Building the Orion III Space Clipper from

2001: A Space Odyssey

in 1/72 resin by Larson Designs Catalog/Lunar Models

This is an article in progress. A good build takes time and patience, so please bear with the interval it will take for completion. Thank you!

If you're like me, you've probably been kicking yourself for not getting the Orion III Space Clipper from Lunar Models back in the late 1990s - early 2000s. Well, the long wait is over thanks to Larson Designs Catalog's new kit in 1/72!

This kit is available from Larson Designs Catalog on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/LarsonDesignsCatalog

Price for the Orion III Space Clipper currently is US $200 + shipping outside USA-free shipping inside USA. 

Here you'll find other amazing kits in science fiction from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek, Space 1999, Land of the Giants, a jaundra other science fiction subjects, and the old Lunar Models kits! You'll find this site well worth the visit!

The resin is good quality with fine attention to detail including a passenger compartment complete with floor, seating and just about the best clear windows ever!

Parts as unpacked. Photo by Zane R Nobbs

The kit is 31 pieces including the front fuselage, rear fuselage, wing, floor, 2x clear resin window rows, 24x seats, 2x engine exhausts, rear antenna, and decals for Pan Am. For this model it was decided to also include passengers, landing gear, and interior lighting.

For the landing gear, there have been some who built the old Lunar Models kit with the landing gear from the North American XB-70 Valkyrie bogies such as those by Scale Aircraft Conversions that work nicely, especially with the tires and wheels by Armory. Others felt that the landing gear from the Rockwell B-1 Lancer might be best with bogies also from Scale Aircraft Conversions with wheels by Armory or Barracuda Studios. In this case, after seeing the triple bogies in 2001: The Lost Science Volume I on page 16, for accuracy, it was decided to have this format 3D printed from the Boeing 777 in 1/72, but this came out too large. Finally, the Boeing 777 landing gear in 1/144 became the solution. The landing gear is  metal, by Scale Aircraft Conversions, with wheels by Res/Kit.  Any of these selections will require positioning correctly with the doors on the underside of the wing piece and front fuselage. Some plastic card or resin will also be needed to create landing gear doors. Don't worry about it being a tail dragger since the center of gravity is well to the rear of the wing. More details on landing gear selections are discussed below.

Parts after cleanup. Photograph by Zane R Nobbs

After the parts are nicely sanded, filed, filled and cleaned, we list them.

Parts listed (please see below):

 Parts number for the build and tracking progress. Photograph by Zane R Nobbs

As with our IRMA kits, this build is approached first with a parts list to help in the order of construction. Although these are in a photo, they are listed here also. While this may look tedius, it's a great way to track parts and progress.

Parts List:

1. Main Wing

2. Fore Fuselage

3. Aft Fuselage

4. Cabin Floor

5. Seat 1 Row 1

6. Seat 2 Row 1

7. Seat 1 Row 2

8. Seat 2 Row 2

9. Seat 1 Row 3

10. Seat 2 Row 3

11. Seat 1 Row 4

12 Seat 2 Row 4

13 Seat 1 Row 5

14. Seat 2 Row 5

15. Seat 3 Row 1

16. Seat 4 Row 1

17. Seat 3 Row 2

18. Seat 4 Row 2

19. Seat 3 Row 3

20. Seat 4 Row 3

21. Seat 3 Row 4

22. Seat 4 Row 4

23. Seat 3 Row 5

24. Seat 4 Row 5

25. Auxiliary Seat 1

26 Auxiliary Seat 2

27. Port Engine Exhaust

28. Starboard Engine Exhaust

29. Tail Prongs

30. Port Windows

31. Starboard Windows

Illustration from 2001: The Lost Science, by Adam K Johnson. Note six-wheel bogies for main landing gear.

For landing gear, there are three options, or more, but the main two and my own choice are presented here. These are complete sets with landing gear legs, tires and wheels. Most are resin and metal. 

Photo by Zane R Nobbs

Here we have all the choices, so let's sort them out, as in the following photograph. For this 1/72 scale Orion III Space Clipper the Boeing 777 landing gear in 1/144 scale comes closest to the illustration in the book 2001: The Lost Technology. However, there is no canon on this aspect, so some have chosen that of the Rockwell B-1 Lancer or the North American XB-70 Valkyrie, either of which come out well and look very realistic.  

Photograph and graphics by Zane R Nobbs

An approach that wasn't successful was 3D printed landing gear from the Boeing 777 in 1/72, but this came out way too large and looked very ungainly for this kit. Thus, the 1/144 scale landing gear was selected as it looks more accurate and complies with the scale of the illustration.

Color graphic by Zane R Nobbs

Prior to construction, you can drill out the holes for the landing gear, based on the set you select. For this build, two slots were made for the main landing gear lets, and a series of a slot with two holes were created for the nose gear. 

Photograph by Zane R Nobbs

Also, for the nose gear, it will be necessary to lengthen it from the 1/144 scale Boeing 777-300. For this, just cut the lower 1/2 of the nose leg, then take a piece of brass tubing about 3/4 inch long to balance things out for a nice three-point setting. 

Photograph by Zane R Nobbs

If you want to add passengers, Preiser makes several good sets that are up-to-date for the modern era in HO scale and these sit nicely in the seats. They were selected to fit in with the style of the century.



Photograph by Zane R Nobbs

Some references that will help in your build are listed below. In conjunction these books can be used to cross-reference dimensions, markings, paint schemes, capacities, and time-frames. There are also several online resources too! 

Stock photo, public domain.

A great source for dimensions and illustrations including color and black & white with the landing mode.

Stock photo, public domain.

A supplement with even more details on the various vehicles used in the movie and books!

Stock photo, public domain.

A great resource for the technical and illustrative sides for this kit and others in the film.

Stock photo, public domain.

This book has some great dimensions with illustrations to enhance the perspetive on this kit and others.

Photographs, illustrations and models by Zane R Nobbs or credited to their respective sources.

All text, photos and illustrations copyright © IRMA 2021