Proton-Zond display - Rho Models and scratchbuilt

[david sMiGielski]

 

This morning I finished a project I started in 1999. The rocket is an old Rho Models 1/144 Proton-Zond that the Soviets used for an unmanned lunar flight just before Apollo 8. I actually built it more than twenty years ago, but stripped and refurbished it for this display. The Zond itself is completely scratch built. Twenty year old balsa masters were used to make the basic resin shapes, then miliput made the green thermal blankets. The rest of the details were made using good old styrene and brass.  Added three Soviet era pins to the display. Still need to dig up a 1/48 and 1/144 figure to give viewers a sense of scale, but close enough to call it done.

20200429_143824 (1) by David  Smigielsi, on Flickr

20200429_143905 (1) by David  Smigielsi, on Flickr

20200429_143845 (1) by David  Smigielsi, on Flickr

 

20200429_143917 (1) by David  Smigielsi, on Flickr

Edited May 1, 2020 by david sMiGielski

[niart17]

WOW! super job on that. Incredible scratch building! Would love to see a build thread on that thing.

[david sMiGielski]

Found some photos from 2015 that give some idea of the build. The main parts were cast in resin, then structural details added with sheet styrene. The fabric covering was milliput that I sculpted while still wet. The aft end skirt was vacuformed (in 2000, jeez) by Glenn at Realspace Models. the "docking" section was made using evergreen styrene. I've been trying to remember how I did the holes around the docking ring; definitely used my Waldron punch and die set but how I aligned them, I have no idea. The odd shaped boxes were case in resin from a styrene master. The t-shaped antenna are evergreen T-shaped strips sliced with a razor blade and individually applied. I used a mix of the old school square bottle Testors enamels for the green. And I remembered that the solar panels were made using the aluminum from a Guinness can. Oh yeah, and the antenna was stolen from New Ware's 1/32 Apollo CSM detail set. 

IMAG1341 by David  Smigielski, on Flickr

IMAG1812 by David  Smigielski, on Flickr

IMAG1675 by David  Smigielski, on FlickrIMAG1789 by David  Smigielski, on Flickr

IMAG1813 by David  Smigielski, on Flickr

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by david sMiGielski

[Ret]

Wow - lovely scratch building! Zond was such a fascinating project that so narrowly missed being the first to carry humans to the moon.  You've captured the texture of the thermal blankets especially well. Very admirable as well having to buy a Guinness for your art :-)

[ralf]

I really like this build. I agree the Zond was a facinating program. Anatoly Zak has very extensive information about the Russian manned lunar program: Russian Space Web for those interested in those missions. Great scratchbuilding. I first thought it was the NewWare Zond kit.