Apollo 11 Saturn V Rocket

It IS (as advertised) a Level 4 model!I'm 65 and having so much fun building this! I've been building models (Revell in particular), off and on, for most of those years and this one feels and fits like a vintage (70's) Revell model.It is NOT a snap-together project. It is challenging and will require some degree of model building skills, and pacience.But the reward is a high quality product and project that brings us back to our younger years...I'll post an update with the finished model - it's gonna be good!

Very fun and easy to build... painting is a nightmare. With plenty of patience and taping the corrugation on the rocket you may be able to get it painted looking pretty crisp. I had to touch up, but it came out very well. I've been building models since the early 70s. I have built square-rigged ships with full rig block and tackle with extreme detail. But this for some odd reason it had me scared to paint. It's taping over the corrugation and getting the lines straight. I have to say the decals are very good quality! Definitely use micro set for your decals! They really look like they have been painted on the rocket, you do not see where the decal is raised on the model it is actually melted into it. Our space program back then was extremely interesting and this model just brings the Memories Back... if you are truly a proud American and really like the space program this is a great kit! Is impressive as a display! Everyone that comes over to my house always has something positive to say about this Saturn V kit.

I ordered the Saturn V model to complete with my son over the holiday break. The model was challenging, but impressive in its detail. What impressed and pleased me most was Revell's customer service. As we worked on the model we misplaced one piece and damaged another. I called a number for Revell North America, spoke to a person, and was instructed to complete a form to order replacement parts. I found the form, completed it, and received a notice that the parts would be shipped within six weeks. Much to my surprise, within days, we received a box from Germany with the replacement parts at no cost to us. I was surprised and impressed how easy Revell made the process. The experience definitely won me over. I already ordered the Revell lunar lander model to tackle with my son next.

Definitely this model is NOT for kids. It took me three sessions of about four hours each to complete assembly. Since I intended it for static display, the mobile parts and the guts of the rocket were not included in the job. The detail level is amazing. This is a great model.As for the assembly process; I tried using Loctite but it was not a good idea because it sets too fast and the grey plastic parts sometimes did not join well with it. I tried using contact cement, but controlling spillage around the joined edges is extremely difficult. Finally I ended up using E6000 glue. This is thick enough to hold the tiny parts together while it sets and, since it is clear, you can clean the excess glue inmediately after joining the pieces.For the paint job, I used white spray paint for the whole model and then tried to hand paint the black stripes. Bad idea. Even with masking tape it is impossible to paint straight edges. In desperation I ended up using black 3M electrical tape and trimming the rough edges with a sharp knife. It does look great.Excellent display for mi engineering office!

I built the original, larger Apollo 11 Saturn V model back in the 1970s. It was well-engineered and extremely detailed. I'd hoped for a similar experience with this model - I was sorely disappointed. The quality of the plastic is poor (brittle, lots of flashing), the parts require an extreme amount of fitting (warped out of shape), and many shortcuts were taken in the model design that detract from its realism. It might be a challenge for a master modeler, but for anyone interested in an enjoyable modeling experience, I do not recommend it.

I started my career at Rocketdyne in the 70s. My first mentor was on the F-1 team. Building this model was a trip down memory lane. My first comment is – this model is not easy build - dah. With the time, desire and steady hands, I found it well worth my labor. The only really challenging part for me was getting the black paint to look good. The detail molded into the model renders masking tape less helpful than on most models I have built. I used Micro Mask along with tape and it came out acceptable. As an old Rocketdyner, I have one small beef (no rating deduction). This model is historically accurate in most detail; EXPECT the J-2 second stage engines are a joke. Give me a break. In my humble opinion, the development of the J-2 liquid-hydrogen/restart-able/very high impulse engines were more important to Apollo than the F-1s. My two cents. That said, I loved building this model.

This is a nice kit. It appears the die molds are the original ones from 1968, judging by the date stamped into them. That adds quite significant value to me, being a model kit that was made when the Apollo missions actually took place.It's fun and very easy, something that you could enjoy with a son or daughter interested in engineering, space exploration, or just science in general. The pieces fit together properly, no issues. The LEM looks cool, which was something I was hoping for. Very happy with it.Buy some basic color paints (black, green, brown, red, blue, gold), some medium to tiny brushes, some good Tamiya glue and get your Saturn V built \m/

This is an OK model, it has quite a few design flaws, and is almost impossible for even an experienced modeler to paint. It will need a few alterations. The mounting tabs on the base were broke off in the box, but I devised a better way of doing it. I believe this is the exact same model they sold back in the '60s, and some of the parts look like they were made with worn out molds. With enough work and skill it can be made to look nice, but I definitely don't recommend it to inexperienced modelers.