Robby - 1/8 scale - SP Maquettes

“Mrs.'s car has been moved forward!”

Box for the Robby the Robot model kit from the movie *Forbidden Planet* by Polar Lights Robby the robot from the cult classic film "Forbidden Planet." Filmed in 1955 and released in early 1956, it was the first film to feature a soundtrack composed entirely of electronic music.

Created by Arnold Gillespie and another designer—and finalized by Robert Kinochita, who drew heavily on Japanese folklore—the entire project was produced at MGM Studios.

The robot’s various parts are molded from a material called Royalite—a lightweight, durable orange plastic that used to be used to make suitcases! - The arms, connected to Robby’s body by two large hollow ball joints, were made by gluing rubber bellows between eight wooden rings to make them extendable and flexible. Inside, there was a person operating the robot. The manipulator’s head was hidden behind a cluster of neon tubes, while Robby’s transparent head was created by thermoforming a sheet of plastic—a process that involves heating a sheet of plastic over a mold with holes in it.

The model is an old, fairly simple plastic kit that has been reissued by Polar Light in recent years...

Parts of the Robby the Robot model being assembled; the head and components are painted gray

All two-piece parts must be sanded, glued, and filled. Once sanded, the joint should be invisible...

Model parts of the Robby robot, painted metallic gray and placed on a white background

Next, we always apply a coat of primer or paint, which reveals any imperfections...

Model of Robby the Robot's legs and pelvis being assembled

Aside from the "shoes," footwork also consists of two parts and requires good coordination...

Work-in-progress model of Robby the Robot's articulated arm with a mechanical gripper

The side accessories have been remade from plastic. Some parts of the helmet have also been refined. The arms are in place. The seams are invisible...

Model of Robby the Robot painted in metallic gray, with his arm outstretched, seen in profile

The robot is assembled and glued, ready for painting...

Painted model of Robby the robot in glossy midnight blue, with his arm extended to the right

The painting process is relatively simple. One coat of Humbrol 15 glossy midnight blue mixed with a little black. Then a highlight of glossy blue 14 to brighten up the figure. The whole thing is done with an airbrush, of course...

Model of Robby the Robot painted in glossy midnight blue, side view

View from the back. The side seam on the torso is completely invisible...

Model of the Robby robot viewed from the front, with a shiny dark blue body and a transparent domed head

The visor was coated with Klir to enhance its shine and eliminate any scratches. Painting of details and accessories. The model is finished...

Figurine of a reclining woman in the process of being assembled, with putty applied prior to sanding

Altaïra, the film's heroine, is from the Flingstone brand, which produces a few resin figurines and 1/24-scale car bodies...

Wet sanding a resin figurine of a woman over a basin of water

While the brand stands out for the originality of its figures—especially those in 1/24 scale—the finish is, unfortunately, far from high-quality, even for a model of this size...

Figurine of a woman in a striped swimsuit with outstretched arms, painted white before assembly

Anyway, after a few hours of sanding and grumbling, here's the result—ready for a coat of paint...

A painted figurine of a young woman who has fainted, lying on her back on a rocky base

Winsor & Newton artist's oil paints in tubes. We always start with the flesh tones. The basics are always the same; see the relevant workshop for the technique...

Painted figurine of a young woman lying on her back with her legs raised