The original Eaglemoss DS9 was big enough, right?
For the time, absolutely. It was after all the first of the special editions and by default the first in a run of starbases, space stations and outposts that would bulk up that run of the Official Starships Collection.
This edition is the third DS9 I've added to the collection, the other two being the original Eaglemoss special from 2013 and the excellent oversized Attack Wing version. That's a beast and only gets unboxed for gaming because while it's quite large it's not constructed as robustly as the Eaglemoss versions.
If you're in it for size then the Attack Wing version is a clear winner however its rarity now might set you back a substantial amount (that and their Borg Cube). Fingers crossed this one doesn't go the same way for some time.
One of the criticisms levelled against the XLs is that in some cases fans weren't sure why they were made. The Kelvin USS Enterprise which was originally a special and therefore larger than the regular line is a prime example. DS9 almost falls into this category since it too appeared in the specials line right back in the early days.
Eaglemoss made the wise choice here, taking all that weight off the base and sitting the station in a cradle that grips the bottom of the central core and leaves the three lower pylons hanging free.
But we're not just here to talk about the plastic base because this is frikkin' DS9 people and we have loads to cover.
Look even more closely at the docking bays at the midpoint of each of the three curving arms and you'll spot that there's a ton more detail in the structure and plating at these points. Not much has changed in the markings up the pylons but around these three locations there is a significant improvement. Even the inside edges now have some form of panel definition which is a huge plus sign. Actually that's not totally accurate because there is a marked step up in the definition of the markings on the station even at this point in our look. One factor I can take in as well is that the pylons themselves are a much tighter fit on the XL and we're avoiding the gaps that could be spotted on the smaller version. In some cases, due to the weight, these could become a lot more prominent.
These marked sections as well have benefitted from being that bit bigger with the surface indents now more separated and distinct rather than clustered blobs. But they still can't align a window because every single one on the station - on the rings and on the central core are noticeably out. My recommendation would have been to ignore making the windows a raised feature that then needed to be white painted in. It's utterly failed and, as usual, detracts from the spectacle of the overall station.
The contrast in colour tones also strikes out when you look at the inner ring with its more segmented style. The alternating yellow/brown to brown/grey makes for a sharper result. It also means that there's a third shade (gasp) in grey to add more defined hull sections as we get closer to the core. The inner, smaller, docking arms also have a sharper finish and paint job that matches up with their larger outer compatriots.
I think the most significant point of size increase though comes in the layering of that all-important central core. The Promenade windows are that bit larger, the deck levels seem more evenly spread, especially the two above the station's civilian hub. Here on the XL, the lower of those two is nowhere near as compacted as before. Stepping up beyond that, the structure under Ops as well as the deflectors is another level. The original made this whole areas squashed and poorly rendered but the XL has 100% topped it and learned from the mistakes of its predecessor. This time there is even evidence of the comms array on top of Ops which was totally absent previously. Ok, they're minor "bumps" but it's a piece that wasn't included before.
This model is as though someone has more tightly focused the lens of a camera. Lines are more precise and defined. The structure itself is more ably constructed. There is still a small gap around the base of the Promenade but in the big scheme this is much smaller than before. If this ever becomes available again - and I hope it does - I cannot say how much you have to get hold of one. It was out of stock for a long time and luckily I managed to grab it on the second wave. Fingers crossed this will be the case again for anyone that didn't get hold of this excellent display piece.
Some of the Eaglemoss ships now sell for crazy amounts. I sold my (terrible) Cerritos for £200, but they now sell for over £500!
ReplyDeleteDS9 XL is around £150-200 and likely to rise in value. Its one of the best models, but shame the upper arms are yellow instead of red.
There's a host of models that had a limited run and are now worth a small fortune.
Hey there! Yep. Some of the prices are CRAZY. Saw a Cerritos go for £720 the other day which is mindblowing. Still reckon it's worth holding fire because someone will pick up the stock including all the ones that never got released and are sitting in a warehouse!!!
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