Comet Miniatures 'Dalek' Plastic Model Kit

A picture I downloaded from Google showing the multitude of color schemes that have been used for this character.

I picked up this OOP kit from Comet Miniatures on eBay sometime ago. The 1/8 scale kit is of the typical plastic kind you'd find in the 1990's. The printed instructions, though a mix of photographs and drawings, are well explained and provide an in depth description of the evolution of the Daleks throughout the Dr. Who series which would be very interesting for a fan of the series.

The kit comes molded in silver gray and blue parts some little painting is required. Generally, the kit went together well except for the grill detail that is mounted in the center section below the turret. The grill is a flexible plastic very much like the plastic banding you'd find around card board boxes for reinforcement. The problem is that next to nothing will stick to it including paint. I had so much trouble with this, I decided NOT to install the grill work and just finish the model without it.

I decided to forgo the color scheme that the kit offered since it seemed a little bland to me so I went on Google and called up some images of the Daleks. The many color versions on line are as varied as those in a flower catalog and everything in between. AS one can see. I went with a red and black color scheme wit gold highlight.

I also decided to light this kit which proved to be a relatively simple affair once I figured out what I wanted to do. I had to discard the eye stalk part because I wanted to install a blue eye effect. I ended up telescoping several short lengths of brass tubing which ultimately matched the original eye stalk with a hollow core that I could insert a blue LED and its wiring.

I recast the two light parts on the dome with two part clear epoxy in which I inserted yellow LEDS before the epoxy cured. I then installed a battery pack in the base along with a SPST switch to power the whole thing.

The base is a small 6” x 6” wooden plaque that I purchased at the crafts store. I cut a piece of styrene to match the surface and scribed lines to suggest metal panels. I glued the styrene to the plaque with regular plastic model glue after I washed the wood surface with acetone to partially dissolve the glue so it would soak into the wood and make a more secure bond.

I spray painted the surface with aluminum from a rattle can and, once it dried, I dusted it with an antique bronze to give the surface an other worldly look.

I'm not totally happy with this build up and I'd do it a little differently if I should try it again. 2/2/2020