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My Final LM ... maybe ...


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I tried to post a bunch of images this morning but got an Internal Server Error. So I'm gonna start with 3 images to see ...

 

While doing an inventory on my collection, I realized I don't have an Apollo 10 Lunar Module.

Left to Right, is ... Apollo 9 (1/96 scale), 11 (1/48), 12, 13 ( Landing 1/144), 14 (in the stack), 15, 16 (1/72) and 17.

 

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A few years ago I scored a trove of old broken, unloved models, Carbon-Dated to 1967 or '68, that I decided to build up.

 

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... and chose this little beauty!

 

image.thumb.jpeg.232be1ea2963a3d0a5226afdbc1c23ad.jpeg

 

Let's see now ... does this post?

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I've gotten that server error on some of my build posts when there are a lot of pictures.  I've not been able to figure out a rhyme or reason to it, so I just try to break my long posts up just in case.  I've still gotten one of those errors occasionally, so I break up the post again.

 

That is an interesting box of parts.

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Alright ... let's see if it can handle a few more pix!

 

This poor thing needs some attention ...

 

image.thumb.jpeg.8e2b487b89def6cc051b62d3ea863179.jpeg

 

 

... so I cut it in half!

 

image.thumb.jpeg.cfab466c10c76e6e21da4670831bce2e.jpeg

 

 

... and will cut off that webbing by my thumb ...

 

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... and the hatch ...

 

image.thumb.jpeg.fbb56a540a3c62b4d1b93af4e87b390a.jpeg

 

... and let's see if this posts ...

 

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Sheesh ... it looks like this can only handle 4 images at a time!

 

... that's 4, let's see... nope, will it post 3?... Nope ... 2? ... will you take 2 images?  

 

Dammit ... Internal Server Error with 2 images ... I'll try again in a few days ...

 

Till then ...

Pete

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Hi Randy, thanx very much for the confirmation ... this #@%$&# baffles me ... this morning I had posted 12 images, but it didn't go, and in the past,  that's about the limit. My images files are pretty small , but I guess good old Trial and Error is the way to go.

 

Pete

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Okay-y-y-y, let's see what'll get posted today ...

 

 

I have to add a few 'facets' to this Ascent Stage, so a little cutting and re-structuring  and patching is needed ... and here is an example of the brittle aspect of this old plastic, it flakes and breaks ...

 

image.jpeg.052909cda4c93afb950e3e9f3807015b.jpeg

 

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image.jpeg.e0616b1cf53de8badb9ff28a3d1d900b.jpeg

 

... to the next page ...

 

 

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This old build has been on my bench for quite a few months and there are a lot of intermediate steps I wanna show when rebuilding one of these ancient pieces of plastic ...

 

So where the Rendezvous Antenna mounts, I had to rebuild the entire area, started with a base of styrene and just built it up. I added the New Ware piece and then patched a lot ...

 

image.jpeg.ddbc9dc29b35d1101bb99d80dd8b7e9c.jpeg

 

 

Little things like the big gaps, I fill with bits of styrene, nip the ends and fill the remaining tiny spaces with putty ...

 

image.thumb.jpeg.35e694216abbf586a5ad4637229d1ce4.jpeg

 

 

The New Ware resin needs to be adjusted too because they weren't designed to fit these relics from Revell ... the New Ware resin was designed for the Monogram kit ... but, I just enjoy trying to make 'em fit.

 

image.jpeg.5fb7151f0f144c6ce57bac7e8d1d9701.jpeg

 

 

... so with some styrene shimming, this'll do just fine ...

 

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Well, these posted with no problems ... so till next posting ... Thanx for stopping by!

Pete

 

 

Edited by K2Pete
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Hi Pete!

 

Great to see you in action again, great master. :clap2:

 

You seem to be a real LM hamster who has stocked up quite a lot for bad times. :rofl: You're not afraid of anything, I'm deeply impressed.   :thumbsup:

Hang in there! up040577.gif  I stay tuned.  :popcorn:

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Pete you have built some really nice Lunar Modules! My dad was with NASA at Houston

(assigned while still in the Air Force) and he worked the engines on the Lunar Module. 

Apollo 9, 10 and 11 were his three. He took us to the Cape to watch them launch in the 

big Saturn V. That's something I'll never forget! I have the build plate off of LTA-2 and 

his Lunar Module contractor model. He's gone now but I can walk out at night and look

at the moon and know my dads work is sitting up there. I really enjoy your spacecraft 

work and it's a tribute to all the engineers that got that hardware ready to fly for the 

astronauts that manned them to win the space race.

 

Cheers...Ron

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Manfred, this student thanks you for the warm greeting!   ;- D

 

Ron, thanks for your anecdote! It's great to read about people who have a direct experience with this remarkable feat of Engineering. To think that the USA pulled together and in 8 ... short ... years ... accomplished this incredible goal. And to see where we all are at this point in time ... sheesh ... 

 

Jay, I have a proposed LM on deck but it's this one ... it's been on my bench for 15 months and I hope to git'er dun sooner rather than later ... the windows are just temporarily placed ... plus, it's real good to see you're still around! thanx for visiting!

 

image.jpeg.1a2e52bfb5883593598d60ea871832eb.jpeg

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On 1/29/2022 at 6:43 AM, K2Pete said:

Jay, I have a proposed LM on deck but it's this one ... it's been on my bench for 15 months and I hope to git'er dun sooner rather than later ... the windows are just temporarily placed ... plus, it's real good to see you're still around! thanx for visiting!

I'm like Ambassador Kosh... 

"I have ALWAYS been here/" 😉

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Hey Ret, nice to see we've all survived the "health crisis" ... Thanx Southwest ... a few more 'developments' are incoming.

 

 

A New Ware bit of resin to add to the Crew Cabin ... plus some of my patching technique to fill in a gap ...

 

image.jpeg.0d9aa02cf943800f34ecf5e258663391.jpeg

 

 

An unrelated item, this was a failed, out-of-scale build I had done for my LM cutaway a few years ago. It got pretty far along till I realized it was too large, and had to start over ...

 

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I still keep it because, well, I learned a helluva lot building it! Remember, this was my FIRST scratch build and the sentimental value is enormous ... 

 

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Back to this build, I'm filling more gaps, then I'll putty the tiny holes ..

 

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For the Engine Bell on this build, I used an OMS Engne Bell from a Space Shuttle kit that I had cannabalized. I shortened this bell till it fit

 

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A larger patch needing repairs was when I removed the kit's webbing ... the lower side of the Crew Cabin's hole was pretty big and was patched with more styrene scraps and lots and lots of filing and sanding and putty.

 

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Starting with a patch cut very roughly to size ..

 

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And the putty-ing just doesn't stop ...  ;^ D

 

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Now I'll give the Descent Stage some attention ... with the hope that these all post!

 

Till then

Pete

 

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7 hours ago, K2Pete said:

I still keep it because, well, I learned a helluva lot building it! Remember, this was my FIRST scratch build and the sentimental value is enormous ... 

The concept is understood.

 

Yeah, that is a lot of putty but most likely not enough mass, yet, shifted far enough from its origin, yet, to throw the planet out of balance and send us all spinning off in to a black hole.

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Hey Pete - yes I've survived the "health crisis" just fine. Been doin' some reading, getting outside and in between working on a few builds.

 

But good god man - you're a modelling dynamo! That out of scale cutaway LM looks amazing - you could build a test stand for it and display as is...no?  

 

Love to watch you're builds - always an inspiration - hope we can all see them in person soon enough.

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And do you plan to share any of those builds with us Ret? Hm-m-m-m ?????

 

 

Starting on the Descent Stage, the various struts are pretty spindly so I beefed 'em up by slitting a length of styrene tube and slipping it over the kit's struts ...

 

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The discs are the supports for the thermal covering to be installed toward the end.

Notice also the added styrene on the tips of the "V' 

 

image.thumb.jpeg.415f2e5dcbfb48fb7f88fd801eac0680.jpeg

 

 

This Resin bit supports the Ascent stage. It's from New Ware.

The kit's Ascent stage needed some thicker shims added to the bottom of the stage so it sits correctly.

 

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This old kit's secondary struts were hinged, so that the legs could be folded back. I wanted to make 'em solid, so I glued 'em and filed off the protuberances. 

 

My old Nikon Coolpix seems to have trouble focussing, so I should acknowledge this ... darn it! It's not you guys, it's me ...  ;- D

 

image.thumb.jpeg.b56a9368e5317cde4b824c85a9528b61.jpeg

 

 

... and I did it to all four. The disc on one strut, is a strengthening patch. The join was weak and the disc just strengthens that joint. It'll be filed down and covered with foil ...

 

image.thumb.jpeg.c3e3d63b056473cd2b15e592003fce90.jpeg

 

 

New Ware's Resin porch needed a couple of handrails ... my 'guide' is on the Post-it note ...

 

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The Primary struts were a royal pain to attach, but it got done. The strut itself had to be made. I  had 2 kit struts from a canabalized Monogram LM and 2 had to be made ... they're just styrene tubing ... 

 

image.thumb.jpeg.c4c7f04bab8cbb2fc8a016ef074f8a25.jpeg

 

 

And the kit's ladder needed to be replaced. My jig, which I've used for 4 or 5 other LMs is crude, but does the job!

 

image.thumb.jpeg.9da98925155861d2d80ac67a128cee86.jpeg

 

 

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I had to cut it apart to make the bend ... this was tedious ... 

 

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Before and after ...

 

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That's it till next time ... thanx for tuning in gents!

Pete

Edited by K2Pete
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Hi Pete,

 

very interesting to see that you are not satisfied with some kit parts that are too rough, as well as to see how you try to scratch them more precisely and have the necessary patience too. up040577.gif

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I just saw this thread, Pete.    Beautiful job on the ladder;  I like your jig.   And I'm really glad you kept your cutaway LM.   That may have ended up out of scale for you but all I see is a masterpiece : )    Why do you say it may be your final LM, though.  That's too ominous a title  : (

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Thanx Gentlemen!

CJ ... ominous? ... if you look at the very top post it'll answer your question ... however-r-r-r, I may not be able to attend HeritageCon next month as I'll be getting a couple more "Needles in the Eye" to treat my vision loss. On the Plus side, the Meds DO work!

 

 

Back to the Ascent stage's antennae ... drill 3 holes and glue in some 0.040 styrene rods for the supports

 

image.thumb.jpeg.9e71d2edc571782721ce39021b3537ba.jpeg

 

 

The Resin Rendezvous antenna needed some copper wire to add a final touch ... I drilled four holes and will trim the excess and file 'em smooth

 

image.thumb.jpeg.9ca3f4e850b39cce036fd6bdc1bf5310.jpeg

 

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Aluminum sheet from a printing press ... I'll use some of this material ...

 

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... on the aft of the Ascent stage.

 

image.thumb.jpeg.896faa4bccd2f90e8bb9094b16795846.jpeg

 

 

... and here it is installed. Just CA glue, but a few drops makes a great seal. I've bent the Aluminum and cut slots to represent the 4 panels on the Aft section. On the bottom is a PE detail from New Ware. A Radiator grill.

 

image.thumb.jpeg.caf7ea5922d9d0b53bc2f73a6f583875.jpeg

 

 

Attaching the RCS bells. To add some strength to the joint, I drill a hole in BOTH the Resin and the plastic and using a 0.020" rod and CA glue, it does the trick.

 

image.thumb.jpeg.0b0e24c37fbbe2f6de47e0f6b1136f9b.jpeg

 

 

When I removed the "kit's" drogue I had to do some sanding and accidentally enlarged the hole, so when I came to glue in the Resin drogue, it fell through. To correct this, I measure the depth and glued on a length of tubing, as a support, and glued in the Drogue ...

 

image.thumb.jpeg.5d4f720264599d333ccf11900519ecee.jpeg

 

 

... and PRESTO, it didn't fall through. This is just dry-fit.

 

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Installing the PE ... but still only about 40% done.

 

image.thumb.jpeg.5079fb5070426201158800a57b4d2c9a.jpeg

 

 

The PE and Resin bits getting put on ... ( Odd, all these images have the same resolution, why this one is so much smaller, I don't know )

 

image.jpeg.7d90c9342237a72f3607a1416f888717.jpeg

 

Thanx for taking a peek gents!

Till next post!

 

Pete   🇨🇦

 

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Oh that was my bad sorry.  I have this nasty habit of jumping right into the pics and totally disregarding the writeups.  I was just worried your peepers were really reaching their MTBF.   Glad to hear the meds are working.   That aluminum sheet -- is it available anywhere?  It looks like the real deal! 

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