Ajax, Emperor Ming's War Rocket

Ajax, Emperor Ming's War Rocket

Fantastic Plastic is offering a model kit of Ajax, Emperor Ming's War Rocket. Well sort of, they have a web page describing it but it's on backorder. Via The Unwanted Blog.

Flash Gordon Official Trailer #1 - Max von Sydow Movie (1980) HD

This rocket is from the movie Flash Gordon which was released back in 1980. I loved that movie. I mean it was silly and nonsensical, but as long as you didn't let that bother you it was a great story. I remember wishing we could see more of this rocket, but like most science fiction movies it was just background to the story. There was one very cool / silly scene where this rocket glides up to a landing platform much like a limousine glides up to deliver celebrities at a red carpet gala. It even made burbling exhaust noise like a Cadillac. Totally ridiculous but totally cool.

A different model of Ajax

Chronicle Collectibles built 100 larger, display models (I can't tell when) and sold them all for $1500 each.

Reflecting Ajax. Reconstruction from plaster cast. Glyptothek, München.

I imagine the rocket was named after Ajax, the Greek hero from the Trojan War in ancient Turkey. Arch villains always are up on their history. Surprisingly I couldn't find any images of Ajax being heroic or warlike. Everyone seems to want to focus on his suicide, which is supposedly what he is contemplating in this sculpture.

Glyptothek Museum

The sculpture was evidently constructed by Glyptothek, a museum in München. I couldn't find anything about how it came to be. I suspect they took a couple of old pieces and then imagined the rest. The museum was built by King Ludwig I. His grandson, Ludwig II, built Neuschwanstein Castle, the famous fairytale castle.