Bandai 1/74 Science Special Search Party Exclusive Vehicle

Ultraman (ウルトラマン Urutoraman) is a Japanese tokusatsu  television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman is a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q, though not technically a sequel or spin-off. The show was produced by Tsuburaya Productions, and was broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) from July 17, 1966 to April 9, 1967, with a total of 39 episodes (40, counting the pre-premiere special that aired on July 10, 1966).

Although Ultraman is the first series to feature an Ultra-Crusader, it is actually the second show in the Ultra Series. Ultra Q was the first. In fact, Ultraman opens with the Ultra Q logo exploding into the Ultraman logo. Ultraman, and its titular hero, became a major pop culture phenomenon in Japan, spawning dozens of sequels, spin-offs, imitators, parodies and remakes.

Allow me to preface this by saying I know nothing about the series other than what I've occasionally glimpsed on Saturday morning TV from time to time. This kit was purchased from a Japanese hobby site as I was browsing for something interesting. As soon as I saw this, I knew I had to order it. It should be no secret that this vehicle is actually a Chevy Corvair, and a four door version at that. It looks to be the 1964 model year, but I know so little about the cars, other than having driven them in my youth, that it could be any of the early versions.

There are three sprues, two in grey plastic and one in black. No clear parts are included nor is there an interior, which I guess is fine for this scale. There are also no chrome parts.

The overall design of the kit is a bit unusual. you have a right and left half that has the side of the car molded in place. The roof, hood, trunk as well as the fore and aft body sections all attach to this. The light pieces are separate and will fit into the front and rear pieces after things have been painted. Wheels are in two pieces with separate tires, allowing those bits to be pre painted before attaching.

Instructions are written on the inside of the box top in both Japanese and English. No color information is provided, but fans of the series probably know what shades to use. Since this car operated in Japan, it has side mirrors out on the fenders. I don't know if this was or is a law, but it is something you see all the time in country. The attachment holes are large. A standard water slide decal sheet is provided that has black decals for the windows and one of two different Ultraman markings for the side. it even includes the whitewalls for the tires, and red dots for the tail lights.

I bought this because it was a kit of a 4 door Corsair, something I'd not seen before. Yeah, it is pretty small, but not pricey and probably will be a quick build. I have not seen this particular kit in the US, but I have seen a lot of the others so perhaps it is also available here.

As a note, I measured the length of the body and it came to 62mm. The length of the real car is 4570mm making the kit in between 1/73 and 1/74 scale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraman

January 2017 

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