Space Shuttle Columbia STS-1

[egt95]

One thing to keep in mind about STS-1 though is Columbia was the cleanest it had ever been and would ever be at launch. It hadn't gone through a reentry yet, so you are not going to see the graying out of the tiles on the belly. By STS-3 there was a tiny little bit of graying (and some tiles getting replaced), but things stayed pretty uniform in color. So I wouldn't worry too much about trying to get gray shades in those tiles, certainly not the extent seen on the RPM backflip photos from the ISS (which were all of shuttles that had flown dozens of missions by that point).

This is very true. I still would like to show the tiles somehow. I did see a post where someone used a window screen as a template to tiles, placed it against the bottom and sprayed it. The only problem is that it doesn't give a brick layer pattern. But since it's such a small detail, it wouldn't matter.

Thanks for the reminder on it being a newer orbiter. Sometimes I go off track every now and then.

[niart17]

One thing to keep in mind about STS-1 though is Columbia was the cleanest it had ever been and would ever be at launch. It hadn't gone through a reentry yet, so you are not going to see the graying out of the tiles on the belly. By STS-3 there was a tiny little bit of graying (and some tiles getting replaced), but things stayed pretty uniform in color. So I wouldn't worry too much about trying to get gray shades in those tiles, certainly not the extent seen on the RPM backflip photos from the ISS (which were all of shuttles that had flown dozens of missions by that point).

Yes you are correct! I'm sorry, I wasn't taking into account we are discussing STS-1. It would be very clean in comparison. So forget anything I said about the tiles, that would be the complete wrong way to do it.

Carry on,

Bill

[Jay Chladek]

You could try the Bisconti tile decals over a base shade to see if any slight hint of tiles can be seen (use a scrap segment you might not use on the model). One thing I liked about the old Cutting Edge sheet is with the screen printing that was used, even if one oversprays a smoke tint (or blue-black clear tint in my case to get a deep black when I did it for the sides of the nose on my 1/72 Atlantis stack) to the point where the tile coloring can no longer be seen, you can still see a little bit of a tile pattern in it from how the inks are laid down. Granted a picture doesn't pick up that type of detailing, but the Mk 1 eyeball sure can if done right.

As for the screen painting idea, it can work. In 1/144, the fact that it isn't a brick pattern isn't as noticeable. In fact I was going to do that on my own 1/144 STS-107 Columbia model back in 2003 when Cutting Edge announced that they were doing tile decals. The decals were a better solution for me at the time, but the screen paint still could have worked as I had already tried some test passes with it to see how well it would work.

[niart17]

Just tossing a thought out there but I wonder if one were to take the back-flip photo based decal files and in photoshop play around with the colors and/or contrast etc...if you could come up with a pretty close proximity to fresh tiles. If it works like I think it would, you could conceivably have various stages of weathered tiles to suit different missions. Unfortunately the best photos (to my limited knowledge)of the shuttle belly are all from after the Columbia accident, when they started the back flip inspection and the tiles are pretty weathered. hmmm...I'll have to play with that if I can find the time and the files.

Bill

[T.Moore1521]

I have photoshop on my computer and I've been thinking about tinkering with backflip photos just to see what I could make out of it. I'll be waiting on hotdog's decals because I have nothing but time on my hands on weekends but if I can make a decent set I'll post a pic or two on here to see what you guys think of it.

-Tyler

[Hotdog]

The 1:144 tile decals I am working on will include three different belly versions: early, mid and late. Here's an early preview. I haven't gone in and added the darker tiles yet, but this will give you an idea of where I'm going with this. I've included a small section at full resolution (1:72 scale) so you can see the improvement over the antiquated Cutting Edge decals in both accuracy and realism.

[T.Moore1521]

I have photoshop on my computer and I've been thinking about tinkering with backflip photos just to see what I could make out of it. I'll be waiting on hotdog's decals because I have nothing but time on my hands on weekends but if I can make a decent set I'll post a pic or two on here to see what you guys think of it.

-Tyler

[T.Moore1521]

The 1:144 tile decals I am working on will include three different belly versions: early, mid and late. Here's an early preview. I haven't gone in and added the darker tiles yet, but this will give you an idea of where I'm going with this. I've included a small section at full resolution (1:72 scale) so you can see the improvement over the antiquated Cutting Edge decals in both accuracy and realism.

Those are very very nice Hotdog. I can't wait to get my hands on those from you.

[niart17]

Looking good Hotdog. Are these to be screen printed? I can see it being really tricky to color separate for screens with the subtle shade variations of the weathering streaks. If you don't mind a minor suggestion, perhaps vary the intensity of the black seam lines of the tile pattern. It's not totally necessary since a modeler can weather on top of what you have to get the effect but it may make it a bit easier "out of the box" so to speak. Just a thought. But yes, still light years ahead of the cutting edge stuff.

Bill

Edited March 12, 2014 by niart17

[egt95]

The 1:144 tile decals I am working on will include three different belly versions: early, mid and late. Here's an early preview. I haven't gone in and added the darker tiles yet, but this will give you an idea of where I'm going with this. I've included a small section at full resolution (1:72 scale) so you can see the improvement over the antiquated Cutting Edge decals in both accuracy and realism.

:jaw-dropping:/>/>

Nice work!!! I would like to place an order for 3 of each. :pray:/>/> Those are really awesome. Cutting edge had something, but these a way better. Do you plan on creating the white tiles around the windows, OMS pods, and the FIB's?

Mike.

[Hotdog]

Looking good Hotdog. Are these to be screen printed? I can see it being really tricky to color separate for screens with the subtle shade variations of the weathering streaks. If you don't mind a minor suggestion, perhaps vary the intensity of the black seam lines of the tile pattern. It's not totally necessary since a modeler can weather on top of what you have to get the effect but it may make it a bit easier "out of the box" so to speak. Just a thought. But yes, still light years ahead of the cutting edge stuff.

Bill

I have found a printer that can include raster (4-color) images as part of the process, a separate layer. The latest-and-greatest technology, I am told. So while the preliminary decals I am releasing in the next month or so will be strictly screen printed, the tile decals that I am just now starting to work on may be a somewhat different animal as far as how they are made. If that doesn't work out, I can always recreate the "weathered" artwork in Illustrator as a vector gradient mesh. Either way, I should be able to deliver equally good results. It's just going to take some time to get it all together, so sit tight!

:jaw-dropping:/>/>/>/>/>/>/>

Nice work!!! I would like to place an order for 3 of each. :pray:/>/>/>/>/>/>/> Those are really awesome. Cutting edge had something, but these a way better. Do you plan on creating the white tiles around the windows, OMS pods, and the FIB's?

Mike.

The finished decal sets will be all encompassing, so yes, I'm not going to stop at the belly tiles. There will be decals to cover all of the tiled sections of the Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour orbiters in the first edition. Columbia and Challenger editions will come later.

These sets are still a ways out, my friends. Just letting you know they are in development. I am juggling all of my shuttle-related products in unison. I will keep you all posted. Now let's not derail this thread any longer. Back to STS-1!

[egt95]

Here's an update to Columbia...

One thing that I like about the Airfix orbiter models is that they mold the areas where the spacecraft mounts to the external tank. The plan here is to carve down the area and create the doors with styrene.

And, here we are. Still need to do some clean up. But I think it'll work out good.

[egt95]

I went ahead and filled in the groved areas above the elevons with squadron green putty. I also filled in the areas that did not seperate well from the sprues at the leading edges. Looks like I've got some sanding to do. Good thing squadron putty smooths easily.

I also drilled the holes where the star trackers are located and backed them with styrene. As I was looking at the window areas of the orbiter I ran into a delimma. How can I make the windows on a 1/144 orbiter....

...look like this?

This photo is from my 1/72 space shuttle with Dutycat's beany cap. I have not finished this project because it is way too in depth with detail. Scoring and cutting styrene strips to replicate tiles became to dawnting of a task to me so I had to take a brake and do something else. I do plan on getting back to it, but I don't know when.

On the 1/72 model, I sanded down the tile areas around the windows that were molded into the cap and reapplied ones that would match the rest of the model. All the other areas, I will use cloth tape to replicate the FIB's.

[DutyCat]

My 1/72 shuttle project (and the attendant videos) is on hold also while I clear some smaller projects off of my workbench. I went into Jaxcon last month with NOTHING, but had like 12 models sitting around my studio in various phases of construction. I realized I had to reduce my scope of effort or I would never get anything done.

[K2Pete]

How can I make the windows on a 1/144 orbiter.......look like this?

There are a bunch of ways to get 'em to look great! ... but ... they all take a little bit of time and effort.

A decal is the best, and at that scale, it'll look just fine.

But you could also augment the window frames with styrene strips glued right over the clear plastic. JMChladek did it like that in a build a few years ago.

1/144 is pretty small to get the window details right ... I did another method in 1/72, but try the decal, a good accurate decal, and you may be satisfied with that.

Pete

[Hotdog]

Outstanding work on that 1/72 shuttle! Both the windows and tiles look perfect! I understand the daunting task of tiling the orbiter. Hopefully soon I can finish my tile detail set that will make this process a lot easier for us 1/72 shuttle modelers.

I have a 1:144 Airfix Shuttle that is currently at the same phase as your build. I put a piece of thin styrene over the window area and I plan to drill and file out the windows into shape. This is why I have not installed the payload bay yet, so I can drop in the clear window piece AFTER I cut out and file the window shapes. In hindsight, I kind of wish I had just filled in the window area with Milliput instead of using styrene. As you can see in the pic, I've had to do a lot of back-and-forth puttying, sanding, puttying, sanding to smooth the sheet of styrene into the shape of the orbiter. It's so puttied up now that I don't know if it's smooth enough. I may have to hit it with a bit of primer to see how it looks. But yeah, if I had it to do over again, or if I were you, I might try Milliput first and see if that's easier, as you can always use styrene if that doesn't work out. And of course, like Pete said, a nice decal may really be all you need.

[egt95]

Well...To all of my fellow hobbyist, I managed to fracture my thumb yesterday so I'm going to have to put my build aside for a bit. Thanks for all of the good advice and when I get back to it I'll let you all know.

Hotdog. Keep me posted on the decal work. I'm very interested in acquiring some material from you.

Mike

[Hotdog]

Sorry to learn of the broken thumb! Here's to a speedy recovery. Stay tuned to the board, you guys will be the first to know when the decals are done!

[egt95]

Because it's hard to keep myself from doing nothing, I decided to see what exactly I could do with my broken thumb. Turns out that I can still do some things. I finished sanding the putty that filled in the slats above the elevons. I then glued the fuselage to wings, filled the gaps with squadron green then sanded those areas. :thumbsup2:/>/>

Check out the wrapped up hand!:whistle:/>

I also started working on the external tank. As I get closer to the center portion, I'll either use ribbed styrene, or just lay strips. Depends on if I can find a sheet at the local hobby shop.

And....walla. Sanded and smoothed out...

I took a decal sheet from Real Space Models and copied it. I then cut out the window decal and taped on the orbiter to see what, if any, ideas I can come up with to get the realism of the windows. There is a chance that I may use the milliput idea. If it doesn't work, then I'll probably stick with a good decal....

[egt95]

Here's a glimpse of some future builds....

They should be arriving in the mail soon.....

[crowe-t]

Excellent work! The shuttle looks beautiful. And to think you are doing all this with one good hand.

The ISS will be a great kit to build. I have a 1/144 Intermountain Railway ISS in the stash and an extra Revell shuttle to go with it. Hopefully, someday I'll get to building it.

Mike.

Edited March 25, 2014 by crowe-t

[GumDrop86]

Be careful with that ISS kit,it depicts an earlier version of how the ISS should have looked,before the Columbia accident.

If you want to make her as it is today you have to thrown away some parts and add some other parts :)

[Hotdog]

Looking good so far! Glad to see you are able to make some process even with the temporary handicap.

I know of the RSM window decal you speak of. The window shapes are a bit warped and not as accurate as the shuttle windows I am creating for my decal sheets. I am using factory drawings of the windows from Rockwell to get my windows as precise as possible. If you want, I can send you a printer-friendly pattern of the exact shape of the window decal I am creating. You can use it as a guide when cutting into the milliput, and know that the decals from me will fit over them nicely.

[egt95]

Looking good so far! Glad to see you are able to make some process even with the temporary handicap.

I know of the RSM window decal you speak of. The window shapes are a bit warped and not as accurate as the shuttle windows I am creating for my decal sheets. I am using factory drawings of the windows from Rockwell to get my windows as precise as possible. If you want, I can send you a printer-friendly pattern of the exact shape of the window decal I am creating. You can use it as a guide when cutting into the milliput, and know that the decals from me will fit over them nicely.

Thanks. It can be difficult since it's hard to use my thumb and finger to hold on to pieces. But I did figure something out.

I will definately take you up on your offer with a template to help out with the windows. I actually think the milliput idea will work out well.

[spaceman]

Very interesting to see, that you also want to build a Launch pad with Columbia STS-1.

I hope you have enough good old pics from the STS-1 mission for scratch building the launch tower, thats a problem I also have to plod with my STS-6 with Challenger.