Author Topic: The NASA model building thread (Read 1083619 times)

Mark Dave · « **Reply #260 on:** 09/05/2006 07:35 pm »

I just stuck with flat black.

kraisee · « **Reply #261 on:** 09/05/2006 08:43 pm »

I don't paint mine particularly well myself, but one of my friends did some of RealSpace Models' SSME's very nicely indeed.

He started with a coat of matt black. Then dry-brushed a dark grey over all of the ridges to highlight them. Then painted the thin silvery lines. The effect ended up looking very good to me.

Ross.

Mark Dave · « **Reply #262 on:** 09/05/2006 10:06 pm »

Any photos?

BenB5150 · « **Reply #263 on:** 09/07/2006 01:53 am »

Quote

kraisee - 5/9/2006 3:30 PM

I don't paint mine particularly well myself, but one of my friends did some of RealSpace Models' SSME's very nicely indeed.

He started with a coat of matt black. Then dry-brushed a dark grey over all of the ridges to highlight them. Then painted the thin silvery lines. The effect ended up looking very good to me.

Ross.

Thanks for the suggestion Ross. I tried it and got better results. I appreciate your help.

Thanks again!

Ben

zerm · « **Reply #264 on:** 09/07/2006 03:35 am »

On the inside of mine I used Testor's Steel- let it dey then took flat black and thined it way town then dragged brushes of that outward to give the right effect. I have a dandy method for the right ET look too if you wanna hear it.

Mark Dave · « **Reply #265 on:** 09/07/2006 01:15 pm »

If anyone has photos of Pathfinder, that mock up has real SMEs on it.

BenB5150 · « **Reply #266 on:** 09/07/2006 03:32 pm »

Quote

zerm - 6/9/2006 10:22 PM

On the inside of mine I used Testor's Steel- let it dey then took flat black and thined it way town then dragged brushes of that outward to give the right effect. I have a dandy method for the right ET look too if you wanna hear it.

Thanks for the tip and Yes! I would love to hear your method for the ET!

Thanks!

Ben

Mark Dave · « **Reply #267 on:** 09/07/2006 07:52 pm »

Yes please ET method please.

zerm · « **Reply #268 on:** 09/08/2006 03:59 am »

For painting the ET, which will drive you nuts, I started by spraying it with a base coat of Krylon "Special Purpose" Farm and Implement Weather Guard protection paint- #1819 OLD EQUIPMENT YELLOW. Which is a brownish yellow with a hit of green. This is a VERY hard paint to find, but you need a yellow-greenish undercoat to simulate the actual tank color when it comes out into the daylight for the first time. I'm sure there are other undercoat or primer colors that have a similar tint and they'll work too. Think of the color of Great Stuff foam that you buy at the hardware store, it color-ages similar to the ET foam. What's key here is to think "Real" rather than "Orange". You start with the yellow greenish undercoat, NOT with orange. Next I arm-length, distance spray a light coat of Krylon #2411 PUMPKIN ORANGE GLOSS to add some orange to the base coat (If you get too much, just respray the base color over it and start again- I've done some as many as 4 times before it looked right). Now you have to decide which ET you want to represent. If it is the ETs from STS-90 to present, you now want to take a piece of paper and cover the intertank area (so it retains a lighter color) as well as other areas of lighter color. Then very lightly arm-distance puff-spray a smekeling of Krylon Rust Tough Enamel Primer #RTA 9204 RUDDY BROWN PRIMER to show aging of the ET foam. You can finish by puff-distance spraying alternating coats of each of the three colors you've used to make the ET as yellow, orange or brown as you desire. If you are trying to do the ETs from STS-3 to STS-89 then after allowing the tank to dry, tape and covered everything except the intertank and do another distance spray of RTA 9204 to make that area stand out as darker. It is fair game to trim the LOX tunnel and other areas with Testors 1167 tan.

I liked the results and the ET comes out a bit rough to the touch, which seems more real. Best of all it does not scream ORANGE! nor does it glow in the dark. Keep in mind, however, that painting the ET is just like cutting your own hair- you gotta know when to stop.

zinfab · « **Reply #269 on:** 09/08/2006 01:33 pm »

In case there were a few on this thread who hadn't seen the Joe Mecury one:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4205&posts=17&start=1

zerm · « **Reply #270 on:** 09/08/2006 01:40 pm »

One of the best guides to ET markings that I've ever seen is a Word doc. on the Yahoo Space Modelers forum:

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/UGkBRfhy59B6EajY-IAcx4hfwkeqyergPVwpO_CeqkePVelLWlTiHAdIEfpwpgZQgKoxoMuUcEZaKJIigX-loOklbvJMyjHHlg/ET%20SRB%20markings.doc

It is well worth the download- in fact joining that forum is worth it just to pick this doc. up- it's in the Files area.

zerm · « **Reply #271 on:** 09/09/2006 08:35 pm »

In case some out there have not seen it yet- here's a good image of the ET in it's early- fresh out of the hangar yellowish color phase...

Mark Dave · « **Reply #272 on:** 09/09/2006 09:10 pm »

That's what I painted the ET on my model.

zerm · « **Reply #273 on:** 09/10/2006 02:21 am »

It is interesting that if you spray a little Great Stuff foam and leave it in the sun for a few months, you'll see the same sort of color change as the ET- so I just tell folks in my instructions that no matter what color you paint it- from yellow green to orange to rust brown, you are bound to hit it at one point or another. Just avoid day-glow orange

MKremer · « **Reply #274 on:** 09/10/2006 05:05 am »

I recall someone years ago (in a now long-extinct space forum) mention that you can use the official University of Texas team color (burnt orange) and just add enough white to suit your preference.

Mark Dave · « **Reply #275 on:** 09/10/2006 06:40 pm »

The only problem I have is the forward attach point pannels for the SRBs on an SLWET has a ribbed pattern as that photos shows. All model kits show that panel as smooth. How would I modify a kit to look more realistic for that design?

Mark Dave · « **Reply #276 on:** 09/10/2006 06:48 pm »

Here's a photo of what I mean http://www.lockheedmartin.com/data/assets/10358.jpg Also I found this on Google. The LO2/intertank sections about to be hoisted to join the LH2 tank in a cell on the left. I didn't know the pieces were foam sprayed in sections before final assembly. I thought the pieces were all assembled into a complete tank then the foam is sprayed last. You can also see here the external hardware isn't added. amazing new find IMO.

spaceshuttle · « **Reply #277 on:** 09/11/2006 07:48 pm »

Quote

MarkD - 10/9/2006 1:35 PM

Here's a photo of what I mean http://www.lockheedmartin.com/data/assets/10358.jpg Also I found this on Google. The LO2/intertank sections about to be hoisted to join the LH2 tank in a cell on the left. I didn't know the pieces were foam sprayed in sections before final assembly. I thought the pieces were all assembled into a complete tank then the foam is sprayed last. You can also see here the external hardware isn't added. amazing new find IMO.

the PAL ramp's missing. is that 116's tank?

Mark Dave · « **Reply #278 on:** 09/11/2006 08:04 pm »

Look closer dude. That's an unfinished ET.

Much of the exteral features have yet to be added. I think it could be a new or old photo of an SLWET. The site itself didn't say anything about what was going on in the photo.

Mark Dave · « **Reply #279 on:** 09/16/2006 09:03 pm »

Guys could you help me with a problem please? In the Monogram orbiter kits, as my photos of my model of Discovery show, the doors won't close evenly. All four of my orbiters are like that.