Moebius 1/4105 Battlestar Galactica

When the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” lit up television screens in 2003, it brought with it a bunch of cool new spaceships. Many had a throwback feel as the designs of ships from the original 1978 show were updated. One of the coolest was the title ship, Galactica, an aging battlestar about to be retired as a museum when the show opens. Borrowing from the classic design, the new Galactica bristles with guns and has outrigger landing pods and a wedge-shaped nose. However, the reimagined ship has exposed structural frames and curves that give it an organic feel.

Moebius nails those shapes and that feel with the Galactica, the second BSG kit the company has released.

The most obvious thing about the parts is their weight. The model has a heft befitting a capital ship. This thick plastic was probably necessary for the deep surface detail. But there were no sink marks.

Molded in bone-colored plastic, the parts feature a lot of deeply engraved detail including Galactica’s characteristic ribs and panel lines. The areas between the four engines have an appropriate amount of greeblies, all sharply molded. All of the large gun turrets are separate. The landing bays can only be posed extended, although I’m sure it would be possible to tuck them away using a well-wielded razor saw.

There are clear parts for the engines, which should make lighting the ship a snap. A welcome departure from previous Moebius releases is a sturdy stand including Galactica’s badge and a metal rod.

A small decal sheet includes ship titles and flight decks for the landing bays.

Construction is relatively trouble-free. Thick locating tabs provide almost snap-together assembly. I needed to fill and sand a few gaps, especially where the rear nose section joined the main section, and on the inner faces of the landing bays. It took a couple of applications of Squadron green putty and a lot of sanding to blend the landing bay recesses into the hull.

I painted the inside of the clear engine parts silver before masking the exterior areas and attaching them. I also left the landing bays separate for painting. In fact, the bays fit tightly enough that I just pushed them into place after painting.

To break up the surface, I randomly applied little pieces of Tamiya tape between four shades of gray. The decals went on OK, but they are very glossy and thick; even Micro Sol didn’t make them conform.

I loved building Moebius’ Galactica, and the 13" long model is an eye-catching replica. It would be fairly easy to wire and light, and there are already detail sets to spice up the bays. I recommend it for any fan of the show.

Now all I need is a Raptor. And the Pegasus, and a heavy raider ...