Forbidden Planet

C-57D Starcruiser

Name : C-57D

Brand : Polarlights

Materials : Injected plastic

Scale : 1/72

Year : 2001

Ref : 5098

             Inspired by " The William shakespeare's storm ", Forbidden Planet was realized by Fred Wilcox, on a history of Irving Block and Allen Alder and written by Cyril Hume. This inescapable Science fiction cult film was produced by the MGM studios  (Metro Goldwyn Mayer) in 1956. Even with the special effects "exceeded" for our time, this film is with no doubts, one of the best SCI-FI classic that every collectors should acquire.

 The History :

                Earth time 2257. Left to search a scientific expedition led by the vessel " Bellerophon ", lost 20 years previously, the cruiser of United Planets "C-57D", of the commander Adams, is sent on Altaïr 4 for a possible rescue. Placed on orbit, the ship receives a message from the professor Morbius, survivor of the expedition. He implores the crew to not land  because on the ground, a terrible danger threatens!! The commander decides to pass besides in warnings and lands.

                On this planet live three persons: the doctor Morbius, his charming daughter Altaira and Robby a very nice robot. Ataïr 4 contains the mysteries of the"Krells", ancient disappeared civilization. For proof, a gigantic machine working alone since centuries. Morbius will be in the obligation to reveal to Adams his discoveries, made for twenty years ago on "Krells" because at night on Altaïr, an invisible entity attacks the C-57D.

                The professor declares that "Krells" was very advanced and that they had walked on the earth since centuries ago taking with them different animals species. "Krells" lived in gigantic cities and could build very high towers of steel, glass, porcelain, their machines were self-powered, auto-maintained and while they envisaged a not mechanized life, the creation by the thought, they disappeared suddenly !! "Krells" would have had the power to disperse on their planet, wathever forms of materials resulting from " Ide ", their subconscious.

        Adam will realize, horrified, that Morbius reached a massive knowledge that he would be capable himself to engender his worst nightmares and to send his " Ide " to attack Adams and crew.

The model :

        This C-57D Polar Lights's model is big sized because it is over 72 cms of diameter !! The scale on box  indicates to us 1/72 but in reality It would be 1/48. The plan is very unpredictable and we have difficulties to see where parts exactly go. A Robby transparent plastic figurine is supplied that it is indeed in 1/48 scale.

       The assembly begins by the bridge command where everything appears like as the decorations movie. I have simply remake three" walls" for protecting the crew during the deceleration ship. These three "walls" were cut in transparent plastic card. Having some movie pictures from the inside  vessel, I realized that these "walls" were in fact very fine fences and thus we can see through it. The transparent plastic card was completely what I needed to simulate them. I also remakes stairs allowing to reach the bridge, they are three. These stairs were casted in polyurethan resin in a silicone mould. In fact, in the film we see very sharply three stairs access. Polar lights supplied in the kit only single ramp and if we want like me a better realism, this option seems to me compulsory. Railings were also redone in brass micro-tubes. Before painting, a severe sandpapering and filling work are strongly recommended. Well, the deck of the bridge is stuffed of imprints due to the ejection parts moulding, it is necessary to also coat and sand these imperfections.  The kit offers to us, possibility to view the inside with a transparent dome. It would be a shame to spoil this inside. For my side, I chose to paint this dome of the same color as the saucer to keep the realistic aspect of the film and also not glued on the saucer. We can see the inside by simple retreat of this dome.

        All the parts of the bridge are painted one by one before the assembly, following the scenery colours of the movie. I included a small electric lights system into the bridge which, once the model closed in its totality, lets appear three haloes of light through opening stairs.  

       The assembly of the saucer is made in several parts. Two discs are separated in six trapezoids fragments which we have to stick with the biggest attention because they tend to deform very fast. In spite of my dexterity, it turned out that these discs strongly need reinforcements. To do it, I used polyurethan foam in both internal faces of discs then, I covered this one of polyester resin. The saucer curbs were strengthened inside with plexiglass sections glued with époxy resin. The saucer must be hold in place by a central foot just like an enormous hydraulic jack. I have, after the painting of this foot, placed some adhesive aluminium foil on this striking part. This work effect is very realistic. This foot must be glued in a half transparent dome. I wanted that my model looks like line by line at the one of studio movie. I divided the inside of this dome in eight equal parts with plastic card strips of two millimeters in width. The final work looks like a half-peeled orange. Then I painted the outside in dark red. As the inside of this half-dome is enlightened too. The effect is most convincing.

        The tint of the entire saucer is glossy blue metallic . The curbs of the saucer, on three centimeters in width, are painted  in " polished steel " that we are going to polish with a sweet rag by using some graphite dust, increasing the bright.

        The pedestal is made from a ply-wood plank of 1,20m x 0,60m and of 15mm of thickness. The relief is sculptured with  polystyrene foam covered with wood glue  The effect of rock faces is made with miscellaneous sawdust. After complete drying, a good painting with the airbrush followed by differents dry brushings will be enough to contribute to the diorama realism.