MBI Publishing Company
Scale Spacecraft Modelling
by  Mat Irvine
Reviewed By  Bart Cusumano, IPMS# 31882

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MSRP: $29.95
ISBN: 1-86126-774-6
208 pages - soft cover, 7-1/2” x 9-3/4”, perfect-bound format; 368 color photographs.
Available through: www.zenithpress.com .

Scale Spacecraft Modelling (yes, two L’s - the author is British), is an interesting look at the subject of science fiction and science fact space models. The book is geared towards the space modeler, but the techniques described within are of use to all modelers. It also provides an interesting historical perspective on the space modeling genre.

The book starts with an interesting introduction by the author, Mat Irvine, which gives us a look into who he is and what he does. For the most part, the book’s ten chapters are not only a look at the history of space modeling, but an intensive how-to on many of the techniques required to pull these models off effectively. We look at the basics (like decal application in chapter 4) and the advanced (like scratch building a Mars landing craft in chapter 10). I especially enjoyed the construction of the Atomic City Mercury Capsule. It had a number of nice tips on achieving certain effects like the color of the Mercury capsule’s heat shield and instrument panel. This not only provided historical reference, but also laid out a useful modeling technique - even for an old goat like me.

Special appreciation has to go to the references at the end of the book. There is an excellent primer on how to use the Internet as a reference tool (page 194). Following that is a list of the many companies that produce space-related modeling subjects (dubbed ‘mainstream’ and ‘specialists’ by the author) with not only a description of the company and what they produce, but valuable contact information as well. To top it off, Irvine provides us with a nice list of printed and electronic (CD) reference materials.

The book is loaded with nice, clear color photographs of the subject being modeled, and its real-life inspiration, where applicable. There is also a nice amount of clearly written text which describes in detail all of Mat Irvine’s construction techniques. To make finding what you need easier, the table of contents at the beginning of the book is supplemented by a very useful index at the back.

As I mentioned earlier, there is alot of information in this book in conjunction with a generous number of modeling projects. Each subject is used to address certain aspects of model building from complete builds to vacuum forming technique. Here is a list of each of the space model subjects in the book with the aspect of the build it addresses:
  1. Atomic City Mercury Capsule (full build)
  2. Trumpeter Shenzou Chinese Spacecraft (painting tips)
  3. Glencoe Strombecker TWA Moonliner (building tips)
  4. Glencoe Lunar Lander (conversion)
  5. Revell Apollo Lunar Module and CSM (scale corrections & vacuum forming)
  6. FineMolds Jedi Starfighter (decal application and weathering)
  7. Tamiya Space Shuttle Orbiter (1:100 scale) (decal application)
  8. RealSpace Models Soviet N-1 Moonship (full build: resin and PE)
  9. Unicraft White Knight and Spaceship One (resin build)
  10. Accurate Models Saturn V F-1 Engine (multimedia build)
  11. Estes Mercury-Atlas (flying model) (adhesive foils)
  12. Stargazer Models Orion Space Liner (from 2001) (painting tips)
  13. Comet Miniatures Liberator Spaceship from Blake’s 7 (full build)
  14. Testors Roswell UFO Crash Scene (diorama groundwork tips)
  15. Reheat Models Alan Shepard, Jr. ‘lunar golf’ figure (120mm) (full build)
  16. EVA Models Lunar Roving Vehicle (multimedia full build)
  17. RealSpace Models Apollo Command Model Splashdown (diorama water)
In conclusion, I have to say that I really liked this book and give it a ‘thumbs up’. Despite the fact that I have been building models since the day Alan Shepard took off in a Mercury capsule on the top of a Redstone booster, I still found a good number of tips described in the text to be quite useful to me. I’m still struggling with the prices of books of late - this one lists at $29.95 - but based on content, this book seems to be a good value for the buck.

Many thanks to John Wurm of MBI Publishing Company for providing the sample and to IPMS/USA for allowing me the pleasure of doing this review.

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