n AD 2371, the United Planets Cruiser C-57D is sent on an interstellar mission to rescue the crew of the spaceship Bellerophon, missing for 20 years on the planet Altair 4. When it arrives, it is not greeted with an eager welcome, but as an annoyance. Determined to complete his mission, Cmdr. John Adams sets down and investigates the suspicious circumstances which have left only two people, Dr. Morbius and his daughter, Altaira, alive after a mysterious disaster that has wiped out the rest of the Bellerophon colonists.
The C-57D Starcruiser, the epitomal flying saucer, is an unusual design for an Earth ship. Traditionally, science-fiction films have depicted only alien craft as saucer-like, with the exception of the TV show Lost in Space, which came a decade later, and was clearly influenced by this serious science-fiction film. The special effects were impeccable, and to think—it was all done in 1956.
Introducing the C-57D Starcruiser, a model kit by Polar Lights. This massive model kit comes in a box that is almost 23 inches across, 15 inches tall and five inches thick, so it's obvious the model is going to take up serious shelf space when completed.
Made of 105 pieces, this kit includes a highly detailed interior, featuring two decks, complete with control panels with individually molded buttons and screens, detailed railings, contoured chairs, bulkhead doors, superstructures, a clear plastic navigational gyroscope, bunk beds and even a navigational table with a square-arm ruler.
The saucer section of the hull is made of six separate top sections and six separate bottom sections that go together pizza-like, with a clear plastic dome at the top and bottom. Six landing gear ramps swing down to the ground, including one with stairs and railing. A post supports the central section when landed.
Assembly required—and worth it!
The first thing the hobbyist may notice is the clear domes at the top and bottom. This allows for two options. The domes can be painted silver, as in the original ship, but not glued, so the interior can be viewed, or it can be left clear, for easier viewing but less accuracy.
One problem with this model is its sheer unwieldiness. The 12 separate saucer sections must be carefully coordinated and glued, seemingly all at the same time, in interlocking pieces, to get it to work properly, and the seams, once glued, are fairly obvious, so some extra work of filling and sanding should be done to smooth the contours. Another slight inaccuracy is that the ship from the film and the picture on the box has a smooth, frisbee-like edge, while the model's edge is a 90-degree extrusion, which is not a terrible thing.
Paint suggestions provided are adequate, but studying the ship from the film will get superior results, both inside and out. Both gray and silver should be used on the outside hull to get the nice metal finish on the edge, while having a more military gray or brushed metal on the inner part of the saucer.
The Starcruiser makes an excellent display model, and has incredible diorama potential. Since it is modeled in 1:72 scale, it should be easy, at a local hobby shop, to find and add crew members.
And most important of all, it includes a 1.5" clear plastic model of that icon of science fiction, Robbie the Robot, that can be painted mostly black, leaving his signature dome clear, as it should be.
The C-57D is a Level 3 model, recommended for ages 12 and up, and for good reason. Its many parts, with many interlocking saucer sections, can prove quite a challenge for even a skilled Level 3 hobbyist.
