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1/48 Apollo Spacecraft Stack


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On 3/22/2016 at 7:24 AM, crackerjazz said:

"... so... can you make another one for me?

The helical S-band antenna is amazing -- is that made of wire wrapped around a cone?

And how do you take pictures with both hands at work?

Besides, there's no way to do Menu -> View -> Zoom in 400% at the show.

Wait a sec -- how'd you make the tracking light bezel? It even seems to have the rounded embossed channel (?!)

 

Thanx a lot guys! :wave:

 

You want one cracker jazz? Just put in your order and I'll see what I can do ... we can talk dollars later on ... :rolleyes:

 

To take the pix showing both hands, I use a Tripod and the self timer on the camera.

The Omni antenna are the helical ones and yes, it's copper wire wrapped around a sharp pencil lead.

and the ........ whoa ... WHAT?? You guys ZOOM in too? Oh ... my ... gawd! I've never even thought of doing that! :blink: :doh:

The Tracking Light is a PE piece from New Ware

 

I've got just little paint-y things to do, to tighten this LM up a bit more, then onto the CM and the final touches.

Pete

Edited by K2Pete
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Today is January 28, 2018 this thread has taken quite a few hours to relink images and the Forum won't let me update a few posts with new images ... why? ... I don't know, but I'll place new images one by one to see where the problem lies.

 

It's been a couple years since I've been able to sit at the Bench and complete this, but it sure was fun to revisit this thread and see what I did all those many months ago ... I sure hope I can complete this and all my other unfinished models ...

 

Pete

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  • 1 month later...

I thought I had responded to you Uwe ... hm-m-m, but yes, I've built 4 or 5 Monogram LMs.

 

A Model contest is occurring in 2 weeks and I have so little to do on this, I want to get it done for the show.

It took me awhile to figure out how to display the BPC without hiding the CM and built a plate that will fit over the CM and still show 80% of it.

2v2JpGyQzxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JpGybdxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JpGyKyxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JpGy15xAnAAS.jpg

 

I think this will do nicely.

 

The CM needed to be sanded one more time as there was some orange-peeling of the paint ... 2000 grit sandpaper did a nice job

 

2v2JpGypNxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JpGy6oxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

And I sprayed on a coat of Glass Black instead of Primer ... and it came out beautifully!

 

2v2JpGywjxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JpGycrxAnAAS.jpg

 

While waiting for the Gloss Black to cure, 2 or 3 days, I added some bits to the SLA and gave it a little attention too ...

 

2v2JpGyAMxAnAAS.jpg

 

The inside seam needed a little touch-up

 

2v2JpGyBzxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

And I gave the exterior seam a touch-up spray of Flat White

2v2JpGytyxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

I made some home made decals for the CM and the Base.

 

2v2JcSC4zxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

While handling the SM I broke off a dish from the High Gain antenna and wanted to show my "jury rigged" jig.

When I see Manfred's gorgeous, simple jigs and then compare them to mine, well, it gives me a chuckle!

 

2v2JcSChrxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JcSCGoxAnAAS.jpg

 

Thanx for looking in, gents!

Pete

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I finally have what I was looking for with the paint on the CM ...

 

2v2JcSC7yxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JcSCtFxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

I put on some decals on the SLA  ... the +Z, -Z +Y and -Y co-ordinates, plus a couple of 'greebly' decals.

2v2JcVAcnxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JcVA1WxAnAAS.jpg

 

till later

Pete

Edited by K2Pete
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Hi Pete,

 

when I saw your "jury rigged" jig, it made me chuckle, happy.gif  but necessity begets ingenuity. idea1_2.gif


You just have to know how to help yourself and just have to use your head. einfall.gif

 

What a cool construction, could also be mine ... 00000016.gif

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I'm finally getting down to the short strokes on this years-long build.   :yahoo:

 

I applied my decals to each corner of the base. The cutouts in the centre are clearance holes for the LM's footpads

 

2v2JfUrGBxAnAAS.jpg

 

This is a decal map from Space Model Systems, Rick Sternbach's product, and applying the decals, both his and my homemade as well as the scratch built handholds is next

 

2v2JfUj3sxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

... almost done. This little guy took all day to do!

... Just a few touch-ups remaining

 

2v2JfUrMtxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JfUrd7xAnAAS.jpg

 

 

I've not glued the SPS engine bell into the SM so that the LM can be installed into the SLA. ( It has to go in from the bottom ) It's still a very tight fit and I may not be able to, due to all the added details in the SLA itself ... I've made some attempts without the SM attached and the fragile antenna on the LM risk getting snapped off ...

 

2v2JfUjaRxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JfUjKDxAnAAS.jpg

 

Just a few overall touch-ups to do and in the next couple days I should have this build completed!  :clap2:

Pete

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Thanx Ret! ... but as the old saying goes ... "Good looking from far ... but far from good looking"

It's a little rough on closer inspection but, I'm quite happy with it! Hopefully you'll see it at HeritageCon next week.

 

The Umbilical Housing, which was built a few years ago, didn't fit. so I had to rebuild it

 

2v2JfnCcGxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

With some styrene scraps ... some sanding and filling ... and sanding and filling ... and general farting around, it fit ... well enough.

 

2v2JfnCtLxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

... and as is always the case when handling a nearly finished model, the little, fragile things break off. Here a handhold near the top of the CM got snapped off

 

2v2JfnCKLxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

and had to be rebuilt

 

2v2JfnC1gxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

... and after Painting and gluing onto the CM ... this ... was DONE!  :yahoo:

 

2v2JfnhnLxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JfnhynxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JfnhNVxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2Jfnh8LxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JfnhMgxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JfnCoGxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

The LM still need a little touching-up but it's just paint and foil repairs ... easy stuff!

 

2v2JfnC2nxAnAAS.jpg

 

2v2JfnCUhxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

And the Original kit and my modified one. I would like to display this at the contest like this, to show how we Real Space builders start with a sow's ear and, hopefully make a silk purse out of it  :rolleyes:

 

2v2JfnCJgxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

A little closer on the OOB kit ... I wanted to show the poor fit and the awful seams, so I did ab-so-lute-ly nothing to it.

 

2v2JfnCanxAnAAS.jpg

 

 

And a little closer on the Modded one

 

2v2JfnCeqxAnAAS.jpg

 

And after 5 or 6 years of staring at this model, I can finally call it DONE.

 

Thanx guys for taking a peek at this lo-o-o-ong build!

Pete

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Darn It Pete! Now you've gone and done another beautiful Apollo based model and got me all inspired to do more on my builds! Your awesome work is driving me insane...so either stop it or share some of that mojo you got goin on would ya? Seriously though, beautiful work making silk from a sows ear.

 

I do have a question, since you've not got me committed (or soon to be!)  to opening up panels on my Dragon Sat V, I know I'm missing some reference that's probably staring me right in the eye, but I can't seem to find any definitive proof as to which orientation the lunar module sits in the transition housing in relation to the CSM. Are the hatches both facing the same quadrant or are the aligned differently. I've seen drawings that show them hatches both on the same side, and some showing hatches on opposite sides...so what gives? anyone?

 

Bill

Edited by niart17
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Admiralcag, Slartibartfast ( Slart, you have to tell me the etymology of this handle ... wow! ) thanx very much.

Re the RCS thrusters breaking off, I assume that the Boost Protective Cover disrupts the airflow enough to prevent damage to the thruster bells. But it's only a guess.

 

Bill, regarding the orientation of the CM to the LM, if that's how I interpret your question ... if you take the CM and line the rendezvous windows on the CM to line up with both the LM's rendezvous window ( the overhead one) and the Docking target, you'll see that when you rotate the CM back into it's launch configuration, the hatches are about 90° or so apart.

I'll assume the Dragon CM and LM have those little details ...

 

Hope this helps, but don't hesitate to ask again if it doesn't. 

 

For my model, for display purposes both the CM and LM are facing the viewer, so isn't accurate for a launch config ... 

Pete

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2 hours ago, niart17 said:

.... I can't seem to find any definitive proof as to which orientation the lunar module sits in the transition housing in relation to the CSM. Are the hatches both facing the same quadrant or are the aligned differently. I've seen drawings that show them hatches both on the same side, and some showing hatches on opposite sides...so what gives? anyone?

 

Looking at the David Weeks drawings, the CM hatch aligns with the -Z axis and the LM hatch aligns with the +Z axis, so they are 180 degrees apart. The two access doors on the LSA panels are also at +Z and -Z, on opposing panels. 

 

Aligning Apollo with the Saturn V booster, +Z is Position I on the S-1C aft skirt, -Z is Position III. Hope that helps. 

.

 

Edited by habu2
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Thanks Pete, I think I understand but I don't have the models in front of me right now so I'll have to get home and visualize that. But yes, you did understand what my question was. In my mind I kind of assume that they'd be placed to where once the CM detached, it would simply do a 180% nose over and be lined up for docking. At least that's what makes sense in my mind, the less maneuvering the better I'd think. I seem to have hard time picturing the locations of all the features of a Saturn V for some reason. Hard to keep up with quadrants I, II, III, and IIII when it looks so similar. Thanks again!

 

Bill

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ahhh....thanks Habu. So if the diagram I saw is correct, Z+ is in line with the roman numeral I and Z- is at roman numeral III?

 

Bill

 

Oh Sorry, I see you posted that at the end of your reply! doh.... THANkS again!

 

Edited by niart17
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2 hours ago, K2Pete said:

 ( Slart, you have to tell me the etymology of this handle ... wow! )

Back when dirt was new, I needed a handle for my Usenet account.  I was a big fan of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and had seen that several of the characters from the book were already in use, so I hit upon Slartibartfast as my handle. Not common and it sounds funny when spoken.  Been using it ever since.

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14 hours ago, habu2 said:

 

Looking at the David Weeks drawings, the CM hatch aligns with the -Z axis and the LM hatch aligns with the +Z axis, so they are 180 degrees apart. The two access doors on the LSA panels are also at +Z and -Z, on opposing panels. 

 

I looked for a lot of reference and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for regarding the relative positions of the CSM and LM on the launch vehicle.

 

A lot of the info was conflicting. As an example, This image shows the CSM as it's approaching the LM to take it out of the SIV-B. The Right rendezvous window faces the LMs overhead window ( 1 o'clock position to the docking tunnel ) and has the camera in it, the Pilot's rendezvous window faces the Docking target , the white circle to the left ( 10 o'clock position to the docking tunnel ). The CMs hatch is in the middle of them and is less than 90° to the LMs hatch.  The CM doesn't roll to link up to the LM which leads me to believe that they aren't 180° apart. Again, this is just a guess ... 

 

http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_gallery.html

 

Slart, I had watched Hitchhiker years ago and your handle didn't fizz on me ... but that's a name one shouldn't forget. Thanx!

 

habu2, I'm curious, you do offer good information here on ARC ... do you have any build threads? I'd love to see what you do!

 

Pete

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Well shoot, if you look at image 69-H-1667 from Apollo 12 in the link that Pete just posted, you can see that it looks like the LM is being lowered into the instrument ring with the ladder leg (hatch side) facing -Z, so that leads me to think it's opposite of what some of the other information suggest. I can't make out enough details on the service module above it to see how it's facing since it's covered for protection. Now I'm really confused.

 

Bill

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Hm-m-m the link to the specific photo didn't work ... sorry about that chief!

Here's the Image number under the Heading: Apollo 17 launch and Journey to the Moon ( The Apollo Archives, Apollo 17 Image Gallery )

 

This is just the Image number, not a link to the photo ...

AS17-148-22695

 

 

 

Edited by K2Pete
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