Academy 15776 - God Phoenix Command Ship

New God Phoenix from the Gatchaman series – self-assembly model

Academy 15776 depicts the God Phoenix, the flying mother ship of the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman – a machine that for many viewers came to symbolise 1970s Japanese adventure animation. The kit represents the New God Phoenix introduced in the second season of the series, "Gatchaman II" from 1978.

The kit lets you recreate the ship's distinctive shape together with its bird missiles and the accessories for displaying Firebird mode, in which the machine takes the form of a blazing bird. The box also includes figures of the five team members and the five individual vehicles carried on board – parts that build the complete scene familiar from the series. The parts are multi-colour moulded, so painting is not required, and the included display stand lets you pose the model in flight.

What's in the box:

• Multi-colour moulded plastic parts (painting is not required)
• 4 bird missiles
• 3 accessories for recreating Firebird mode
• Movable parts
• 5 crew figures
• 5 vehicles carried on board
• Display stand
• Cartograf waterslide decals
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: not specified by the manufacturer
• Product code: 15776
• Manufacturer: Academy
• Age: 14 and up
• Release: 2019
• Difficulty level: beginner/intermediate

Please note: this is a self-assembly model. Paints and modelling tools are not included.

Building the model:

The multi-colour mouldings allow the model to be built without painting while keeping the clear colour separation known from the series. Cut the parts carefully and smooth the gate marks, particularly on the large, flat hull surfaces where any unevenness shows. With the movable parts, it is a good idea to check how they work before permanently joining the neighbouring assemblies.

For modellers who prefer to paint the kit themselves, the bright colours typical of machines from this series work well – clean reds, whites and blues, ideally sprayed with an airbrush over previously smoothed surfaces. The Cartograf waterslide decals are best applied over a gloss coat, which limits decal silvering, with a satin or matt finish to follow depending on the look you want. The five crew figures and the on-board vehicles are a rewarding subject for brush painting – even a light wash and some detail work noticeably bring the scene on the stand to life.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• A hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for smoothing gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Fine modelling tweezers for small parts and decals
• Brushes in various sizes
• Optional: model paints and a wash for the figures and details

About the machine – New God Phoenix:

The God Phoenix is the mother ship of the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, the five-strong hero team of the Japanese animated series "Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman". In the story it serves as a mobile base: it carries the team, takes off and lands on its own, and at critical moments transforms into a blazing bird – the Firebird mode.

The ship carries five individual vehicles, one for each member of the team, allowing them to operate separately and return to the base during a mission. This arrangement – one large mother ship plus a set of smaller vehicles – became one of the recognisable motifs of the genre.

The Academy kit depicts the New God Phoenix introduced in the second season, "Gatchaman II" from 1978. It is a redesigned version of the original machine, differing in outline and equipment from the ship seen in the first season.

About the series – Gatchaman:

• "Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman" premiered in 1972
• Studio: Tatsunoko
• Second season: "Gatchaman II" from 1978 – the source of the New God Phoenix
• American adaptation: "Battle of the Planets"
• Heroes: a five-member team, the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman
• Mother ship: the God Phoenix, with its Firebird mode and five on-board vehicles

About the manufacturer – Academy:

Academy Plastic Model is a Korean manufacturer of assembly kits, in business since 1969. Its catalogue covers aircraft, ships, armour and civilian vehicles in the popular modelling scales, along with educational sets and simple kits aimed at younger builders. The brand is known for its broad range of Korean subjects – both modern Republic of Korea military hardware and cars from that market. Academy mouldings feature crisp engraved detail and good part fit, and the instructions are illustrated step by step, which helps less experienced modellers. A separate part of the catalogue consists of series with factory-coloured parts and snap-fit assembly, including the 4D Kit line. Academy kits are sold worldwide and have long been among the most widely chosen sets in the affordable segment.