The NASA model building thread

[Mark Dave]

Awesome model there Bubbinski. Do please look at the little modelling tip in my previous post with the photo of Atlantis ( the first photo).  Just a little tip for the Monogram ET stack I stumbled upon.

[Bubbinski]

Thanks....I've done some work on the SRB's.  Here's a couple of pics - I placed the parts together for this but I haven't glued anything yet.  I accidentally painted one of the stripes black (on the left aft segment) that I wanted to stay white so I'm going to take care of that with some white primer and paint.  Anyway, here's the stack.

[Mark Dave]

It's an easy fix on the model. To me it looks like it might eventually be the older SWET that flew from STS-3 to STS-89. If so the other rectagular part at the top of the intertank on the left side should also be painted. If it's going to be the SLWET that is used now, then remove that part and use either styrene or make a mold impression of the ribbing of the intertank to fill the hole cut out of that spot.

[rkoenn]

I didn't think about this until today but a friend of mine has been going through and scanning pictures of our early days, 1970s and 1980s, when we were very serious model rocket fliers.  Here are a few pics from back in those days.  I have loads of slides myself but need to scan them into the computer and need good equipment to do that with.
The first shot is a group of Florida rocketeers checking engines at a contest in Orlando around 1982.  The second picture is myself with teammate Pat McCarthy exuberant after what must have been a good egglofting flight.  The third picture is us again with our D streamer duration model.  The fourth picture is myself and Mike Myrick preparing his FSI Mach 1 two stage vehicle for flight in Brooksville, FL around 1977.  The fifth picture is myself and Richard Fox running launch ops in Orlando, FL around 1982.  The final picture is me preparing to launch my home built Valkyrie large boost glider in West Palm Beach, FL around 2005.  I have been building and flying model rockets since about 1967 and still enjoy doing it.

[rocketguy101]

The fifth picture is myself and Richard Fox running launch ops in Orlando, FL around 1982.

Nice!  Is that the Richard Fox of the "Foxmitter" fame? 

[rkoenn]

The fifth picture is myself and Richard Fox running launch ops in Orlando, FL around 1982.

Nice!  Is that the Richard Fox of the "Foxmitter" fame? 

That's the one, I met him and became good friends with him in 1974.  He had moved to Orlando and when I first met him at a Colonial Plaza rocketry display I was like: Are you the Richard Fox of foxmitter fame?  He had started a club in Orlando which I became a member of.  We had a very active group of clubs in central and south Florida in the 70s to 80s flying many contests and doing two national championship meets.  They were great days for rocketry back then.

[rocketguy101]

The fifth picture is myself and Richard Fox running launch ops in Orlando, FL around 1982.

Nice!  Is that the Richard Fox of the "Foxmitter" fame? 

That's the one, I met him and became good friends with him in 1974.  He had moved to Orlando and when I first met him at a Colonial Plaza rocketry display I was like: Are you the Richard Fox of foxmitter fame?  He had started a club in Orlando which I became a member of.  We had a very active group of clubs in central and south Florida in the 70s to 80s flying many contests and doing two national championship meets.  They were great days for rocketry back then.

Bet he wished he had a dollar for everytime somebody asked him that!

For those curious, or want to take a trip down memory lane, check out Ninfinger's site where old issues of Model Rocketry magazine are located, and use the indices to find Richard Fox's articles on his transmitters that made for some really cool science fair projects...this sort of stuff got me into engineering!!!

[Mark Dave]

Say guys any tips for making the cone shaped bottom and J2-X engine of the upper stage of Ares 1? I'm building that half of my 1/72 scale model.  Also any tips for making the boost cover that protects the Orion capsule?

A reference of Ares 1 on ninfinger http://www.ninfinger.org/models/vault2008/Ares%20104%20poster%204Aug08.jpg

Also is the instrument ring the same as on the present SRBs or all stream lined?

[Gene DiGennaro]

Say guys any tips for making the cone shaped bottom and J2-X engine of the upper stage of Ares 1? I'm building that half of my 1/72 scale model.  Also any tips for making the boost cover that protects the Orion capsule?

A reference of Ares 1 on ninfinger http://www.ninfinger.org/models/vault2008/Ares%20104%20poster%204Aug08.jpg

Also is the instrument ring the same as on the present SRBs or all stream lined?

As for cones, check out a craft store. Take a look at some of their wooden and styrofoam shapes. Also try some of Estes model rocket nose cones. Even take a look at disposable plastic wine glasses! Once you find the right shape (it might take some sanding and shaping) and if it is solid, use it as a master to vacuform a hollow cone. You can make a homemade vacuformer by following the directions right here:

http://www.studiocreations.com/howto/vacuumtable/index.html

A vacuform master must be able to withstand the heat of warmed plastic around it. Wooden masters shouldn't be a problem (obviously wood grain will have to be filled and sanded smooth), but a master made of styrofoam will have to be protected. Coat the foam master with 5 minute epoxy. Sand it smooth.

Another avenue may be to make them from paper. The Jleslie paper model site has a 1/96 Saturn V. The third stage used a J-2.
http://jleslie48.com/satv20/s-4bton.pdf
Print this page at 133 % and you'll have the basis for a 1/72 J-2 nozzle. Roll it and then "harden" it by painting it super glue on the inside and outside. Sand it smooth. Now add the ribbing by wrapping thin gauge wire around the engine bell. Affix the wire with super glue.

Isn't the engine nozzle of the solid rocket the same as the current shuttle SRB? If so, go to AMX's website and print out the SRB nozzle at 2x.

The boost cover for Orion could be vacuformed over a master. Make a paper Orion, harden with super glue like I described earlier. You might want to fill the inside of the Orion with play dough. This is now your master.

Hope this helps. 

[Mark Dave]

I got a spare set of SRBs from a kit years ago. Little cousin broke the kit by accident thinking it was a toy. I tossed the rest away, and now used the SRBs for Ares 1. I have to mold  the SRB aft skirt sep motors from the kit's as in many photos of art of the new rocket there are 8 single motors going around the skirt.

The reference link i posted shows how they are placed.

So far I got the entire SRB half of Ares 1 built. I need to cut the PVC 3 in. diameter pipe for the upper stage. My 1/72 scale Soyuz rocket is also almost finished. I now need to make the Soyuz boot cover/ escape tower.

[Mark Dave]

What would the height, width, and length be for a 1/72 scale space shuttle MLP?  I'm planning to build one.

Here is a photo of the scratchbuilt upper stage of the Soyuz and the modified SRB for Ares 1. http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/310/f/6/ares_1_and_soyuz_by_onigojirakaiju-d329wuv.jpg

[Gene DiGennaro]

What would the height, width, and length be for a 1/72 scale space shuttle MLP?  I'm planning to build one.

Here is a photo of the scratchbuilt upper stage of the Soyuz and the modified SRB for Ares 1. http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/310/f/6/ares_1_and_soyuz_by_onigojirakaiju-d329wuv.jpg

Again go to the AXM paper models website. They have a 1/144 MLP. Download the PDF onto a USB flash drive. Take the drive to a copy shop like Kinko's. Have them print the files at 2x. Presto! Instant 1/72 scale MLP blueprints!

[Mark Dave]

Thanks. That may work.

This MLP will be entirely plastic. I once made one with wood,but it collapsed from the model's weight. The other difficulty was the eight pedestals that support the MLP at the pad. Any tips on how to securely attach them and it hold the weight of the MLP and shuttle model?

[Gene DiGennaro]

The 1/144 model uses foam core board for the base. You might want to think about that. As for attaching the model to the MLP base, run long dowels (not longer than your internal length of the SRB) from the center of the hold down points of the SRB's. Drill a hole in the the nozzle of your SRB to match the dowel diameter. That should give a good sturdy attachment. Use the tail service masts to support the trailing edge of the orbiter's wing. This is what I'm doing for a 1/144 Revell stack I'm finishing up. Pics to come soon.

I found the hardest part is keeping the orbiter attached to the ET when stack is placed vertical. It just wants to tumble off the ET. There just doesn't seem to be a good way other than just gluing the orbiter to the ET.

[Mark Dave]

Glue the ET and orbiter together.

That will work to support the SRBs to the MLP. The orbiter, maybe the same thing could work as well. drill tiny holes where the T-0 umbilicals attach and make the umbilical side hold the orbiter up. Or maybe make the umbilical area somewhat L shaped and that might also help. *shrugs*

[Discoveryov103]

What would the height, width, and length be for a 1/72 scale space shuttle MLP?  I'm planning to build one.

Here is a photo of the scratchbuilt upper stage of the Soyuz and the modified SRB for Ares 1. http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/310/f/6/ares_1_and_soyuz_by_onigojirakaiju-d329wuv.jpg

I have a scale ruler that I can convert the actual MLP dimensions (feet) down to inches. I will work on it late tonight and have the answer to you by tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon.

[Mark Dave]

Cool.  

Here is a link I stumbled on when looking up reference for my 1/96th scale Saturn V http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/ftopic14146-0-asc-0.php  Interesting tips there for scratchbuilding the extra parts the kit doesn't have.

I started resin casting the engines for the upper/ third stage of the Soyuz rocket. After this model I'll continue the Ares 1 and then Saturn V.

[Gene DiGennaro]

Cool.  

Here is a link I stumbled on when looking up reference for my 1/96th scale Saturn V http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/ftopic14146-0-asc-0.php  Interesting tips there for scratchbuilding the extra parts the kit doesn't have.

Check out Glenn Johnson's www.realspacemodels.com and Tom Kladiva's New Ware site at http://www.mus.cz/~ales/newware/ for extra detail parts for your Saturn V. Scan Ebay for detail parts from a seller called North American Engineering. Also there are some very nice decals available from http://www.spacemodelsystems.com/decals.html. I've done business with Glenn Johnson and Tom Kladiva and have been quite satisfied.

[Apollo-phill]

I have a number of plstic model kits of spacecraft from the late 1960s to mid 80s which I bought that were to have been used in spaceflight talks I gave in UK in those years along with several GI Joe models in boxes.

But,never got around to using them.

As a consequence - now I'm rtetired with ailing eyesight - I think I should sell them to folk who might be interested in them..

As this is a NASA model makers thread where would you guys put up items like this for sale so that spacecraft modellers like yourself would see the ads. Ebay ? Model mags?

I'd rather the kits go to folk who appreciate these rather than just sell them to Joe Public who may not !

Any help appreciated


Apollo-phill
UK

[Mark Dave]

I got the engines for the third stage of Soyuz made and painted.

Thanks for the links Gene, but the New Ware link looks like the site broke and all there is  is a list of pics.

Yeah, since I just resin casted  stuff for my 1/72 scale Soyuz TMA R-7, I am using this for my other models now.  It's  a lot of fun.  I am now making the booster sep motors of the aft skirt of the SRB for Ares 1 now. Recall in the Monogram stack kit the  sep motors of the aft skit comes with an extra motor. Instead of throwing that extra motor away I kept it for this purpose.