Thanks, guys!  I believe the base will look great once it's painted and detailed.  I've got things masked up and ready and it looks like the weather will cooperate today.

I think there's nothing there at the site of the Apollo 1 fire except some concrete blocks and a pad.  I can imagine it's rather depressing.  But this was a bad week in American space exploration, as today's space history item continues with the bad.

Today in Space History:

"Challenger, go with throttle up."

1986 January 28 - . 16:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39B. Launch Platform: MLP2. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle. FAILURE: Seal on SRB failed, allowed hot gas to burn through External Tank.. Failed Stage: 0.

• STS-51-L - . Call Sign: Challenger. Crew: Jarvis, McAuliffe, McNair, Onizuka, Resnik, Scobee, Smith. Payload: Challenger F10 / TDRS 2 [IUS]. Mass: 116,670 kg (257,210 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Jarvis, McAuliffe, McNair, Onizuka, Resnik, Scobee, Smith. Agency: NASA. Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-51-L. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Challenger. Duration: 0.0008 days. Decay Date: 1986-01-28 . Apogee: 15 km (9 mi). Exploded 73 seconds after launch, all 7 crewmembers were killed.

Gamera

Are you going to add some cotton balls for the smoke billowing out of the rocket? 

You are an astute dude there--Gam Dude. That's kind of the idea but no smoke. I'd like to simulate the flames as shown below. I will give cotton a try and see how it will look. I haven't done this before so it will be another adventure. Anyone with tips--feel free.

Updated..

I am not sure how well cotton will work with the LEDs located behind that exhaust plate. Light will come through those ports, but will it be intense enough. I kind of think it will not work well, but I will try it.

Bakster: I'm not sure, I've never done it myself. Maybe you could stretch the cotton balls to thin them out? In any case the balls are cheap so if you mess some up it's not too big a deal. 

Gamera

I'm not sure, I've never done it myself.

Gamera

Maybe you could stretch the cotton balls to thin them out?

Yeah--that is what I was thinking. If that does not work, I can try a few other things.

Bakster>  I've not seen much in the way of flame representation on models.  I've seen some interesting rocket exhausts for the Saturn V using fiber and leds.  I'm always concerned about real fire when using cotton balls.  I'm sure there's something a bit more fireproof.  Like lighting for models, I would consider using fibre optics with red leds in the exhaust, or red / orange plastic rods carved into a flame shape.  I have to admit that it's something that might be too complex for me.  If you need some fibre-optic cable I can send you some as I got a large roll in a Star Trek model I won on Ebay that someone was going to use to light the windows.  I don't think I will need it all.

Anyway, good luck!  I'm interested in seeing what you come up with.

Gary

I must admit I spent the day watching episodes of HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon".  Not a lot done today, except for some sanding on the LES.

Project Report:

The weather cooperated yesterday and I was able to get some primer on the main components of the Apollo model.  This was mainly to ascertain where I had seam problems.  Boy, do I have them!  At the moment, I'm trying to figure out how best to fix them.  OTOH, this is a 50 year old model so the fit is not going to be perfect. The fact that I've had to deal with plastic bending after all this time in a box, old glue, and scratch-building some major parts makes me realize there's some things you will just have to live with.  I'm going to give it my best shot!

Looks like we'll have some more nice weather this Friday, so hopefully some more painting can be done to finish up the major pieces.  Then it's on to detailing!

You'll notice a white ring around the nozzle where it meets the SM heat shield.  It's paper, and I'll detail it out a bit to make it look like the gimbel cover for the engine.  The heat shield for the SM will receive a final metallic grey coat on the raised portion.  The LM Storage Area is coming along, though I need to give one panel a final grey interior coat.  I have determined that the lower bay does NOT seem to have an access hatch as I thought.  This is from blueprints of the Saturn 1B AS-207.  It's possible the hatch was added later when the LM was actually carried on the Saturn V, but the S-IB storage area apparently did not have one.  I've decided to leave it off.

The LES is looking good, and the primer makes it look pretty nice with a uniform white.  I've started sanding around the nose-cone to help even out some of the rough areas, so it looks a bit stained there.  Even the CM has a prime coat, and the parachute storage area needs detailing.  The LM really needs some work on the seams.  That's going to be a chore.

I hope to have the base finished up by Friday so I can give it a primer gray coat.  I want to see what it looks like and what sort of further detailing it may need.

She's getting close.

Mission Director (GAF)

PS> Doesn't look like I'll be able to make it to Huntsville this month.  Maybe next.

Today in Space History:

1964 January 29 - . 16:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC37B. Launch Vehicle: Saturn I.

• Saturn 5 - . Payload: Saturn-SA 5. Mass: 17,100 kg (37,600 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Program: Apollo. Class: Technology. Type: Re-entry test vehicle. Spacecraft: Jupiter nose cone. Decay Date: 1966-04-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 744 . COSPAR: 1964-005A. Apogee: 740 km (450 mi). Perigee: 274 km (170 mi). Inclination: 31.4000 deg. Period: 94.80 min.

• First first mission of Block II Saturn with two live stages. SA-5, a vehicle development flight, was launched from Cape Kennedy Complex 37B at 11:25:01.41, e.s.t. This was the first flight of the Saturn I Block II configuration (i.e., lengthened fuel tanks in the S-1 and stabilizing tail fins), as well as the first flight of a live (powered) S-IV upper stage. The S-1, powered by eight H-1 engines, reached a full thrust of over 680,400 kilograms (1.5 million pounds) the first time in flight. The S-IV's 41,000 kilogram (90,000-pound-thrust cluster of six liquid-hydrogen RL-10 engines performed as expected. The Block II SA-5 was also the first flight test of the Saturn I guidance system.

1965 January 29 -

• Manned Vykhod airlock test fails. - . Nation: Russia. Program: Voskhod. Flight: Voskhod 2. Spacecraft: Berkut, Voskhod.

• The first manned test of the airlock fails before an audience of 60 government and industry leaders. A VVS pilot in a spacesuit was to demonstrate the entire sequence involved in exiting into space. (release of the forward ring, inflation of the airlock, opening of the hatch between the spacecraft and airlock, closing the hatch, evacuation of the air from the airlock, opening of the outer hatch of the airlock, then the sequence in reverse). Two attempts are made at 15 km equivalent altitude, but the hatch from the spacecraft to the airlock cannot be opened due to defects in its construction in the first try. This is fixed, but on the second try the Vega system that monitors the cosmonaut's condition failed.

1965 January 29 -

• Emergency defecation capability added to the Apollo LEM - . Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Gemini.

• ASPO concurred with the requirement to provide an emergency defecation capability aboard the LEM as established by MSC's Center Medical Programs Office. The addition of a Gemini-type defecation glove appeared to present a satisfactory solution. Crew Systems Division was directed to proceed with their recommendation and add the Gemini gloves to the LEM crew provisions.

(Well, I guess they had to jettison weight somehow for liftoff from the moon!  )

GAF

If you need some fibre-optic cable I can send you some as I got a large roll in a Star Trek model I won on Ebay that someone was going to use to light the windows.  I don't think I will need it all.

Hey Gary, thanks for the offer but I already have some fibre optic. That is very nice of you to offer, though! 

You have suggested two of the three ideas I have been mulling over. One of them would be to fashion some sort of colored plastic pieces that will mimic the flames. I thought about fibre optics as well but I don't know how I could use them to make convincing flames. I thought of bundling them but it just doesn't seem like a convincing way to go. I could be wrong and I won't know until I experiment.

The cold weather has forced many local businesses and schools in our area to close. My employer has closed for tomorrow. So, I will have a full day to start on the light assembly. I won't be tempted to go outside, that is for sure. So... barring any bad ***, I might have an update to tomorrow.

Thanks for chiming in guys.

Gary, your project is looking really good. You are getting near to the finish line! Isn't that a great feeling? I don't know about you guys but starting a new model can often feel daunting to me. Once when the end is in sight, it is an exhilarating feeling.

Bakster

Gary, your project is looking really good. You are getting near to the finish line! Isn't that a great feeling? I don't know about you guys but starting a new model can often feel daunting to me. Once when the end is in sight, it is an exhilarating feeling.

Thanks!  My feeling is more like fear.  I always have a feeling I'll screw something up even worse than it is now.  Maybe that's why it takes me so long to build something. 

Well, I did manage to find a photo of a ground test for the X-1.  The flame is nothing like the Hollywood version.  No hose running into the side either!  Back in the day when people didn't wear protective gear, or fear an explosion from a test vehicle... 

Gary

GAF

My feeling is more like fear.  I always have a feeling I'll screw something up even worse than it is now.  Maybe that's why it takes me so long to build something. 

Oh man... we are wired the same way. That is exactly what goes through my mind on a build. Let's face it. There are dozens of ways for a project to go sideways, and many ways where we will never see it coming when they do. Hence, the fear. Lol...

Buddy! You get a gold star for perseverance! That is a great image! And yeah...look at how that changes the flames. Suddenly, fibre-optic is looking like a better option than before. You came through for me, Gary. This changes things. Way to go sir...

Btw. Look at the guy in the background covering his ears. I guess this thing is loud. 

Here is what I did on my day off. (Saying that makes me think of the essays we used to write in school, What I did on my summer vacation.) Those were the days.

I used tea-light LEDs. Why? Two reasons mainly. The first is that they give a fiery yellow color. The second is that they modulate in brightness. The latter will add a little bit of motion/animation to it.

I extracted 4 tea-light leds and ground down their housings so that each LED has 4 flat sides to them. By creating flats on them it helps with the gluing, and it also helps to reduce the overall size of the assembly. I glued the leds into a cluster using CA. The wire I used is 26 awg magnet wire. 26 awg is probably over-kill, but it is what I had on hand.

A rough mock-up looking into the fiery furnace.

With me holding the exhaust plate. That plate should go on the inside of the fuselage, and that would have been too tough to mock-up without gluing it. I can't glue that yet. 

I did some experimenting. I tried glass tubes and acrylic rod, both did not transfer light very well along their sides. So, using fabricated plastic is probably a no joy. It is looking like I am locked into using fiber optic strands with some cotton and or just cotton. I will cross that bridge when I get there. 

End of update.

Bakster>  Those look very good!  As for exhaust, I just don't know.  Perhaps a wire with some acetate wrapped around it?  Try looking up "artificial flame effects".  You might get an idea from that.

Gary

GAF

Bakster>  Those look very good!  As for exhaust, I just don't know.  Perhaps a wire with some acetate wrapped around it?  Try looking up "artificial flame effects".  You might get an idea from that.

Gary

 

Thanks, Gary. Yeah, more research to do. No worries. For now I need to mount that assembly and begin closing up the fuselage. Then it’s more seam filling and more body work. After that, it goes to paint. The exhaust can wait until the very end, if needs be. 

Thanks for the help.

Bakster> I'll keep looking around for ideas.  I'm sure someone, somewhere, has done something similar.

As for me, not much happening here.  I'm in a survival mode at the moment as the heat has gone out (again).  I have a small space heater to keep my workroom warm, and I've made a pallet on the floor to sleep.  The apartment is in the 60s, and I run the Aux Heat on the furnace every so often to keep it tolerable (it's only 28 F outside, going down to 17).  My electric bill is going to be through the roof though!  In the morning I'll have to get the apartment manager to call the HVAC guys to come out and fix the fix they did Monday.  *sigh*

I am just doing small things like masking the heat shield for the Service Module and finishing details on the base.  I'm also looking at making a new blast cover for the top of the Command Module out of plastic card, as the old one I glued completely together.  Now the CM cannot dock with the LM, so I'm making a new top so it can.  They'll be interchangable, so no problem there.

Hope everyone is doing well and trying to stay warm!

Gary

Bakster

The exhaust can wait until the very end, if needs be. 

https://www.walthers.com/electronic-flames

https://www.walthers.com/electronic-welder

https://www.walthers.com/ultra-miniature-lighting-effects-gas-welder-simulator

I thought these might be helpful.

Oh man, sorry about the heat situation Gary. That sucks, and I pray they fix your furnace fast, and right! That happened to me last year in the dead of winter, like your situation. It’s a bit disconcerting. Hang in there.

Yeah you would think someone would have done it. So far I am coming up empty. We will figure something out. I appreciate your looking but please don’t trouble yourself too much. You have bigger problems to worry about.

Progress continues on your end, good to hear!

I installed the light assembly tonight. What a big waste of time. I decided to affix it with ApoxySculpt. Almost two hours later I decided to pull it apart. That epoxy is good, but it is very slow curing, and not so great when you are trying to hold a piece in a specific position. If there is any tension on the piece it will walk on ya. In my case the wiring has just enough tension to make the piece drift. It was pretty frustrating. So, I pulled it apart, mixed up some 5 minute expoxy, slathered some on, adjusted, checked, adjusted, checked... done. Son of a...  its a learning moment. 

Hey thanks Tim, I will check them out!

Here are some flames I did a few years ago. I used LED's.

Gary, sorry about your heat. There's nothing quite so bad as being cold.

Gary: ACK!!! Hope they get your heat back up soon. It's supposed to warm up this weekend but still this cold is no joke. It dipped down to 10F/-12C here last night. 

Bakster: I really like what you've got there, the flickering effect of the tea candles should look really good. Tim LEDs would probably look better, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra expense- esp considering you're using four of them. Steve's use of cotton balls on his T-72 is largely what I was thinking about when I brought them up. 

Yeah Steve, I LOVE what you did on that. Awesome! I guess I was shooting for a subtler flame verses a more explosive one. The issue I see in going that way now is that my LEDs are buried in the fuselage--yours are burried in the flames. I question whether it will translate the same way. This is why I am now thinking I'll have to use fiber-optic bundles with each of the 4 exhaust vents. The FO would draw the light out more. But--I'd probably have to buy different FO than what I have because what I have, the light is strongest at its ends. It looks like they make side viewing FOs. I don't know--more experimenting to be done. 

I will probably have more questions for you when I get to making the flames.

Thanks Steve! 

Gamera

Bakster: I really like what you've got there, the flickering effect of the tea candles should look really good.

Thanks Gam, and I agree about the flickering effect. It looks pretty cool seeing it flicker.

Gamera

Tim LEDs would probably look better, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra expense- esp considering you're using four of them.

That--and that I have already built and installed the 4.

Gamera

Steve's use of cotton balls on his T-72 is largely what I was thinking about when I brought them up. 

I figured what you were shooting for correctly then. I noted in my reply to Steve why I didn't go that route. 

Thanks Gam!

Lots of interesting things going on!

Gary, sorry about your heat. That sucks.

Your base is looking nice!

As is your X-1 Bakster. Your cockpit looks outstanding.

I hope you get the rocket exhaust figured out, It will really add a great look to your X-1. 

I got back to my bench today!

After sorting things out, I started some light painting.  

It's much too cold to airbrush, so I resorted to spray cans.

Mach71> Welcome back!  Looks like things are coming along, though I thought if it was too cold to airbrush, it was too cold to spray paint (at least it is for me).

Bakster> I haven't come up with anything for the exhaust.  I'm thinking that if you could get a small valve and a CO2 cylinder (like you use in BB guns) you could just mount it in the back with four nozzles branching off. THAT would impress the judges...  

I still don't have a working heat pump, but I've got a couple of space heaters and it's not very cold in the apartment.  It didn't get as cold as they said it would last night (I think only 25 degrees F). They're going to have to replace the unit, as the compressor is shot.  I don't know when they'll decide to pay for it, but we'll see.

Today it really warmed up, into the 50s, and I took the opportunity to do a few painting tasks.  I finished spraying the interior of the folding door panel gray, and sprayed the Service Module heat shield a metallic grey.  No pictures tonight, but tomorrow should be even nicer and I'll take the opportunity to get a second coat on some items.  I hope the Service Module can be finalized and then I can finish detailing the outside and glue on the RCS nozzles (though it might be best to hold off on those as I'm likely to break them off if I put them on too early).  I also painted the upper portion of the SM engine nozzle with silver, but I'm not happy with that and will probably redo it.  Also, the base is ready for a primer coat of grey, and I want to see what it will look like.  All in all, progress!

Pluse, I hope to get some other projects painted.

Gary

Today in Space History:

1961 January 31 - . 16:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC5. LV Family: Redstone. Launch Vehicle: Redstone MRLV.

• Mercury MR-2 - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Program: Mercury. Spacecraft: Mercury. Apogee: 251 km (155 mi).

  Ham, a 37-pound chimpanzee, was aboard the spacecraft. The over-acceleration of the launch vehicle coupled with the velocity of the escape rocket caused the spacecraft to attain a higher altitude and a longer range than planned. In addition, the early depletion of the liquid oxygen caused a signal that separated the spacecraft from the launch vehicle a few seconds early. However spacecraft recovery was effected, although there were some leaks and the spacecraft was taking on water. Ham appeared to be in good physiological condition, but sometime later when he was shown the spacecraft it was visually apparent that he had no further interest in cooperating with the space flight program. Despite the over-acceleration factor, the flight was considered to be successful.

1966 January 31 - . 11:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M.

• Luna 9 - . Payload: E-6M s/n 13. Mass: 1,580 kg (3,480 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Luna. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Luna E-6. Decay Date: 1966-02-03 . USAF Sat Cat: 1954 . COSPAR: 1966-006A.

• Soft landed on Moon; photographed surface for 3 days. Landed on Moon 3 February 1966 at 18:44:52 GMT, Latitude 7.08 N, Longitude 295.63 E - Oceanus Procellarum. The Luna 9 spacecraft was the first spacecraft to achieve a lunar soft landing and to transmit photographic data to Earth. Seven radio sessions, totaling 8 hours and 5 minutes, were transmitted as were three series of TV pictures. When assembled, the photographs provided a panoramic view of the nearby lunar surface. The pictures included views of nearby rocks and of the horizon 1.4 Km away from the spacecraft.

1967 January 31 - .

• Funeral services for the Apollo 204 crewmen - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Chaffee, Grissom, White. Program: Apollo. Flight: Apollo 204.

• Funeral services were held for the Apollo crewmen who died in the January 27 spacecraft 012 (Apollo 204 mission) flash fire at Cape Kennedy. All three were buried with full military honors: Virgil I. Grissom (Lt. Col., USAF), and Roger B. Chaffee (Lt. Cdr., USN), in Arlington, Va., National Cemetery; and Edward H. White II (Lt. Col., USAF), at West Point, N.Y. Memorial services had been held in Houston January 29 and 30.

1971 January 31 - . 21:03 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: LUT2. Launch Vehicle: Saturn V.

• Apollo 14 - . Call Sign: Kitty Hawk. Crew: Mitchell, Roosa, Shepard. Backup Crew: Cernan, Engle, Evans. Support Crew: Chapman, McCandless, Pogue. Payload: Apollo CSM 110 / Apollo LM 8 / ALSEP / S-IVB-509. Mass: 29,230 kg (64,440 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cernan, Chapman, Engle, Evans, McCandless, Mitchell, Pogue, Roosa, Shepard. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Flight: Apollo 14. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Duration: 9.00 days. Decay Date: 1971-02-09 . USAF Sat Cat: 4900 . COSPAR: 1971-008A. Apogee: 183 km (113 mi). Perigee: 170 km (100 mi). Inclination: 31.1200 deg. Period: 88.18 min.

• The Apollo 14 (AS-509) mission - manned by astronauts Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Stuart A. Roosa, and Edgar D. Mitchell - was launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, KSC, at 4:03 p.m. EST January 31 on a Saturn V launch vehicle. A 40-minute hold had been ordered 8 minutes before scheduled launch time because of unsatisfactory weather conditions, the first such delay in the Apollo program. Activities during earth orbit and translunar injection were similar to those of the previous lunar landing missions. However, during transposition and docking, CSM 110 Kitty Hawk had difficulty docking with LM-8 Antares. A hard dock was achieved on the sixth attempt at 9:00 p.m. EST, 1 hour 54 minutes later than planned. Other aspects of the translunar journey were normal and proceeded according to flight plan. A crew inspection of the probe and docking mechanism was televised during the coast toward the moon. The crew and ground personnel were unable to determine why the CSM and LM had failed to dock properly, but there was no indication that the systems would not work when used later in the flight.

1986 January 31 - . Launch Vehicle: Buran.

• Buran project in crisis - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran.

• By January 1986 it was clear that the project, now three years behind schedule, had no prospect of completion due to problems in obtaining deliveries of equipment for Buran, numerous problems in assembling the orbiters and lack of manpower at Baikonur, and a general loss of management focus. Minister O D Bakhnov called a large group of industry leaders to the cosmodrome to review measures to concentrate and accelerate the remaining work. Three 'Tiger Teams' were set up. The first, led by Semenov, was to finish the flight Buran orbiter and associated facilities in time for a third quarter 1987 launch. The second, led by B I Gubanov, was to finish the Energia launch vehicle and fly it, without the Buran mock-ups if necessary, at the earliest possible date. The third group, led by S S Banin, was to complete the assembly and launch facilities.

2004 January 31 - .

• Opportunity Rover Drives Onto Martian Surface - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: MER.

GAF

I haven't come up with anything for the exhaust.  I'm thinking that if you could get a small valve and a CO2 cylinder (like you use in BB guns) you could just mount it in the back with four nozzles bra

Ha, good idea. Then maybe fill the tanks with gas and ignite them. True flames.

Thanks Mach, and it's good to see your progress. Looking good. Your spaceman seems to be checking out your work too.

Bakster>  I never encourage modelers to set their models on fire... Large firecrackers on the other hand... 

Well, no replacment of my heat pump today, which means that I'll be without heat this weekend.  It's not so bad, as I have the "Aux Heat" on the furnace if it gets too cold, and two small space heaters.  I really fear my electric bill this month.  Luckily, temperatures are moderating for the next few days.

Progress Report:

Warmer temps today and I did some more spray painting.  The base got a coat of primer gray, and the Service Module, LES and LM Storage Area base got another coat of white primer.  I've set it up again to see what she looks like, and I think it's going to be okay. Still a LOT of details to work on, but I'm happy with my progress after 4 months.

Also, I did some gray metallic spray on the engine nozzle, but it and the SM heat shield needs some touch-up work.  It's about time to attach the high-gain antenna.

Mission Director (GAF)

Today in Space History:

1958 February 1 - . 03:47 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC26A. LV Family: Redstone. Launch Vehicle: Jupiter C.

• Explorer 1 - . Payload: Explorer A. Mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: von Braun. Agency: US Army. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Explorer. Spacecraft: Explorer A. Decay Date: 1970-03-31 . USAF Sat Cat: 4 . COSPAR: 1958-Alpha-1. Apogee: 1,859 km (1,155 mi). Perigee: 347 km (215 mi). Inclination: 33.2000 deg. Period: 107.20 min.

  Explorer I, the first U.S. earth satellite, was launched by a modified Army Ballistic Missile Agency Jupiter-C. Explorer I, developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, carried the U.S.-IGY (International Geophysical Year) experiment of James A. Van Allen and resulted in the discovery of the radiation belt around the earth.

It's been a sad week in space history -- Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia.

In Remembrance:

2003 February 1 - .

• Loss of STS-107 - . Return Crew: Anderson, Brown, David, Chawla, Clark, Husband, McCool, Ramon. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Anderson, Brown, David, Chawla, Clark, Husband, McCool, Ramon. Program: STS. Flight: STS-107.

  The shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry at an altitude of 63.15 km and a speed of Mach 18. All hands aboard were lost. The loss grounded the shuttle fleet pending a failure investigation and left the crew of Bowersox, Pettit and Budarin aboard the International Space Station with a Soyuz emergency return vehicle but without means of major station resupply.

It is looking really good, Gary. That is such a cool kit.

Buttoned up with gap filling in the works. Then some panel line repair. I hope to have primer on it in a week or so.

Bakster

Buttoned up with gap filling in the works. Then some panel line repair. I hope to have primer on it in a week or so.

 

 

It's looking great! I don't know if you said but what did you use to fill the gaps?