Cruiser C-57D from "Forbidden Planet" (1956)

Scale: N/A
Initial Release: 1990s
Medium: Resin
Kit Rarity: 3

About the Design

Set in the year 2257, MGM's classic "Forbidden Planet" was the first modern science fiction film. Classy, intelligent and blessed with then state-of-the-art special effects, the film had all the trappings of a quintessential "Star Trek" episode -- including a young, self-righteous captain with a soft spot for the ladies. (It has since been acknowledged that Gene Roddenberry borrowed heavily from this film when designing his "Wagon Train to the Stars." ) 

The film had as its centerpiece the C-57D, a "hyperspace" cruiser that was, for all intents and purposes, a classic flying saucer. But the C-57D represents the first time in American cinema that a "flying saucer" was flown by the good guys. Additional note:  The C-57D miniature went on to make several cameo appearances in eight episodes of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, including "Death Ship," "The Invaders," and "To Serve Man." The ship's triangulated landing legs that double as stairs was a concept borrowed 10 years later by Irwin Allen for his design for that other classic flying saucer, the Lost in Space Jupiter 2 (they shared the same designer).

About the Kit

Nine inches in diameter, built from heavy-duty resin and featuring "the world's smallest Robby the Robot," Skyhook's C-57D reached the American market more than 40 years after Forbidden Planet's initial release.  Well-crafted and set on a desert-like base, the kit is a decently sized alternative for those intimidated by Lunar Model's problematic vacuform kit or Polar Light's massive injection-molded model.