ALL SCI-FI

[Eadie]

Look at the model I found posted at Nautilus Submarine:

[Pow]

This remains a great looking aircraft to this day.

[Brent Gair]

I found a couple of online reviews for this kit (as of this posting, I have only watched the shorter one).

I may buy the kit to use as a pattern for a larger model. I understand the kit is only about 12" long and that's too small for my taste.


http://youtu.be/tcQy6HMNT2o

http://youtu.be/3nXd29QR3TA

[Krel]

Twelve inches long, VERY heavy panel lines. I mean, REALLY HEAVY. If the jet were life size, you could stick your arm between the panels. At $35.00 a pop, I'll have to pass, I find it too expensive for what you get. A pity, as I have always liked the jet.

David.

[Brent Gair]

Moebius is a company that seems to have an A team and a B team.

They've done some amazing models but the Dragonfly is clearly a B team effort.

It's a question of value. I'll pay a lesser price for a lesser kit. The street price for this kit is $25.00 to $30.00 but that's still way too much. I'd bite for $14.95.

[Krel]

Moving from the model, lets look at the show. It was originally conceived to be an update of "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy", but the deal fell through. They did however do a short pilot, of which they used a couple of scenes in the end credits of the JQ show. You can tell by the large JA on the jet's tail when it takes off.

With the loss of JA, Hanna-Barbera came up with their own character, Jonny Quest. The characters are Johnathan 'Jonny' Quest, the adventurous 11 year old son of Doctor Benton Quest, one of the top scientist in the world, who is also capable of an impressive amount of violence when necessary. Dr. Quest also has an adopted son, Hadji, also 11 years old, who saved Dr Quest fro an assassin in Calcutta. Hadji is Jonny's best friend, and the seventh son of a seventh son, this may explain his mystical powers. The bodyguard for the group is Roger 'Race' Bannon. Race is a former race car driver who entered the U.S. Intelligence service, Intelligence One. Due to Dr Quest's work for the U.S. Government, Race was assigned to be a bodyguard for Jonny and Dr Quest, as well as Jonny's tutor. Jonny also has a pet, a mixed breed dog named Bandit.

Race is a very talented Agent. An expert in hand-to-hand combat, as well as an expert with firearms. In addition to his skill with wheeled vehicles, he can pilot both prop and jet aircraft, as well as helicopters, hovercraft and rocketbelts. A ladies man AND an accredited Tutor! Race is very serious about his protective duties. In one episode, Dr. Quest was kidnapped, this resulted in Race going on a destruction, and killing spree of epic proportions. Rambo could take lessons from this man! You have to wonder if Race became an Intelligence Agent because racing cars became too dull for him.

Based on the island of Palm Key in the Florida Keys, the Quest party travels the world solving problems. Their favored method of transportation is jet aircraft of which they had two. An SST style jet, and a later VTOL jet. The second jet allowed them to land in a greater variety of locations.

Jonny Quest was a family show, but geared to young viewers. It was also amazingly, and incredibly violent. People are blackmailed, kidnapped, tortured, murdered, brainwashed, chased by and consumed by monsters.

Ah, the 1960s when murder and mayhem were suitable fair for young children. And at six years old, I absolutely loved the show. Of course, back then, murder and mayhem was not quite so graphic on network tv then it is today.

Jonny Quest was an elaborate show, using a better quality animation than other H-B shows. It was treated and done like a live action show, with sound and music used heavily in each episode. This made JQ and expensive show. The expense is what killed the show.

David

[Eadie]

[Krel]

[Rocky Jones]

Interesting stuff, Krel. Palm Key, FL is a real place and it's a tiny island about like the one in the show. An aerial doesn't show any Quest HQ, though. From Google Maps it looks like that region would technically be part of the Everglades Federal land. Here's a good page on it:

http://www.classicjq.com/info/lists/TheRealPalmKey.aspx

[Krel]

On one of the modeling boards, someone pointed out that the Dragonfly only appeared in three episodes. I haven't seen the show in years, but I think that the VTOL jet appeared in more episodes. Although it's design wasn't as impressive as the Dragonfly's.

David.

[Pow]

The character of Race Bannon was inspired by actor Jeff Chandler.

[Pow]

Seems to me like Johnny Quest or Tom Swift would have been perfect projects for Disney to do as a live action film.

[Gord Green]

TOM SWIFT would be a terrific idea for a movie or Sat. morning TV show. I read all the books from the 50's and 60's. (It made me a voracious reader from the start. Thanks Victor Appleton II!)

Then I haunted old Bookstores for the originals from the nineteen teens to the 30's and even enjoyed them.

The most recent reboots have NOT been as good, unfortunately.





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[scotpens]

[Krel]