First Look: Viper Mk II from Moebius Models by Steve Iverson

The all new Viper Mk II from Moebius Models should be arriving in hobby shops in early March.    We’ve got a first look at the final product!    The box comes jam packed with parts as you can see below.   This 1:32 scale kit has over 50 parts.   The back of the box shows a hanger bay, making for a nice backdrop for the model.

The six page full color instruction sheet is very detailed.   It is designed to be a Colonial Fleet briefing document.   You’ll need to follow the directions carefully, as the kit is designed to be assembled in a particular order.   The first thing you need to decide is whether you will build the model with landing gear deployed or not.   If I have any criticisms of the model, it would be that the photos on the instruction sheet are too small.

The Landing Gear and Cockpit parts are the first things you need to assemble.   Each leg is made up of four separate parts and the cockpit has eight parts.

The main fuselage parts  are shown below.   The detail in the recesses is sharp, and the panel lines are crisp.   These parts will be assembled around the cockpit and landing gear.

I did a quick and dirty assembly of the fuselage and the parts almost hold themselves together.   The parts fit together very well with no gaps.   The seam work on the top and bottom will be minimal.   You may have to do a little bit of seam work around the engine parts, but most of the seams are placed where panels naturally join or where they will be hidden by the wings.   The engineering of the kit is impressive and well thought out.

Here’s a look at the wings.   It’s amazing how well the kit captures the shapes and contours of the viper.

The stand that comes with the kit is actually the same stand that comes with the Aurora Voyager, previously reissued by Moebius.    The clear canopy is well molded with a minimal amount of distortion.

The pilot is cast in resin, and has much nicer detail than you would have with a plastic part.

The decal sheet includes stripes, numbers, cockpit markings, and other little details that are often left out by model companies.    This attention to detail sets Moebius Models apart from many other model kit producers.

I’ve got a few other photos to show you the fine detail on the model.

I’m very satisfied with this kit.   It is well engineered, accurate, detailed and assembles well.   Now I can’t wait to see the Galactica itself later this year.

Thanks to Moebius Models for providing the sample.   This kit will be available in hobby shops and specialty stores around the country.  And of course, you can order in the CultTVman Hobbyshop.