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


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Hello everybody,

 

well, the smaller the details to be scratched, the closer you have to look to see their shape and being able to determine the needed dimensions. cool.gif

 

As you can see in this image section, the Holder sockets are in the form of small U-profiles in which the handrails are articulated. 

 

LCgCEP.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (STS-9, Ares67)

 

Since this photo shows the canister used during STS-9 (11/1983), it can be assumed that these Handrails and Ladders already existed at the time of STS-6 (04/1983), but unfortunately I don't have any direct photos of it. huh.gif

 

On the following photos of the Launch pad during STS-6 it looks like this, 

 

CbnnOo.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

because you can see the holder sockets at least with high magnification, up046118.gif like here atop of the canister hanging in the RSS-Payload Bay

 

qw0KLb.jpg

 

and here during the exit from the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF)

 

giZIDD.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

11Zkzl.jpg

 

In this drawing I've finally determined the dimensions of the holders

 

HKgeOf.jpg
Source: James MacLaren, Page 52

 

And as you can plainly see, they are indeed tiny and, according to my previous idea, should each consist of four parts, which is why for 18 holders only 72 snippets would be needed. up046885.gif

 

Well that can still be going funny. up040577.gif

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Hi Manfred. I must have missed your previous idea because I'm not clear why each is four parts? Could each bracket not be made from a small section of U-shaped channel?

I assume (probably incorrectly) that you don't intend to have working pivot pins - but if you did, that would still only be 4 parts per rail section?

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Hi Kirk,

 

thanks for your tip and that you have ruminated about it and want help me. :worship:

 

I've immediately thought of my narrowest Evergreen profiles too, but both the H and U shapes are 1,5 mm wide, which doesn't match the delicate Handrails:hmmm:

 

Then I took a Channel profile which is 1,3 mm wide and compared it with my version (right) which is 0,9 mm wide, using 0,2 mm thick strips for the sides, which looks like this. :thumbsup:

 

AnZE3C.jpg 

 

I think if I would cut a strip (0,13 mm x 0,75 mm) for the sides it should look still a little bit better, still closer to the real size determined in the drawing, although it's more effort. up040577.gif

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No problem Kirk, 1:160 is a little bit smaller, if you want so from the Underworld:rofl:

 

The dimensions determined from the NASA drawing are decisive, whereby the blue dimension (diameter of the handrails) is my reference dimension.

BTW, please ignore the blue 12, it comes only from copy and paste. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

originally I had immediately thought of my narrowest Evergreen profiles, cool.gif but both the H profiles and the U profiles are 1,5 mm wide, which would not match to the filigree handrails. rolleyes.gif

 

Then I've compared a Channel profile (1,3 mm) with my planned four-part variant (right), which, when using strips (0,2 mm x 0,75 mm) for the sides, is approx. 0,9 mm wide, which looks more pleasing in combination with the round rod (Ø 0,45 mm) of the handrail struts. up046118.gif

 

AnZE3C.jpg

 

And if I would cut a Styrene strip (0,13mm x 0,75mm) for the sides, it should look even better and even closer to the size specified in the NASA drawing get there, what would mean a bit more effort. huh.gif

 

So I've tried to scratch such a Prototype. But it's already not easy to cut a 0,75 mm wide strip, but which I managed to do.  

I then placed this strip upright on the ruler angle, clamped the Base strip (0,25 mm x 0,5 mm) in front of it and then both strips were carefully glued by using MEK at their connecting line. Then I glued a small strip onto the other side, 

 

6eVpCv.jpg

 

and let it dry.

 

RAcoOE.jpg

 

Then I've carefully cut off a 1 mm long part from this U profile with a razor blade, 

 

nBW89M.jpg

 

which actually succeeded with the precautionary placed Jump away-Protection tape (left). up046118.gif

 

1y6JOs.jpg

 

Now only the small end piece had to be glued and trimmed, 

 

2IdWWh.jpg

 

whereupon the test fitting of the first Mount on the handrail could take place. up039822.gif

 

aoAk0c.jpg

 

Although the feasibility of the Prototype could be shown in principle, I have in mind a smarter solution for scratching of the remaining 17 mounts, by what the effort should let be reduce. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody, is there anybody in there? cool.gif

 

And thus to this new variant for the production of the Handrail brackets that I have been thinking about. idea1_2.gif

 

The idea behind it is actually simple and based on the production of such a U profile with a greater length, from which I then carefully cut off small 1 mm long pieces and close on one side. up047090.gif 

 

Thought and done, gluing the side strips (0,13 mm x 0,75 mm) to the base strip (0,25 mm x 0,5 mm) took place again in the proven manner by fixing between the rulers. 

 

nSaVaw.jpg

 

Such a Steel ruler is also ideal for aligning the U profile, which happens to be 0,5 mm thick as on commission. :whistle:

 

xOtGKn.jpg

 

Then the U profile was glued to the end strip (0,13 mm x 0,8 mm), which I deliberately left a little longer and fixed flat. 

 

UbM51w.jpg

 

However, since my steel angle for the vertical alignment of the U profile offers much more support, I then chose this arrangement, which made the gluing much easier. up039822.gif

 

Cbme7q.jpg

 

For final fixation while the Revell glue was drying, the deck ruler was moved to the stop, 

 

81V85d.jpg

 

whereby the U profile was glued perfectly. up046118.gif

 

9cKL5B.jpg

 

For the separation of the end strip I've thought about this special fixation on a small steel block,

 

xdUROJ.jpg

 

after which the razor blade was used. 

 

zHHXze.jpg

 

To complete the bracket, only the end piece (1 mm) had to be separated from the U profile, 

 

8waIV7.jpg

 

for what I needed five rulers for fixation, analintruder.gif which I arranged in such a way that I could now use the razor blade to score at least the upper edge of the two side strips on the 1 mm line, which only has a minimal overhang (0,25 mm),  

 

tNNAJu.jpg

 

wherefore I had to take a close look myself with the headset magnifying glass over my glasses, assuming a steady hand. up037692.gif

 

jczEOv.jpg

 

For the final separation of the mount I only had to be able to recognize these fine incisions, 

 

EmKinL.jpg

 

which is perhaps just visible here on this macro shot at an enlargement of 3553x2665, hmmm.gif 

 

aIBHCy.jpg

 

therefore here again somewhat larger with marking. :rofl:

 

UNQSdI.jpg

 

When making a cut with a razor blade, the Jump away Protection tape is important in addition to a steady hand, which again has proven itself! up046118.gif

 

O87NtR.jpg

 

The advantage of this variant is that I can now use the remaining U profile to make another nine mounts in the same way, 

 

dzQcQm.jpg

 

wherewith the half would be done already. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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7 hours ago, spaceman said:

Hello everybody, is there anybody in there? cool.gif

Should we nod if we can hear you? Or do you need some information first? 🤣

 

 

Very, very cunning plan to make such tiny parts so accurately. Had you ever considered being a vascular surgeon?

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2 hours ago, CaptKirk said:

Should we nod if we can hear you? Or do you need some information first? 🤣

 

 

Very, very cunning plan to make such tiny parts so accurately. Had you ever considered being a vascular surgeon?

 

Wait and see, maybe in my next life ... up040577.gif

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I read every one of your posts.  As you know I've been following your build since day 1 and haven't missed anything.  This is such an incredible build.  It's amazing how you started building the paper kit and have taken it to this level of accuracy.  Keep up the incredible work.

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Hi Mike,

 

you are one of my most loyal companions all time and I know you've been in there from the start, :sunrevolves: which is why I looked back. That was 11 years before almost to the day (03/15/2012), what a long and memorable time to look back on fondly. And you were the second interested modeler after Bill (niart17) to reply that time. :clap2:

 

You also recognized early on the difficulties of the scale dilemma and raised concerns about the size of the SRB Blast chambers and TSMs that I only later realized after the Shuttle stack was test set up on the MLP. And that then led to the first larger emergency surgery of expanding the Blast chambers and using larger TSMs (1:144). idea1_2.gif

 

up028894.jpg

 

In this respect, we were already fellow sufferers back then, because you also grappled with similar scale problems with your outstanding Revell 1/144 Space Shuttle stack as a tribute to Discovery's STS-133 mission and had to make compromises with the Revell MLP, which was simply too small. :gr_hail:

 

up016376.jpg

Source: EDU-Craft Diversions 

 

But there is a solution for everything, just don't give up. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

let's go on with the production of the tiny Handrail brackets, which are held up the progress quite a bit, since you always have to let the glue dry before you can handle them any further. cool.gif

 

In the meantime I have arranged the steel block the other way around when cutting off the end strip, as this way I can better control the cut with the razor blade.

 

uv2lbo.jpg

 

cws0FW.jpg

 

The tricky separation of the U-profile can also be done in different ways, which is why I tried out a few things and switched to a larger sheet of steel as a base, which makes handling easier. :whistle:

 

Gjaxw9.jpg

 

0ONdRd.jpg

 

And so it goes on step by step, re-clamping everything again and fixing it differently, over and over again, just don't let up ... rolleyes.gif

 

LVAPM0.jpg

 

Now it's also easier to score and cut off the tiny ones, and the U-profile is getting shorter and shorter ... huh.gif

 

1e711k.jpg

 

png05S.jpg

 

The half is done, up046118.gif but a few brackets are also a little on the short side,  hmmm.gif and some still need to be adjusted in length, but which is doable. 

 

th8yqp.jpg

 

That's why I've prepared another U-profile, 

 

tAe4mK.jpg

 

iu8zSV.jpg

 

which I can now use to tackle the second half of the brackets, so hopefully I'll end up with 18 usable parts for the 8 Handrails. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

and with it to the Final Cutdown. cool.gif

 

This was the chosen arrangement for the second half of the brackets for cutting off the U-profiles (1 mm) that I had previously scratched and marked with a pencil, up046118.gif

 

sYgLmZ.jpg

 

here after careful cutting with a razor blade under sharp eagle eyes. up037692.gif

 

vcmG5o.jpg

 

And that's my valuable yield of 20 mounts (2 reserve) with approximately the same size. up039822.gif 

 

Dv8upi.jpg

 

I had imagined the gluing of the mounts onto the handrails to be a little easier, but firstly it turns out differently, and secondly than you might think. hmmm.gif

 

As you can see in this image, the mounts are open at the front, so I have to glue the handrails rotated 90°, unlike I thought before. How good that I compared again. huh.gif

 

up078748.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (STS-9, Ares67)

 

The consequence of this, however, is that the gluing again requires a special fixation and I have to be hellishly careful that no holder flies away. :woot.gif:

 

Wf3wCG.jpg

 

That's why I have to glue each holder individually and with great sensitivity by using MEK, whether I want to or not. rolleyes.gif

 

nzd5pi.jpg

 

Although handling these tinies is indeed quite a fiddling, up037312.gif

 

xQ2Ow6.jpg

 

with the necessary calm and concentration one can do it! up046118.gif

 

rgCJvv.jpg

 

And so the handrail can then be glued to the Payload Canister. up039822.gif

 

xl6532.jpg

 

That's why I always say: Nothing is impossible! One just shouldn't set any limits! up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

today the Mounts were glued to the other three-legged handrail, cool.gif

 

JOUM7v.jpg

 

wherewith the row at the bottom of the canister is complete. up046118.gif

 

jBqrMG.jpg

 

Then it was the turn of the two vertically arranged handrails above it, which have two mounts and were done more quickly. :whistle:

 

nM4xL0.jpg

 

Q9b1ij.jpg

 

fqxyy9.jpg

 

And so the image slowly completes, whereby I also still hinted the Personnel door through which one can arrive the Canister Payload Bay. up039822.gif

 

lMSwgV.jpg

 

Now only the mounts on the four upper railings are missing. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

and these Mounts were glued today. cool.gif 

 

At it the most difficult step was pushing the Handrail feet into the tiny mounts, which is why I "sharpened" them slightly. Then the gluing followed with MEK by carefully wetting the mounts with the finest red sable brush (10/0)huh.gif

 

DQKEr2.jpg

 

14fYoB.jpg

 

This also finished the third Handrail pair

 

0nTmj6.jpg

 

and could be placed on the template for fitting. up046118.gif

 

G9gqla.jpg

 

It was finally the turn of the last couple,

 

L4BvVD.jpg

 

g1WcMU.jpg

 

whereby the whole set is finally complete. up039822.gif

 

g6OZNR.jpg

 

And in this arrangement, all eight Handrails could soon be glued to the canister, as well as the Personnel door. http://www.raumfahrer.net/forum/yabbfiles/Attachments/up035091.gif

 

wrBaBq.jpg

 

So that nothing happens to them until then, I quickly brought them to safety in this little box. http://www.raumfahrer.net/forum/yabbfiles/Attachments/up050224.gif

 

aIR5iG.jpg

 

That's it then again. up040577.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

now that the Handrails are safely stowed away until they are glued, I once again looked at the various doors, hatches and instrumentation panels on the canister. Although these are only small optical details, they give the canister its own face and should not be missing. From these details I then printed out true-to-scale copies  from original photos and glued them on. cool.gif

 

First, there's this Personnel Door on the Forward Bulkhead of the canister,

 

up078748.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (STS-9, Ares67)

 

which has to be tight and therefore quite robust, which is why I reinforced the thin paper a bit. The eight Handrails are then glued there too. up046118.gif

 

Bukk4m.jpg

 

WoylxT.jpg

 

The two Ladders in the first image were only hung in the Horizontal Transportation Mode in the Processing Facility. Since they would have gotten in the way when the canister was hoisted up in the RSS Payload Bay, they were removed before transportation the upright canister to the launch pad

 

After the canister was hoisted the workers of the Can Crew could enter onto the top of it via a fold-out Payload Canister Access Platform while wearing fall protections, as I've learned from James MacLaren and Richard Chamberlain. bow.gif

 

vRkG3o.jpg
Source: James MacLaren, The Construction of Space Shuttle Launch Complex 39-B (Page 52)

 

As one can see in this image and the next one, the canister is secured by "Umbilical cords" during the whole way from the Processing Facilities to the top of the RSS Payload Bay connected to the transporter. These are the two red hoses on the Port Side and this black cable bundle on the Starboard Side to ensure constant Clean room conditions inside the canister. 

 

KSC-99pp0766~medium.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-93)

 

And thus to the respective interfaces on the Side walls of the canister, on which various Instrumentation Panels are located, via which the canister is connected with the associated Modules inside the transporter that I already have described in my Reply posted January 18, 2022:whistle:

 

M3bJIF.jpg
Source: NASA Conference Publication 2342 Part 2 (M. E. Donahue)

 

On the Starboard Side there are three I&CS Instrumentation Panels and a ECS Panel in front of them. 

 

RhdEPA.jpg

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

The upper small panel is connected via five cables to the Instrumentation and Communication System (I&CS Module) at the rear end of the transporter, whereby the Climate and Clean room conditions inside the canister are constantly checked and monitored. up046118.gif 

 

I'm not quite sure whether I'll attach these cables (Ø 0,1 mm) later. http://www.raumfahrer.net/forum/smf/Smileys/yabb/undecided.gif In addition, I have to think about when I will attach which prepared fragile Assemblies (Door actuator, Screw jacks, etc.), since this will make handling the canister more and more complicated. hmmm.gif

 

Here the four panels are already glued.

 

j6Aedd.jpg

 

TYlXEz.jpg

 

Further back on this side there is still this Access Hatch to the room below the payload bay to the Supply and Return Ducts, which via the red hoses are constantly connected with the transporter's Environmental Control System (ECS Module), which can be seen in the following photo. 

 

5zbXQx.jpg

 

And so to the Port Side. At the forward end is a Personnel Door, which also leads to the room below the payload bay and the ECS duct attachments there, as well as the Pneumatic Interface Panel for the lower door seals. 

 

The front white Connection nozzle is connected to the ECS Supply Duct and the lower one to the ECS Return Duct. The red hoses are connected to it, which are connected to the ECS Module of the transporter and can be extended accordingly for the canister standing upright.

 

96wiOP.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

The door and the Interface panel are already glued, but the connection nozzles are still missing and will follow soon.

 

IjdyAY.jpg

 

For the red hoses (Ø 2,2 mm) I have already found a suitable cable with a corresponding diameter. up039822.gif

 

3XsoMC.jpg

 

5J9RsW.jpg

 

So it won't be boring. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody to early hour,

 

today is a memorable day in the history of manned US Spaceflight, because on April 4th, 1983 Space shuttle Challenger took off with its crew on its maiden flight STS-6,

 

up077353.jpg 
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6) 

 

0FC9qp.jpg
L-R: Donald Peterson †, Paul Weitz †, Story Musgrave, Karol Bobko 
Source: wikipedia.org

 

to which I have dedicated my long-term project, with which I'm going already into the 12th year. up039822.gif 

 

nzf2rz.jpg
Source: nasa.org

 

And as luck will it, on the day of the 40th Anniversary, in the 50th year after the last "Apollo" Mission NASA named the four astronauts for the "Artemis 2" Mission, scheduled to fly around the moon again late next year. up046118.gif

 

artemis-2-crew-101~_v-gross20x9.jpg
Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen
Source: Josh Valcarcel/nasa/dpa

 

If that's not a reason to be happy. up040577.gif

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Thanks Mike for your nice words, :worthy:

 

well, Real Space Modeling is my great passion and works like a drug,  analintruder.gif from which I just can't get away, especially since I keep discovering new and interesting details of this ingenious technique. up037692.gif 

 

But don't worry, a possible infection with this virus is completely harmless. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

and thus to the ECS Supply and ECS Return Ducts of the canister, which are connected via the red hoses to the Environmental Control System (ECS Module) of the transporter. cool.gif

 

It's starting with the two white Connecting nozzles firmly connected to the canister with the Tube bows welded from five segments, whose dimensions I've determined from this photo. up046118.gif

 

09ny2k.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-130)

 

There one can see that the connecting nozzles sit on thin Base plates (0,13 mm) and that the tube bows are attached to nozzles with Clamping rings, which is why I also will build this assembly from four parts, which will later be connected with the red hoses. 

 

For scratch building the Tube bows (Ø 2,5 mm) I was able to go back to my tried and tested Balsa Bending Technique (BBT) by using a Hot air pistol. up039822.gif

 

bfvpKD.jpg

 

36JvOp.jpg

 

RCMWzL.jpg

 

ujti1i.jpg

 

Next to the tube bows lie the Base plates (0,13 mm x 1,5 mm x 4,0 mm), on which the Connecting nozzles sit, as well as the Ring plates (0,15 mm x Ø 3,0 mm), which are glued between the nozzles and tube bows.

 

QFqLDR.jpg

 

The tube bows now need to be shortened to their final lengths, which are different as you can see in this image. huh.gif

 

KSC-00pp1507~medium.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-104)

 

But first I have to measure them again exactly, which will follow next. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

and thus to the shortening of the Tube turns for the two ECS Ducts, whose dimensions are summarized here again. cool.gif

 

csjYay.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-104)

 

In view of the small dimensions of the arches, it quickly becomes clear that after cutting the bent round rods (Ø 2,5 mm) to the different lengths, not much of them will remain, what becomes clear after the cutting marks been attached. huh.gif

 

ADyVnM.jpg

 

A firm fixation is required for cutting through the rod, which is why I clamped it in the Mini vise (Proxxon). Then the marking was carefully scored with the Mini saw (cmkkits.com) and the first cut (0,13 mm) was made, which was successful the first time. up039822.gif 

 

5Hm4as.jpg

 

After the fringe was gently deburred,

 

E0tWVj.jpg

 

the second cut followed, 

 

JtMlA6.jpg

 

after which only this unwieldy little worm remained. rolleyes.gif 

 

TbsmGF.jpg

 

And while I was still smoothening this midget a bit, the bewitched mishap happened again that the damned thing slipped out of my fingers, up046885.gif and flew away into the space between the container and the sideboard. up043952.gif

 

O6Oj5y.jpg

 

Luckily I found it among the plates stored there and after a breather I was able to continue. :whistle:

 

But below the tube turns there are still these strangely shaped Connecting nozzles (ECS Ducts), which I racked my brains about making for a long time. idea1_2.gif

 

5zFJrI.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-132)

 

As one can see in the zoom, these ECS ducts have a narrow rectangular foot (1 mm x 3 mm) that rests on a base plate (0,13 mm x 1,5 mm x 4 mm), which widens in a funnel shape toward the tube turn to its diameter (2,5 mm). And in this change in shape from 3 mm (rectangle length) to 2,5 mm (diameter) is the difficulty for scratching the part. analintruder.gif 

 

In order not to have to file this part out of a round rod (Ø 3 mm) from solid, I tried to crush a round rod (Ø 2,5 mm) at the end with a flat pliers onto the rectangular cross-section (1 mm x 3 mm), which did not result in a satisfactory shape in the end. up037312.gif

 

wHnhNj.jpg

 

But the flat crushing went much better with a round nose pliers, which was no less tricky because of that. But the result and the shape finally convinced me, cool.gif

 

cqctOH.jpg

 

here shortly before cutting off the tiny Duct nozzle. up039822.gif

 

ie9pG0.jpg

 

These are the four separate parts,

 

1Zsks3.jpg

 

of which the duct nozzle was now glued to the ring disc (0,15 mm x Ø 3 mm) and aligned. 

 

LxbCsO.jpg

 

c0tJgA.jpg

 

Then the tube turn was glued to the other side of the annular disc.

 

fXpbQq.jpg

 

FthaQ8.jpg

 

Finally, the trio was glued to the base plate, finally completing this elaborate detail. up046118.gif

 

Y0pl9I.jpg

 

fBK1Jg.jpg

 

D0m9p3.jpg

 

And finally the test fitting of the red hose between the ECS Return Duct and the ECS Module of the transporter,

 

BiYbAT.jpg

 

and here the test fitting of the ECS Return Duct on the Payload Canister

 

E1c4N4.jpg

 

And now the same procedure again for the ECS Supply Duct, wherefore however the tube turn on the connection duct has to be glued rotated by 90°. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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