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

[Berkut]

I have X-acto knife, and exactly same ruler; But i am pretty sure i couldn't do any of the amazing scratch building you do.

:worship:

[spaceman]

Thanks Berkut for the nice words, nothing is impossible with patience and calm, and good reference photos!

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Manfred,

That's a lot of time and patience you're putting into all those details and it's paying off!!! Great job!

Mike.

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for your nice words, you are right, it's a lot of time and patience, but I love those details, you know. . And I hope also, it's paying off!

So that it can continue after a small breather.

Before the small lifting lugs to the TSMs can be glued, should advance only the pipes come about that at the start of the SSWS water the umbilicals around sprayed is. This sequence is certainly appropriate, because the lugs when customizing the pipes only in the way would be and would break anyway.

For the construction of pipes I looked again more accurately how they are running, what is actually slightly more complicated due to several arches around the TSMs and additional juvenescence.

Here you can see the two tubes on the LH2-TSM, a thicker and a thinner, which come from the top deck of the MLP and upwards run above the door and the outer side wall.

Source: NASA

The tubes reduces to the middle of the the top and have spray nozzles at the end. Shortly before the juvenescence of the thicker pipe there is a lateral branch, also with a nozzle at the end.

Source: NASA

The reduced thicker pipe runs then above the umbilical opening flap on the back and ends there also behind a tight curve in a nozzle, which is quite good to see on this image.

Source: NASA

The pipes are sitting on little supports for that I used Evergreen square profile of 1,0 x 0,75 mm above the door and at the other locations square profiles 0,5 x 0,5 mm.

Here are the supports glued already.

I wanted to use 1.2 mm and 0.5 mm for the diameter of the tubes. A 0.3 mm steel wire is put inside the thinner brass tube as a juvenescence.

And then I have started with bending and tried in different materials, as well as some variants of bending.

Brass tube (1.0 mm) was relatively easy and above all accurately bent, and so has the advantage that the arches remain unchanged, in contrast to plastic profiles is not bent back. Would be another advantage, that as a juvenescence to Ø 0.5 mm could easily insert a corresponding rod. However, the pipe at the 90° bends slightly toward the buckling, what looks visually not so perfect. For the thinner tube (0.5 mm) with the juvenescence to Ø 0.3 mm the effect, however, may be not so serious.

The flexibility of the plastic rods depends on the respective material. The already grey painted 1.2 mm round profile was relatively brittle and began to break despite local warming in some 90° bends.

The white Evergreen rod is, however, more ductile and did well to turn even without warming. However, the bending points tend to and again something to bend up, as long as the part still not is glued, what but again can be corrected before gluing.

When assembling of bent pipes, can be better to process plastic on plastic (tube/support) because the seat can be adjusted easily. Superglue bonding of the brass tube on the plastic supports must be careful, however, as soon as possible.

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[spaceman]

Here you can see a test fit,

and here the bent profile.

And here all three variants are set across, the grey profile with the breaking points in the middle.

So far again for the beginning.

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[Mknorr]

What about solid brass instead of tubing? It won't kink like tubing does.

It's all looking very nice.

[spaceman]

Thanks Manfred for your kind words.

A solid brass rod instead of tube might be appropriate. Would be just the difficulty to connect the branch pipe and the reduced pipe at the end. This can be done easier with plastic parts using normal plastic glue.

And brass soldering is not quite as easy, I think, isn't it? And then you have to glue with Superglue.

Edited November 1, 2013 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Manfred,

I like what you've done so far experimenting with the brass and plastic for the TSM pipes. I think the plastic rods are the better way to go. They'll be easier to glue and bend. When I attached the plastic rods on the TSM's on my Revell kit I made the thicker pipes in sections on each TSM. It was easier to do the bends and make adjustments along the way. Once they were glued in place they looked like one continuous pipe.

Mike.

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for your tips and photos, I didn't yet know that you made the thicker pipes in sections.

I agree with you, the plastic rods will be easier to glue and bend. The bends of the brass pipe, however, slightly sharper look.

You have the advantage that you can even smooth the joints after gluing, and can paint everything together at the end. So I must build the pipe as possible in one piece, then paint and glue to the end.

This is the price of my mixed media technique I have to pay.

Edited November 1, 2013 by spaceman

[spaceman]

All right, let's go on, both options have advantages and disadvantages.

This multiple bending of such pipes in one piece is quite stressful and has remembered right back with horror at the bending of the pipes on the two LOX- and LH2-Valve skids on Side 1.

Therefore, I've inserted in between yet another detail. These brackets are, so I would guess, located above the folding service platforms, where during work then railing be plugged. These railing sit on four small props, I wanted to also indicate. They stand out but only approx. 1.5 mm from the flap at 1:160 and are thus quite tiny.

These props there are also on the middle service platforms on the inner sides of the TSMs, maybe I also leave off the brackets, because should be also not exactly easy to sink that, all uniformly to approx. 1.3 mm. :blink:

Quelle: NASA

For these parts, I have used steel wire 0,35 mm.

Here the bracket is already provisionally plugged into, must be painted but before the final installation yet.

So, and now back to the pipes, that at the end about the umbilicals almost are remindful of "antlers".

Now I will use plastic rods (1,2 mm) for the thicker tube,

in which a 0,5 mm plastic rod is glued at the end as a rejuvenation. I have pre-drilled a hole for first carefully with 0,4 mm. Since you have to aim really with 1,2 mm pipe diameter with the drill, to meet in the middle and not to slide off.

Then I got bored after again with 0,5 mm,

then plugged the 0,5 mm pipe, and made a first fitting.

And then, the interplay between measurements, bending and trying on really went in slightly to get sweat.

Especially for the front bends of the antlers ends, you need a lot of patience and steady hands for measurements, fitting and corrections.

The thicker pipe is missing only the small junction prior to the rejuvenation, which I will glue but as a precaution until after installation.

To be continued!

Edited November 1, 2013 by spaceman

[spaceman]

Then I have bent the front plugged part of brass because the hooked end still bends up, which then is also stable and looks better. However I can save the previous painting of such parts of me, which must be bent with the tweezers still several times because the color it too wears off.

So, and now follows the same procedure with the thinner pipe, for which I've used 0,5 mm brass tube in the front as a rejuvenation 0,35 mm steel wire is inserted.

And here is the fitting, but so far very good looks.

Thus, the two pipes were now almost done, only missing the painting. On the thicker pipe, the last lower bow is broken off while, but he gets it back.

So Guys, until soon then!

Edited November 1, 2013 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Manfred,

You're right, I had the advantage of building the pipes on the TSM's in sections and then smoothing out the joints because I painted everything at the end. I just thought maybe you could do it that way but I since you have to paint the pipes before attaching them it's best you make them in one piece.

So far all the pipes you are making look fantastic! The amount of detail your are building looks much better then mine.

Mike.

Edited August 10, 2013 by crowe-t

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for your kind words. :D

Maybe I'll also have to cut the thicker plastic pipe at one point for installation, but then there where a clamp is, which then covers the cut.

BTW, I am sure, you will also eventually build a MLP with these details, we want to bet?

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[Underdog]

Amazing work, you’re a true artist

[spaceman]

Thanks Underdog for your encouraging compliments, I am pleased if you like my MLP.

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[spaceman]

Hi there,

let's go on with the TSM pipes to fill the troublesome summer hole a bit ...

Although it's not a spectacular progress, but these small parts can be quite a deal, and small livestock also makes known to quite a lot of crap.

First, the support bracket on the back of the LH2 TSM was adapted.

And then it went to the pipes on LOX TSM which has the same details without the arched sheet-metal hood and the outer lateral line bundle, the pipes but with mirror-course.

Quelle: NASA

Here are first the thinner pipes from 0.5mm brass tube with the taper at the end of steel wire 0,35 mm,

here, with the corresponding pipes of plastic rod 1,2 mm,

and here with the front Antler Coat arches made ​​of brass wire 0,5 mm.

In these elbows, the front spray nozzles are indicated by thin insulating hose. In front of it are the branch ducts that come off each shortly before the end of the thicker pipes.

And now the next step will be a larger painting action with all these pipes and other, already prepared small parts, before I have a bit of jitters.

Then everything can finally be installed, and then we'll see ...

Until next time then, all your faithful companions!

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[spaceman]

Hi there,

because the guys in the paint shop have yet to replace a defective O-ring at the gun, I've taken a few more TSM details in attack. These are but this time no pipes, but the lines and junction boxes of the electrical installation, running on the front and back from the box behind the door by the lifting bracket up.

Source: NASA

That takes a line and three distribution boxes, the parts can be seen here. For the line I have taken 0.35 mm steel wire, and for the boxes U-beam 1,5x1,0 mm, to each a snippet from Evergreen strip 1,5x0,35 mm is glued. Through this hollow profile can be guided the line. This procedure seemed easier than to drill through square profiles.

And so the line section is then seen on a trial basis on the TSM.

The whole thing had now only be repeated three more times, because such lines also running on the back side.

Above the line section are already two small structures that are located at the back of the TSM's above the umbilical flap whose purpose I do not know, however.

Source: NASA

And then there are on the front and back of the TSM's still such a small control boxes that I also wanted to build, here you can see the box on the front left of the thinner pipe.

Source: NASA

I have cut me a piece of sheet, on the front of the box is cut from the paper kit and glued.

And so that then looks something, the boxes in the back, the two line sections, and above the two small boxes.

Since some paint missing everywhere yet, but I hope so, that the paint guys are ready for use again soon.

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Manfred,

Outstanding! You are catching every detail on the TSM's and it all looks very accurate.

Mike.

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for your nice words.

As you know, these details did it to me, it's almost like a drug, that I can hardly resist.

I can not wait for it myself, to see all these details finished and mounted to the TSMs.

Stay tuned!

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[K2Pete]

My goodness ... your progress is remarkable Manfred! And the accuracy you are capturing, especially in that tiny scale, boggles my mind. :wacko:

I don't know how you keep up the high standards, but please, don't stop! This is, as Mike said, OUT-stand-ing!

It's a real treat to be able to watch it all come together ... and thanx for all these superb photos!

Pete

[spaceman]

Thanks Pete for your kind appreciation and words of praise.

Nice again to get a sign of life from old friends who remain faithful, stay tuned!

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[spaceman]

So friends, let's go.

The guys in the paint have the defective O-ring replaced on their gun, and it could finally be painted again. It had been now accumulated quite some small parts.

Advance a small addendum to the line bundle on the side of the LH2 TSM. Since I have glued before painting still missing bottom clamps, but that was quite a puzzle, because the 1 mm midgets can not hold with tweezers. And somehow still had to fill adhesive between what but finally succeeded.

Then the electric lines were there initially to prepare. But the upper junction boxes I could not stick, since there still the transport brackets must be threaded. To the left of the switch boxes lay for the front and back sides of the TSMs, which I now can glue before.

And here is the full range of parts to see that I had all individually mounted for painting on toothpicks and wires.

And here are the somewhat unwieldy pipes.

The line bundle has survived everything good, and the clamps are all still there.

And it looks really good on the TSM, I think, so that the effort was well worth it.

Next, I can make the installation of the pipes now, I'm already excited to see how this is going.

And if the pipes are then even installed, the small parts come next, but take it easy.

So, I can not complain about being bored me straight!

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[spaceman]

Hello guys all together,

nice to see you all back on track, let's go on.

So now it can finally go on with the details of the TSMs. I had once tried a lot in the meantime with the bending of the FireX lines because there were problems again with the bending back effect of the pipes especially in the 90° elbows. And that's really annoying, because then you have to bring the bow back into shape before gluing.

You should probably take brass profiles but rather. The thinner line is indeed made ​​of brass, and will maintain its shape.

Well no matter, the thicker of the two lines on the LH2 TSM but is now installed, which shows that it is yet. But even sticking of the line is only piecemeal from one to two support points, making the whole procedure but is quite cumbersome.

To facilitate the installation process something, I then disconnected the line at the middle support point on the side and first glued the upper part, which was not easy particularly at the short upper elbow.

Tis seam on the side will not be seen later anyway, because there is still a thin clamp get over it, like the other supports too, which I'll try at least.

As you can see, the lateral electrical system is already installed and the larger of the front hoisting lugs.

And here are just the fitting of the thinner FireX line that already fits quite well.

If this line is then mounted, it can then proceed with the remaining tiny parts further, including before the umbilical opening, so to speak, with the antlers, and with the other parts, which is also likely to be stressful again. And I must namely be careful to install the most stable parts first and most fragile at the end, so that nothing can break again.

Before it went to the assembly of thin FireX pipe, I have mounted the brackets on the thicker line. For this I used thin lead wire 0.25 mm, which can be put well to rounding to follow when one end is stuck with superglue. And that was as similar as threading a piece of string into a bottleneck.

First, a tiny droplet superglue on the support, and then you have to hold the wire end already a few seconds, without trembling, until the adhesive has cured. Otherwise, the wire does not stick and you have to repeat the procedure. And it can happen that the superglue do not want to stick properly, which I have experienced at least. Then you have to try to remove the old adhesive residue carefully, and with fresh superglue it bonds then usually better.

But after several failed attempts, the bonding was then gradually getting better, first a droplet superglue on the wire beginning, after bending the wire was cut with the cutter, and a droplet at the wire, and is what it looks like this.

Then I have glued three little supports (1,0x0,5 mm) for the antler below the umbilical opening and made ​​a fitting which has worked well.

And now on with the installation of the thin FireX pipe that should be trickier than I thought.

The fitting looked quite well, but now how to glue best?

Of course, again with superglue because the line is made ​​of brass, but that's impossible at all supports at once. That one would not unravel with certainty, and the delicate line would be waste.

So I started at the middle support on the side,

and then it went point by point down first, and then to continue upward until it was finally done.

However, this was not without little damage in the paint that still need to be repaired.

Let's see if I can build the clips around the thin line ...

So long for the new start.

Edited November 2, 2013 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Beautiful work Manfred!

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for the nice words.

After building the clamp around the thin line I can finally glue the line package on the side, but first I had to replace a lost clamp.

And with the line package the LH2 TSM looks always better, though still missing some parts, such as the ladders etc. ...

Up to this point I'm already very satisfied, although it is taking much longer than I initially thought.

With the final assembly of the lateral lines but I have to wait a little longer. Since only still need the mini-clamps are to be installed to the thinner FireX line. And as the TSM must be taken several times in his hand and turned back and forth. Therefore the part but must be still reasonably safe to touch, but do not want anything else.

So again everything by the book, as with the brackets for the thicker line, only this time everything is going to be a little tighter, because the line is only 0.5 mm thick. So I had aim more precisely in attaching the lead wire (0.25 mm) to meet the Superglue-splice correctly and right away, which I then also to some extent succeeded.

Now all we need is the both supports on the vertical line next to the door.

Next, the antler were glued to the three little supports in front of the umbilical opening. Then I have built again the small antler end for the upper thicker line, what is the items under the microscope (barely) be seen here.

It's brass wire 0.5 mm, and for the nozzle I used the thinnest insulation, which I have.

And up there in about the part should then sit. But I will probably stick until all remaining small parts are attached. The large bracket on the front and back also have been already assembled, so you can hold onto it.

And now, finally, the line bundle could be permanently glued to the side.

So slowly fills the page, but it's still room for the ladder, that still comes next left.

As far as again for today.

Edited September 28, 2013 by spaceman