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


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Hello everybody,

 

since now only are missing the cameras, as well as the railings and gutters, etc., which still can wait, I now want to take a closer look at the side walls, because there are also some nice details that should not be missing. cool.gif 

 

Let's look at the Side 2, where there are some inconsistencies in David Maier's Paper Kit touching his CAD Design, that contains some details that do not fit to MLP-2 and therefore need to be corrected. rolleyes.gif

 

Here first this picture of the Side 2 of my MLP. This side is admittedly numbered in the first and last Bay with Nr. 2 for MLP-2, which, on closer inspection, contradicts some details of the original. i5684_no2.gif

 

GlfRmI.jpg

 

This red-rimmed three-fold kink of the two thin pipes above the LOX lines there is only on the MLP-1, which can be seen in the following picture. Therefore, David M. obviously must have confused the MLP numbers, whyever, because otherwise I can not explain.  denknf8.gif

 

t0GMfA.jpg
Source: NASASpaceFlight.com (NasaPhotographer, STS-116)

 

This typical route of the two pipes in the middle does not match the MLP-2, as can be seen in the next picture. Both on MLP-2 and MLP-3, these two pipes have only a double kink, which is not in the side center, but further to the left in the Bay 13, whereas the three-fold kink on the MLP-1 is clearly to the right of this interface (Bay 9-11).up045518.gif

 

4VRlJ6.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-115)

 

David M. also has some reference photos in his Paper Kit documentation. The curiosity about the thing is that the only reference photo of the Side 2 comes from the MLP-3, whereby the double kink here is unfortunately hidden by the service platform.

 

2009-1567-m.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Therefore it would have been better, if the master had used the MLP-3 as a template, especially since his LC39-Paper Kit is based on the STS-135, on which MLP-3 was used. Then his CAD design would have been self-consistent and Launch Pad and MLP would get well together.  top.gif

 

But be that as it may, one only needs to know and take into account for the construction, cool.gif which is why I simply let this false triple kink disappear and will mount these two pipes with the double kink in the right place.  top2.gif

 

Fortunately, I have made some copies of the side walls, and there are also some sheets with backup parts in the Paper kit, among others also with neutral gray bays, as one can see here, which I have used.  

 

WoXofO.jpg

 

Since some bays on the side because of the slight reddish color anyhow were not to my liking, rolleyes.gif these parts for the Bay Lifting come just right, since they fit quite well from the color to the remaining side. speak_cool.gif

 

Now I have to cut off only suitable parts for the corresponding bays and thereby to redecorate, with which I have already begun here. 

 

S5HqPr.jpg

 

And so I'm hopeful that I can give this side with a better outfit.  up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

after a little art break, it can now go on now, but therefor a little more detailed. cool.gif

 

Here is an image of the Side 2 after the recent modification of some bays with some "new wallpapers". speak_cool.gif

 

up057490.jpg

 

Now the disturbing triple kink is eliminated, but as it has turned out, it is not done with it, because on closer inspection, I have also noticed other things that are exactly related to this triple kink and finally explain its strange constructive execution, which is completely mystery to me. denknf8.gif

 

The reason for my research was initially the fact that the Side 2 still did not really please me, especially since the two thinner pipes and this little red circled box on the frame in the Bay 13 seem sit too high. rolleyes.gif 

 

Moreover the marked supports on the right (Bay 3-8) have too big shadows, and as I wanted to scratch the supports anyway, they should then cast their own shadows. top.gif

 

40Vzej.jpg

 

That's why I did still some ancestral research and have looked at my few old reference pictures from the Side 2 at times of the STS-6 and afterwards, but they don't show enough details because they are simply too fuzzy. And the awesome HiRes NASA or Street View panoramas from the past few years unfortunately do not help, but only clarify the dilemma with which I must necessarily live with during my Real Space Scratching of my models. smiley_worship.gif

 

Meanwhile, I'm a bit smarter and I know that I can also  redecorate this box on the frame in the Bay 13, as there was no such equipment at the MLPs during the first shuttle years,  i5684_no2.gif but instead a different typical detail on another place. cool.gif

 

A first clue for this was the shot from Challenger's Rollout for the STS-8 (1983), which at first glance seems less exhilarating, because one can hardly see any details on the Side 2. rolleyes.gif  Therefore, I would like to draw your attention directly to this encircled hutch, which later inter alia can explain the position and shape of the triple kink on Side 2 of the Paper Kit. 

 

In the linked HiRes resolution one can see this somewhat larger box in the Bay 10 more clearly, and the practiced eye can also recognize the double kink of the two pipes on the left even though only hazy. cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif

 

fYOaM2.jpg
Source: spacefacts.de

 

And here is a shot of the STS-6 from the NSF Forum (Ares67), which shows on the left side of the picture that this box above the two thinner pipes at that time already had existed, actually logical, since both missions are only a few months apart. up045518.gif 

 

cEIjBH.jpg
Source: NASASpaceFlight.com (Ares67)

 

In the course of these findings, I have recollected to images from the Side 4, JC_idea.gif on which I had noticed a similar box, which can be seen in the following image section from the Lift-off to the STS-6 and that it has oblique supports. 

 

SkStNl.jpg

 

After my overview so far, there were these boxes at the MLPs at least until the end of the 80s, as one can see on this picture from the Rollout of the Discovery on the MLP-2 for the STS-29 (1989). speak_cool.gif

 

sts-29_rollout.jpg
Source: spacefacts.de

 

Since these middle boxes are not available in the Bay 10 in the paper kit, I can now adjust myself to this and can omit these other boxes in the Bay 13 and the triple kink of the pipes (Bay 9-11) with clear conscience. up035091.gif

 

But now still to the elucidation of the location of this triple-kink in the paper kit, which is indeed on the Side 2 of the MLP-1. The reason for this becomes clear very quickly from this image of the Rollout of the Columbia to the STS-1, although I had to evaluate lots of images. But from the STS-1, there are luckily most of the images you can find in the KSC-Media-Archiv.

 

As can be seen in this picture, earlier this box was sitting there, around which the pipes were installed. I suspect that it could be a kind of Firex water tank, because you can see a red pipe on the right, which would speak for it. cool.gif

 

j3VzaW.jpg
Source: NASA

 

These boxes were later dismantled on the MLP-1 (red circle), as can be seen in the image of the STS-79 (1996). And since then there is in the Bay 13 instead this box on the frame (green circle), which is existing in the paper kit on both sides, but for the MLP-2 they are absolutely wrong there. top2.gif 

 

q4HUpA.jpg
Source: NASA

 

For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that the old boxes on the MLP-2 were also sometime dismanteled and replaced by the boxes on the frame, as shown in this picture of the STS-115 (2006), which was then also freshly painted.

 

up057297.jpg
Source: NASA

 

And now I come to the great photos of the MLP-2 from John Duncan from the year 1998, which I actually wanted to use as standard reference photos for the further detailing of the side walls.  speak_cool.gif 

 

Since it is soon time to deal with the "roof"gutters, which are interrupted several times, I have numbered the Bays on the Side 2 for better orientation, since I do not always want to count them again for myself. rolleyes.gif

 

I can still use these images well for scratching, since one can see the details of the pipes and the supports very beautifully. 

 

VksfFV.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

KNJDLi.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

I just have to keep in mind that I have to omit the box with frame in Bay 13 and mount the old box in the Bay 10.  up045518.gif

 

And finally there are still some small things that I need to correct on this occasion on the Paper Kit side walls, of which more later.

 

After seeing things a bit clearer and having penetrated through David Maier's MLP confusion, I feel immediately more comfortable again. up040577.gif

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Hello folks,

 

I want only briefly tell you that I had a good nose with my guess regarding these boxes.  top.gif

 

As I have discovered in an isometric representation of the MLP-1, Fire Hose Reels were in these boxes. up045518.gif

 

After dismanteling the old boxes, these hose reels were then mounted directly on the top deck, which were connected by a thin tube coming from the side wall (Bay 10), as can be seen in this image.  

 

QhMa34.jpg
Source: NASA

 

And here is the matching panoramic shot of the later MLP-2. up045518.gif

 

p5DyPT.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Bye for now. up040577.gif

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"After all the amazing construction of the launch pad, Manfred couldn't replicate the hot dog wrappers in the bottom of the trash can he built from scratch......"

 

The main reason I have been watching this build for literally years is it is so inspiring to know you can do anything you want if you just be patient and refine your skills. 
 

Thanks for letting us view this incredible build. I will continue to tune in.

 

I still say you need to be looking for a great museum for long term loan of this work of art.

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Hi Modeler7, and thanks for your nice compliments. :worship:

 

I know you're doing it just for the hell of it, and fun must be! 00000016.gif 

 

But joke aside! Meanwhile, I trust myself a lot, and have also scratched some crazy things, if they were interesting as well as technically relevant and typical for my project. Therefore, the trash can would not be a problem, but unfortunately such stuff don't belong to the standard equipment. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

before it goes on with the side walls, here still an appropriate image of the washing and cleaning crew during the Pad Washdown with the long hose from the hose reel to remove the traces after an ordinary start. analintruder.gif

 

qobuJ7.jpg
Source: NASASpaceFlight.com Forum (padrat)

 

But this was always routine work for the pad guys.  up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

it went on with the Side 2, here is an intermediate step with the redecorated left half, cool.gif

 

Yy7Ma8.jpg

 

and here the somewhat harmonized and now almost "new" side, which I like much better now.  up045518.gif

 

hBKTTP.jpg

 

And on this image the details can be seen, which are now/again to be attached. top.gif

 

Bm76T8.jpg

 

These are beside the box, the pipes and supports, the three rain gutters with downspouts, whereby the angled, oblique tube at the end of the side (Bay 16-17) is not present in the paper kit. This is due to the wrong MLP-1 version of David Maier, which I will not go into, where this downspout does not exist.  i5684_no2.gif

 

On the Side 2 of the MLP-2, there was this downspout from the beginning, how also in the STS-115 can be seen in the next image.

 

In the Bay 17 are still the red ports for the purge lines of the Orbiter's Environmental Control System (ECS), on which the thick red hoses of the Mobile Portable Purge Unit (MPPU) are connected, which should be placed there as a connector. 

 

exJeMz.jpg
Source: NASA

 

And beneath there are the four Instrumentation Interface Panels, which I will try to get a little bit sharper than the ones from the Paper Kit,   cool.gif

 

up057293.jpg
Source: NASA

 

whereby I'm favourably impressed by this cable jumble during the MLP cabling on the pad again and again.  eek.gif

 

05pd1136-m.jpg
Source: NASA

 

And now to the Side 4, on which there are also some things (marked in red) that should be corrected. hmmm.gif 

 

YKMK5p.jpg

 

First of all, there is the box on the frame in Bay 13, which is wrong there and is omitted, but for which the old box is mounted in Bay 10.

 

And then I must unfortunately dismantle the two lower Pneumatic Vent Mufflers,   cry.gif because they did not exist yet during the STS-6, as I have only now noticed what one can see in this image of the STS-8, which was launched four months later.

 

rOW2J7.jpg
Source: NASASpaceFlight.com Forum (Ares67)

 

But either I build my pad after the historical original, or I let it be, and therefore they must be removed, whether I like it or not. up045518.gif

 

At the beginning, I naturally confided in the correctness of the design in David Maier's Paper Kit and reproduced the details, especially since I had neither special detail knowledge nor useful reference photos of the STS-6. 

 

Today, however, I have a pretty good overview, and so I noticed when studying the fantastic threads of the early missions by Ares67 that the MLP numbers in the kit, especially on the Side 4 do not sit in the right places,   nono.gif but rather where I have drawn them (green).

Almost, I wanted to take over these identifiers from the STS-8, but then I still have discovered an image of the STS-6, which shows, that the rear identifiers of the STS-6 looked differently.  top.gif

 

It was this image here, on which the front identifier is concealed, but for this the end of the page is to be seen, on which one would be able to recognize something perhaps with a corresponding zoom, I thought at least. denknf8.gif 

 

1NB0cD.jpg
Source: NASASpaceFlight.com Forum (Ares67)

 

And I was lucky, because that is indeed the case, as you can see on this image.  speak_cool.gif There one can hardly see yet, cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif that the rear identifier is not completely placed in the Bay 18 but in the Bay 18 (red circle). However, because there is little space, due to the the pipe support and the crossbars on which it sits, the 2 is above the lower strut, and the identifier Side 4 beneath it.

 

At the same time, it can be seen that there were only the two upper Vent Mufflers (blue circle).

 

zMMtM9.jpg

 

And thus I can also consider and correct this disagreement. top2.gif

 

And finally, I've still tried, wether the Instrumentation Interface Panels can still be improved, wherefore I have copied them from the Street View shot of the MLP-1 and reduced it to 1:160.

 

XQsVdx.jpg

 

And that should be quite possible, I think.  up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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And here I thought that you were finished with the MLP's side panels ... and yet, you're finding more and more corrections to make.  :coolio::popcorn:

 

Your attention to detail, Manfred, is most remarkable and this build should be shared on modelling sites, not just those that feature Real Space.

We are all learning a great deal about how to build an accurate miniature from you.

 

Thank you!

Pete

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Thanks Pete for your continued interest and your nice compliments. :worship:

 

I have to take it as it comes. smiley_worship.gif

 

Not only Revell's Launch Tower Kit has a lot of bugs, but rather David Maier's Paper Kit is unfortunately also not quite perfect, which doesn't make things easier, :rolleyes: but let's grin and bear it! up035091.gif

 

BTW, as I've said, either I build my pad after the historical original, or let it be - To be, or not to be, that's here the question. up040577.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

here comes at last the next update. cool.gif 

 

But in the implementation of the latest ideas and details, new questions emerged, which I had yet to pursue, in order to clarify their structure. rolleyes.gif

 

Therefore, in sequence, and thus first to the Interface Panels at the end of the Side 2, which looked as in this image using the template from the Paper Kit.   

 

up057640.jpg

 

And now these are the panels taken from the MLP-1 (Street View) and scaled, which look a little clearer,

 

up057641.jpg

 

and also at the MLP look quite well, at any rate better than the previous blurred paper Kit panels.

up045518.gif

 

up057642.jpg

 

And so to the next details in Bay 17, the red indicated ports for the ECS Purge lines, which I wanted to scratch by simple round bars with red caps. up047089.gif

 

However, on closer inspection, it can be seen clearly that these ports consist of through-sleeves, in which are the connecting sockets of the purge lines, at which the red ventilation hoses of the MPPU are linked.  up045518.gif

 

up057643.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

After some consideration, I remembered the wire end ferrules already used for the lampshades. And these are not only available as pure metal sleeves, but also with plastic sleeves, which can be easier cut off to the required lengths than the metal sleeves. JC_idea.gif

 

And as a result of my usual scaling, 

 

up057644.jpg

 

I have come to the following sleeve types, whose diameters would fit perfectly, into which then the matching connecting sleeves made of round bars are glued and red caps are painted.    up039822.gif

 

up057645.jpg

 

Later, it goes on with the reconstruction work on the Side 4. up040577.gif

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Hi Mike,

 

very strange, which I can not understand. :hmmm:

 

My son has just confirmed that he can see all six images, both with Google Chrome and with Internet Explorerup040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

since in the laying of the two thin pipes on the Side 2 inevitably the "roof"gutters come into play,

 

KNJDLi.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

I have made a couple of new attempts in the meantime to get some bending feeling again, because unfortunately there is nothing off the shelf. huh.gif

 

For my first attempts at the very beginning of the project, I got an aluminum tube Ø 2 mm and filed down carefully the upper half with a fine mill file, which basically works, but which was quite elaborate and laborious.  shocked.gif

 

up017439.jpg

 

Therefore, from today's point of view, I would rather want to return to the already tested variant of moulding a sheet metal strip over a round bar. 

For the back Gutter 3 over the Bay 18 I need a 23 mm long piece, after it follows an elongated substructure, on which two sockets with connection stubs sit, whose purpose of use I have not yet been able to find out however. But no matter, maybe I still can discover it. hmmm.gif And as it looks like, the two thin pipes seem to be attached to these sockets when I see this right. 

 

This is indeed a picture of the MLP-1

 

Y8qp96.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

but on the MLP-2 this part looked similar, as one can see on this image detail, only the two sockets sit more in the middle.

 

VF8zyp.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

On this panorama one can see the details more clearly.

 

Nz7RII.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

This time I've used thin aluminum sheet (0,2 mm) for the gutters, cut out a strip of 23 mm x 3 mm and molded it over a round rod Ø 1,5 mm, but the strip can also kink axially, instead of curving itself evenly, which should be better prevented. smiley_worship.gif

 

Here one can see the filed down pipe (above) and below it the molded gutter piece, which one can do more precisely than by filing. 

 

ynpl6y.jpg

 

QDyvwO.jpg

 

In order to prevent this axial kinking, I will lay the strip on a rubber pad on the next attempt and then press down the round bar from above, perhaps it will work better then. top.gif However, how good this can be done with the longer strips, we will see then.  gruebel.gif

 

Afterwards, I started with the face lifting of the Side 4, on which there are also some pipes and cables, which I would like to scratch. And since they lie above the vertical struts, then the 2D textures and shadows on the wall template disturb the picture, which would certainly look comical, especially since the 3rd dimension is missing anyway. rolleyes.gif

 

So I have started to cover the Bays on this side with matching parts, which was quite tedious because one had to measure all the fields and covers before, so that they fit into the fields.

 

Then came the Bay 16 with the four Vent Mufflers, where I first removed the two lower mufflers. But since the shadows there just look too brutal,  analintruder.gif

 

GaFZsc.jpg

 

I then also removed the two upper Mufflers to be able to cover this bay completely new. And the front and rear MLP-2 identities have meanwhile also been renewed and were placed in the right bays.  

 

favJLL.jpg

 

6wKB1W.jpg

 

Afterwards, the two vent mufflers were glued again, which now looks much better and corresponds to the original.  up045518.gif

 

Llon2N.jpg

 

In order to have more freedom of movement, I've put my turntable on a stand to have easy access from all sides, which makes the work much easier.   speak_cool.gif 

 

bwOJYw.jpg 

 

UKVHJw.jpg

 

Now only a few fields have to be renovated, which will be done tomorrow.

 

7XTyV2.jpg

 

As far as for today, and thank you for watching. up040577.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello friends,

 

now also the last fields on the Side 4 are newly re-glued, which looks now like new-born, 

 

dY01sv.jpg

 

compared to the side from the paper kit 

 

up057545.jpg

 

and only awaits their details. speak_cool.gif

 

And because we are dealing with cosmetic, I have attached the yellow markings on the LH2 Vent Line, seven in number, as can be seen on this image from the STS-8.

 

uy4fCU.jpg
Source: NASA

 

In order that the somewhat bulky little decals can easier cling around the pipe, I had to use Decal Soft again. cool.gif

 

5Wx5uP.jpg

 

And that's how it looks on the MLP. top.gif

 

fJqyp9.jpg

 

After the "renovation" of the side walls they look indeed a little bit bald, but now I could finally start with the detailing, first on the Side 2.  cool.gif

 

I am still in the dark, which especially concerns the detail structure of this side during the STS-6, which does not make scratch-building easy. rolleyes.gif

 

I started with the through-sleeves and connecting sockets of the three ports for the ECS purge lines

 

up057643.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

for which I have separated 1 mm wide rings from the wire end ferrules, which protrude forward on the wall. 

 

The small connector to the left beside the downspout belongs to a GN2 pipe, the front of which looks like a handwheel and also sits in a through-sleeve, what I then have tried to scratch laboriously.  smiley_worship.gif   

 

3rXKDs.jpg

 

The sleeve is a piece of a wire end ferrule (Ø 1 mm) and the wheel is from a section of a rod (Ø 1 mm), which I tried to slit all around with the cutter. shocked.gif

 

7sJIXe.jpg

 

JkByH2.jpg

 

On the right lay the round bars for the connecting sockets. 

 

o2FjmY.jpg

 

And so this part in the sleeve looks so far, an attempt was worth it at any rate.  huh.gif

 

WroIbI.jpg

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Thanks Manfred for your nice compliments, :worship:

 

yep, the scientific curiosity and the researcher's urge are still inside me denknf8.gif and always stimulate me anew, to get to the bottom of it.  JC_idea.gif

 

And besides, I do not want to paste the details only after feeling anywhere. up040577.gif

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Thanks for your flattering words, bow.gif which praise me to the skies ... verlegen.gif

I'm glad if you like what I'm doing here, I only try to give my best.  up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

then I tried to paint the caps of the connecting sockets red, first times with two test rods.

 

PO2g22.jpg

 

Since the lengths of the caps with the brush by hand are not to manage with uniform lenght, I have masked the rod tops accordingly.

 

9QmDZE.jpg

 

And now it looks better, to the left is a second variant of the handrail, which has only a thin disc at the front, which corresponds more to the real part, which is more likely a blind flange, 

 

dd4sEV.jpg

 

as I have now found out. top.gif

 

k6yN01.jpg

 

Since I would like to paint the small through-sleeves by Airbrush, I have pinned the parts on my Balsa-Holding strip, which I had used for the lampshade lacquer.

 

wfs70V.jpg

 

And in this airbrush job, also a few profiles for the pipes on the side walls will be sprayed, which I have already prepared.

 

qy0j7V.jpg

 

These are, inter alia, the two lines with the double kink, 

 

up057651.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

whose connection on this console with the two attachments was a mystery to me until now.  denknf8.gif

 

In the meantime, NASA has also digitized the photos contained in the so called MLP-Report and made them available online, from which I have already taken a lot of detailed information. And these reference photos (unfortunately only black and white) are predestined for detail studies because of their high resolution. top2.gif 

 

 

GAGjED.jpg
Source: Library of Congress

 

In addition to this image as JPEG (316 KB), on which one can not see enough details, there is also a huge TIFF format (38 MB), analintruder.gif on which one can clearly see that the two pipes are actually connected to these two attachments, which I had so far only suspected. And on this image one can also see that the front part on the GN2 Line is probably a blind flange.  hmmm.gif

 

o05GEW.jpg
Source: Library of Congress

 

This version of the connectors with the covers is only available on the MLP-3, on the MLP-2 they are missing , as one could already see on this earlier image. 

 

up057652.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

In any case, similar connector caps are located in front of the attachments, as can be seen from this perspective. 

 

qyoROH.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

That this connection console was still slightly different on the MLP-1, can be seen in this image. rolleyes.gif

 

up057643.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

The MLP-Report contains, among other things, also a drawing of the Side 2 from which this image section comes, from which I have determined the dimensions of the box (Fire Hose Reel). 

 

NL3t4D.jpg
Source: Library of Congress

 

And these are the prepared parts for the box of 0.3 mm Styrene with two support struts (0.5 mm x 1 mm), whereby I assume that these were more likely angle profiles, for which I could use an already painted brass profile (1 mm x 1 mm). 

 

or3VIu.jpg

 

So much for the theory, which I now only need to put into action.  up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

today only a short flash from a first attempt to bend the two thin pipes. cool.gif

 

For this I have used copper wire Ø 0.6 mm and a copy of the Side 2 of the MLP-3 as bending template, which is why I  had to correct the double kink a little bit. huh.gif

 

gvaN2M.jpg

 

And these are the two pipes in the raw state, from which the left ends are now adapted to the attachments on the console and the right ends must be shortened and angled. 

 

0pITf4.jpg

 

Sorry, but the light conditions are unfortunately not the best.   rolleyes.gif

 

That was it already for the moment. up040577.gif

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Hello friends,

 

and thus to the next pipe on this side, whereby I assume that it is a Firex line. The same line there is also on the Side 4, to which we will come later. cool.gif

 

This pipe is a bit thinner than the first two pipes, it starts somewhere in Bay 13 and then it takes the marked course to the front corner of Side 2,  

 

8vdyl0.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Since on this image one can recognize the beginning of the line unfortunately just as little as on this image of the MLP-2, rolleyes.gif

 

7zkev4.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

I have consulted again the Street View panorama of the MLP-1. And here I have found a suitable perspective, on which one can recognize, cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif that the line comes out of the wall of the lower MLP-B Level to the right of the door and then runs first to the top and then to the right.

 

ZV6HEP.jpg
Source: NASA (Street View)

 

Compared to the first two pipes (Ø 0.6 mm), this line should have a diameter of 0.4 mm, for which I also used Cu wire. up045518.gif

 

And here the test line is temporarily layed down, but at the lower end it must be shortened and angled.

 

k6hYXb.jpg

 

At the other end of the line at the front corner to the Side 1, I was initially not quite clear about their real run during the STS-6, provided that it already existed at that time.  hmmm.gif

 

As can be seen in these images from John Duncan's collection (1998), the line runs around the corner to the Side 1,  

 

eIukTJ.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

and flows then in the thicker Firex main line, which is running under the Blast Shields to the other end of the side and then on Side 4, where it ends in Bay 13.  up045518.gif

 

DccDU1.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

And now comes the surprise,  analintruder.gif linked with a fat  question.gif 

 

On my standard reference image of the STS-6 one can see that there was no continuation of this Firex line behind the corner on the Side 1, maybe it was extended only later up to the main line, but it is only questionable when, respectively whether at all?  undecided.gif 

 

Obviously, there is something else, whereat the red arrow points, to what I'll come back later.  cool.gif

 

D8DtYo.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

To the right side of the Side 1 it looks similar, where the red Firex main line ends in front of the corner and only some cables run around the corner.   huh.gif

 

zW8LAe.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

And so I have arrived at a point where I have to rethink everything, because that would mean that I can save myself the thinner pipe apparently, because it still did not exist at that time presumably.  denknf8.gif

 

But about it I just have to sleep tonight ... schlaflos.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

well, so is it with the details, which I wanted to start scratching, but which on closer inspection suddenly vanish into thin air ... yikes.gif Therefore it is absolutely necessary to take care to the mission they are based on and whether they are relevant to the own mission. rolleyes.gif But that I did not keep in mind at John Duncan's MLP-2 images of 1998, because I was so  thrilled about their details, a typical case of Not a bit of it! up040472.gif

 

Afterwards one is unfortunately always smarter, but aside from the STS-1, there are relatively few usable Hi-Res images from the first missions, especially from Side 2, where it unfortunately looks gloomy. smiley_worship.gif

 

That's why I took the trouble and have specifically investigated the first MLP-2 missions until the end of the 80s once again, finally to get information about these ominous Firex Lines.

 

And these were the following missions:

 

Challenger
1983: MLP-6, MLP-8
1984: STS-41B,
1985: STS-51B, STS-51F,
1986: STS-51L

 

Discovery:
1984: STS-41D, STS-51A,
1988: SSTS-26;

 

Atlantis:
1985: STS-51J, STS-61B.

 

And in doing so, I found out, that 1983 during the first  missions, there was no transition of the Firex line from the Side 2 to the Side 1, but first in 1984 at the Challenger mission STS-41B, as one can clearly see in this image, especially with zoom.  speak_cool.gif

 

q9Kegv.jpg
Source: NASA

 

At the previous mission STS-8, this transition did not yet exist, as one can see on this image unfortunately not so sharp, but nevertheless. cool.gif

 

344Vka.jpg
Source: NASASpaceFlight.com Forum

 

What one can see as a shadow is the detail (?) on MLP-2, what I've already mentioned in the last post, which I will now still examine carefully. spiegel-smilies-0002.gif

And therefore back to the Side 2 of the MLP-2 (1998), on which one can see it also only schematically in the zoom. cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif

 

Dirl1H.jpg
Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

These are actually four thin Fuel cell pipes (Ø 0.5'' = 12.7 mm) for the fuel cells of the orbiter, namely the two upper GO2 pipes and the two lower GH2 pipes. top2.gif 

 

More clearly, this bundle is seen on this image from the MLP-2 at the STS-132.

 

Yt4OvW.jpg
Source: NASA

 

If one really wanted to scratch these four pipes, denknf8.gif one would need wires with a diameter of about 0.1 mm,  eek.gif which I procured some time ago. speak_cool.gif

 

BTW, here is such a wire (Ø 0.1 mm) in cosy togetherness with a hair (Ø 0.05 mm) of mine, 

 

Qgn13l.jpg

 

whose color however will not be betrayed.   up040577.gif

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4 hours ago, spaceman said:

 

 

If one really wanted to scratch these four pipes, denknf8.gif one would need wires with a diameter of about 0.1 mm,  eek.gif which I procured some time ago. speak_cool.gif

 

BTW, here is such a wire (Ø 0.1 mm) in cosy togetherness with a hair (Ø 0.05 mm) of mine, whose color however will not be betrayed.   up040577.gif

 

You actually made me laugh out loud when I read this ... I really have wondered how long it would be before you, in your attempt to work to this small scale, would be using hair to depict railings or wiring ... :whistle:

 

I continue to watch and enjoy this build Manfred. Your ability to detect and portray these tiny details simply amazes me!

Thanx!

Pete

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