Before NASA could send men to the moon, dozens of questions had to be answered. Was it possible for people to be in space long enough? Could space suits really protect astronauts in space? How would vehicle docking work? All these questions and more were answered by NASA scientists and courageous Project Gemini Astronauts tested the fixes to see if they actually worked. Without the efforts of Gemini, the Apollo missions never could have gone forward.
- Skill Level 2
- Kit Number 85-1836
- Scale: 1/24
- Length: 10″
- Width: 5″
- Height: 9-1/8″
- Parts: 93
- MSRP: $19.95 USD
Well, I didn’t exactly end up in NASA, but I certainly was fascinated by the Gemini, Saturn and Apollo Programs as a kid. Any book I could get ahold of was never enough. This re-release of the 1/24 Gemini Space Capsule from Revell is very exciting to me. The Gemini Space Capsule model kit from Revell is part of their SSP, Selected Subjects Programs and it bears that seal on the box. This means that once the stock of this subject is gone, it will be very long before we see it produced again unlike model cars, aircraft and other popular subjects from Revell’s catalog which make it back to the hobby shop shelves every few years.
This kit is as old as the Gemini Programs themselves. To my surprise, the molds are holding up very well after all these years. Stamped on the base is the year 1965 and as you can see on the provided pictures below, there is absolutely no flash or heavy mold lines to deal with.
This is not only good for us regular model builders, but it is also good for the occasional builders including the young ones. All the sprues come in a single bag except for the instructions and decals sheet. The instructions are an A3 sized booklet form with 12 pages featuring parts by number breakdown and in just 7 assembly steps you will get your Gemini model completed. Step number 8 is all about decal placement which by the way, you have 32 decals to deal with on this model.
In case you didn’t know, there are a couple of pre-assembled 1/24 Gemini Capsule desktop models selling for over $350.00. So for us mortals, this is a very welcome option at its MSRP of $19.99 USD. If you suffer from chronic AMS (After Market Syndrome), you can take this model kit to the next level by adding a resin set from RealSpace Models. This will set you back another $35 but still, you’re way far from those $350+.
