K2Pete Posted March 19, 2019 Author Share Posted March 19, 2019 Thanx Mick! I have to wonder where all the other modellers who said they were gonna participate ... have gone. I'm hoping they're just biding their time. Gee whiz, I hate it when life gets in the way ... but, I should be able to get back to this build! The Battery was relocated for CoG issues with the addition of the LRV and bigger MESA on Apollos 15, 16 and 17. I made it out of layers of .040" styrene scraps, filed and sanded. The start of the MESA is in the background. ... but I had made it too wide and relocated it to it's proper, narrower location. So, I cut off the excess and ... filed ... and sanded it ... and glued in place. Started on the Extended stay MESA. I used an image from Vincent's website as reference. This shows a bracket install for the shelf for the 16mm camera. Making the equipment for the MESA. Thanx for taking a peek gents! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
as205 Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 I love the scratch building on this kit. Very nice. Its giving me some inspiration for my next build. Randy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 Awesome modeling, Pete! Excellent scratchbuilt parts! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 27, 2019 Author Share Posted March 27, 2019 Carrying on with the LM this is the Thick Aluminum foil for the Aft Panels ... and installed along with the PE radiator on the underside The stuff in the MESA, just dry fit The tedious foiling of small parts. This is the TV Camera and with paint and foil ... Back onto the Service Module and the sanding and puttying and sanding and puttying ... When I get a major level difference, I'll fill it with styrene of the same thickness. In this case .010" styrene sheet. Then sand and putty. I'm hesitating on this one because I'm not sure how to protect the SIM Bay from water and dust ... I also need to repair this lip at the bottom of the SIM Bay. Till next posting Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ApolloMan Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Looking good Pete, I can see what you mean about foil tray material, nice. Your MESA is so detailed, ill be having that up. I was looking on SW for a 1/48 LRV stowed, but could not find one. Is it just the FUD version you have to mod? The CSM is also coming along well, I hope they reissue the Dragon one. Id like to get a CSM in that scale. If you have the sim bay door piece still, tap it on, and you could protect the bay while you work. A worm of blue tack on the inside may keep water out. Good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 13 hours ago, ApolloMan said: I was looking on SW for a 1/48 LRV stowed, but could not find one. Is it just the FUD version you have to mod? If you have the sim bay door piece still, tap it on, and you could protect the bay while you work. A worm of blue tack on the inside may keep water out. Good luck I went on Shapeways and to Vincent's site and didn't see a folded up 1/48 Rover either, but last year I built Vincent's 1/48 LRV so will use that in a diorama. I'll augment the eqp't pallet to be Apollo 16's. When I did the Apollo 17 LM, I built the folded up LRV from scratch. The idea of using the cut off panel to mask the SIM is genius! Thanx Mick!! Such a great yet simple, idea!! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 I started the Foiling of the Descent Stage ... and I forgot just how much FUN it was!! The Adhesive I use and one Primary Landing Gear strut with two colours of foil. ... adding the strips ... it's just ... plain ... tedious ... ... how I do the Landing Pads ... ... one almost done. ... scored the bottom of the Descent Stage and the words say "Revell Inc 1970, China" I scraped it off. ... and getting the Foiling started. A Copper colour is next then the "Black" foils This is going quicker than I thought it would. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ApolloMan Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 (edited) Looking good. When it comes to GOLD foil. What are we all using?. The foil in the old Monogram kit has lost its stick for me, is this still a good colour? Or is Bare metal foil good? I know Bill was using party balloons. The black foil, is this just silver painted black? Oh Pete, I see your using foil adhesive, how important is this stuff? I've got the decals version and it works well. Edited March 31, 2019 by ApolloMan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 I'm not sure what you mean by "the decals version ... " This stuff is nice because it's re-positionable. When it drys, it stays 'tacky' so if I put it in the wrong place, just peel it up and put it right. I'll burnish down the edges with a Q-tip or Toothpick. For instance, on the Aft Panels I used CA glue because those panels were easy to line up. But the Quads and the top and bottom of the Descent Stage, I apply the foil, tamp it lightly into position and trim the foil right on the model. Then just peel up the excess! No fuss, no muss! And the foil I use is from Chocolate Bar wrappers. i've had them for years, the wrappers that is, and the companies don't use these type of wrappers any more, it's all plastic film. But when I use the thin household Aluminum Foil, I use this adhesive. And Yes, the Black Foil is Aluminum Foil painted 'black'. My Monogram kit's Foil is pretty tacky still, but I tried it and I don't like it. I don't burnish the Foil down flat to the styrene ... I'm trying to let it 'float' over the plastic surface. Hope this helps! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 Now it's getting fiddly ... these are the downlocks with the New Ware PE glued on. The kit parts were wrapped with foil first ... The underside was foiled using household Aluminum foil ... ... the SLA to LM umbilical ... ... and the foiling continues ... Primary struts installed and another sheet of foil waiting for the adhesive to 'dry' so I can foil the ALSEP door ... The LRV pallet bay with the bits that will be installed into the open bay. That's just Window Screen cut to fit. The start of the little RTG is also there. The RTG, Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, is a Tube and Rod glued together and filed to round off both ends. This is one fiddly, frustrating tiny piece of @%$^&&!! This is taking longer than I think it should ... but, the what the heck eh? I would like to get these two models, the CSM and LM done sooner than later ... Thanx for taking a peek gents! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ApolloMan Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 Wow Pete, looking good, that foil is going on quick and looks spot on. I need to find more gold eEaster eggs myself. That's the real fun part. Good luck with the fiddly stuff 🤪 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share Posted April 16, 2019 Thanx Mick! The tiny RTG is done and installed And the Descent Stage is just about done. All that's left is the Gold Tape, MESA blankets that are opened, various lanyards, and the like. Small details that won't be installed till the end Quad 4. The Plume Deflectors are just dry fit. Quad 1, LRV Bay with some hardware used to deploy the LRV. The LRV will be the 3D Meens version. Quad 2, ALSEP Bay Quad 3. LRV Pallets. You can also see the Solar Wind experiment attached to Quad 3's ALSEP door Now onto either the LM Ascent Stage or the CSM ... thanx for following along! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
as205 Posted April 16, 2019 Share Posted April 16, 2019 Pete, Beautiful work! Can't wait to see more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hotdog Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 Freaking incredible detail and execution! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ApolloMan Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 (edited) That Gold is Golden. Fantastic Pete 👌 Edited April 17, 2019 by ApolloMan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 Really beautiful model, Pete! How I wish I can have one sitting on my desk. What's the name of that chocolate bar again where you got the foil from? They should advertise "for Apollo LEM builders" on the wrapper. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ralf Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 Great progress so far. I really like your way of doning things. A big inspiration. Keep up the great work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Nice work Pete! I'm taking notes! -co Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ApolloMan Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 (edited) Looking great Pete, what colour Black did you use?, charcoal, gloss, matt, satin, flat? And what colour is that porch landing?. Also Crackers had a great ?, the chocolate bar for Gold foil. I've been searching in shops and looking at all the Easter eggs, and nothing is popping at being good enough. Edited April 19, 2019 by ApolloMan Auto correct😒 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted April 19, 2019 Author Share Posted April 19, 2019 Gee guys ... thanx very much! The 'Black" I used was a mix of Medium Grey and Gunmetal. I base my paint colours on pix from the Lunar surface, and the Blacks are more of a Dark Grey. The chocolate bar wrappers are from Caramilk and Aero bars here in Canada. But the packaging has changed in the last few years so my stash of wrappers is dwindling ... The Porch colour has always baffled me but I referred to Vincent's latest model and he used something like "Tan", which is what I then used. Model Master Tan. Hope this helps gents! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 I thought I would finish up the LM and work on the Ascent stage ... but, I'm missing a few parts. I looked up Revell USA and they refer me to Revell of Germany for spare parts, however, it seems that this model, judging by the online instruction manual, has been updated and the model is completely different. I may contact RoG anyway but I will probably get a "negatory" on my parts request so I may have to build these parts myself. This new kit though, looks interesting, still inaccurate, but interesting! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Which LM parts are you missing? I still have the First Lunar Landing kit that I never got through building with lots of parts still on the tree. I could mail you the parts you need. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 Thanx Joe ... but it won't be necessary. I was missing the 2 front RCS housings, #19 and #20 but I've got a kit I cannibalized a few years ago and two #19's were in it, so I'll build up the other one. I've already started on it. Plus the astronauts were missing ... ... this was an unopened kit, so I'm baffled! I may go to TorCan next month and enter a collection of LMs, if you're there you could go home with one under your arm ... you know, for your desk! Maybe see you there! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 3 hours ago, K2Pete said: 3 hours ago, K2Pete said: I looked up Revell USA and they refer me to Revell of Germany for spare parts, however, it seems that this model, judging by the online instruction manual, has been updated and the model is completely different I read somewhere the RoG release is a rebox of the Dragon kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Wow, that'll be the best TorCan, Pete, and I'll be the happiest bloke for sure! : ) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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