Review

In 1953, producer George Pal reimagined H.G. Wells' science fiction classic "The War of the Worlds," and this time the Martians terrorize Cold War America. The tripod war machines of the book were now copper-colored, manta ray-shaped craft that hover on legs of electrical energy. Pegasus Hobbies' foray into science fiction features a 1:48-scale kit of that war machine.

Molded in translucent ivory plastic as well as clear, clear green, and clear red, the 18 kit parts capture the lines of the original ship well. The kit includes an Earth-shaped stand and colored clear parts for the nose, wing tips and eye.

The thick plastic looks a little odd - almost like appliance plastic - but it is very smooth, perfect for applying a metallic finish.

Pegasus doesn't advertise the war machine as a snap kit, but the engineering, combined with a tight fit throughout, means the kit can be put together without glue, although I used putty and cement. The lower hull fits into the upper half so the gap is hidden. I applied three layers of Tamiya putty to make it disappear. The other major gap is on the side of the eyestalk. The end of the stalk has a long tail, which is shown much shorter in the instructions. I had to trim some off of the end to get it to fit in the stalk.

After priming, I airbrushed the body and eyestalk with Hawkeye's SnJ Spray Metal bronze, then misted on Hawkeye's copper, streaking it front to back. I thought the nose and wingtips were too green, so I sprayed them with Tamiya clear yellow.

The hardest part of the finish was airbrushing the planetscape on the base. The eyepiece has a clear red insert for the clear lens, and the entire assembly slips neatly into the eyestalk. A screw is included to attach the stalk but the fit was snug without it. The nose and wingtips also slip in, but the mating surfaces don't match perfectly. I filled the gaps with Testors clear part cement.

The only way to improve the model would be lighting it, and the ship's body leaves plenty of room for the necessary electrical connections. Fans of science fiction and classic cinema already familiar with the film will find this kit an easy way to relive the movie.

For those unfamiliar with the film, the kit is an easy build that quickly produces a good-looking replica. Displaying it with a selection of appropriately colored metallic paints would be advantageous. The war machine was a fun, quick project and it looks every bit the menacing movie threat. Experience with metallic finishes will result in a great replica, but the model is a hoot and a welcome addition for fans of classic science fiction.