Gladiator with Sword/Spartacus from Aurora 1959

One half of the Gladiator kit according to some people since the original boxes are actually one painting chopped in half.  The kit was originally issued as Roman Gladiator with Sword but the box was changed to Spartacus in reference to the Kirk Douglas movie.  The kit was first issued in 1959, and the movie came out in 1960.  I am not sure when the kit name and art was changed, but this may well have been Aurora's first licensed model kit.  

This one came from an estate sale.  It was not a glue bomb as it was well assembled, but the paint job was particularly bad.  I actually believe it was bisque stains painted onto raw plastic.  As usual I dis-assembled, cleaned up, painted and put it together.

This one is the first one on my want list where there was a lot of work put into the base by Aurora.  Aside from the sandy arena floor and semblance of a wall, the broken helmet, broken sword, split shield but most especially the severed arm really add to the feel of the kit.

Below are the boxes and a couple photos of my built up kit.

Diorama Diary

Got the next box I needed came in the mail today.  This is great!  An officer getting a shoe shine.  I am thinking about buying a sheet of 1/35 German insignias.  I believe they might be worth the investment.