Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

• #1200 by mike robel on 03 Apr, 2017 23:38
• Manfred, it looks great!  Putting the stack on really brings it home.  Just super work on all components.  Mike
• #1201 by roma847 on 04 Apr, 2017 10:49
• Thanks Mike for your nice compliments, and stay tuned.
• #1202 by roma847 on 04 Apr, 2017 21:53
• Hello everybody,
  and with the clear-sightedness template, the perspective is naturally even better. 
  
  
  
  So then let's go on with the two short middle Water bags in the front shaft section right in front of the SRB, as can be seen in this picture from the STS-2.
  
  
  Source: NASA
  And here we go with these two bags in "handbag format", which are made quickly.
  
  
  
  
  
  And they fit well into the gap between the SRB Supports,
  
  
  
  and thus also between the MLP Support Posts.
  
  
  
  
  
  The same two bags sit directly in front of the front shaft wall and have their turn now.
  
  
  
  And so slowly the Primary SRB Hole fills up.
  
  
  
  Tomorrow the two side Water Bags will be added.
  
  
• #1203 by Ronpur50 on 04 Apr, 2017 22:29
• Awesome!  It looks great with the stack.  Are you going to use "water" in the bags?
• #1204 by roma847 on 04 Apr, 2017 23:37
• Thanks Ron for your nice compliment.
  Water in the Water Bags, that would be the highlight, but I did not think about that ...
  But it's a pity because my bags unfortunately are full filled already. 
  
  
• #1205 by Ronpur50 on 04 Apr, 2017 23:58
• I was thinking more along the lines of model water used in dioramas and train sets.  Although the way you built it, real water may work too!
• #1206 by roma847 on 06 Apr, 2017 06:01
• Hi Ron,
  I know what you mean,  but my diorama is supposed to show the pad together with shuttle stack on the MLP during the countdown before the launch, when the rainbirds are still silent.
  
  But at least I will try to blur the color of the water a little bit by washing, in the hope that it will differ from the red of the bags.
  
  
• #1207 by Ronpur50 on 06 Apr, 2017 10:01
• Oh, OK.  So there would not be water yet, understood.  They look amazing.
• #1208 by roma847 on 06 Apr, 2017 16:54
• Thanks Ron, we understand each other.
  
  Hello everybody,
  
  today I will scratch the side Water Bags, for which the parts have been prepared. 
  
  
  
  The gluing on the PTFE foil was unproblematic again. 
  
  
  
  The outer bag had to be slightly shorter, so that it fits between the two 12'' outlets.
  
  
  
  After the first side bags were ready, I realized that I had cut two sheets too little.  But that was quickly done,
  
  
  
  and here both bags are ready,
  
  
  
  which could then be tried in the shaft.
  
  
  
  And as one can see, they fit well between the MLP Support Posts.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The left SRB shaft is fully equipped now and so I can turn to the right shaft tomorrow, in order to glue the Pipe Supports under the ring line.
  
  
• #1209 by roma847 on 08 Apr, 2017 17:33
• Hello everybody,
  
  and because it just fits to the SSWS, here out of sequence, a look over to the Pad 39A, on which one now more often can admire the SSWS of SpaceX, which looks something different.
  
  For me, these pictures were new and very interesting, which is why I want to show them here briefly. 
  
  Here is a picture of a SpaceX Water Deluge Test with a linked huge HiRes shot,
  
  
  Quelle: flickr.com/NASA Kennedy (Kim Shiflett)
  and here in full action at the recent launch of the Falcon 9.
  
  
  Source: twitter.com/NASASpaceflight (Ben Cooper)
  
  and here a shot from the FSS perspective.
  
  
  Source: twitter.com/NASASpaceflight (Ben Cooper)
  But one will have to become adjusted slowly to these pictures from Pad 39A ...
  
  
• #1210 by roma847 on 13 Apr, 2017 22:34
• Hello everybody,
  
  today to the gluing of the Pipe Supports under the ring line behind the LH2-TSM.
  
  First, I have glued the three supports on the SRB Blast Shield, because this determines the clear height of the ring line over the MLP deck, under which the rest of the supports must find place. 
  
  
  
  How remeasurements of the height of the supports have shown, the latter fluctuates by 0.1 - 0.2 mm,  which is why I initially placed them only provisionally under the ring line,
  
  
  
  so as to be able to compensate for minor differences by replacing the supports.
  
  
  
  Afterwards, I then glued the front, middle and rear support, so as to get a uniform alignment in the longitudinal direction.
  
  
  
  After that, I have removed the ring line again and went back to the bracket holder in the mini vise, which offers more degrees of freedom for the gluing of the supports.
  
  
  
  
  
  After this strand was completely equipped,
  
  
  
  it went on behind the front bow.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For gluing of the six supports on the inside of the line and the six triangular supports under the outlets I then have inserted the ring line again into the shaft.
  
  
  
  So far again for today.
  
  
• #1211 by roma847 on 15 Apr, 2017 07:13
• Thanks Ron for looking in on me. 
  
  Hello everybody,
  
  now there is only one last assembly step to complete the difficult SSWS chapter, I want to do today.
  
  Now there are only 12 supports left, and after the position of the ring line was stabilized, I have begun with the gluing of the first six supports under the ring line,
  
  
  
  and so it went on to No. 6.
  
  
  
  Next came the six triangular supports under the outlets,
  
  
  
  First on the Blast Shield at the inside of the shaft,
  
  
  
  and then on the outside.
  
  
  
  And after the small support under the 16'' rejuvenation was glued still, the deed is actually done and the SSWS thus finally completed,  or is there still something missing?
  
  
  
  You are right, of course, since the two slim Supports are still missing under the 9'' transitions, which I quickly added. And to the celebration of the day the Rainbirds are also coming along in order to finally round out the picture. 
  
  
  
  
  
  And here with a little better light, further panorama perspectives of the SSWS Status Quo. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  But this should be enough now, and so I will now look in on the paint shop, whether the guys eventually have time and desire.
  
  
• #1212 by Davp99 on 15 Apr, 2017 16:47
• Happy Easter to you & your family Manfred, and to All the Fans of your Work...
• #1213 by roma847 on 15 Apr, 2017 23:51
• Thanks Dave, the same for you and your family.
  
  I hope that all of you will stay tuned.
  
  
• #1214 by Davp99 on 16 Apr, 2017 00:27
• Ha You couldn't Pay me to Stay Away from Watching you Building Your Challenger ST-6 Launch from Launch Pad 39A  MasterPiece .......
• #1215 by roma847 on 16 Apr, 2017 17:23
• Hello Dave, no fear!
  
  If my work might supply a little bit entertainment for you and the other guys, everything would be okay and I'm happy.
  
  
• #1216 by llanitedave on 17 Apr, 2017 14:39
• Exquisite!  There are no other words...
• #1217 by roma847 on 17 Apr, 2017 17:22
• And I just say thank you,
  and hope, that you will stay tuned.
  
  
• #1218 by Ronpur50 on 18 Apr, 2017 12:26
• Absolutely awesome!  I can't wait to see it painted up!
• #1219 by roma847 on 19 Apr, 2017 23:03
• Thanks Ron,
  I'm glad if you like it.
  I also find that the result after several starts is rather impressive and I'm fully satisfied and enthusiastic.
  
  The SSWS in its entirety was a hard nut and took lots of effort and was, above all, very time consuming, but so I had always imagined it, wherefore all the effort was really worth it.
  
  The overall view looks really impressive, although one can see many details only from up close and the white plastic also swallows a lot, which will get even clearer in the painted condition. 
  
  
  
  
  
  I look forward every day anew when I see the MLP in front of me, because I know all the details and know where they are.
  
  After this milestone has now been reached, I can sit back for a while and let my tired eyes relaxe a bit ...