Stardust from "Satellite in the Sky" (1956)

Scale: 1:288
Initial Release: 2024
Medium: Resin
Kit Rarity: 2

About the Design

Released a full half-decade before the first manned space flight, 1956's "Satellite in the Sky" revolves around the launch of the "Stardust," the world's first crewed spacecraft. Ostensibly on a scientific mission, the all-British crew has actually been tasked with testing a new American super-weapon -- the terrifying "tritonium bomb" -- in space, a mission that (naturally) goes horribly wrong.

The Stardust (not to be confused with the "Space Angel" Starduster) was a beautiful V-2 inspired rocketship distinguished by its elegant needle nose, foldable wings (used only for atmospheric flight), tail-mounted rocket engines, and the fact it released its first stage after launch. (The designers of the Stardust made the same mistake those behind the Rocketship X-M had six years earlier, making the initial booster stage smaller than the rest of the vehicle, whereas in real life it's just the opposite.)

Stardust was launched by a horizontal rail system similar to that used in Germany's "Weltraumschiff 1" (1937), America's "When World's Collide" (1951) and Britain's "Fireball XL5" (1963).

About the Kit

The Stardust was released by Fantastic Plastic Models in mid-2024 as #13 in its 1:288 scale "Classic Rocketship Series." The all 3-D printed kit was produced exclusively for Fantastic Plastic by Central Replication and Casting.

The kit allowed by modeler to build either the full "launch" version complete with launch sled, or an "in-flight" version with the wings retracted and missing first stage.

This model was built from an original issue.