K2Pete Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I may just do this one first ... you know ... just to get back into the swing of things. I'm thinking of doing Gene Cernan from Gemini 9A, but may do another astronaut ... wearing the later chest pack and the AMU ( Astronaut Maneuvering Unit ) This is the 6" kit. And the sprue shot Whew ... I may hafta retire after all of of these ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ralf Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Got this one also in my stash... well I would be interested how you build it. Especially since you are the reason why I bought the Revell Apollo Astronaut after watching your build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Pete Very Cool!!!! I take it that this is the 1/6 version of the Gemini astronaut rather than the smaller 1/12 kit? This will be a great addition to your Apollo Astronaut build. I have built the 1/12 Gemini kit a few years ago and the finished model does look good when finished. I'll have to dig up a photo or two to show. Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Awesome Pete! I like it. If you do as well as your Apollo astronaut it will be something to see. Are you going to display it like the kit suggest or you going to put a special Pete twist to it? Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crowe-t Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Pete, this is a great idea! Whichever build or builds you go with will be a pleasure to see. Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 This is the 6" kit, Mr Idacavage. And I may put a little twist to the build. As I said, it's gonna have a scratchbuilt chest pack and AMU, but I may have him hovering over a reduced scale Agena ... just a thought as of now. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/gemini/gemini9/lores/s66-33167.jpg The seams are average for a real space kit, but they are un-bee-leev-ably horrid. So just file and sand 'em down. Those Aircraft guys are so-o-o whiny about their seams I do have to say though, that the details in the kit are lovely ... the folds in the suit, the webbing of the belts, the leg pockets, the facial features are really nice ... old, old kit or not! The torso The boot soles The Glove And after filing down the seams I run a file over the folds to reinforce them The arm looks a little long ... but after looking at a couple of pix, it is in proportion. The torso after a quick filing Some surgery on the Glove to make it a little more ... lively. And after To move the fingers forward there was a gap at the knuckles and I just patched the gap with some styrene and they'll get filed and sanded. And some filler on the soles Thanx for the comments guys ... and for taking a peek! Peet Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) Yup, starting to look like a person in space. I'd say you're well on your way to a great build. I'm very impressed with what you've shown you can do with these figure kits. I may have to look for this one one day. I really like the Agena idea. More work = more fun right? Keep it up sir. Bill Edited March 11, 2014 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ralf Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Great start. I also like the Agena idea. Maybe it's time to move up this kit in my stash. I am looking forward to your progress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 I spent the last coupla days building the Chest Pack ... the ELSS. Just syrene sheet ... nothing exotic ... ... and almost done The AMU will be next. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Nice work! Very clean and efficient. IF you get a chance it would be nice to see the kit part vs your beautiful scratch built work so we can see the improvement. BTW, I like your machinist blocks, I need to get me a set of those one day. I'm still using the old Mk I eyeball unit and it's service life is getting a little questionable. Keep it up, I look forward to seeing more. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 There is no kit part for this Bill. The chest pack included in the kit is completely different. And the Machinist block was got from Micro Mark a few years ago ... worth their weight in gold! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 The Astronaut Maneuvering Unit. The Aft is radiused so I'll build it with 1/2" tubing. I flattened the centre tube to allow for the back plate to be attached flush. The basic subassemblies. To fill some small gaps I will use styrene rod instead of, and in addition to, filler putty I don't concern myself at this stage with getting the fit perfect, I figure I'll trim and sand it all down later. With a photo of a model of the AMU The shoulder rests were just segments from a styrene tube Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 To make a solid rod, rounded at one end, I use a few diameters of rod and then sand it down I used a Dremel to bore a couple holes ... and the @%#$&!! thing wandered a bit right out the sides ... I'll slap another layer of styrene over it to patch it up ... but darn it all anyway!! And the rod gap patch again ... There's a little way to go on this item ... it's fun! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 16, 2014 Author Share Posted March 16, 2014 This is a part which, I think, is a bumper on the top of the AMU. I just wanted to show how many pieces I use to build it. And a dry fit of the AMU/ You can see this part on the top of the AMU. More details showing how I just slap plastic on and then trim and file and sand to fit. And after all that trimming, this is about 50% of what WAS there ... And almost done. The cables and wires and "seat belts" need to be assembled yet. So all the subassemblies are built, now back to the Astro and put it all together. I'm pleased at how quickly this is proceeding! Thanx fer lookin' in! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Great work as always Pete. I am always fascinated and enlightened when I see your approach to scratch building shapes. Typically I get that "why didn't I think of that?" feeling. Dare I say sometimes you design like a 3d cad modeler would... Keep it up! Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Youngtiger1 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Great work Pete. This is going to be another great astronat slash scratchbuild. So, a must follow for sure :thumbsup:/> Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Gee thanx Mike! I don't know about great though ... middle of the road will be good enuff fer me. The other kit glove was attached to the little maneuvering unit and I had to cut it off The Bezel around the outside of the visor needed to be installed too. It's just a strip of thin styrene. I thought I would have to carve it into an arc or a chord, but straight was perfect! And the body is getting some attention too in that Milliput was added to the shoulder joints. Thanx for the comments lads! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ralf Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Great work so far... this will be as good as your Apollo astronaut. Looking forward to your progress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Youngtiger1 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) Having seen your previous builds. There is no middle... Edited March 22, 2014 by Youngtiger1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 The faceplate needed a couple of styrene patches on the sides ... filed and sanded. I drilled in some holes to represent rivets And after a coat of Aluminum paint, I found a few flaws, sanded and repainted a couple of times. And there was a handle or something on the lower aft portion of the AMU and I finally figured out that it was a fuel line or vent line, but it was some kind of line. So I carved out a passage to allow for the line and attaching hardware. An overall view. I still need to sand a couple places and apply some more paint and add the final details A funnel ... it'll be the docking collar of the Agena Locating pins for the ELSS to the Astronaut The first stage of the Agena. It won't be to scale, it'll be about 2/3 of the proper size, but it'll work in this situation. Onward and upward ... Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Onward indeed! Looking good. I love the solution to the docking collar. Keep it up! Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thanx Bill! That funnel may not work because the plastic doesn't accept styrene cement ... so I may get another one. The AMU is just about complete The Astronaut is getting its mounting rod installed. It'll be attached to the ABS pipe representing the Agena. And its first coat of paint. I've seen photos where the suit is a cool White colour ... White with just a touch of Blue added. I've also seen images wherein the suit is a warm White, with a touch of Tan mixed in. I'm gonna do the warm white I would guess I'm about 60% done on this build. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 For the past 3 weeks or so I've been under the weather ... so progress is pretty slow. But, I'm on the mend ... I hope! The Agena is taking shape. This is just gonna be a partial build of this vehicle as it'll be used just to mount the Astro figure. And I'll make my own decals for this. Here's a picture of the Agena and the portion that I'll represent And I wanted to tint the Astro's visor the 'gold' colour, but am trying using Tamiya Translucent Orange. It may pass, but I may just paint the visor black on the inside. Later Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 i put some paint on the figure and to secure the Astro figure to the AMU I installed a peg which will fit thru a hole in the Astro's back. And here's a couple pix of the model, in various stages of assembly, dry fit. There's some paint tweaks and then some generic decals on the astro and the AMU. Then I can give the Agena mounting some attention. I think I'm having fun again ... Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hotdog Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 This is looking awesome, Pete! Another masterpiece to go in your collection. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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