EMvTW Special 15: Earth Spacedock

NOTE:  You can click on most pictures to get a larger view of them.

The 15th Special Edition model from Eaglemoss is one that I have been anxiously awaiting ever since they released Deep Space 9 (you can read that review at THIS LINK) way back for Special Edition #1.  After seeing what was possible with the larger scale models, us collectors couldn't wait to see the iconic Earth Spacedock as a model.  And then we waited, and then we waited some more.  Just when we were ready to give up hope of ever seeing another station, Eaglemoss came out with their Special Edition model of Deep Space Station K-7 (and you can read that review at THIS LINK).  We then knew that our dreams would soon come to fruition.  And they did... five issues later.

Up until Eaglemoss released their model, my collection of this station only consisted of the tiny MicroMachine model.

Per Memory Alpha and Beta, "Earth Spacedock or Starbase 1 was a Federation space station facility in Earth orbit, built sometime prior to the year 2285. The station was built with a vast interior, in which numerous starships could be berthed for service and repairs, and was part of the Sol system's Starbase 1 complex of facilities."

According to the canon source, Memory alpha, there were at least five of these types of Starbases.

If you would like to read more official stuff on this type of ship, feel free to check out the following links:

Spacedock Class Information: Memory Alpha LINK and NO Memory Beta LINK
Spacedock (Earth) Information: Memory Alpha LINK and Memory Beta LINK

Let us take a super quick look at the MicroMachine model.

 

 

In all honesty, Galoob did a pretty decent job with such a small model.  The real problem with it though was that it was practically impossible to get it to stay up in its stand.  Notice how I had to tape it down?

Now we move on to the Eaglemoss model.

 

 

 

In case you haven't noticed, there really isn't a lot of angles to take pictures of for this thing.

Since I pre-ordered the Eaglemoss model right from the US WebStore, I didn't receive my magazine in time for this review.  I always find this practice to be an annoying thing for Eaglemoss to do as it hinders my ability to compare official pictures with the model.  So, please forgive me if I make an incorrect statement as I now have to rely on the Internet for my source materials.

While there are some things I would have done differently, I still think this turned out to be an awesome model with loads of details.  I think that I may take this one to work and display it on my desk.

Most of the model is covered with aztecing which helps keep the model from looking like a giant white mushroom.

I particularly loved the sculpt and mold work on this model.  The model sports several greeble sections both on the very top and the very bottom of the model.  Sadly, these greebles bear no extra paint work and depending on your camera's flash can be rather difficult to photograph due to the fact that they are plain white.  Regardless of the paintwork, these little antenna arrays are a much welcomed addition to the model that makes it really stand out.  Just be VERY careful as they are thin and VERY fragile.

One painting issue that I have taken issue with though is the treatment of these "office" windows.  I am pretty sure that the placement is wrong for the paint and we should be looking in from the side, not down into the facility.

This can be pretty clearly seen in the following canon picture.

Photo Credit: Memory Alpha

I hate to say it, but the window paint is also misaligned with it's current location, making it look like the windows are melting away.

While the upper large doors are all numbered, I think Eaglemoss could have added slightly more details to actually make these look like doors rather than large numbered squares.

Granted, the following photo shows them getting ready to open, however, even while shut, you could tell where they separated to slide open.

Photo Credit: Memory Alpha

Eaglemoss treated us to some clear blue plastics on the underside of the "mushroom".  This is a great addition to the model, however, the large size also means that certain things can be seen through the plastics.  for instance, you can clearly see where the clear plastics attach to the model.

While from this angle, the join and seam can be seen.

Moving on down the station to the "middle" section, we can see that Eaglemoss got the window painting figured out down here.  that is really good considering this is the living quarters section.

Underneath that section, we find some more bay doors which look far better than the upper ones.  

The large ring underneath this area has been painted in... sort of...  It looks like someone was starting to fill in the little squares, and then gave up halfway through the process.  I'm not sure what Eaglemoss was going for here, but it looks messy.

A join and seam can be seen here as well, however, when the model is in its stand, it isn't noticeable at all.

We then move down to the lowest section of the station and find some very badly aligned window paint... again.

And this is where I feel the need to rant a bit.  I know I come down hard about misaligned windows in some of my reviews, but I am also able to recognize the fact that most Eaglemoss models are only $23 collectibles and for that very reasonable price, I can be also forgiving of that sort of mistake.  But on a more expensive SPECIAL Edition model?  Really?  what does the special stand for then?  More expensive but the same lax quality?  NO.  That is ridiculous.  If we have to shell out more money for these models, then Eaglemoss can also afford to give us a little better quality too.  That is one of the reasons I don't collect the XL models.  From what I have heard, there is paint issues on those as well, and they are even more expensive than the Special Edition line of models.

We then move down to the final part of the station and find more of those cool, spindly, yet fragile greebles, that are... yup... you guessed it... not painted.

And that is all the pictures and comparisons I have to share on this model at this time.  

I researched prices for this article on January 30th, 2019 through eBay and the US Eaglemoss WebStore.  Currently, I could not find the Eaglemoss model available in the U.S. on eBay while the MicroMachine model was available for around $10 (shipping included).  You could also pre-order the Eaglemoss model right from the company WebStore for around $45 (shipping unknown).  It has been my experience that when you pre-order, you typically get the model withing a week or two, sans, without a magazine which is always on backorder.

So, what are my thoughts on the Eaglemoss model?  Is it worth the money that you are going to pay for it?  You are probably thinking that after I just got done bad-mouthing the paint work in a bunch of places, that my answer would be no.  While the model does frustrate me in certain areas, it also amazes me in other ways.  I would dare say that the good outweighs the bad too.  Sure, when we get up close and personal, we are going to see all of the pimples and blemishes, but when you take a step back and admire it on your shelf, you can become rather forgiving rather fast.  So, ultimately, I would say that I do like this model, and I feel that it is a decent price too.

And as someone who has been collecting the Eaglemoss models for some time now, I do have to say that the model looks particularly cool when displayed next to certain shuttles from two of the Shuttlecraft Collections.

As always, I hope you found this article useful and informative.  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.

So for now, "Live long and prosper!!!"



Additional Links To Photos Of My Collection:

Eaglemoss     MicroMachine
Comparative Shots

Other Reviewers Take On The Eaglemoss Model:
Some Kind Of Star Trek
Star Trek Starship Collection [NO REVIEW YET]

NOTE: Whoever was running the Star Trek Starship Collection Review blog at THIS LINK, seams to have dropped off the grid after their review of Warship Voyager.  While commenter's have asked the writer if he/she was OK, there has been no reply.