Lunokhod 2 Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 I would like to promote my new 1/48 3D LM so I have decided to build it. Since I already have the 1/32 CSM flying with Mike above the 1/32 LM on the Moon for the very first step of Neil, I have decided to build both spacecraft attached as in lunar orbit. This is a model I built about 50 years ago, originally all white but modified through the years. The new model will incorporate my 3D printed LM and the CSM from Realspace along with a complete new stand for the Apollo celebration I just started the model with the descent stage, this will depict Apollo 12 so I can have the RTG attached to quadrant 2. It will have the same amount of detail as the 1/24 or the 1/32 I already built. For indication on the build you can refer to my web site with pictures, explanations and links to the parts on Shapeways or Thingiverse for those having a 3D printer : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/index.html Happy modelling Vincent Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 I'll be watching this build ... your building process, M Meens, always amazes me in that the care you take in placing all the little details, like the rivet patterns, or the placement of the tiny pieces of Kapton tape or the precise cutting of, and application of, the "Kapton" onto the ALSEP door. I try to imagine you cutting all the itsy-bitsy strips of double-sided tape to adhere the Kapton to the plastic. The patience you put on display is enviable! I realize Vincent, that you've placed this build on a few other fora, but feel free to include it onto the Group Build thread too, although it's just fine ... right ... here! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted June 2, 2019 Author Share Posted June 2, 2019 Sometimes things go wrong but you can learn from it. As I was covering quadrant 1 of my 1/48 LM I realized I did a big mistake. For this model I want to show LM-6 and I assumed the pattern for the descent stage was identical to LM-5. Well it is almost identical except... quadrant 1 of course. There are very few photos of Quadrant 1 for LM-6 and the only pictures of LM-6 right after separation from the CSM only show ... the landing pads. I realized quadrant 1 is identical to the one of LM-7 (Apollo 13) and this was confirmed to me by Paul Fjeld (better known as Mr LM). So here it is, as LM-5 this morning and as LM-6 this afternoon LM-5 quadrant 1 and now LM-6 quadrant 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 I completed quadrants 2, 3 and 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted July 5, 2019 Author Share Posted July 5, 2019 The descent stage top is now completely covered with the various kapton blankets. Links: - Construction page of the lunar module - Parts available on Shapeways Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted September 13, 2019 Author Share Posted September 13, 2019 The next steps with the application of kapton and the heat shield around the descent engine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spaceman Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 Great compliment for your very impressive work so far. What kind of foil have you used for the heat shield? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cbear Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 Excellent work, sir! I have a silly question. How do you size, cut, and apply the large thermal blankets so that the edges are flush and straight and the large wrinkles fall naturally in the centers? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted September 15, 2019 Share Posted September 15, 2019 Awesome work Vincent. Really next level stuff! -co Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted September 15, 2019 Author Share Posted September 15, 2019 On 9/13/2019 at 6:57 PM, spaceman said: Great compliment for your very impressive work so far. What kind of foil have you used for the heat shield? Hi Manfred, The material for the heat shield is adhesive aluminium paper that you find in DIY shops such as this one : https://www.amazon.fr/daluminium-cachetage-Résistance-réparation-températures/dp/B07DQRBV66 To cut exactly at the right size I use the pattern available on my web site 1/48 LM : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/index.html Heat shield pattern : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/Descent stage underside.pdf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted September 15, 2019 Author Share Posted September 15, 2019 12 hours ago, cbear said: Excellent work, sir! I have a silly question. How do you size, cut, and apply the large thermal blankets so that the edges are flush and straight and the large wrinkles fall naturally in the centers? For the thermal blanket I use patterns that I created and available on my website : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/outrigger.pdf. These patterns are just a bit larger than the model. I apply them onto the foil paper with scotch tape which allow me to cut the exact foil panel. I just fixed the panel either with a 1mm wide double sided adhesive tape on the outside of the panel and maybe one small one on the middle and apply it onto the model or superglue (a few drops on the outside of the panel and one or two on the middle). Since the panel is too big for the model it will automatically wrinkle if I want it to occupy the model surface but no more. Instructions for the 1/48 LM : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/index.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cbear Posted September 15, 2019 Share Posted September 15, 2019 Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spaceman Posted September 15, 2019 Share Posted September 15, 2019 12 hours ago, Lunokhod 2 said: Hi Manfred, The material for the heat shield is adhesive aluminium paper that you find in DIY shops such as this one : https://www.amazon.fr/daluminium-cachetage-Résistance-réparation-températures/dp/B07DQRBV66 To cut exactly at the right size I use the pattern available on my web site 1/48 LM : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/index.html Heat shield pattern : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/Descent stage underside.pdf Thanks Vincent, have you measured the thickness of this adhesive aluminium paper, or is it too thin? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 No I haven't but I thing it is in the order of 0.1 mm. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted September 26, 2019 Author Share Posted September 26, 2019 Last details before working on the landing gears The propellant drains and the descent engine are fixed on the underside of the descent stage. The landing radar and its heat shield are fixed on the descent stage underside The helium vents are fixed onto the main body of the descent stage. They can be replaced by 0.75 mm styrene rods and are about 1.5 mm long (don't forget to add an extra 1 mm to fit into the main body holes) The landing gear uplocks are now fixed onto the descent stage The complete build is available here : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/index.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) I visited your site to see the entire build of the Descent and Ascent Stages and thank you for that. I've built a few LMs in 1/48 and have been curious to see how you handle the smaller details. Details which I usually eliminate because they're too small, like the Landing Gear Uplocks. But you've got them all, the Drains, Uplocks, Downlocks and all those tiny little Kapton tape bits on the Black Pyromark Quads. ( Gee, did you also include the SLA/LM Umbilical connector ... wow, yup that's there too! ) Such a Superlative model! When it's completed, do you have a home for it? A Museum? A permanent display somewhere? I'm also looking forward to seeing the CSM in all its glory too! You've set the bar very high, M Meens !! ( I just looked at your first post and see that the CSM isn't part of this build ... darn it ... ) Merci Vincent! Pete Edited September 28, 2019 by K2Pete added comment Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 Thanks for your words Pete, don't worry I am building the CSM as well. So far the page si only for the LM I designed but the CSM will be added later. It will be the Realspace CSM that I bought years ago. The LM is not as detailled as the 1/32 simply because there are limitations with printers but these limitations are less stringent than injection molds so it will be more detailled I hope that any other 1/48 LM. Anyway all the details present on the 1/32 are also present on the 1/48. I was asked on Facebook recently whether I knew there were 1/48 LM kits. Of course I do but I replied that this kit does not require any augmentation part to make it accurate. I expect it to look about the same as my 1/32. So far it has worked that way. Herebelow is the current state of the model (1/48 with the MESA and 1/32 without the MESA). You can note the LM-SLA umbilical connector is thinner in the 1/32 version. I am also counting the number of parts on this model, one specific blanket being one part. At this stage the model has 134 parts and I expect at least a 100 more before I complete the descent stage. I also counted recently for a potential client the number of parts for the ascent stage without interior. It will be about 340. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted November 29, 2019 Author Share Posted November 29, 2019 The landing pads are now complete Construction details here : http://spacemodels.nuxit.net/1-48-LM/index.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted November 30, 2019 Author Share Posted November 30, 2019 The egress platform is now fixed on my 1/48 lunar module. I found interesting to compare the 1/24, 1/32 and 1/48 models. 1/24 and 1/32 are LM-5, 1/48 is LM-6 which explains the change in color 1/24 1/32 1/48 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 Your skills are incredible! I'm going to have to build one more 1/48 LM just to try your method of attaching the foils. Tell me, when you cut your double sided tape in thin strips, do you place the tape on waxed paper or some kind of 'non-stick' surface? And I'm going to have to repaint the porches on my LMs too! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted December 4, 2019 Author Share Posted December 4, 2019 No problem with fixing the double sided tape, I didn't need to cut small strips since I used 2mm wide tape such as https://tinyurl.com/rxaxp7h The problem however is that the tape does not adhere very well to 3D nylon of Shapeways so in most cases I used superglue putting just a few drops here and there to keep the wrinkle effect. For the porch I was very lucky this question was recently asked on the forum because I thought all LM were the same. The timing for this question was just perfect with my build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spaceman Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 Congrats Vincent, absolutely amazing work, but comfort yourself, in the Shuttle Program every ET was unique too, which does not necessarily make scratching easier ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted December 8, 2019 Author Share Posted December 8, 2019 The descent stage is now complete, I just installed the plume deflectors and the RTG cask. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 There's not much else to do on the LM is there ... just attach the Ascent Stage? This looks so-o-o good! Have you, in your research, determined why the Black sections on the Descent Stage were shaped they way they are? I'll assume they have to do with the exhaust from the RCS, but otherwise, I'm at a loss. Maybe shield the Descent Stage Fuel tanks? Thanx Vincent! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lunokhod 2 Posted December 9, 2019 Author Share Posted December 9, 2019 With the completed descent stage, here is a comparison between the 1/32 model I did a few years ago and the 1/48 one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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