Pegasus Hobbies 1/144 Rocketship XM Kit First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | October 2018 | Manufacturer | Pegasus Hobbies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Rocketship XM | Scale | 1/144 |
| Kit Number | 9112 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | First kit of this classic spacecraft | Cons | See text |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | $29.95 |
First Look
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Some of you might be old enough to remember a classic science fiction movie called Rocketship X-M which was released in 1950. The R-X-M (Rocketship Expedition Moon) was supposed to be the first human flight from Earth with an ambitious goal of landing a five-person team on the moon. After a near-collision with their first stage booster and other technical glitches, the R-X-M winds up flying to Mars to discover clues about the fate of the civilization that had occupied that planet. Over the years, this movie had been all-but-forgotten, but you can see it on a variety of platforms (for free) like this one.
Pegasus Hobbies has been turning out a variety of kits from classic science fiction movies like When Worlds Collide, War of the Worlds (old and new versions), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and more. With recent releases including the Luna (Destination Moon) and Cosmostrator (First Spaceship on Venus), it is no surprise to see this classic design also released as an injection-molded kit. Molded in gray plastic, this kit is presented on two parts trees plus one small clear tree for the main cabin windows. With a total parts count of six, this kit will take more time on the paint rack than assembly.
It isn't surprising that this kit isn't very detailed given that the movie rocket was seen only at a distance or, in some cases, was substituted for footage of US V-2 flight tests. The bottom part which has the rocket nozzles and the central crew entry/egress hatch looks more like the end of a salt shaker, with only holes in the part. For those that might wish to light the model, this will be a welcome solution, but for others, you might wish to add the missing nozzle bells and airlock hatch to the bottom.
If you're looking for a fast and fun project, these classic movie rocketships are just what you're looking for! I purchased mine from CultTVman Hobby Shop.