Godzilla vs Rodan – Famous Monsters issue 114 – model kit

Famous Monsters issue #114 – model kit – kit bash

So, I had the idea to recreate the cover of my favorite movie monster magazine from my youth with model kits. Famous Monsters #114 came out in 1975 and was the definitive authority on Toho Kaiju films at the time. I wanted to create a 3-D rendition of the fantastic cover art by Ken Kelly.

I started with the Aurora Godzilla kit (Polar Lights re-issue) and did many modifications, most notably, re-sculpting the head and hands.

I took a good look at the Aurora Rodan kit and knew it wasn’t going to suit the diorama in regards to the wing positions. I instead used the Polar Light’s Pteranodon. I extended the wings downward and completely removed the head, sculpting my own Rodan head and neck based on the design of the cover art.

 

I molded and sculpted each building separately, closely matching the layout of the cover art. I also sculpted flames to recreate the fire.

I never painted a kit totally based on lighting (as how the cover art was created) so this was a challenge for me to ignore the actual color of the monsters and use the chromatic tawny yellow coloring of the artwork instead.

 

It took me about 5 months to build and paint this and although it’s not an exact match, I’m pleased with the final result.

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View more of my model kit builds:

Individual model kit builds on Parlor of Horror – Monster Model Kits

Model kit Gallery and links – Parlor of Horror’s Model Kits

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Godzilla posts:

Godzilla’s Most Formidable Enemies

Godzilla Thru the Years – the Many Looks of Godzilla

My Top 10 Godzilla Films (1-5)

The Classic – The Wolfman – Aurora Model Kit

The Classic – Wolfman

Aurora / Monogram Model Kit

This is the Monogram re-issue of the Classic Aurora Wolfman model-kit which I completed over the summer. I was probably 9 or 10 years old the last time I built this kit. It was originally released in 1962.

There were a lot of seams that needed to be filled and sanded on this piece. Quite a bit of thin plastic remnants around the fingers and toes had to be cut away and scraped off. That’s to be expected as the molds to these old kits begin to wear out through the years and become less perfectly fitted.

I painted a quick background on a piece of cardboard as an afterthought, then liked the way it came out. I built a small rocky base to hold the two silver background trees and the cardboard backdrop behind the kit to add atmosphere to the scene.

Rodan – Aurora Monsters of the Movies – model Kit

Rodan – Aurora Monsters of the Movies – model Kit

This is the Rodan, Monsters of the Movies, model kit originally made in the late 1970’s by Aurora. This build is the re-issue by Polar Lights.

I remember building this as a youngster and complaining about the massive seams that show when the kit is assembled. When rebuilding this last month, I assumed I could do a better job as an adult, but found the same problems inherent in the kit design itself. I putty filled and sanded all the seams before priming and painting.

 
 

I hand painted with acrylic paints using blends of Red, Yellow, Orange, Black and Brown. I did a gradual blend on the wings from dark to light to accentuate the depth in the wing curve.

 

I made a custom base from my box of parts. I never really cared for the MotM squared off bases and preferred the original style Aurora kit bases. I cut pieces from a different base I had to fit the buildings and made extra debris from stone clay.

 

Even though Rodan’s wings in the actual films are different than the kit, this is still one of my favorite models.