by Ed Fortune
A Grand Day Out is one of the most British bits of science fiction ever created. The charming story of a man and his dog going to the moon to get some cheese brings joy to even the most cynical of folk. The Build Your Own Wallace And Gromit Rocket is both the quirkiest tie-in toy we’ve seen for this movie and yet also the aptest. We feel that Wallace would approve of this kit.
As the name suggests, the Build Your Own Wallace And Gromit Rocket lets you build the rocket from A Grand Day Out along with the crew. This one doesn’t go to the moon, of course; it’s a 40cm tall model made out of paper and cardboard; no glue is required, but you’ll need some patience and a little bit of time.
This is a lovely kit. It comes with three instruction manuals; the first guides you through building the core skeleton of the rocket, the second adds the skin and features, and the final pamphlet covers the cool extras that decorate the model. They are some lovely touches with the finished product, such as the rocket flames coming out of the bottom, or the way the ship can be opened up to put things inside it. It’s superbly designed.
It’s not just the rocket; there’s Gromit at Mission Control, Wallace in an armchair, a box of crackers, cheese, a stack of cards and more. There’s even the cute robot they find on the moon.
Be aware that this is a rainy day, a summer holiday project for kids and parents alike. It will take at least an hour to put together, and ideally, you want one person looking for parts and the other slotting cardboard bits together, changing roles intermittently. This is a fun building activity, first and foremost, that ends in a very well thought out, very cool model that will look amazing on your shelf.
Our advice is that if you’re building this, take your time. The instructions are very well-detailed, and the model itself is crammed with delightful little design choices that will make you grin as you put it together. It’s paper and cardboard, which isn’t strong, but also makes it easy to assemble. Some of the fittings are a little snug, so go slow and have fun.
The Build Your Own Wallace And Gromit Rocket is a great gift and a fun introduction to model making. We’d love to see more in the series and maybe other paper kits from other franchises.
