Review of Product Enterprise UFO Models
Based on Gerry Anderson's UFO TV Series
Product Enterprise have produced a small range of diecast UFO toys. Overall, these models are of good quality, but some suffer from
having been spoiled at the painting stage. Product Enterprise have a very peculiar idea of what is meant by 'weathering'.
Gerry Anderson's team went to great pains to make their models look realistic, by subtly 'dirtying' them. Product Enterprise simply spray
blobs of grey or brown paint onto an otherwise nice-looking model. I presume they think this enhances the appearance.
I think they should leave weathering to the customer if this is the best they can manage.
Companies like Konami, Miracle House and Takara have produced some fine models of Gerry Anderson craft, which demonstrate how weathering should be done.
The Product Enterprise range of UFO models comprises: Interceptor and UFO, Skydiver and SHADO Mobiles.
The models are all sold in identically sized window boxes, and cost around £40 each.
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Product Enterprise Interceptor and UFO
This is a very nice set, and is very good value for money.
However, diecast collectors may be disappointed that the UFO and Interceptor are mostly made of plastic.
Personally, I don't consider this to be a problem since the set is reasonably priced,
given the high quality and attention to detail.
Fortunately, Product Enterprise did not ruin these models at the painting stage.
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Product Enterprise Interceptor
The Product Enterprise Interceptor is about 7 inches long.
There is a nicely painted pilot figure in the cockpit, and the missile is detachable.
There is a great deal of detail on this model. Although superficially similar to
the original Dinky Toys version, it is far more accurate. Panel lines have been subtly weathered,
and lots of tiny decals have been applied.
All in all a splendid model.
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Product Enterprise UFO
For some reason, Dinky Toys didn't make one of these back in the 70s - they should have.
The Product Enterprise UFO is 4 inches in diameter - a little smaller than the SHED white metal and plastic kit
which it closely resembles. It is very nicely detailed and supplied fully finished.
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Product Enterprise Skydiver
The Skydiver model is about 11 1/2 inches long, and is quite heavy.
This model is clearly based on the very nice resin and white metal kit manufactured by Warp.
It is a substantial model with lots of detail.
Sadly, Product Enterprise didn't do the model any favours by by randomly spraying grey paint over it,
partially obscuring the decals in the process.
This was the first sign we got that the company were starting to lose the plot,
and were becoming determined to spoil otherwise good models at the finishing stage.
This model really needs a display stand of some kind but Product Enterprise doesn't supply one.
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As you can see in this photo, Sky 1 is detachable, and there is a pilot figure in the cockpit.
The connecting bulkheads are well detailed.
Sky 1 is not as good as it could have been, since there are conspicuous bits of plastic on the upper wing surfaces,
which appear to be there to to hold the engines on.
With a little more thought and care, this could have been a much better model of Skydiver.
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Product Enterprise Mobiles
The Product Enterprise SHADO Mobile models are about 6 1/2 inches long.
There are three variants, pretty much identical except for different lettering, and various attachments on the roof.
Mobile One has a retractable, swivelling gun turret, a pivoting cannon and two wire aerials to plug in.
Mobile Two just has one wire aerial to plug in.
The Control Mobile has a plastic radar dish and a wire aerial to plug in.
Each mobile has a two man crew in the cab.
The models can be pushed along on their plastic wheels and tracks.
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These otherwise nice models have been totally ruined at the finishing stage. They have all been
systematically sprayed with assortment of brown spots and stripes, for no apparent reason,
thus almost totally obscuring all of the carefully applied stripes, lettering and signage.
Frankly, these models should never have gone on sale.
Either Product Enterprise employ idiots in their design team, or there was a serious breakdown in communications with
their manufacturers in China.
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If not for the final inept use of paint, on the Skydiver and Mobiles, this would have been a great range of UFO models.
Up until this point in Product Enterprise's coverage of Gerry Anderson Products, we were eagerly awaiting each new release.
Sadly, the UFO models seemed to mark the start of a downhill trend in quality,
culminating in the truly awful Product Enterprise version of the Captain Scarlet SPV.
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