Metal Earth Apollo Lunar Module 3D Metal Model Kit Fascinations

These models are a lot of fun! This actually was my first metal earth, and turned out amazing. Very fun to build, but this is probably not their easiest model and can be challenging to your patience. Especially if you don't have all the necessary tools that makes this process a bit easier. I wouldn't recommend this for kids! Teenagers yes, but not kids! Additional notes: - Beautiful model, very detailed. - It is a small model and some pieces are very fragile. - Be prepared because you may cut yourself! Pieces are very sharp and some are tiny. - If you don't have their tools, that's fine, but you may need to find the right ones around your house, small pliers, tweezers, etc to shape and mold the pieces. - Use a lamp or do it in a very bright setting, your eyes will need it. I'm on my quest to decide what's going to be my next model :).

This has been one of my favorite metal earth models to build, and I think it has taken me the longest of all the ones I have purchased. It is definitely not for beginners, but offers a good challenge. I would say that it took me probably 4-5 hours to complete. My only gripe is that the directions (as usual) lack some direction. You will find yourself looking at the package as well as the 3D model view on the website to get a better idea of how some of the pieces fit together. I'm glad that I read the other reviews prior to purchasing on Amazon and putting this together, as my one piece of advice matches theirs: SAVE THE THRUSTERS FOR LAST. If you don't, you'll probably find yourself smashing them to pieces or bending them and other pieces quite often. Otherwise, this model looks great on my desk with all the rest, and is probably the most impressive. Definitely would recommend to anyone!

I received mine (The LM) from Amazon today. It's *not* packaged like some of the other Metal Earth/Works kits I've seen in retail outlets like Barnes and Nobel bookstores which are packaged in nice small white boxes. This Lunar Module is in an odd scale, probably about 1/110 - 1/115 and stands about 2 1/2 inches tall when complete. It's a bit smaller in scale than any of the various Revell, Aoshima or Heller 1/96 - 1/100 LM plastic model kits. Completed, it will look exactly like the digital illustrations for the product. The Ascent and Descent stages are separate but designed to be permanently attached to each other. Obviously, there's some major details that aren't quite right (the windows are way too small, the thrusters too big, etc) and the fact it's a photoetch kit means some things like the tubes that comprise the landing gear are flat pieces that can't be rolled into proper tubes or cylinders but for the size and especially price, it's quite nice looking when completed. The really good news is that it looks to be exactly the same scale as the rudimentary toy-like LM included in the (supposedly 1/100) 4D Puzzle cutaway Saturn V. With a little work and some scratch-(re)building some of the tiny fiddly details, adding gold foil to the Descent Stage and painting (I'd leave the Ascent Stage unpainted steel because it looks cool except the black patterns and some white antenna to paint), it would likely make a vastly superior replacement LM for the 4D display for a bargain price (about 13 bucks). This kit's parts come on two small stainless steel metal sheets packaged in a slim paper package with two sheets of wordless instructions much like a small photoetch detail kit for trains or military model subjects. The kit requires above average skill with small, delicate photoetch/metal kits. Small needle nose pliers, a hard sharp hobby knife and some women's cuticle snips are the most important tools needed to cut the parts from the sheets and fold them. Assembly takes some patience and skill with tiny, delicate metal parts and it really helps if you are familiar with the subject beforehand. I would not recommend this kit for young kids and it is possible to cut your fingertips on small, sharp edges of some parts during assembly. All parts are held together by very tiny tabs and you really need to think through the assembly beforehand or you will get stuck trying to bend a few tabs in areas not even small tweezers will get to. The wordless instructions are good for identifying parts but you have to guess at times how certain parts form into a complex shape. The hardest part is rolling the little thrusters into cones - basically I used tiny medical forceps and tediously wrapped and formed each thruster around a steel pen tip. I didn't do any part modifications aside from using thin rod for the main landing gear legs in the "folded" position as the photoetch leg parts are flat pieces and way to short (although my scratch built legs are too long, lol!). My goal was to build it quickly, more as an experiment and an evening's fun than anything else. For my build up, I gold foiled the Descent Stage and painted the patterns on the Ascent Stage flat black with a brush as well as the two antenna dishes flat white. Because of the way the Descent Stage body goes together (top, left and right side of the body, two pieces for the bottom) I didn't even need glue to secure the foil to the parts, just bent the excess over backsides of the parts and putting the parts together holds the foil in place. I substituted thin brass rod for the main landing gear legs and bent the relevant parts to display the LM in it's pre-flight configuration to fit inside the 4D Fame Master Saturn V. It's a fun little diversion and I'll buy a few more as I think some parts might be usable to accurize similar scale plastic LM kits.

IF, you can get this model together, and IF somehow you got a kit with accurately cut pieces, you MIGHT be able to have a nice looking lander. That's only IF you can deal with terrible instructions that are in that CHEAP, STUPID, UNDETAILED pictograph format like IKEA has with their furniture. This kit in particular has way too many small, intricate parts that need to be very carefully bent and very carefully put together for that type of format. Furniture, sometimes okay, model kits, hell no. I had to stop on this thing 1/3 of the way through because one of the stamped parts thought it was time to crack and become useless, much like the "directions" contained in the kit. If you need practice on your anger management skills, I highly recommend this kit, otherwise, I'd find a nice Monogram or Revell Lunar Lander kit, which is what I plan to do next. What a waste of cash!!!!!

Lo compré para regalo de un aficionado a maquetas y puzzles! Le encantó. Es facil de montar pero tambien tiene su dificultad. Se entretuvo un buen rato y el resultado final es estupendo y bonito.Piezas metálicas flexibles de mucha vistosidad.El resultado estupendo!!

Il modellino è molto bello da esporre , ma il montaggio è abbastanza difficile richiede una certa abilità di manipolazione della lamina che va piegata e assemblata con l'aiuto di pinze apposite , ed in particolare ho trovato molta difficoltà nella piegatura delle parabole e delle antenne. comunque il risultato è soddisfacente anche se il modellino è abbastanza piccolo

C'est clairement magnifique une fois monté, encore faut-il y arriver : - Les tétines d’assemblages font 0,5mm x 1mm tout au plus ; - En défaisant les plaques, on peut mettre des plies involontaires et inesthétiques : - Si on se trompe de côtés de pliage, ça à tendance à casser en pliant dans l'autre sens ; - Marquer correctement les plies est parfois un vrai casse-tête... - Conter une bonne dizaine d'heure, pour quelqu'un d'expérimenté (après, tout dépend du niveau de précision toléré par chacun...) Sans être expert, j'ai déjà construits des maquettes de moto, construits des décors et peint des figurines pour Warharmmer... et je trouve ça super dure (il faut savoir manier la pince à épiler avec beaucoup de précision...). Mais le résultat final est super ! A acheter en connaissance...

Really nice model once it's done but probably not something you give as a gift to someone without the time to complete it. Sprue cutters with good quality, fine tweezers are a must and some skill in making models as the parts are delicate with the metal being only 0.2mm thick. The metal is good quality however but be aware there are parts that need bending that are only 7mm x 5mm! The final model is about 60mm high (including the antennae) and 60mm wide (from foot to foot). Instructions are okay but you need to read ahead to make sure you are bending the right way as some of the metal parts on the sheets are part-textured on one side for details (such as the hatch door). Because the metal is so thin you really don't want to bend it more than once or it will eventually snap. Parts fit fairly well but may need a bit of persuasion (keeping in mind you could easily crush the whole model in your hand). Definitely something you want to show off and If you have the patience and finesse, go for it.

Very small and intricate. Extremely hard to work on. Returned it and was very satisfied with ease of return