The NASA model building thread

[Dyna-Soar]

Revell by a long shot.

[Aobrien]

thanks do they deliver to the US

[Aobrien]

Never mind I figured it out they do.

Thanks

[Chandonn]

I've been trying to find a nice 1:144 scale ATV to add to my IMR ISS model, but I'm not having any luck.  The closest I found was a 1:200 scale (Heller, if I'm not misstaken) but couldn't find it again.  I was thinking about scratch-building, but I've gotten a bit rusty...

Also, been retro-fitting my old 1:24 scale Gemini with the resin kit from Realspace and the decals from Space Modelling Systems (run by Rick Sternback: yes, Star Trek fans, THAT Rick Sternback!).  About halfway through the redux and I'm loving the results!  I heartily recommend both companies!

Realspace Models: http://www.realspacemodels.com/
Space Modelling Systems: http://www.spacemodelsystems.com/decals.html

[PaulyFirmbiz]

my friend they are both amazing companies.. both talented skilled craftsmen.. as for the ATV stick it out a bit.. glenn told me a ways back that when he releases the next next of resin modules for the IMR kit he is probably gonna package a 1/144 atv in with it.. or possibly have it seperrate.. i have the first kit.. its amaazing..  i swear by everything they both sell... waiting now for the iss decals from rick

[Wolverine]

I finished this project for a friend/customer.  It's the big GI Joe Mercury capsule.

It includes the upper conical portion of the Atlas booster. The LES is the Accurate Models kit, which went together very well. The capsule/tower separate from the booster/adapter for transport/playing with.

The adapter and booster were scratchbuilt using 1/8" balsa framing and 1/16 balsa paneling followed by styrene wrapping. The stringers on the adapter are 3/32 balsa strips that I cut and hand applied one at a time. The finished model is nearly 5' tall.

[JJ..]

That is one great model !
I'm in the midst of the Atomic City 1/12 Mercury,

Concerning the Escape Tower,(I've yet to spray on the final red coat,Im spraying it matt rather than gloss)
A question .. Ive not seen those yellow bands on the base of the Escape Tower Engine's before,Where did you see them ? As most of the pics ive got don't show them,

I mentioned "somewhere else" I was going to do the upper shroud of the Atlas (as the base),
You've just made up my mind (lol)

Superb

JJ..

[Wolverine]

That is one great model !
I'm in the midst of the Atomic City 1/12 Mercury,

Concerning the Escape Tower,(I've yet to spray on the final red coat,Im spraying it matt rather than gloss)
A question .. Ive not seen those yellow bands on the base of the Escape Tower Engine's before,Where did you see them ? As most of the pics ive got don't show them,

I mentioned "somewhere else" I was going to do the upper shroud of the Atlas (as the base),
You've just made up my mind (lol)

Superb

JJ..

Hey, thanks JJ.  None of my photo references had decent enough resolution to discern whether the yellow stripes were there on the flight vehicle, however my client insisted to follow the instructions with the LES kit.  It was actually my suggestion to him that we do the top of the Atlas w/ adapter.  Either that, or I was going to build a Little Joe booster.   

[JJ..]

Hi,
The yellow markings are actually on an old paper model of the Mercury Redstone i found on the net sometime ago,
(sorry I cannot find where from)

I also found a pic showing the central rocket in the cluster to be painted silver,
It certainly looked good,

As they say "the devils in the details"

EDIT: hmmm a "Scratchbuilt 1/48 Skylab" eh ?
I started my own Skylab a few years back,never got past the basic colour scheme stage,
I think we'd all love to see pics of that one too !

JJ..

[Wolverine]

I also got these molds from a customer who really has no use for them, but I do.

They are for 2 lunar footprints, one 15"x13" and the other 5.25"x4.5".  When attached to a plaque base, they make really nice displays to hang up on the wall.  The smaller one could also fit on a desk.  I'm probably going to be selling copies of them. 

Here's the molds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Sava_Fett/Footprints/100_0865.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Sava_Fett/Footprints/100_0866.jpg

Here's the cast copies of the smaller one.  I'm still working on the large one. 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Sava_Fett/Footprints/100_0876.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Sava_Fett/Footprints/100_0867.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Sava_Fett/Footprints/100_0875.jpg

[Aobrien]

Check this out it's great for any paper shuttle modeler.

http://www.axmpaperspacescalemodels.com/index.html

[dwmzmm]

Got to fly my scale model of the Gemini Titan - 3 last Saturday down
at Needville, TX.  Using a cluster of two C6-5's, the flight was nearly
perfect until shortly after burnout, when two of the four clear plastic
fins (needed for stability, obviously) came off and the rest of the model's coast toward apogee was rather squirrely.  Otherwise, the recovery system deployed properly and the model was recovered intact.

Some pics of that flight below:

[Wolverine]

I'm in the process of building a 1/48 Skylab for a friend.  You can view the progress in the album here

[ckiki lwai]

Got to fly my scale model of the Gemini Titan - 3 last Saturday down
at Needville, TX.  Using a cluster of two C6-5's, the flight was nearly
perfect until shortly after burnout, when two of the four clear plastic
fins (needed for stability, obviously) came off and the rest of the model's coast toward apogee was rather squirrely.  Otherwise, the recovery system deployed properly and the model was recovered intact.

Some pics of that flight below:

Cool! thanks for posting! Do you have a video of it too?

I'm in the process of building a 1/48 Skylab for a friend.  You can view the progress in the album here

Is everything made from scratch? because the details look pretty neat

[dwmzmm]

Got to fly my scale model of the Gemini Titan - 3 last Saturday down
at Needville, TX.  Using a cluster of two C6-5's, the flight was nearly
perfect until shortly after burnout, when two of the four clear plastic
fins (needed for stability, obviously) came off and the rest of the model's coast toward apogee was rather squirrely.  Otherwise, the recovery system deployed properly and the model was recovered intact.

Some pics of that flight below:

Cool! thanks for posting! Do you have a video of it too?

Sorry, only stills taken from digitals.  I think someone else has posted on
You Tube a video of their Gemini Titan - 3 (same scale as mine), but these model rockets can move pretty fast once the engines ignite.  Just
do a search on You Tube and you should find it one way or another.  But
thanks for the compliments!

[grafgulch]

Got to fly my scale model of the Gemini Titan - 3 last Saturday down
at Needville, TX.  Using a cluster of two C6-5's, the flight was nearly
perfect until shortly after burnout, when two of the four clear plastic
fins (needed for stability, obviously) came off and the rest of the model's coast toward apogee was rather squirrely.  Otherwise, the recovery system deployed properly and the model was recovered intact.

Some pics of that flight below:

Nice Looking GT. I assume this is an Estes clone? The Gemini Titan was the 1st clone I built after discovering the JimZ site (I'm sure you know of this site) many years ago. I always had a hard time with the fin unit breaking. I do have a few bt-70 tubes & BMS clone capsule still in my big box of parts. Someday I plan to build another one. I love scratch building, but I don't seem to make the time for building anymore.

Paul

[dwmzmm]

Got to fly my scale model of the Gemini Titan - 3 last Saturday down
at Needville, TX.  Using a cluster of two C6-5's, the flight was nearly
perfect until shortly after burnout, when two of the four clear plastic
fins (needed for stability, obviously) came off and the rest of the model's coast toward apogee was rather squirrely.  Otherwise, the recovery system deployed properly and the model was recovered intact.

Some pics of that flight below:

Nice Looking GT. I assume this is an Estes clone? The Gemini Titan was the 1st clone I built after discovering the JimZ site (I'm sure you know of this site) many years ago. I always had a hard time with the fin unit breaking. I do have a few bt-70 tubes & BMS clone capsule still in my big box of parts. Someday I plan to build another one. I love scratch building, but I don't seem to make the time for building anymore.

Paul

Thanks, Paul!  It's a kit I got from a now defunked company called
PDRocketry (went out of business either late last year or early this year;
depends on who you talk to).  It's basically a clone of the Estes vintage
kit.  I wrote a complete product review which you can see here:

http://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/kits/pdr_gemini_titan.shtml

Several modroc suppliers have most of the parts needed, like BMS (as
you mentioned, and one I use a lot, BTW) and SEMROC.  The clear fin
unit always seem to be an issue.  I recently finished a build of a scale
model of the Thor Agena - B that also requires clear slip on fins, but I
had lots of trouble trying to find compatible clear material that will work
using the Ambroid Pro-Weld adhesive.  I currently have a number of other
projects I'm working on, so the Thor Agena - B's clear fin unit will have to
wait a bit.

[grafgulch]

David,

Very well done build report. I'm inspired to start building again. I mainly build scale kits. I have a 1/100th scale Saturn 1b & 1/70th scale Little Joe II I need to finish. I would like to rebuild my Estes Space Shuttle too. This was the 1st kit I bought as a BAR. The Orbiter is pretty banged up. I have a vacuum former and I was thinking I might me able to make a mold from the original somehow and form a new Orbitor.

Again.. thanks for the inspiration,

Paul

[dwmzmm]

David,

Very well done build report. I'm inspired to start building again. I mainly build scale kits. I have a 1/100th scale Saturn 1b & 1/70th scale Little Joe II I need to finish. I would like to rebuild my Estes Space Shuttle too. This was the 1st kit I bought as a BAR. The Orbiter is pretty banged up. I have a vacuum former and I was thinking I might me able to make a mold from the original somehow and form a new Orbitor.

Again.. thanks for the inspiration,

Paul

Those are really cool model rockets, but be careful for the Estes Space
Shuttle.  I have one and it glides (?) more like a brick.  On its second flight it came down rather hard and really got busted.  I have another
Orbiter as a replacement and plan to have it recovered via parachute
for now on to "preserve" the model. 

I also have the SEMROC 1/70 Apollo Little Joe - II, but haven't started on
the build yet (it's a clone of the Estes vintage kit).  I also have, still on
active flight status, the famous Centuri 1/45 scale Apollo Little Joe - II
built way back in 1971 and, yes, still flies today.  A few pics of those models below:

[I14R10]

What fuel do you use for your rockets?