Pimp My Batmobile!

So here’s a look at the current mock-up of the 1/25 snap-kit box art. This is the highly anticipated Alex Ross art, though from what we hear, they’re using elements styled in different formats for the new products. So, maybe we’ll get a more elaborate setting or treatment in the 1:25 glue kit or the slot cars etc. Obviously not the final packaging, since they’re still showing the aurora reissue car body as a placeholder in the background, but  – we’re starting to get excited here.

We’ve been wondering about the new Round 2 Batboat model and how different or similar it is from Polar Lights‘ first 1/25 Batboat release from 2003. (which was in turn based on but scaled up and otherwise modified from the 1967 1/32 Aurora Batboat) Well, Tim from TPM Customs picked up the model last week and sent us a report that it is identical in every way to the 2003 release with the exception of an expanded decal sheet.

Now that may not seem like a big deal, but the original 2003 Batboat kit only included a scaled up version of the Aurura decals, which while being fun and nostalgic – were actually very inaccurate. For some reason the oval bat signal emblem that goes on the fin was too small, cartoony and much darker than it should have been, making it hard to see on the model. Additionally, the hull flames were incorrect and Aurora never included anything to help the builder get the white parts of the hull or fins detailed.

Round 2 has changed that with this model. The decal set includes most of the original 1967/2003 art but adds corrected fin bats, white fin scallops, and much nicer flames, with or without the white hull sections. Plus, a few extras like a brand new oval base nameplate option that is pretty cool. R2 has again added pinstriping, like they did with their 1/32 Batmobile release which seems impractical as a wetslide option – but I applaud their efforts and for including the option.

I’ve always thought that one of the genius moves that R2 made was to scale up the original Batboat kit from 1/32 to 1/25 . This is particularly noteworthy this year, as they get their 1/25 Batmobile ready for production. If you’ve never built that 2003 PL Batboat kit you’ve got in your to-be-built model stack in the closet, or if you never picked it up the first time – this model is worth the $19 for these decal upgrades alone! Now, who’s got a good, retro 1/25 scale trailer?

(Thanks again to Tim from TPM for the decal scan)

If you were having trouble finding Polar Light’s original Batboat release from 2003 (they’re still pretty available on ebay etc) or you were just looking for another box version to put on your display shelf – here’s an option for you.

Re-Released without too much hoopla or fanfare for 2010 – the Polar Lights Batboat kit in 1/25 is out now. “Based” on the original Aurora Batboat kit from 1967  it differs in some significant ways. First, they scaled it up from the 60’s 1/32 to 1/25 so it’s a much bigger Batboat. Also, the interior cabin and dash details have been tweaked to reflect a better level of detail.

No news yet what differs about this 2010 release compared to the 2003 version. But for sure, the box is a different format. Instead of the long, retro box that came out in 2003, it looks to be more like the AMT squareish box. And tere are subtle changes to the printing and art as well.

Full review when we snag one!

It struck me as I read those older posts (from TWO years ago, yikes) that I didn’t adequately explain our plan for  creating the “floating” effect of the Batboat. Firstly, the Batboat itself was modified by Jim Apitz from a Polar Lights kit. Those of you that know your Aurora history will remmeber the original 1966 model was issued in 1/32 scale while they wisely (at the urging of Mike Stutelber if I recall) made the reissue 1/25 scale. This was probably the coolest thing that a  model company could do. It was like they said – Hey, we know we can’t issue a 1/25 Batmobile (yet) but in case we or someone else ever does, and for those thousands of you who’ve been building 1:25 bootlegged, garage Batmobiles for 15 years – here’s a Batboat in the correct matching scale.

I’ve modeled the 1/32 older one, both from the Aurora kit and from recasts. I had planned to build one of the PL reissues, but had never gotten around to it when Jim Apitz alerted me that he might be willing to sell one that he had built. Well, being the huge fan of Jim’s work that I am, I purchased it.

Clearly, I didn’t want to do what we did with the less valued Robin’s Seadoo – which was to embed it in the clear resin water effects.BUT – we did want to give the floating effect to the boat. So here’s what we came up with. we took an extra PL Batboat hull, wrapped it in plastic-wrap and vaseline and mounted it via a clear thin tube (that would hopefully disappear)  to the bottom of the lakebed.

The extra Batboat hull, wrapped in plastic and mounted to post

The plan was to then fill the lakebed with the clear water resin, and when it had cured, pop out the hull, leaving a perfect negative space to gently lay the finished Batboat in. Great plan.

Boat hull mounted to lakebed

Unfortunately, we forgot to glue on an exhaust. So after we poured all the resin, let it cure and popped out the hull and cleaned up the release material – we tested the ‘hero’ Batboat in the space only to find that it did not fit due to the exhaust!

This was solved, albeit a little clunkily, by Dremeling out a slot in the rear of the resin so the exhaust could fit. It wasn’t as snug a fit as we were hoping for, but the boat still looks pretty good in the water AND is easily removed from the lake.

More to come.

After resin was poured and cured. Carved out a notch for the exhaust.

Testing the Batboat in "the water"

Editor’s Note: The following post has been migrated over from our now defunct Batcave Blog and dates originally from October, 2008:

After we added the foam putty to fill in seams that the foam layers created, we hot-glued real river pebbles to the base of the grotto floor.  We then spread more foam putty down and shook out various sizes of model railroad  “ballast” pebbles to give it a cave lake feel. Again, we were going for NorthEastern US Limestone cave lake. I have actually been caving all through Pennsylvania and the cave streams I’ve crawled through are pretty green-covered and cold.

We then added some suede spray paint for a mossy look and added some putty and our own water effect techniques to create a wet area. Decals were added to the drainage pipes and set with micro-sol, then weathered.

As I mentioned before, this is not just the 1966 TV cave, so why not expand the aquatic transportation options? We thought Robin should get his own watercraft. I used to own and ride a big 3-person Seadoo so we thought that would be great to sneak into the cave. Alexander drew and colored many designs. We ended up with a color scheme similar to his 70’s motorcycle.

I wasn’t concerned about getting this model back out of the clear water resin later so we just mounted it on a clear rod to the lake bottom.

Then we clamped up the side openings with wood and plastic tape, and started filling with water. Well, clear resin. We tried several brands and types on some test surfaces. Some cured too slowly, some had an incredibly bad chemical odor as they degassed. Some were made for floral arrangements and cured as a soft, jello-like consistency. The Woodland Scenics product was the absolute worst. It was basically thinned down water-based polyurethane. Absolutely useless for anything but giving the whole bottom a wet look. We needed volume. After finding a great but expensive One-To-One ratio 2-part epoxy product at Michael’s, called  Easy cast, I went online to try to get it in bulk, cheaper. Success! I found gallons of it for a bit more than twice the cost of the tiny samples they sell at Michael’s. I highly recommend this clear casting epoxy for all water effects.

We still had to pour the lake in half-inch thick increments. As we did, we mounted small fish, crayfish and a few other items to give the area some action and depth. It is very hard to see in photos, but we’ll try to show some of the depth later. Here is our workspace as we added layers of lake, .25″ and 24 hours at a time.