I built the original, larger Apollo 11 Saturn V model back in the 1970s. It was well-engineered and extremely detailed. I'd hoped for a similar experience with this model - I was sorely disappointed. The quality of the plastic is poor (brittle, lots of flashing), the parts require an extreme amount of fitting (warped out of shape), and many shortcuts were taken in the model design that detract from its realism. It might be a challenge for a master modeler, but for anyone interested in an enjoyable modeling experience, I do not recommend it.

High quality. Take your time and be rewarded with a nice model. I grew up in the 60s on Long Island and half my neighborhood worked on the LEM at Grumman.

High quality. Take your time and be rewarded with a nice model. I grew up in the 60s on Long Island and half my neighborhood worked on the LEM at Grumman.

Good detail and quality. Just what I expected.

I started my career at Rocketdyne in the 70s. My first mentor was on the F-1 team. Building this model was a trip down memory lane. My first comment is "“ this model is not easy build - dah. With the time, desire and steady hands, I found it well worth my labor. The only really challenging part for me was getting the black paint to look good. The detail molded into the model renders masking tape less helpful than on most models I have built. I used Micro Mask along with tape and it came out acceptable. As an old Rocketdyner, I have one small beef (no rating deduction). This model is historically accurate in most detail; EXPECT the J-2 second stage engines are a joke. Give me a break. In my humble opinion, the development of the J-2 liquid-hydrogen/restart-able/very high impulse engines were more important to Apollo than the F-1s. My two cents. That said, I loved building this model.