MPC’s Space: 1999 “CommLock and Stun Gun” Model Kit – Round 2 with DIY Lighting

When working on my first build of MPC’s Space: 1999 CommLock and Stun Gun model kit, it was a pleasant surprise to find that it included options to build Season One and Two variants of the Stun Gun model.  Like any responsible adult, I ordered a second kit, so I could have a Stun Gun from each season, as well as build out a CommLock for both Dr. Russell and Commander Koenig.  Moreover, it was time to level-up the CommLocks by adding some lighting, which is something I’d never attempted before with a model. 

Note: I ended up finding a nice shadowbox display frame for these models, and it looks fantastic!

In this article, I’m going to focus on the process of adding lighting to the CommLock models.  For a full review of the Space: 1999 CommLock and Stun Gun model kit, please see the Round 1 article.

To be candid, while both the Stun Gun and CommLock are designed to allow modelers to add lighting effects, the Stun Gun has limitations.  In Round 1 of this build, I skipped adding lighting altogether.  For this Round 2, I’ve added lighting to both CommLocks, but not to the Stun Guns.  Battery access for the Stun Gun requires detaching the grip on the handle, which would lead to scratches on the base at the top of the handle, and stress at the base at the bottom of the handle – which is one of the weaker parts of the model.  That might be worth it, if the trigger fed in from the bottom with guards keep it from popping out of the base.  That way you could turn the lights on and off with the trigger by adding a switch and a spring.  Unfortunately, the Stun Gun has the trigger slide in from the top.  You could MacGyver a solution, I’m sure, but that’s a bit more investment than I wanted to make. 

Even though the MPC has made this kit lighting-friendly, there are still some parts that you will need:

• A mount for the battery – I went with the Jeeone 9 Volt Battery Box¹.  It has a few low ratings, but I am not using it with musical equipment, which seems to be the main issue in the reviews.  For this project, the Jeeone nearly perfect.  I did need to trim off the latch and some excess plastic so it would lay flat inside the CommLock.
• A mount for the light – I went with some 0.12in thick 4x4in acrylic squares from Outus².  Those needed to cut with the Dremel to be 4.2cm wide and 3cm tall, so the final piece would fit inside the CommLock.  Then, since these are clear acrylic, I used the Dremel wire-brush on one side, for a coat of flat black paint to stick to.   Lastly, break out the Dremel again to drill a small hole, for the LED light.  This piece also brings additional structural support to the CommLock itself.

For the light and switch, I chose a generic LED and switch from Amazon³.  It had good ratings and for $20 US you get 5.  So far so good with the light, although I can confirm feedback from some ratings; where it can occasionally require a second or third press to trip the switch.  But, all in all, the light works well.  Before gluing the battery box into the model, I cut a strip of velcro, to wrap around the box and secure the battery in place.  This can fit perfectly that into the space between the keypad and ‘nose’ of the CommLock.  Eventually the bulb may go out or the switch may break and the unit might need to be replaced someday, so I just used some electrical tape for those rather than glue.

In fact, the LED works a little too well perhaps, as it is bright.  Fortunately, a leftover from the Lego Pac-Man display case was a white cloth for wiping fingerprints and smudges.  I trimmed a few pieces of that and glued those inside of the CommLock, to better screen for the glare.  In photos, there is a hint of blue to the LED, but in reality it is white.  The the red/white buttons on the top are clear pieces that I painted on the outside, and they have a nice soft glow.  On the side is another clear piece, with one half painted green on the inside, and it glows even brighter. 

For my first time adding lighting to a model kit, I am happy with how the upgrade to Dr. Russell’s CommLock turned out. With the battery, box, etc, added, the CommLock has a nice weight to it now, which is very well centered for balance.  It is not heavy, to be sure, but it does not feel like a hollow plastic model anymore.  With the Round 1 of this build upgraded, it is time to finish the CommLock and Season 2 Stun Gun for Commander Koenig.

Keeping things as simple as possible, I used the same paints on this CommLock too.

• Testors Light Aircraft Grey for the main unit.
• Tamiya Navy Blue (US Navy) AS-8 for the keypad, screen hood and a button
• Testors Red, White and Green for the other buttons

One of the issues I noted while working on the Stun Gun during Round 1 was that the Kill/Stun Season One switch is very loose.  MPC should be lauded for making the rails for the switch very smooth, but modelers will need to find a solution for the looseness before building the model.  Once the Kill/Stun switch is on the Stun Gun, it is not coming off easily.  I have not tried to go back and fix this yet, but I did find a solution to the Season Two Kill/Stun switch, which can have the same issue.

The underside of the Season Two switch has an impression from the moulding for the top of the switch.  After trimming the tip of a cotton swab, and about half of the cotton from that, the tip fit perfectly into the impression.  Leaving about 1cm of the tip outside of the impression creates just the right amount of resistance against the base the switch.  And, the soft cotton will help protect the decal for scratching or tearing.  Of course, remember to put a layer or two of clear coating to the decal and base, for some added protection.

For the Season Two Stun Gun, I deviated a bit and the paints I used were:

• Tayima Gloss Aluminum (TS-17) for the main unit, rather than Testors Gloss Metallic Silver
• Testors Flat Black for the trigger, handle and buttons
• Testors Red, Yellow and Green, and Tamiya Pure Blue (TS-93) for the scan strips
• Testors Gloss Black on the inner power dial

To my eye, all of the various silver/metallic paints look remarkably similar.  Just the same, I’m pretty happy with the results with the Space: 1999 Season Two Stun Gun.

I am very glad that I bought this second set of the Space: 1999 CommLock and Stun Gun.  Not only was I able to build out the Season Two Stun Gun, as planned, but managed stretch and upgrade my skills a bit through experimenting with lighting on the CommLock models.  It was a fun exercise in problem-solving and creative-thinking!

Space: 1999 CommLock Lighting Accessories –

• Jeeone 9 Volt Battery Box ⁴
• Outus 4x4in acrylic squares (10 pack) ⁵
• LED with Switch (5 pack) ⁶

MPC’s Space: 1999 CommLock and Stun Gun Model Kit⁷ –

Pros:

1. Highly detailed kit
2. Stun Gun options for a switchless basic build, as well as Season One and Season Two
3. Opportunities for add-ons such as lighting for both models

Cons:

1. Durability concerns for cosplayers
2. Fit of the chrome barrels

Vertict = Recommended!