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

• #1820 by roma847 on 08 May, 2020 15:34
• Hello everybody,
  well then, scaremongering does not apply!
  Before the Tape glue orgy I've still filled and sanded the small holes at the end of the tank that are not needed.
  
  
  
  
  
  In order to keep a good overview when gluing the Endless Tape spiral, I've put markings on the tank at a distance of 10 mm, what corresponds to approx. 8 rings. 
  
  And then I've started cheerfully and glued by eye the first 9 rings at a distance of approx. 0,5 mm  and then took a breath briefly. For fun I've  measured the time for it, which was approx. 12 min., which extrapolated to the LH₂ Tank (170 mm) would result in pure winding time without a break of a little more than 3 hours , which of course cannot be done in one go.  Anyway, now I knew what I had been getting myself into ...
  
  
  
  So it looked like after 18 rings, 
  
  
  
  and this is the result after 35 rings and a winding time of approx. 45 min., which corresponds to a pure winding speed of approx. 1,3 rings/min., like snail's pace!
  Anyway, afterwards I could only look asquint straight ahead,  and then I was pretty exhausted, but still satisfied, and sneaked into bed ...
  
  
  
  With it at least a quarter of the spiral is now done.
  
  
• #1821 by roma847 on 09 May, 2020 20:07
• Hello friends of the Rings,
  
  now I want to show you quickly how far I have got with the Barber Pole Spiral.
  
  Here are 45 rings glued on,
  
  
  
  and then I've gritted my teeth and pulled through until the half of the tank with a stoically sharp look,
  
  
  
  with which I want to let it go at first.
  
  Have a nice day and stay safe my friends.
  
  
• #1822 by JMS on 09 May, 2020 20:13
• Excellent. Sehr gut!
• #1823 by roma847 on 09 May, 2020 20:55
• Thanks JMS and stay tuned!
  
  
• #1824 by roma847 on 09 May, 2020 20:59
• Hello everybody,
  
  now that half of the marathon has already been done, it continues with fresh energy.
  
  After another 20 min. of the tedious swaddling, I've allowed myself a sip of Red wine. Cheers!
  
  
  
  The next goal is the 75% brand, which I still want to reach today. 
  
  
• #1825 by roma847 on 09 May, 2020 23:07
• Hello friends,
  
  now the 75% goal is reached too.
  
  
  
  Therefore now I'm going to do down the rest of the tape roll too.
  
  
• #1826 by roma847 on 09 May, 2020 23:42
• Hello Friends of the Rings,
  
  as I already suspected, the tape roll was with approx. 21 m shorter than expected and therefore a deceptive pack.
  
  After 117 rings this was the abrupt end of the allegedly 25 m roll, whereby with a tank circumference of 182 mm (Ø 58 mm) unfortunately only a length of 21 m results.
  
  
  
  The rest of another role will probably be enough for the rest of the LH₂ Tank , but certainly not for the LO₂ Tank.
  Hopefully the reordered role will arrive soon.
  
  
• #1827 by SteveGoodey on 10 May, 2020 10:20
• Quote

  and therefore a deceptive pack.

  
  What a bummer! Hope the join isn't going to cause you a problem, or annoy you.
  
  Steve.
• #1828 by roma847 on 10 May, 2020 12:35
• No problem, Steve, there are worse things.
  
  
• #1829 by roma847 on 10 May, 2020 23:10
• Hello everybody,
  it has finally been done! 
  
  After a winding time of approx. 40 min. I was finally at the front end of the LH₂ Tank, whereby now a 140 ring spiral is glued. 
  
  
  
  These are indeed a few more rings than I had counted on my reference photo of the ET-8, but what the hell, my ET is lastly also an unique just like all other ETs flown ...
  
  
  Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)
  
  And as one can see, there is even some tape left on the reel, which is not enough for the LO₂ Tank, which is why I have to wait now for the subsequent delivery. 
  Therefore, I can now turn towards the recesses for attachments such as Ice Frost Ramps and PAL Ramps.
  
  
• #1830 by EG on 11 May, 2020 03:36
• Well brother you already know what will happen,,, at some point some fool will bring a pointy stick and count the rings and say it's wrong, someone who has never been there never studied it the way you have nor have they put in the work to figure out how to duplicate it at the scale your working in....
  
  Most won't know the difference....
  
  what your doing is majical and I know and appreciate all the knowledge and skill your presenting for us all...
  
  You an inspiration to modelers everywhere....
  
  EG
• #1831 by roma847 on 11 May, 2020 12:35
• Thanks my friend for the extraordinary appreciation of my work.
  
  Already only counting the SOFI patterns on the reference photo and the rings on the ET model was a crazy and stressful affair, but rather a punitive work, that nobody but me should do voluntarily, because one keeps losing count ...
  
  
• #1832 by roma847 on 13 May, 2020 22:23
• Hello everybody,
  
  and with that I've now continued.
  
  The starting point was this photo of the ET-121 at the RTF mission STS-114, on which I already had determined the distances of the Ice Frost Ramps for the Airfix LH₂ Tank, 
  
  
  Source: NASA
  
  which I've marked as an orientation guide on the LH₂ Cable Tray. On this I had provisionally attached 5 of the 14 Ice Ramps R23 (No. 1, 2, 6, 10, 14) as support points, through which I had threaded in the GO₂ Press. Line (Ø 0,4 mm). For a more stable hold of this structure I fixed four ramps with tape strips,
  
  
  
  and then have marked the position of the remaining ramps one after the other,
  
  
  
  what was not that easy due to the instability of the strand.
  
  
  
  After I had removed the strand and put a ruler on the lower edges of the ramp markings, I was able to compensate  certain differences in position and trace them.
  
  
  
  Then I've cut out the contact areas with the cutter and masked them with tape.
  
  
  
  Then all that was missing was cutting out and masking of the contact surface for the LH₂ PAL Ramp,
  
  
  
  what's done here.
  
  
  
  Then I noticed that I had forgotten the last single Ramp (R25), which is circled in yellow in this image.
  
  
  Source: NASA
  
  And as it is, this darn thing actually fell out of my hand and onto the floor as a crowning conclusion when trying on, so that I was able to search again on all fours ...
  
  
  
  Luckily, I found the ramp again and was able to cut out and mask its contact area, all's well that ends well!
   
  
  
  Now are still missing the two individual Ramps (R24) for the GH₂ Press. Line  that can be seen in this image,
  
  
  Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
  
  which here are threaded onto the Press. Line and can be marked.
  
  
  
  So much for today.
  
  
• #1833 by roma847 on 14 May, 2020 22:32
• Hello everybody,
  
  today also the contact areas for the two R24 Ramps have been cut out and masked. 
  
  There they are laying now and waiting for the jump - Woe !!!
  
  
  
  
  
  And since the additional delivery of the 0,75 mm Tape has arrived,
  
  
  
  I can now turn to the Barber Pole Spiral on the LO₂ Tank, whose rings I counted some time ago whereby I came up to 66 Rings.
  
  And that's roughly the area in which the 12^th Ice Ramp (R20) is located. The subsequent lighter area appears to be a specially applied Closeout which has no Pattern Texture.
  
  
  Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)
  Since everything has been clarified so far as, I can start gluing the Tape spiral tomorrow.
  
  
• #1834 by mike robel on 17 May, 2020 03:32
• Magnificent work as alway, Manfred.
• #1835 by roma847 on 17 May, 2020 22:11
• Thanks Mike for your compliment.
  
  I try to give my best.
  
  
• #1836 by roma847 on 20 May, 2020 20:46
• Hello everybody,
  
  before I started with the LO₂ Tape spirale, I've once again checked the dimensions of the LH₂/LO₂ Cable Trays by using some photos and drawings, which are the same in the Newware Kit (0,75 mm x 1 mm), but in reality obviously not, as I've found out meanwhile. 
  
  Starting point of my doubts about the correctness of some details of the otherwise very good kit was the diameter of the GH₂/GO₂ Press. Lines, for which the enclosed Evergreen rods (Ø 0,5 mm) should be used.
  
  In reality both Press. Lines, however, have a diameter of 2'' (50,8 mm), whence in 1/144 scale a diameter of 0,35 mm results. Now one could be generous and do without the few tenths of a millimeter, but if, like me, you scale other parts on the basis of this reference dimension, this makes it noticeable already, especially since the proportions of such small parts should be consistent.
  
  That was also the reason why the enclosed Rectangular strip (0,75 mm x 1 mm) for the LH₂/LO₂ Cable Trays seemed a bit too big for me at first.
  
  Then I've remembered (ICD Drawings) on the website of George Gassaway, which includes also drawings of various Ice/Frost Ramps from the early LWT Era both on the LH₂ Tank and on the LO₂ Tank included.
  
  On this drawing of an Ice Ramp on the LH₂ Tank I determined the Cable Tray dimensions based on the existing dimensions, which with 0,7 mm x 0,9 mm actually correspond to those of the Newware Kit's Cable Tray.
  
  
  Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
  
  So far so good!
  
  According to this drawing of an Ice ramp on the LO₂ Tank the local Cable Tray should be a bit smaller, namely 0,5 mm x 0,75 mm, which initially surprised me.
  
  
  Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
  
  That's why I wanted to know whether the Cable Trays on the ET-8 actually have different dimensions and check them.
  
  To do this, I first determined the width of the LH₂ Cable Tray on my ET-8 Reference photo at high magnification, for which I used as reference measure the diameter of the GH₂ Press. Line (Ø 0,35 mm), which is 1,0 mm.
  
  
  Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (woods170)
  
  From the same photo I've determined the width of the LO₂ Cable Tray, which is actually smaller and with 0,7 mm corresponds to the width from the drawing.
  
  
  
  Accordingly, I will use an Evergreen strip (0,5 mm x 0,75 mm)  for the local Cable Tray. 
  
  Afterwards I've turned to the Tape spiral on the LO₂ Tank. 
  
  First I've marked the end point of the spiral with the help of this drawing from the Newware Kit, 
  
  
  
  which, as already said, should lay near by the front 12^th Ice Ramp (R20),
  
  
  
  where the spiral should end.
  
  
  
  
  
  At this marking I've glued an end ring, so to speak as a finish line!!!
  
  
  
  And then I've put on my headset magnifier and have flung myself with desperate courage into the Barber Pole Action again.
  
  Here is the spiral after 10 rings,
  
  
  
  after 20 rings,
  
  
  
  after 40 rings,
  
  
  
  as well as after 50 rings.
  
  
  
  And here the goal is reached and I could finally stop.
  
  
  
  
  
  Here I have threaded the first of the 12 Ice Ramps (R20),
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  whose position I will mark next and then mask them. 
  
  
• #1837 by EG on 20 May, 2020 21:15
• Hey brother, you are going to donate this to a museum somewhere after a suitable display period in your rocket farm right?
  
  I for one think that NASA or some other space museum would be insane to not accept something as beautiful as this......
  
  A modern michelangelo you are I tell you.....
• #1838 by roma847 on 21 May, 2020 10:10
• Thanks my friend for your nice compliments,
  
  but my home is the best Museum for this, which is known as the Filder Space Center (FSC) near Stuttgart.
  
  BTW, NASA has more than enough shuttle models, but maybe none like this one, who knows ...
  
  
• #1839 by HDTVGuy on 22 May, 2020 02:27
• NASA has shuttle models, but I highly doubt any built with the loving attention to detail of this model.
  
  It will truly be a work of art.