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Apogee's 1/70 Saturn V - anyone?


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Hi all, been a hot minute since I've last posted with my 1/72 orbiter (a slow and ongoing project but ongoing none the less!). After watching First Man on the biggest IMAX screen in Texas, and re-watching Apollo 13, and after going on a road trip that took me to the NASA centers in the southeast (Michoud, Stennis, Marshall, and Kennedy), I decided that I need a big Saturn V for the office.

 

Short of going with one of those wooden 'executive' models, and overpaying for a discontinued Dragon kit, I think the only game in town is Apogee's 1/70 Saturn V. I've watched some of the instructional assembly videos, and it looks like a challenging kit but I'm ready for something a little different from the shake and bake kits. I'm a little sad that an S-V that big that isn't able to be separated into its stages, and I wouldn't be flying it either. Vacuum-formed parts are a departure for me as well. I've built a little Estes Redstone so I'm familiar with filling in the tube seams of a model like this, and replacement parts are readily available if I screw something up.

 

There is little information otherwise on this kit, and few reviews. Has anyone here built one? Handled one? Knew a guy that knew a guy that built one? 

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mkjm,

I have the Saturn V kit that I am in the stages of building I also have the Saturn IB that I have completed. The kits are of good quality, it is a  side step in some ways from a conventional model but I felt that it was not more challenging than building any other multi media kit. The kit comes with excellent video instructions that are step by step. The vacuum form part were not too difficult to work with you just need to take your time and have patience and the resin and plastic parts are excellent. Here are a couple of photos of my completed Saturn IB with my Horizon Models Mercury Atlas for comparison and a couple shots of my Saturn V on my bench. 

 

44A68517-AD9D-4EA4-8F8E-27B974846B8F.jpe

 

8D117C0C-2961-4B86-96A1-0EE991D73FC4.jpe

 

984364B8-7611-42DA-9861-3780DAB41779.jpe

 

DE961956-6479-4EEE-8E41-2E5AC0B40F12.jpe

 

69CF3146-CCF6-46B3-B60F-BC1787ADAF9A.jpe

 

Sorry about the damn photobucket watermarks!

Steve

 

Edited by swcustoms1
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Martins Models in the UK has upgrade parts for the Dragon Saturn V...I have those and he also makes a 1/72 Saturn 1B that uses the 1/72 Apollo down to the Instrument Unit. I need to get busy...the 50th anniversary of Apollo 7 just passed...Apollo 8 is in December. My dad worked the Lunar Module for Apollo 9, 10 and 11 and I saw those Saturn's launch at the Cape. Sadly he won't be around for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. He passed almost 7 years ago. 

 

Cheers...Ron 

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On 11/3/2018 at 6:28 PM, habu2 said:

I bought Apogee parts to use on my Dragon kit. Sadly the Dragon kit needs much more to address accuracy issues. 

 

I can believe it. The first stage skirts are the most egregious issues to me and I couldn't live with that. 

 

On 11/3/2018 at 8:38 PM, swcustoms1 said:

mkjm,

I have the Saturn V kit that I am in the stages of building I also have the Saturn IB that I have completed. The kits are of good quality, it is a  side step in some ways from a conventional model but I felt that it was not more challenging than building any other multi media kit. The kit comes with excellent video instructions that are step by step. The vacuum form part were not too difficult to work with you just need to take your time and have patience and the resin and plastic parts are excellent. Here are a couple of photos of my completed Saturn IB with my Horizon Models Mercury Atlas for comparison and a couple shots of my Saturn V on my bench. 

 

44A68517-AD9D-4EA4-8F8E-27B974846B8F.jpe

 

 

Sorry about the damn photobucket watermarks!

Steve

 

 

That's a fine looking kit! Thank you for your insight, I think a muti-media style kit would be a nice change from all the plastic and CA glue. 

 

On 11/3/2018 at 9:53 PM, aircommando130 said:

Martins Models in the UK has upgrade parts for the Dragon Saturn V...I have those and he also makes a 1/72 Saturn 1B that uses the 1/72 Apollo down to the Instrument Unit. I need to get busy...the 50th anniversary of Apollo 7 just passed...Apollo 8 is in December. My dad worked the Lunar Module for Apollo 9, 10 and 11 and I saw those Saturn's launch at the Cape. Sadly he won't be around for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. He passed almost 7 years ago. 

 

Cheers...Ron 

 

I figured that I would invest in some of Martin's upgraded pieces if I could get a Dragon kit for a reasonable price but that doesn't seem to be possible unless Dragon decides to re-release it. Considering the anniversary is next year I'm actually quite annoyed more companies are not taking advantage of the marketing to release and re-release kits!

 

My apologies about your father, I'm sure he had some awesome stories to tell!

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I picked up two (!) Dragon kits a couple of years ago when Squadron was dumping the Skylab version for ~$60.  I have a plan (dream?) to combine the two kits to achieve the correct tank and intertank lengths.  With the Apogee first stage fairings and Martin's second stage fairings I think I can scratch the rest.  I also have the Apogee decal sheet.

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It was a great time to be a young guy. My dad was at Edwards AFB from 58-64 and then we moved to Houston, Tx till the end of 1969 then back to Edwards AFB. I have autographs of 5 of the original Mercury 7 and 9 of the 12 that walked on the moon. I have the entire crew autographs of Apollo 9, 10 and 15. I have his Grumman contractor model of the Lunar Module and his contractor model from North American of the CSM. The Grumman data plate from LTA-2 serial number 0001 that launched on Apollo 6 I think it was. I was very fortunate for my dad being at the right place at the right time and being able to witness the flight test milestones at Edwards (X-15, B-70, YF-12, SR-71) and the race for the moon first hand. Left a forever impression on a 12 year old watching the Saturn V boost off of Pad 39A! (Apollo 10 off of Pad 39B)

 

Cheers...Ron

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On ‎11‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 9:55 PM, Slartibartfast said:

Dang, we might have gone to school together.  Webster or Seabrook Intermediate?

 

We had a house that was out by Hobby Airport...the MSC was still under construction but I remember learning how to swim in the Ellington AFB Officers Club Pool. Same pool they would put a boiler plate Command Module in for water training for the astronauts. 

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Shapeway's has a bunch of 3D printed parts now for the Dragon Saturn V. I have a few of their parts for the Saturn and just about everything for the 32nd CSM from Revell. I have the flight ready batted F-1 engines for the Saturn too...can't remember who makes them right now though. Need to get building on mine! "Ignition Sequence Start".....

 

Cheers...Ron

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  • 4 weeks later...

I built one a long time ago and it went together well. Had never done a build like that before but the video instructions made it relatively easy going. In my view it makes a nice display piece for what it is. I'd say a better display piece than the Dragon version that in my view just has too many issues for my liking. But as said that's just my view of it. 

 

I don't have it anymore but I'm contemplating getting another.

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