Author Topic: The NASA model building thread  (Read 1066762 times)

Offline nethegauner

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The NASA model building thread
« on: 03/07/2006 08:07 am »
When I recently mentioned a shuttle model building project, Flightstar asked me for some photos. Well -- it's finished now and maybe there are other forum members who also build models and would like to share some images. So here is our NASA model building thread...

 :)  :)  :)

My model is a 1:144 scale shuttle orbiter with ET and SRBs. It's a 2006 re-release of the classic Revell model kit. Decals have been revised for this edition of the kit, but the parts are still made from the same molds used in the 1970s. Actually, there are paint and decal instructions for creating alternate versions of the orbiter -- before and after 1998. Schemes and decals for Columbia and Challenger are not included though.

The major drawback of this model is the cargobay -- they still include the LM+2-PAL configured Spacelab with this kit. I plan to customize some payload elements myself -- a realistic Spacelab maybe, or a S/Hab-SM or -DM. I don't think I will recreate a specific cargobay layout. I will just build some interesting payload elements and put them in there. Maybe even some MPESS carriers with HH equipment? And an ODS? An EDO pallet?

The possibilities seem endless... ;)

The only enhancement I have made so far was the addition of two TSMs on the MLP. They were not included with this kit, but were sold as part of the launch tower model from the 1980s. I once owned it, but that model did not survive moving around the country twice. I put some parts aside for later re-use -- turned out to be a good idea.

Attached are some photos of my very own OV-105.

Shortly after taking the shots, a major mishap occured -- the whole stack tumbled down. A review board is now looking at what went wrong. Repairs a being made. Workarounds to prevent future incidents are being implemented. A news release is to follow -- maybe. United Space Alliance, NASA and Revell are not to be sued, though...

Offline RRP

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #1 on: 03/07/2006 09:54 am »
Nicely done, it's beautiful.

Offline Hotol

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #2 on: 03/07/2006 10:36 am »
Very nice!

I think Ben will be impressed with your photography skills too.

Quote
nethegauner - 7/3/2006  3:07 AM

Shortly after taking the shots, a major mishap occured -- the whole stack tumbled down. A review board is now looking at what went wrong. Repairs a being made. Workarounds to prevent future incidents are being implemented. A news release is to follow -- maybe. United Space Alliance, NASA and Revell are not to be sued, though...

Oh dear, I hope it's not too bad!

Blame the ET! (Everyone else does when something goes wrong).

Offline nethegauner

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #3 on: 03/07/2006 10:44 am »
Quote
Hotol - 7/3/2006  12:36 PM
Blame the ET! (Everyone else does when something goes wrong).
Guess what? It indeed was an ET related incident! The forward ET/orbiter attachment failed!

Thanks for the comments from Paris and London -- now this is international spaceflight...  :)

Offline SimonShuttle

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #4 on: 03/07/2006 10:47 am »
I expect to read about this from the next PRCB:

"Big problem, not at all happy!!" - Wayne Hale.

Then the NASA press release:

"All is good, no problem, nothing to see here" ;)

Offline Sergi Manstov

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #5 on: 03/07/2006 10:48 am »
That is a very nice model! I wish I had one :(

Offline discovery_fan

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #6 on: 03/07/2006 11:49 am »
That is a very nice model.
I did not realize that revell did a re-release this year of the stack modell.

Yours is beautfully done!

I'm sure we have other spacemodel fans arround.
Here are mine
(they are shown in my album too):
 http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=12



Offline nethegauner

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #7 on: 03/07/2006 12:01 pm »
Quote
discovery_fan - 7/3/2006  1:49 PM
Here are mine
Wow! Amazing! The details on Your orbiters are awesome -- the differently colored RCC panels, the tile details on the large scale orbiter. Fantastic! Hey, do I spot "LOADED" decals on those SRBs?

I think I will try and apply that RCC effect to my model, too.

Offline discovery_fan

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #8 on: 03/07/2006 12:15 pm »
It needed a long time to paint the tiles...
Before I did the fine painting, I covered the model in clear gloss paint (with that "silvering" of the decals is not an issue, you don't see that there are decals in the finished model). Then I attached the decals with marksofter and some vinegar concentrate (to make them very soft). Afterwards I coated the model with a special flat coat.
I did the tiles and RCC panels it with different shades of blacks and greys, than painted some effects with almost "dry" brush, and then did some weathering with different shades of brown and grey and pastels (as well as high quality aquarell watercolors).
The RCS thrusters etc. I painted with fine lines of gold and titanium silver color.

"Hey, do I spot "LOADED" decals on those SRBs"

Yes, they are "loaded" decals, they came with the set, so I applied them where it was specified in the set...

All models are pretty much out of the box, I just added some details with wire etc...

Online Chris Bergin

Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #9 on: 03/07/2006 01:28 pm »
Very nice.

Speaking of models (although I didn't make them):

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Offline Justin Space

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #10 on: 03/07/2006 06:12 pm »
Cool models. Really need to get myself some!

Offline Marsin2010

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #11 on: 03/07/2006 10:29 pm »
Very nice work on the shuttle stack.  I have spread in front of me a bazillion parts to kitbash both the Ares I and Ares V boosters WITH spacecraft.  This is going to be FUN!  Luckily, about 30 years ago I archived (partially assembled) the AMT 'Man in Space' 1/200 kit.  It has Mercury Redstone, Mercury Atlas, Gemini Titan, Apollo Saturn IB and Saturn V vehicles with fairly decent detail.  I had partially painted some components but had glued very little together.  Soooo, I have some good stuff to start with:  8 H-1's, 7 J-2's,  5 F-1's, assorted spacecraft parts and miscellaneous goodies.  Now I have to choose the 1/200 shuttle kit to get the other parts from.  I know of 3 such kits WITH the SRB's: the Hasegawa, the Academy, and the elderly Lindberg kits.  If anyone knows of another one, please post it here.  I know that the Academy kit is a big problem because the SRB halves are cast integral with the ET halves.  I haven't seen it in person yet BUT I bet getting the SRB halves loose from the ET parts will be a pain.  It would be great to find that one of the other kits has the parts cast individually....but I am not holding my breath.  I am going to wait until the contractor for Altair is chosen to start hacking on the Apollo CSM parts to produce the spacecraft.
Actually, I am beginning to think that I need subcontractors.  This is the biggest kitbash I have ever attempted.  If anyone else is planning to do a similar craziness, post your thoughts, please.

Jim

Offline Jim

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #12 on: 03/07/2006 11:39 pm »
I would say it is a little early because the configurations are still changing.  The move to 5 segment SRM  and J-2 vs SSME are examples.

Offline Rocket Guy

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #13 on: 03/07/2006 11:45 pm »
Sorry I missed this thread. Going back to the top, I am impressed. Nice models and pics. You have the flag onbackwards on the wing, though :-P

I'm a modeler too you know! I can post some photos if interested.

Offline simonbp

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #14 on: 03/08/2006 12:21 am »
Recently, I've been making alot of the paper model rockets avaliable free on the internet; I've built an R-7 Sputnik, Soyuz FG, Zvezda Proton, Blue Streak :), Vega, Juno II, Mercury-Redstone, Mercury-Atlas, Gemini-Titan II, Shuttle Endevour, Saturn IB, Saturn V, 4-seg CLV, and CaLV, among others, all in either 1:100 or 1:96 scale. They really aren't hard to build and the cost of materials is paper and ink for the printer...

Some places to look:

http://www.lhvcc.com/egiftshop/

http://www.spacestation42.com/pt-space.html

http://www.lansbergen.net/eng/index.htm

Simon ;)

Offline RedSky

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #15 on: 03/08/2006 01:07 am »
Quote
Ben - 7/3/2006  6:45 PM
... You have the flag onbackwards on the wing, though :-P

Ben...  I haven't built it yet, but I have that same shuttle kit (I believe its a Revell-Germany 1/144 Shuttle stack).  In fact, the decal itself is in error. The flag and name are together, and indeed, the flag is backwards (and a bit undersized)!

Another bit of trivia that modeler's (like me) tend to notice:  In the Saturn V model posted earlier... the file name is "SaturnV_500".  That first Saturn V (#500) first stage was the only one with the full black stripe roll pattern on the bottom half of the stage.

They found that temperatures got too high inside the intertank region (i.e., between the LOX and Kerosene tanks, about halfway up the stage) with that black paint.  So all other Saturn V's (#501 and on), only had the short stripe pattern on the bottom that stopped below the intertank region (that corregated band about 1/3 of the way up the 1st stage).  In fact, some of the early flight vehicles (501, 502) were already painted in the full pattern, but  had the areas "whited out".  You can actually see the fresh white overpaint  of the upper part of the black pattern in this pic.

Revell/ Monogram, etc. never changed their instructions to reflect this fact.

Offline Rocket Guy

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #16 on: 03/08/2006 01:13 am »
Yep...by the way, if you aren't aware of it you should join the Yahoo! Group space_modelers as well as a few others that branched off from it for specialized areas of spacemodeling. It is THE center for the space modelers world and all the big names are on there (well, big names for space modelling!). Has about 2000 members now. tell 'em I sent you.

Offline simonbp

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #17 on: 03/08/2006 04:31 am »
Quote
RedSky - 7/3/2006  8:07 PM
Another bit of trivia that modeler's (like me) tend to notice:  In the Saturn V model posted earlier... the file name is "SaturnV_500".  That first Saturn V (#500) first stage was the only one with the full black stripe roll pattern on the bottom half of the stage.

Ironically enough, I just went to visit SA-500F this afternoon; it's restoration is mosly complete, and awaiting the start of it's permenant shelter...

Simon ;)

Offline nethegauner

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #18 on: 03/08/2006 07:37 am »
Quote
Ben - 8/3/2006  1:45 AM

Sorry I missed this thread. Going back to the top, I am impressed. Nice models and pics. You have the flag onbackwards on the wing, though :-P

I'm a modeler too you know! I can post some photos if interested.
As noted above, that was Revell's error... :o

And now guess who completely failed to notice that...  :(

But thanks for the hint. Funny, is it not? A worldwide renowned model maker -- in the business for decades -- does not know where to put the stars on the stripes. Actually, they made the error twice. Take a close look. At leat one of the US flags looks OK.

And -- hey, post some photos please, Ben...  :)

Offline Rocket Guy

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Re: The NASA model building thread
« Reply #19 on: 03/08/2006 11:55 am »
Yea, the model companies have had some pretty bad errors over the years. Thanksfully the 'garage kit' makers have helped correct them with their own decal sets or even their own kits or kit additions.

I'll see about posting some photos in a little while.

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