are all moderately priced - at least as far as these kinds of things go - but more importantly, their kits are well made and don't require a lot of extra work to turn into really nice display items.
RealSpace Models specializes in models of, like their name implies, real spacecraft. They have models of all of the world's manned spacecraft and launch vehicles, including some hard to find items like the Soviet N-1 Moon Rocket, and parts to improve the accuracy of kits made by other manufacturers.
Extra-Vehicular Activity Models specializes in models of space suits and related subjects. They have models of various real space suits and also have a series of kits coming out soon based on the space suits used in 2001:A Space Odyssey.
Anderson Models is a small garage kit maker who specializes in models of launch vehicles and who will soon be releasing models of the HOTOL, a UK SSTO vehicle that was never produced, and Soviet spaceplanes that were designed, and in some cases tested, but never put into production.
Rho Models produces some very fine models of Russian and American launch vehicles and spacecraft.
New Ware is a company in the Czech Republic that produces resin models of real spacecraft and launch vehicles as well as decal sets and photoetch accessory sets for improving the accuracy of models of the Mir space station. They have just released a model of the Lockheed Starclipper that is totally wonderful.
CollectAire Models is mainly a manufacturer of aircraft models, but they also have kits of experimental aircraft, spacecraft - such as the X-20 Dynasoar spaceplane - and a few science fiction subjects - such as the Space Pod and Orion Shuttle from 2001:A Space Odyssey.
Special purpose decals are available to dress up your models. Tango Papa Decals makes decals - with a name like that you were expecting maybe plumbing supplies? - for a variety of real rockets and spacecraft. Tangents Decals have been taken over by Griffon Games. They have decals for a variety of SF subjects, including ones for various spaceships from 2001: A Space Odyssey. These can be ordered through their on-line store.
For more information about stores that carry Science Fiction models, check out our Bookstores, Hobby Shops and More page.
If you're looking for ideas for a subject for the 2001: The Future That Should Have Been contest then you might want to check out these two web sites. Mark Wade's Encyclopedia Astronautica is an amazing compendium of information about various American and Russian space programs - including many that never advanced beyond the stage of design studies - and is profusely illustrated. David Portree's Romance to Reality: Moon and Mars Plans web site contains information about more than 280 different 'Mission to Mars' design studies done over the last 50 years. Both of these sites are way cool and highly recommended, both for reference data for modeling and as seriously wonderful archives of information about the real and 'might have been' space program.
If you're looking for more information about the history of the space program and the way it might have developed, here's three more web sites. The Deep Cold site has CGI images and movies of various spacecraft that were under development during the Space Race but which were never fielded. The Aerospace Projects Review is a journal that presents information about various historical projects and design concepts. Finally, the Man Conquers Space web site presents CGI images and movies produced by a group of people who are creating a documentary about the space program from a world where the programs described by von Braun and others actually happened. All of these sites are way cool and very interesting.
And finally, here's a link to a web page showing you the Polar Light's C57D plastic coffee table...er... model.
Science Fiction Paper Models
A number of people enjoy making paper models of various subjects. These can be wonderfully detailed and often are for vehicles that most model companies won't even consider turning into kits. In many cases, these paper kits are free. Hour 25 listener David Okamura has recently sent me an extensive list of links for paper models of SF subjects which I have included below. {Thanks David!} Check them out, you might find something you'd like to build.
The late Ulrich Prahn designed four models (uncolored) based on the Star
Trek series. They can be downloaded from this site.
While not technically a spaceship, The Tardis Database has a tab-and-slot
model of Doctor Who's police call box. {Just scroll down and click on the "Tardis" entry and scroll down some more, you'll find it.}
Takahiro Kojima's Paper Model World has Thunderbird 1 and Thunderbird 3 on "Page No. 1" of this web page. (No
instructions, but any Gerry Anderson fan could probably build them without
too much trouble.)
Speaking about Gerry Anderson, Pierre Fontaine's Paper Forge has a beautiful
model of the Fireball XL5. This model is also available at the Space City web site - which is filled with information about the TV shows created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson.
A Star Wars T-16 Skyhopper model is available here. (German only).
Erwin de Jong's Cut & Paste Sci-Fi has a model of the Martian Tripod from The War of The Worlds, R2-D2, and the saucer from the movie The Day the
Earth Stood Still.
Ralph Currell of Currell Graphics has the downloadable paper models of the rocket from the German silent film Frau im Mond, the Soviet N-1 moon rocket, the V-1 and V-2 on this page.
This web page has loads of information about the film Dark Star and even has a downloadable paper model of the spaceship from that movie. {Just scroll down to the bottom of that page and you'll find the appropriate link.}
Paper models of various launch vehicles can be freely downloaded from the Space Launch Report web site.
You can download many paper models of real spacecraft, including; 2001 Mars Odyssey, Galileo, Cassini, Mars Pathfinder, Pioneer 10, and even the ISS - to name just a few. You can find many more links to SF and space paper models on the links page of Iceberg Paper Models.
More information about building paper models can be found at the Card Modeling FAQ .
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Unless otherwise noted the entire content of this web site is Copyright © Warren W. James, 2000-2001.
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