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


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Manfred,

 

Excellent job on the feedline and the explanation of the manholes and the ET Aft Support Transportation Fittings!

 

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! :santa:

 

Mike.

Edited by crowe-t
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Thanks Mike for your nice words and the good wishes, :worship:

 

at the moment I can only make small steps, but that's how I'll  achieve my aim too ... up040577.gif

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your loves too! animierte-smilies-weihnachten-011.gif

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Hello everybody, 

 

to Christmas Eve quickly to the Closeouts, which I transferred from the PE board to an Evergreen Styrene Sheet (0,2 mm) because it makes it easier to transfer the contour to the ET. cool.gif The part should not be glued for the time being, but only after the SOFI Pattern-Tape-Spiral has been glued on, i.e. immediately before the Flour coating. up045518.gif

 

mG83Se.jpg 

 

ESWOdq.jpg

 

gfuldB.jpg

 

After I had determined the exact position of the Closeouts on the ET, 

 

6L2Yf6.jpg

 

I've fixed it with masking tape (2 mm) and was able to trace the contour.  speak_cool.gif

 

tHhIWO.jpg

 

C7Y0ca.jpg

 

Now I can start soon with gluing on the Tape spiral and then to cut out the contour so that I can subsequently glue on the Closeouts.
And with the two Longerons I will do it same way.  top.gif

 

Xgh6rM.jpg

 

With that I would like to leave it for now. 

I wish you all Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! xmas-wave-smiley-emoticon.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

before the champagne corks will pop later, I actually wanted to present you one last update in this decade, regarding some small details at the Thrust struts and the Longerons, which I still would like to modify because the original items look a bit different than in the Airfix Kit. rolleyes.gif

 

vHFEzI.jpg

 

As one can see in this image of the ET-6, the diameter of the Thrust strut in the front part is a little bit larger and the front ring a little wider. top.gif 

 

H5MZqG.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)

 

But unfortunately I can't make it anymore, even though the images are ready, huh.gif which is why I'll postpone it to the next year, but I'll get in touch back tomorrow, I promise.  up045518.gif

With this in mind, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, see you later!!!  00002527.gif

 

happy-new-year-colorful-fireworks-over-c

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Hello everybody,

 

and with this again back to the ET, where there are still a few little things like these Thrust Struts and Longerons, which I still would like to modify because in the original they look a little different than in the Airfix Kit. rolleyes.gif

 

vHFEzI.jpg

 

As one can see in this image of the ET-6, the diameter of the oblique struts in the front half is slightly larger and the front ring is a little wider, cool.gif 

 

H5MZqG.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)

 

which one can see more clearly in this image of the ET-33 (STS-36), from which I determined the dimensions for the sheath. 

 

lNdSsz.jpg
Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)

 

As can be seen from this, the sheath in 1:144 should only have a wall thickness of 0,2 mm, which makes the selection of a suitable material somewhat difficult, since insulating hose, I like to use for such things, for inner diameters of approx. 3 mm but is too thick-walled and this time is eliminated. rolleyes.gif

 

So I had to think about something else smiley215.gif and first had thought of adhesive film, as it can often be found in the supermarket as a price label. cool.gif To do this, I cut a 9 mm wide strip and wrapped it around the strut a few times until it had a diameter of approx. 3,6 mm.  

 

h1xzNM.jpg

 

That would also work if necessary, but then one would have to accept the overlap at the end of the winding, which gradually opened again, which I didn't like. nono.gif

 

Then I came up with the following idea, idea1_2.gif and these were the well-known Drinking straws, some of which I had put aside a long time ago. Their diameter is     indeed a bit too large at 5 mm, but the wall thickness of approx. 0,2 mm would fit to get the required Ø 3,6 mm. speak_cool.gif

 

DDib7c.jpg

 

To do this, I've slit a 9 mm long sheath lengthways and then wound it as tightly as possible on a steel rod with a smaller diameter (Ø 2,5 mm) and fixed it with a clothespin, 

 

olnndP.jpg

 

hgUcd2.jpg

 

and then placed in a hot water bath for a few minutes for molding.

 

rNaF2G.jpg

 

The circumference of the resulting wrapped sheath I've then shortened accordingly, 

 

wxjbAA.jpg

 

so that there was no overlap on the Airfix strut. By the way, on the left in the image one can already see the prepared spiral for the wider front rings (0,5 mm x 1 mm).

 

JoYWNk.jpg

 

mtquSL.jpg

 

And as the test measurement showed, the required diameter of the sleeve was actually 3,6 mm. up045518.gif

 

tUhMlr.jpg

 

Here one can see a comparison of both variants, whereby I've chosen for the lower one.

 

dO8uOt.jpg

 

Before I could glue the sheaths onto the struts, I first had to remove the rings that were too narrow to be able to thread on the wider rings, 

 

anIF4A.jpg

 

that are already glued here. top.gif

 

T3TvHI.jpg

 

Then the sheaths could be pushed on and glued.

 

ov3D0R.jpg

 

And now still for the modification of the Longerons, for what I've used again Apoxie Sculpt, of which both components had to be mixed in a 1:1 ratio by kneading, 

 

b7Oo73.jpg

 

until a bright color appeared. With that it was then possible to fill in and model the middle areas between the slants,   

 

8yHbiT.jpg

 

in order to match them to the shape of the real Longerons. cool.gif

 

H5MZqG.jpg

 

In this condition I've let everything dry,

 

nHATKD.jpg

 

and then carefully sanded from all sides. huh.gif

 

The Thrust Struts are only temporarily layed up and have yet to be glued in. Then the front connecting bolt can also still be scratched. 

 

bvOpBT.jpg
 
And finally, here is the ET with the temporarily layed up struts and Longerons.

 

KwVpZt.jpg

 

85mOx5.jpg

 

MdaxzC.jpg

 

With that it's enough for the beginning in the new year.  up040577.gif

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Manfred, you should create a book explaining how you built this masterpiece.  It should stay with the model.  Very few people looking at your display will understand the incredible effort you put forth to accomplish your build.  Your documentation of your build is every bit as fascinationg as the build itself.

 

Happy New year, sir.

Edited by Slartibartfast
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Thanks Bruce for your good wishes, :worship: I wish you also a Happy and Healthy New Year. top.gif

 

I fully agree with you regarding the tiny details I've scratched and added to the model so far. Exactly the same thing happens to me, when I look at the ET from a normal distance (approx. 50 cm), then I can also hardly see the details of the Umbilicals, Cable Trays and Press. Lines ... cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif

 

That's why I'm documenting the construction so extensively quasi as a tutorial or making-of, maybe in this sense a kind of an e-book ... up040577.gif
 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Manfred, you are a madman, in the nicest way. 😉 I haven’t had a look through these pages in a while. Your work is utterly stunning! If the forum had the option, I’d thumbs up every single post of yours.

 

I wish you the very best for 2020!

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Hello everybody,

 

well, the same (art)break as every year, and the longer it lasts, the harder it is to get back in ... rolleyes.gif 

 

But nevertheless it should go on, and that's why: Go right ahead! andiearbeit.gif

 

For the masking of the connection areas of the ET Attachments before the Flour process, one interface is still missing, and that is the one between the ET Vertical Struts and the SRB Aft Attach Struts

 

up063962.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)

 

which were unfortunately not taken into account in both the Airfix Kit and the Newware Kit, which results in this gap, which of course should not exist there.  nono.gif 

 

otQJCY.jpg

 

Via the local cable connections running in the Cable tray and through the Upper Strut, u.a. the ignition of the SRB Separation Motors took place, which initiated the separation from the ET after the burnout of the Boosters. speak_cool.gif

 

As one can see from the following image, the round cladding of the Upper Strut cannot be overlooked, 

 

up068264.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (woods170)

 

and is not nearly just a puny thing like at the dainty Airfix Strut, smiley_worship.gif

 

891e9p.jpg

 

which can also be seen in this photo by Steve Patlan

 

423800488_9266b42fe7_b.jpg
Source: live.staticflickr.com (Steve Patlan)

 

who was close to the action at the time and has great photos in his albums.  up045518.gif 

 

422654707_92904a6232_b.jpg
Source: live.staticflickr.com (Steve Patlan)

 

This comparison inspired me to show these details at the interface in a more real way, whereby I was starting with the cladding of the Upper Strut. But since I had already glued the struts at the right SRB, I've taken the struts of the left SRB and first removed the annoying bobble. cool.gif

 

WELBX2.jpg

 

Then I've drilled off a Styrene Rod (Ø 3 mm) step by step up to Ø 1,4 mm,

 

K5i2Ia.jpg

 

so that a separated sleeve of it could be pushed over the strut. In between there was placed a punched disc (0,25 mm, Ø 3,4 mm), 

 

j35cuz.jpg

 

which then was glued together with the sleeve on the strut, which already looks more similar to the original strut. cool.gif 

 

hgzfES.jpg

 

nyHFFT.jpg 

 

The  same procedure I will now carry out on the right SRB Strut, for what I will carefully separate it off the booster. huh.gif

 

And now once again to the connecting cable tray between ET and SRB Attach Ring, for what I once again did use this overseeable photo of the ET-32 ( STS-32) by George Gassaway, what I've turned by 90° for better orientation, from which I've also determined the dimensions (in mm) of the individual details. top.gif

 

Therein one can also see well the green drawn TPS Cladding, which lies in front of the Cable Trays like an oblique ramp and should have a similar protective function like those of the elongated LH2/LO2 PAL Ramps in front of the cable trays in the middle and front tank area. 

 

htrGXu.jpg
Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)

 

With these dimensions I have drawn this sketch (1:1),

 

F9kShR.jpg

 

which I then have put onto the interface to try on, with which I can mark the masking areas on the ET.

 

gllWrL.jpg

 

The remaining dimensions for scratching the parts I've determined from this side view,

 

G8whQj.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (woods170)

 

wherewith again a further small step was done.  up040577.gif
 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello friends,

 

in silent memory of January 28, 1986 I would like to commemorate the tragic 25th Space shuttle mission and the tenth and last flight of the Space shuttle Challenger, which broke 73 seconds after launch ... 

 

467px-Challenger_Rocket_Booster_-_GPN-20
Source: wikipedia.org

 

It was the first launch of a space shuttle from the new Launch pad Pad 39B, in the construction of which my friend James MacLaren was instrumental, to what all employees had been proudly looking forward to. All the greater were their disappointment and sadness that the first launch from the new pad ended in such a tragic way.

 

It was the worst accident in US space history by that time, in which all seven astronauts were killed, 

 

750px-Challenger_flight_51-l_crew.jpg

Front row (L-R): Michael Smith, Francis Scobee, Ronald McNair;
Back row (L-R): Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik
Source: wikipedia.org

 

but seven new stars were born!

Edited by spaceman
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This is Wonderful Manfred! 

 

I usually remember dates that had an impact on me but yesterday's anniversary entirely slipped my mind. Until late afternoon when I saw a brief tribute on the local news ... 34 years have passed ... wow!

 

Thanx Manfred!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

don't panic friends, analintruder.gif after a somewhat longer break it should finally go on. cool.gif

 

In the meantime, the second SRB Upper Strut (right) has also been modified by the thicker sleeve, but the strut, unfortunately, could not be removed from the bonding without being damaged and therefore has to be lengthened somewhat, so that the distance of the booster from the ET is correct. rolleyes.gif

 

LYp4yX.jpg

 

For the test fitting onto the ET, I was able to use it like this for the time being. Then I've marked the contours for the Longerons and Cable Trays, incl. TPS cladding,

 

RMwkqy.jpg

 

BQPa97.jpg

 

and then taped them off with masking tape so that I can expose the adhesive surfaces again after the flouring and priming/painting. up045518.gif

 

PtJS9D.jpg

 

Ca8249.jpg

 

Then I took a closer look at and measured the SRB front parts (SRB Forward Skirts) from the Newware Kit, the surface of which is surprisingly finely structured and therefore looks much more real than that smooth from Airfix

 

clBAoy.jpg

 

whereby they come pretty close to the original.  speak_cool.gif

 

DFDZA2.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Since the Newware Kit is specially designed for the Revell Shuttle Stack, the question arose whether the SRB Forward Skirts would also match the Airfix-SRBs. smiley215.gif But since the diameters of the SRBs of both kits are surprisingly the same (Ø 26 mm), I was relieved and have carefully cut off the front part with the fine saw. huh.gif

 

Hve3Hh.jpg

 

3MO8nW.jpg

 

And lo and behold, the Newware Forward Skirt makes a good match with the Airfix booster yahoo.gif

 

cJ7T7B.jpg

 

Now I just have to drill the hole for the brass support rod in the right place and take care that the drill does not run away in the Resin part. smiley232.gif

 

jM4ZPt.jpg

 

So I'm still trying to figure out how to do it best ... are there any thoughts?   hmmm.gif

 

We will see ... up040577.gif

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Hi Manfred,

 

You might want to use something with a point(i.e. the pointed side of a compass) to start the hole in the resin Newware Forward Skirt so the drill bit has a place to start.  This should keep it from running away.

 

Mike.

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8 hours ago, crowe-t said:

Hi Manfred,

 

You might want to use something with a point(i.e. the pointed side of a compass) to start the hole in the resin Newware Forward Skirt so the drill bit has a place to start.  This should keep it from running away.

 

Mike.

 

That's right, Mike, but I always pre-prick the starting point of the drill with a needle, when making such fine drilled holes. The problem is the vertical guidance of the drill by hand, without a drill stand. hmmm.gif

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8 hours ago, K2Pete said:

Nice to see that you're back on this build ... I thought you might have taken a lo-o-ong holiday from this build!  :wave:

 

And Tom Kladiva does some nice work ... I'll wait and see if you modify it ... somehow!   :whistle:

Pete

 

Thanks Pete, bow.gif

 

yep, Tom Kladiva's Enhancement Kit is really an amazing product for revamping such Shuttle stacks, which I can only recommend everybody. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

I actually don't need to drill 25 mm deep holes, because 5 - 10 mm should also be enough if I shorten the  brass support rod on both sides accordingly. Therewith the boosters' forward attachment point should be fixed sufficiently and, together with the rear SRB Aft Attach Struts, ensure a stable three-point support of the boosters. top.gif

 

This is this circled wedge-shaped Fastening part (SRB/ET Forward Attach Fitting) between the ET and the SRB, in each of which is a Separation Bolt, which is blown up together with similar bolts in the rear SRB struts when the SRBs are separated from the ET and thus releases the booster.  speak_cool.gif

 

SHyZZd.jpg
Source: NASA

 

7ewsP5.jpg
Source: Marshall Space Flight Center, Space Transportation System HEAR No. TX-116

 

As one can see in this image, this fastening wedge is in place on the Airfix booster, but it is missing on the Newware SRB Forward Skirt, what in turn proves that apparently no kit is perfect. rolleyes.gif

 

TaVwAk.jpg

 

Therefore I will scratch this wedge-shaped part and glue it to the attachment point behind the drilled hole for the support rod, with which the attached booster will be glued onto the ET, which should ensure a sufficient hold. top2.gif

 

And these 5 - 10 mm deep drilled holes should be carried out by hand with the appropriate caution and care, I hope so. up040577.gif

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