Reviews : Pegasus WoW Martian War Machine

Finally! This has been a long time coming, but it's finally here, and it's everything I hoped for! This is a very simple kit, a bit over a dozen parts, but it is very well done. The parts fit well, and for the slap together modeler, they fit very tightly without cement-almost like a snap kit. All the parts that are supposed to be clear are superb, even the rarely seen lights on the bottom from where the anti-gravity legs come. The neck even rotates, but does not flex. All clear parts are molded in the correct green, and the eye is actually 2 clear parts-an inner lens in red, and the domed outer lens in clear, making it look very realistic. This kit can also be fully illuminated without too much trouble-I used clear LEDs for all the green parts and a 3mm red led for the eye. I modified the stand to provide battery power to the model using a 1/4 headphone jack in the model and matching plug on the stand. It makes for a sturdy stand that the model can be rotated on, as well as supplying the power. I don't recommend getting the plated version-plating usually looks too shiny and fake on a model, and you can't fill and sand seams. Tamiya flat copper paint over a black (To block stray light) primer coat makes it look positively beautiful.

I'm a huge WotW fan and always thought the Martian War Machine was one of the best sci-fi designs to come out of 1950s sci-fi. There have been other kit versions of this craft in the past, but none really captured the shape and menace of the film version... until now. If you are a diehard WotW fan, this kit is for you. If you are a general model-building enthusiast but not necessarily keen on this specific source material, you might find this kit too simplistic. Personally, I just slathered metallic copper paint on the hull of my kit, then glued the whole thing together. The entire assembly took about an hour, even allowing for the paint to dry. One more thing... this may sound lame, but while I admire this kit, my favorite part to paint was the display base. I really went to town painting North America, the Atlantic Ocean, clouds, the Arctic... the works. Great fun.

I gave this kit a high rating for such a simple model to build. It's no challenge for the accomplished model maker and absolutely perfect for a younger child or novice builder. The only disadvantage is the difficulty lining up the pins and receptacles on the top and bottom halves of the main hull. The model is an accurate representation of the Martian War Machine from the famous 1950s, George Pal movie, War of the Worlds. Th3e base is nicely molded with the North and South American continents. The base provides an opportunity to those with better painting skills (than mine. for sure) to add a lot of detail to the kit.

What more can be said about this excellent model that the previous reviewer didn't already say so well? An easy build with pieces that fit so well it hardly needs cement. Colored see-thru parts that almost make it hard not to put some kind of lighting kit inside. I wish they designed kits this well back when I was a kid. Pegasus really has their act together. Please Pegasus, make a George Pal Time Machine kit this well!!

I've been a WOTW fan since the 60's. This model doesn't have many parts and goes together fast. I added 7 green LEDs and one slow flashing red, for the heat ray. It has plenty of room for the lights and it's easy to hide the wires running to the battery pack in the base. My only problem is trying to hide the credit card bill from my wife when I buy two more.

This is an excellent replica of the menacing war machine featured in the 1953 film, War of the Worlds. With a little patience and know-how, the kit can be effectively lit through the transparent parts. Although a bit more difficult, a flashing red LED will fit in the cobra head heat ray. Terrific model when completed.