Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

[spaceman]

In addition to the pipes to painting continued with the second, thinner pipe from the LOX-Valve skid to the LOX tunnel. I had bent it of 1.0 mm round profile and placed several bellows, which are wrapped in coils of 0.3 mm lead wire.

The longer right part of the pipe runs directly in front of the MLP wall and then top enters the LOX tunnel. The left part runs obliquely forward on the valve skid and then meets the branch of the vent line, located here underneath.

Because the upper pipe must be threaded under the transfer line elbow pipe, which leads in the LOX filter, I have separated the line in the middle at the local pipe guide, otherwise pipe laying would become too complicated, especially since on the left-hand side after the double elbow pipe anyway a few small details to install.

Again to clarify that what's now is about:

The branch of the vent line shown above is the middle piece of line running from 1 to 2. And on this line this nice small armature sits, that could be possibly a type of flow meter or controller, that I tried to scratchbuild.

Source: NASASpaceflight (J. Patterson)

But see better the next photos, without much words:

And so the part looks now with me after the assembly, almost adventurous, or?

And here finally silver painted:

So, and as a conclusion for today here is the right section of the initially shown thinner pipe, which leads to the LOX tunnel, after painting and assembly:

So, that was something out of the often strained rubric: Many a mickle makes a muckle ...

I hope you understand the German byword.

Edited October 29, 2012 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Manfred,

These very tiny details you are adding are amazing! I also noticed that the silver paint seems to be showing off all of your work quite nicely! :)

Mike.

Edited October 13, 2012 by crowe-t

[spaceman]

Hi Mike,

thanks for your nice words. I like it also, although there is a lot of work, which much time costs.

This weekend I'm going to scratch-build the last small pipes and armatures of the LOX-Valve skid, and then comes the LH2-Valve skid, which seems to be a little bit more complicated.

[spaceflightengineer]

Here ya go Manfred, I think these might help.

Those SRB squib bolt debris traps or covers weren't incorporated on STS back in the STS-6 timeframe. I know- I was

incorporated in the STS program at the time. They 180 degree spherical domes over the bolt heads only, I used to see

them all the time when I'd be on the MLP deck (...usually heading to get inside a TSM for some connector or line

modifications with my techs).

BP

[spaceman]

Sorry, have I understood this correctly, there was no debris traps during STS-6 still and the bolts were not covered? Then I should omit those covers.

[spaceman]

Initially, here is a supplement of the silver painting of the pipes with some images of the three sides of the MLP.

Now I have painted the originally white Transfer lines with Revell-silver. The Vent lines I wanted to vary something color and mixed to therefore a few drops of Revell-grey and Revell-iron into Revell-silver. The shade of color differs only marginally from the pure silver, what I have now so left.

Here is the Side 1, in which the upper vent line has received now the junction just before the blind flange, which then flows into the transfer line:

And here is Side 2,

and here Side 4:

So far, so good, but what part of it else to the fuel pipes, to fuel the stack correctly, and above all safely?

Clearly, of course, Valves and Sensors, and some of which I at least wanted to indicate. Granted, for a long time I was considering whether I myself should dare approach also on these details, and even longer about repercussions, how I could scratch-build it.

Here is the following, already known image of the Side 1, on which I have marked some of these details:

Source: http://www.capcomespace.net

There are for example four Relief valves, of which three (green arrows 1, 2, 3) are visible. The fourth, sits left next to the transition to the LOX-filter. Valve No. 4 is a Control valve with a small hand wheel. No. 5 and 6 are Temperature and Pressure sensors, which occur even in some other places of the valve skids.

Looking for appropriate solutions for the construction of these fittings I have found something in the store for ship modeling, there are namely small rail supports made of brass, which I can use very well for these valves, as can be seen in the next picture.

And a finished valve of No. 2 looks like this,

and here to the fitting on the left equipment pallet at the MLP:

On the next image, the beginning of the valve No. 1 is right to see,

and so it went on ...

To the left that should become the control valve with the small hand wheel No. 4, and here is the result:

So enough for today, tomorrow is still a day.

Edited January 26, 2013 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Manfred,

The transfer and vent lines look very good in the silver color. In the close up picture I can see a very slight variation in the color and I feel helps separate them a bit. You did a great job painting them by hand! Now it looks like an early MLP.

That is a great idea using the small ship rail supports for the valves. Your attention to the various details is outstanding!

Mike.

Edited October 15, 2012 by crowe-t

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for the nice compliments, MLP-2 is increasing slowly.

Tomorrow I'll present my next update, and the place on the LOX-Valve skid becomes closer and closer, but I shall have finished it soon. Then I'll start with the complicated LH2-Valve skid.

But the only consolation remains: the pipes are slightly larger ...

[Zombie_61]

Best. Scratch-build/accurization. Thread. Ever.

I am constantly amazed at the level of detail you're able to achieve Manfred, especially in such a small scale. Simply incredible!

Al

[spaceman]

Hi Al,

Thank you for your interest and your encouraging words.

I know that your recognition is honest and that will help me. I am trying to continue to give my best, step by step ...

[spaceman]

Hi all together,

I was just again looking the last orders in the paint shop, and the guys did in fact busily, and now the next pipes and armatures are also done.

Unfortunately I must paint everything individually and outside of MLP that, and thats always something awkward and also quite stressful, but unfortunately no change can be. :o But now I can finally also building everything, therefore let's see action.

Since it is now but quickly cluttered with every other line on the LOX valve skid, I have here two images for a better overview, to better track the line run and assembly order, if someone wants to recreate it.

I had installed the right half of the thinner pipe running above the LOX-Fill/Drain Line, coming already from the LOX tunnel. Now comes the continuation of this line, which runs via the LOX valve skid across. This is the green marked line, running at the LOX filter past,

Source: NASA

and finally diagonally enters in the branch of the Vent line.

Source: NASASpaceflight (J. Patterson)

The difficulty this work is on the one hand, to ensure the fit of each section or to dominate the customize. Here on the original photos all look still pretty handy, but it is in the 1:160-reality unfortunately no longer. And on the other hand the place on the skid becomes closer with every other part and work this is always trickier. And with the thinner pipes are inevitably the fittings, valves and expansion joints etc., always filigree ...

In addition to this "green" thinner pipe, there is yet a further, even thinner, red marked pipe on which I ever point to, because that will be still attached. The blue arrows indicate additional fittings/valves.

But first, here is a picture of the extension of the "green" pipe.

In front of the lower part of this extension, now a by-pass line was assembled, which is difficult to see in the first photo since it is unfortunately obscured by the "red" pipe. But in the HiRes resolution of the panorama pic (click) can be seen at exact look, provided, you know it.

As shown on the pictures, here now even some of the small relief valves and control valves are mounted.

A more by-pass line is there on the Transfer line of the left equipment pallet, which I had prepared some time ago, but for place reasons still not could install.

This by-pass line could now, under the vent line through, connected with the transfer line, what turned out as extremely difficult, because there almost is no more space for fiddling.

And here are some more pictures which show that the place on the LOX-valve skid is now running out.

However, on the Access platform AP 3 is still plenty of place for the LH2-valve skid.

Tomorrow, then still the thin "red" line will be installed from the LOX tunnel to the LOX-valve skid, and even this line has a few valves ... and then I can complain to the LH2-valve skid.

Edited October 29, 2012 by spaceman

[spaceman]

And here is a photo especially for Pete with the "tiny" wrench (hope you can see it), and to the left the control valve with the small hand wheel.

[spaceman]

Okay, I see Pete is very busy with his new build.

Finally, now is the thinnest and thus last of three pipes (0.5 mm brass-wire) on the line, and this pipe is not silver shiny, but grey. Since the pipe next to the LOX-filter runs under the thick LOX-fill/drain line through, I had to subdivide it again into two parts.

Here I tried the tiny temperature and pressure sensors that are made of 0.3 mm steel wire, in a 0.7 mm brass tube.

Then the two parts of the line were installed one at a time, their junction is on the first pipe guide before the elbow pipe down.

And also this line has two valves, located here in the front between the two pipe supports.

On the next two pics, the sensors are quite clearly visible right next to the LOX filter.

Thank God, thus the LOX-Valve skid is finally complete now, and therefore I will approve today evening once a beer (or two) me.

And tomorrow I'll go to the LH2-Valve skid on the right Access platform, what is at least as equally stressful ...

[crowe-t]

Manfred,

I saw the "tiny" wrench. :lol:

All I can saw is WOW! Your attention to the details is awesome.

Mike.

Edited October 22, 2012 by crowe-t

[K2Pete]

And here is a photo especially for Pete with the "tiny" wrench (hope you can see it), and to the left the control valve with the small hand wheel.

Manfred, Manfred, Manfred ... you made me laugh out loud when I read this!

Way back in your thread, I was only joking about all these details ... and YES ... I DO see the wrench!!

Your build Manny, is beyond remarkable, it's beyond incredible! And you know, that if you don't put in a pipe or two, or a few fittings, that's quite acceptable!

Thanx Manfred

Pete

... I'm still laughing!!

[mriccio]

Manfred, I am just speechless. This is absolutely unbelievable. Worthy of a museum display...

Thank you for all the wonderful pictures.

Marco

[spaceman]

Hi Mike, Pete and Marco,

Thanks guys for all the compliments and kind words! I am happy if you like it, what I'm building here.

BTW, I also like it and I'm so far happy with the results.

When I started with my project, I would have not thought also, that it assumes such proportions once, but I'll keep on building it even if it takes a little bit longer this way.

[Vince Hoffmann]

Wow, you're really pulling out the stops on this project!

[spaceman]

Thanks Pete for the nice words, I'll try my best.

After the LOX-Valve Skid is finally finished, a look back at the paper kit variant I jokingly built approximately half a year ago at this point once again.

When I look again that, I must say that the effort definitely has paid off. I am at least happy that I so got out that, what I previously not guaranteed I would be dreaming.

David Maier is kept benefit, that these details cannot be built of paper even at this scale, but as much only with shadowy textures, if also rather sent, can be interpreted. And seen from afar, the strikes also do not so much.

And thus I would like to complain now to the LH2-Valve Skid on the Access Platform AP3, which represents a similar if not greater challenge.

Here advance a few photos that will demonstrate what it is now. First, there is the already well-known NASA panoramic photo to click in. This is the penultimate Antlantis mission STS-132 , but shows a MLP-2, which I build. And the technical equipment of the three MLP's was but almost the same except on detail differences. Since you can scroll nicely left and right and get good insight into the structure of the valve skid with various armatures and fittings.

Source: NASA

I am also in the fortunate position to have got some nice detailed close-up shots from a guy directly from the pad, which show some of the details still accurate here even from left,

Source: NASASpaceflight (J. Patterson)

and here from right:

Source: NASASpaceflight (J. Patterson)

To do this it should be noted that these photos of the last mission of Atlantis STS-135 come, was at the MLP-3 in use. And since as said, there are already small detail differences from the MLP-2, which are but not so serious, so that you can be inspired scratching well then.

And here are the paper kit templates for the LH2 skid again AP3 A-H , which I do not want to deprive you, although I will not use it, like already in the LOX valve skid.

And the construction of the skid should be thus:

This looks everything on the installation sketches again quite straightforward and easy, but it is terrible matter, I really would not like to give me.

Therefore again on plastic profiles back used, of which one but needs a whole lot of different diameters, and this ranges from approx. 0.8 mm to 3.5 mm.

The construction of the skid starts again on a pallet for which I've used 1.2 mmx0,75 mm U-profile.

And so looks the pallet that is already on its way to the paint shop.

From tomorrow to proceed then with the pipes and supports, etc., what I already own wonder...

[KJam]

I have to ask a real sensitive question.

You are such an amazing modeler. The scratch building skills you have are incredible! I have to ask why did you use that cardboard cutout to start the project? Your skills are way above that printed cardboard cutout. I believe you could have scratch built the whole thing better than with that cardboard kit.I can tell you that I could not build this good in 100 years. You have skills! I look forward to every post you put up on ARC and it is usually the first place I stop when I come visit the site. Bottom line. I think you are better than that pre printed cardboard...

Kel

[spaceman]

Hi Kel,

first of all, thank you for your great compliments about my project, I'm also impressed. And now to your question why I have used the paper kit at all.

This is my first space project and I initially did not know what I would let me up, as I got me the legendary Revell kit 4911 with launch tower, shuttle stack, and MLP. This project has just very strongly interested me after the end of the shuttle program and fascinated me more and more.

As was clear to me that the Revell MLP is only 1:200 instead of 1:144 and thus much too small, I've seen pictures of David Maier's great MLP and was thrilled. It looks in the photos from a distance of all super. But there was not a building report to so far unfortunately, either in German or in foreign forums.

And so I got then the paper kits for the MLP and the crawler and I've started blue-eyed. In my childhood, I have built many paper models such as aircrafts, ships, etc., but that was 50 years ago.

Initially, I had the idea to use the basic body of paper MLP and had planned to scratch some of the indicated details of sheet, metal and other materials. But I had never thought to be able for scratch-building so many tiny details. To do this I had to experience only.

And so more details are managed to me, because I had more joy and so to gradually more and more have trusted me. And for the reproduction of details, the paper kit is undoubtedly an excellent template, because many, if not all of the details are indicated. :D

This is my short explanation as a reply to your question.

[spaceman]

So quickly it is not continued yet.

As already in the LOX-Valve skid, so all beginnings are difficult also on the LH2-Valve skid. Before it can really start with the scratching, first of all again the determination of the dimensions of the pipe segments and fittings is the most work, and that is a pretty frustrating business until it is done completely. And that takes everything so much time and keeps on getting far too long ...

This initially even an error was undermined me, because I had made the conversion and scaling of the dimensions from the photos of a wrong reference. It was in this case the diameter of the vent line with 2.5 mm. But the line reduces before the second pipe support already to 2.0 mm, what I initially not had considered, until I noticed it then.

And I have now extended this vent line behind the corner until the end of valve skid. Up there it reduces twice further to 1.4 mm or 0.8 mm at the end.

The first fitting of the extended line fits so far already quite good, including three pipe guides carry that line. In front to that, the skid pallet will be then. And these two things were then brought in the paint shop.

The pallet is closed to bottom out by a metal shelf.

And here is the rear pipe guide to see under the penultimate rejuvenation comes, must be painted only still grey.

Somehow, the silver painting of the line this time looks not so great, but kinda spotty. Something seems not to agree with the airbrush, or color, because I need to paint well or badly once more.

Because an expension joint is located on the rear end of the vent line, the line was capped with the first pipe guide left from the LOX tunnel.

The small pipe guide at the end of the pipe is already mounted. Then I tried out my new color decals for the yellow markings of the vent line and cut a corresponding decal strip. The MLP-2 at the STS-6 had several of these markings, including even on the Sides 2 and 4. But I had to use a decal softener, in order to put the somewhat bulky decal nice around the pipe.

Now, the line could be mounted permanently, and then the two pipe guides before the expansion joint and a flange cover behind it.

And that is likely to be the final place for the pallet here.

Now it continues with the Transfer line. It branches at the beginning of the access platform obliquely forward off, and shortly afterwards the same again and then again parallel runs to the vent line. At these branching points strong support devices are located, which now were built.

I started initially with the guide for the second branch of the pipe, because according to his level, establishing the skid pipes focuses on the pallet, and this must everything aligned and fit together.

Here the prepared pipe guide made from 2.5 mm H-beam is provisionally set up for position and height test,

and here the pipe segment after the branch is set up to the fitting.

Because the first branch is relatively far from the MLP wall, the pipe is supported there by a robust pipe anchor, which sits directly on the reinforcement brace of the wall and is shown in the next picture. I have also used H-beam 2.5 mm.

With this segment, it continues then tomorrow.

These only small steps are everything, but also getting to the destination. The matter is simply too complex or to filigree how to take it ...

[spaceman]

The measurement and scaling holds but longer me on, than I thought, but this was with the LOX valve skid I think similarly. However it returned a few small steps forward on the rocky road ...

Here, the pipe anchor for the first branch of the transfer line is now on the reinforcing bracer on the wall.

And exactly at this point the prepared transfer line for the branch was separated now slanted forward mitred.

Now I have mounted the skid pallet and the pipe guide for the 2nd branch and the branch piece associated with the transfer line. Because it is easier for the fittings, if that can be done directly on the separate line is connected but still not with the pipe on the corner. Furthermore, as more details are how the two rings and the small cylinder better to attach. And the paint must anyway still are.

Behind the 2nd branch the extension of middle pipe follows that but again ends behind the sleeve I've wrapped in aluminium foil, because there follows a T-piece (1.8 mm).

From this, the two lateral line strands go off then run again before the LH2 filter in the middle strand, which is again seen in the original.

Source: NASA

The difficult is that these three strands from each other have very small distances (approx. 1 to 2 mm), which rather complicates the cutting of the segmented elbow-pipes and the assembly.

In the next picture, you can see the T-piece behind it comes only with a pipe diameter of 1.6 mm next.

Left of the middle part of the segmented elbow-pipe follows now actually, which measures only 1.6 mm, which can be kept hardly with tweezers.

Maybe I must omit this small pieces but also, and instead apply the sheet with a 45° miter.

But we see that then tomorrow.

[crowe-t]

This just keeps getting better and better!

[spaceman]

Hi all together,

here is a sketch of the wiring, which is to show the proportions in 1:160 and shows what is available now. On this LH2 valve skid everything is much closer together in a confined space as on the LOX valve skid, making more difficult the work something.

The green circle should be the LH2-Filter, the tilted block main valves are red.

It looks all pretty small, but I want to try it anyway to scratch-build.

Therefore I did continue with the LH2-Filter, can be seen as a rear/left reference point on the pallet, which is about 16.3 mm long, or short, how you want.

The main body is a plastic round profile (diameter 2.4 mm), which side sits between two H-beams (1,5x1,5 mm). The middle strand of the transfer line must match this filter, if everything fits together properly.

And already a small error had crept in. Since the LH2 filter non-flush sits on the pallet frame, I had to first extend the lateral brackets from H-beam, which had fallen slightly short.

And here the filter should be on the pallet.

At first I had connected the filter with the extension of the transfer line, what has proved for the further construction of the skid lines but inconvenient.

To better connect the parallel bypasses, it is skillful for customizing and bonding, if these short pieces, in particular for the segmented elbow pipes, lie flat on the plane. Here are the first items for it.

Here is is the rear, thicker bypass. Thereon already the sleeves (aluminum foil) are glued, on which the two central block valves will be sitting.

And looks like the first provisional fitting on the pallet.

As you can easily see the filter sits still slightly too far to the left, so I have to cut there probably still somewhere a little on the length, I just still don't know exactly where the best and need a good idea.