The perfect gift these holidays for fans of the space race who enjoy building and painting plastic models! All new 1/72 Mercury-Atlas Plastic Model Kit! Mankind has always dreamed of space travel, to explore the moon and visit the distant planets. From 1962 this dream began to turn into reality, as the first Americans orbited the Earth using the Mercury- Atlas. Flying solo, they would pilot the Mercury capsule, which sat on top of the mighty Convair Atlas rocket, and experience extreme acceleration during the rapid ascent into space. Travelling at over 27,500 kilometres per hour, they would orbit the earth every 90 minutes. Upon re-entry, the ablative shield on the outside of their capsule would save them from temperatures of over 1,000 degrees Celsius. Once in Earth's atmosphere, a large parachute would slow them and their capsule to a safe speed, allowing a splash down in the ocean. The successful Mercury program paved the way for more ambitious manned spaceflight programs, which eventually saw man walk on the moon. * Detailed Mercury capsule with shingles and bolts * Finely engraved recessed panel lines * Parts and decals included to build any Mercury-Atlas mission * Alternate parts for early porthole and boilerplate capsules * Display stand and detailed instructions included * Photo-etch parts for Mercury capsule * Length: approximately 350mm (13.8") to 412mm (16.2") (without stand) Diameter: 42mm (1.7") Width: 67mm (2.6") Parts: 54 Made in Australia. Decals printed in USA by Microscale Industries. LOCKHEED MARTIN, ATLAS, associated emblems and logos, and body designs of vehicles are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Lockheed Martin Corporation in the USA and/or other jurisdictions, used under license by Horizon Models Pty Ltd. Produced under license. Boeing, McDonnell, Mercury, their distinctive logos, product markings and trade dress are trademarks of The Boeing Company.