On July 20, 1969, Astronaut Neil Armstrong boldly made “one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind” when he stepped on the surface of the moon.

This Revell kit is a reissue of a kit from 1970 (the box has both the 1970 copyright and the 1995 reissue). The kit is fairly basic, and doesn’t have a lot of detail, as can be expected of 1970’s vintage kits. The kit shows Armstrong making his historic footstep, holding onto the ladder of the Lunar Module.

The parts are molded in white styrene, and a clear faceplate is provided for the astronaut’s helmet. Details include the leg of the Lunar Module, with the attached ladder, the astronaut figure with a detailed space suit and the Portable Life Support System (PLSS), and a moon base with a plaque bearing Armstrong’s famous quote. A very basic decal sheet is provided, which includes two American flags, a NASA logo, and a warning label from the rear of the PLSS.

The kit isn’t very detailed, and the builder can make a lot of additions to really make it shine. One of the biggest omissions is that the Lunar Module leg is bare metal rather than being covered with the gold-colored Mylar covering. This can be obtained from gold-foil candy wrappers, or from an aftermarket supplier such as Bare Metal. Also, even though the box states that the faceplate is gold-colored, it is in fact clear styrene. It must be tinted by the builder to replicate the faceplate as actually used on the Apollo missions.

The completed kit stands about 10 inches tall (according to the box), and the base measures 8.5 inches long and about 6 inches wide.

Review by: Rich “Lonewolf” Dula

Entry created: December 26, 2011