Jupiter-2


 Made from the "Polar Lights" kit, this model of the Jupiter-2 was built  with lights to enhance it's generally boring appearance. Hey, it's a dinner plate with a salad bowl inverted and stuck on top. What can I say?

I used a commercially available electronic "chaser light " system for the "reactor core" on the bottom, and added two grain-of-wheat bulbs to light up the interior cabin area, both powered by on-board batteries. Other than that, the model is primarily built box stock. I used a panelling technique for the outer hull surface to keep it a bit more interesting than the extremely boring and fake looking solid silver the ship is normally given.

The model still retains the visible seams at the roof's edge and hull outer rim, as a result of retaining the kit's "take apart" features.


 
 


 


 


 


 


 
 
 
The model shown below is the J2 kit modified for another customer to resemble the Gemini XII seen in the first original pilot of the Lost In Space program. Modifications included changes to the illuminated interior along with lowering of the main viewport sill, filling the landing gear and porthole depressions and the additions of tiny fins to the lit up reactor core unit. The model was painted in light gray instead of silver as was the original studio miniature. Although the original studio model looked totally devoid of any surface detail just like the later Jupiter 2 incarnation, the model looks far too spartan and phoney that way. So, for added realism and depth I added a subtle "paneling" type of weathering technique. This keeps the model from looking too boring.

 


 
 
 

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