SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Best Saturn 5 kit

5053 views
3 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2004
Best Saturn 5 kit
Posted by Chuck Fan on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 10:28 AM
What is the best Saturn 5 kit available?   I prefer the Skylab version if possible, or at least late Apollo version.   Also, is there any source for the launch tower as well?
  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: Drummondville, Quebec, Canada
Posted by Yann Solo on Thursday, November 23, 2006 8:20 AM

Be prepared to dig into your wallet if you want the Launch Umbilical Tower.  Here's a link.  It is available in 1/144 scale for now.

http://www.launchcomplexmodels.com/

I know Revell use to make a 1/144 Apollo Saturn V kit and Airfix did also but I don't know the quality of them.  I've built the Revell 1/96 kit and it is not bad even tough it lacks a lot of details and have some inaccuracies.  You can find upgrade kits for the Skylab version at http://www.realspacemodels.com/ and some detail sets at http://mek.kosmo.cz/newware/#Kits%20and%20detail%20sets

A full listing of all the plastic kits available on that subject can be found here: http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/models/space_models.html

Hope this help.

 

No matter where you go ....... there you are.
  • Member since
    March 2007
Posted by impossiblescissors247 on Monday, March 19, 2007 2:39 AM

The Airfix Saturn V is still available thru Squadron, IIRC.  The Monogram kit isn't hard to find at swaps or on eBay, though.  Which kit is better?  It's a tough call.  Airfix has a lot more surface detail.  Monogram is somewhat toy-like but still good. 

Neither kit has very good J-2 engines on Stage 2 (although the single J-2 on stage 3 of both kits looks better, for some odd reason.)  Neither kit has a very good (in terms of both detail & accuracy) Block II Apollo CSM.  The Airfix CSM is unusable, as the capsule is narrower than the service module, and the boost protective cover is extremely thick!  Both CSM's represent the Block I configuration, according to people who can spot the differences between the Block I and Block II SM's.  Luckily, RealSpace makes replacements for the Stage 1 engines and capsule (they offer a Skylab too.)  Hopefully some replacement J-2's are on the way.

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: SI, NY
Posted by GoFlight on Thursday, March 29, 2007 1:40 PM

Neither kit is fully accurate. But if you go to John Duncan's site - http://www.apollosaturn.com/modeling/2005natscode/saturnvcode.htm  he takes you step by step thru the accurization.

Correct Real Space Models does have some aftermarket parts for the Apollo Block 2 conversion and the Skylab shroud. I think the F1 engines and a CSM are only available in 1:96 scale while the others are 1:144

But the engines should matter very much if you look at the engines during launch, they are insulation batted so all the details are covered anyway - http://apollosaturn.com/modeling/foilbatt/batt1sh.jpg

Kevin K.

I never finish anyth

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.