In 2003, Polar Lights re-tooled and re-released the classic 1966 Aurora kit in a larger 1/8” scale. This 2011 re-release includes 31 parts molded in blue and clear styrene. Parts had no flash and includes a new face sculpt, giving you the option of 2 different faces within the kit. This release also includes a newer comic book cardboard back highlighting a scene from the included comic book instruction manual where through the flames of war behind Captain America, visions of Bunker Hill and Iwo Jima can be seen among other American icons.

The overall construction is very simple, the comic book instruction manual has color instructions presented in the classic Aurora style. The Manual suggests that different sub-assemblies be constructed and painted separately, but I felt this method was too complicated for such a simple kit.

Parts fit together quite well utilizing the included male and female pin system; however the pin system left some unsightly gaps that needed extra filling and sanding. If I were to build this kit again, I would opt to remove the pin system and fit the parts together manually more like a vinyl kit just to have more control as a modeler, just my personal preference.

The color scheme for Captain America is a no-brainer Red, White, and Blue! After a second priming of the entire assembled model with Armory White Primer, (the blue styrene required more than one priming to cover) I used Vallejo Night Blue highlighted with Vallejo Magic Blue, Vallejo Red Gore highlighted with Bloody Red, and the exposed face and ears painted with Citadel Dwarf Flesh and Vallejo Flesh Wash.

I wanted to avoid a realistic-looking figure on a comic-book base, so I painted Captain America to look like the box says “A Comic Book Scene”. Looking in detail at the box art, I tried to reproduce the comic book’s inking to tie the figure and base into the cardboard backdrop. The base was painted with cheap craft acrylic brown and gray, highlights were simply the base colors with a little white mixed in.

Conclusions

I would highly recommend this kit to modelers of all ages and skill levels, especially if you are a fan of the comic book subject matter. I give many thanks to Round 2 Models/Polar Lights and IPMS/USA for this review kit.