For those who care, many of the Aurora models of our childhood have been re-released by Polar Lights and Moebius models.

There are also some wonderful books by Thomas Greene laying out those companies histories and productions: "Aurora Model Kits" and "Remembering Revell Model Kits".

My son and I are in the process of doing several of the re-released model kits (which I snapped up at firesale prices from Toys-R-Us a few years ago). It is astonishing how the same problems I had as a child doing them forty years ago remain....

Also, Moebius Models is a marvel. Their kits fit together perfectly, and have the best instructions I have ever seen for any product -- period.

Robert

I've bought a few of the Polar re-issues... built them with the kids. The Young Model Builder's Club was the only childhood activity that my father and I did together, and most of the few positive memories I have of him center around us building those kits, whether the Apollo landing (which my god, I would love to have a reissue of that one) or Viking Longboat, the Blue Knight, or Flying Sub.

A friend from childhood and I were talking the other day about being a kid 'then' as opposed to now, and we noted how much time we as kids... even the non-artistically inclined... spent MAKING things. Kit models, carving balsa wood projects, parrafin casting, wood burning, 'craft kits' (making shelved, bookends, etc) Every boy I knew did things like that... whereas I can't think of *any* that do it now out of all of my daughters' friends, spanning 3rd-6th grade.

I'd love to see kids more involved with 'making' stuff again...

You are in great luck. The Apollo Landing is again available, as part of Revell's Rocket Hero series, with Buzz Aldrin's pic on the cover.

Enjoy!

I ranted about the decline of do-it-yourself culture in another thread here.

I utterly agree with you. We are producing the morons C.M. Kornbluth warned us about....

Robert