1/32 Apollo CSM - An oldie but a goodie.

Very nice build on this.  I picked this one up this summer, really loved it as a kid.  I also got the aftermarket decals for it.

The engine bell is Testor's Metallizer Burnt Metal on the upper section (inboard) and Testor's metallizer Exhaust (mixed into the residual Burnt Metal at probably 90:10 ratio).  I always mix my Metallizer paints at about a 30:70 ratio with thinned Clear Gloss lacquer because the finish is much more robust that way.

Glenn's RealSpace interior takes a bit of patience (I think it's 150 or so cut pieces of metal into holes I drilled with a #79 drill bit).  The back side of the instrument panel is visible in the cutaway but my set had a lot of bubbles on the surface.  I'd sand and just expose more bubbles.  I solves the issue by skinning the back of the instrument panel with 0.005 styrene sheet after the interior was installed.  The SIM Bay goes together easily, again there were a few bubbles (pin holes) but the were easy to fill or hide with paint.

The RCS nozzles were also painted with Burnt Metal on the outsides and exhaust on the insides.  I'm in the process of rebuilding the mount for the high-gain antenna as the kit parts are awful.  I'm not sure my scratch built parts will be exactly right but I'm using a set of photos to stay close to correct while using as much of the kit parts as I can (actually at this point I'm down to the dishes and part of the support strut.

I hope this helps.

 Looks very good so far!  I have 2 questions:

What paint color did you use for the RCS thruster nozzles?

What do you think of the RealSpace components as far as accuracy and quality of the pieces?

This has been one of my favorite models from when I was a kid and need to get one after seeing yours.  Custom Replicas is working on a LM in the same scale but that is probably a few years away still.  That gives me time to get to this one : )

 

VERY well done, Don. This was my first build since about the 1980's when I did a B-1 bomber for my nephew. I did more painting on this CSM than I've ever done on any model before and it wasn't all that good. I didn't have any of these sources for tips last winter though, so maybe I'll grab another one on Ebay and try it again with the SIM bay and other add-ons. Those really make a huge difference.

I LOVE the little things you did to the open section of the SM, too. Excellent detail. I tried something that just seemed like a good idea one cold evening last winter. On the astronaut figures, I used a set of very-fine ink pens to do the flags on their shoulder patches and on other details of the suits like the connection points for their supply lines and stripes on their arms and legs. It actually turned out pretty well considering it wasn't paint. It was much easier to control than the brush I tried on the first figure I started. I repainted him and did the rest in the blue and red pens and was fairly pleased with my results. The very fine tip let me make a convincing set of red stripes for the flag patch although I did need a magnifier lens to see how to do the best job, HA!

On another note, is the small wiring that I see some type of very, very fine copper wire such as the wrie used when we used to wire our own armatures for electric motors in the 60's? I guess that's available from a Hobby Lobby or Michael's, right?

 By-the-by, what is this chrome tape I see and hear about? Where can I get some?

 

Bob

Here are some updated photos of my project.  Not done yet but getting close.

 

I went ahead a scribed the tape seams onto the chrome-plated CM shell.  This photo also has chrome tape wraped around the perimeter of the heatshield to match the CM on display in Florida and at Smithsonian.  There are also several shots in my files that also show highly reflective mylar down to the edge of the SM where the heat shield disappears into the flange.  The wrinkles do not show once the CM is mounted on the SM so you can ignore those.  My goal was to pull the mylar foil (Monokote Chrome trim tape for those with an interest) as tight a possible.  Note what a great match the foil is to the chrome plating in the kit.  Note:  There are a couple of patches of chrome tape covering boo-boos that occured during the scribing.  They are difficult to find.  Yes I realize I have not wiped my finger prints off the kit yet.  Next up will be painting the CM.  The bays are already masked and the white radiator base coats are on.  I'll have it at the club meeting on Sunday.

 

The SIM Bay is from Apollo 15 so that will have to be it.  I thought about scratch building the Apollo 16 SIM Bay from the pieces from the 15 bay but I decided against it.  I've got some new pics to post.  I'll try and get them uploaded later this evening.

Don,

Looking good so far.  Are you building a specific mission or just a generic CSM?

The CM is on hold awaiting the RealSpace Hatch.   However, I've made some progress on the SM.

 

The hatch is on order now.  It should hopefully arrive this week.  I'll move onto the SM while I wait for the hatch.  Now I have to decide wether or not to cover the chrome plating with chrome 2mm tape strips.  With the hatch I'm probably going to have to although the gold clear coat came right off with some denatured alcohol and the chrome plating underneath is very nicely done with nary a defect that i could find.  I'll probably cover the hatch exterior with strips and see how well they match the chrome plate before deciding to cover the rest of the CM exterior.

So far ... so good.

Earlier this year I started building the same model ... but trying to perfect the seams in the SM frustrated me so much, that I put it aside.

And Glenn's stuff for the interior are nice, aren't they? Are you gonna use his Hatch too?

Keep it up Don, I'll be watching this.

Pete