At last!  A movie I might want to go to the theater to see!  Well, a documentary anyway...

Bakster> It looks pretty good to me.  I understand it's going to be a dry lake bed so I'm sure a few rough spots are not going to be a problem.  You might try putting tape or something around the outside of the frame to help hold it in place before applying the putty.

Gary

Bakster: Well, you can always make a second base and hold on to this one in case it doesn't work out. I've been using the wooden plaques from the art store, I make a half-dozen or so at a time.

I stained and clear coated the base. I feel so so about it. I must have got wood glue on some of the frame because the stain wouldn't take to certain areas. Another lesson learned. But--I am moving on.

I coated the interior of the frame with wood glue so as to seal the wood from the water putty I'll be using. My concern being that the water will warp the wood. The glue I am using claims that it is waterproof, we shall will see. 

Also worked on:

1. I painted the hatch gasket.

2. I am experimenting with crackle paint for the desert lake bed.

Tomorrow, I will start with decals.

Gary--sorry your casting didn't work out. It was a good try! 

Gamera>  Yes, that would work.  It's kind of hit or miss, so I've gone back to making the piece out of balsa.  That is already well along.  We'll see how well that fits.

Doing some more paint today, touching up the black areas on the LM.  Should have another update tonight.

Gary

Gary: Oh that looks cool! Could you maybe somehow make the mold slightly oversize since the casting is going to shrink a little??? 

Time for another update!

Project Report:

It's been an interesting week so far.  I have managed (in between rain) to get some things done, though not as much as I had hoped.  First off, since people have expressed an interest -- casting!

First, this is just an experiment in making a simple object out of wax.  As you can see, it's not a very complex operation.  I first made a cone out of paper using the upper part of the Command Module to get the angle right.  I had hoped it would be okay, but in retrospect I should have checked my diameter.  I then formed some modeling clay around the paper shape and put the result in the refrigerator.  After it had hardened, I removed the paper shape and was left with a cone shaped mold.  I placed the mold in a little receptacle made of aluminum foil to catch any spill (another lesson learned).

After that, I melted some of the wax in a small skillet I found at Hobby Lobby.

Then I gently poured the wax into the mold until it was a bit higher than the top edge.

I did spill a bit as I thought, but the mold held up okay.  After cooling in the refrigerator again, I removed the clay from around the wax and this was the result.

The molding process for such a simple object worked quite well.  Unfortunately, after checking it and filing it for a bit, I realized that the diameter was too small.  I guess the wax or the mold had cooled enough to shrink a bit, so I discarded this attempt.  It was interesting to see what I could do with this stuff and may try replicating simple parts in the future.  As of now, I'm looking for some other method to get what I need.

I also managed to get the final base coat on the model LM storage area, the folding doors and the Service Module.  I also touched up the black paint on the Service Module engine nozzle and the Instrument Unit.  After that, I was able to start placing the antenna on the Instrument Unit.

There are a couple of panels I need to make to place on the Instrument Unit that are connection points, but that should not be too hard.  I've also begun masking the LM for painting the black areas on the upper stage, so that should be done quite soon.

So far, so good.  I haven't screwed it up beyond recovery yet!

Mission Director (GAF)

Today in Space History:

1966 February 28 - .

• Gemini IX Astronauts Elliot M. See, Jr., and Charles A. Bassett II killed when their T-38 jet crashed. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Bassett, See. Flight: Gemini 9, Gemini 9A.

• Gemini IX Astronauts Elliot M. See, Jr., and Charles A. Bassett II were killed when their T-38 jet training plane crashed in rain and fog short of the St. Louis Municipal Airport. The jet, which had been cleared for an instrument landing, was left of center in its approach to the runway when it turned toward the McDonnell complex, 1000 feet from the landing strip. It hit the roof of the building where spacecraft nos. 9 and 10 were being housed, bounced into an adjacent courtyard, and exploded. Several McDonnell employees were slightly injured. Minutes later the Gemini IX backup crew, Thomas P. Stafford and Eugene A. Cernan, landed safely. The four astronauts were en route to McDonnell for two weeks' training in the simulator. NASA Headquarters announced that Stafford and Cernan would fly the Gemini IX mission on schedule and appointed Alan B. Shepard, Jr., to head a seven-man investigating team.

Bakster: The X-1 and base look good to me! She's coming along great!

Gary: Hope your sister is better soon. Sprained my ankle Friday so I haven't gotten much of anything done on this or anything else...

GAF

That's impressive. 

GAF

your base building skills far exceed mine!

Fingers are crossed.

Scottrc> I feel your pain!  Always something getting in the way of the really important stuff, like modeling.    Hope to see some updated photos soon.

It's cloudy today, but not raining so I'll try applying some final coats to sections today.

Wish me luck!

Gary

I thought I'd check in since I have not had much of a chance to work on the Saturn V.  I had a big proto-type project at work keeping me busy.

I did get the final wrap on last night and started painting the engines.

Nice work Gamera and Bakster.  Gary I hope the castings continue to improve.

Talk to you all later.

Scott

Bakster>  That's impressive.  The X-1 paint is looking good and your base building skills far exceed mine!  This is going to be really good.

As for decal advice, I'm totally clueless.  Decals always seem to be a hit or miss proposition with me.  Really, I think it depends a lot on who manufactured them, or so it appears.

As for my own work, I have nothing to report.  I did not accomplish anything this weekend as I spent most of my time away from home visiting my sister who has been in the hospital.  Nothing too serious, but she needed to stay in for a few days.  So I'm behind on what I had planned to do (including another casting attempt).  I hope to get some painting done today if the weather holds.  Beautiful day Monday!

Gary

Today in Space History:

1969 February 25 - . 01:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC36B. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas SLV-3C Centaur.

• Mariner 6 - . Payload: Mariner 69-3. Mass: 412 kg (908 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: JPL, NASA. Program: Mariner. Class: Mars. Type: Mars probe. Spacecraft Bus: Mariner. Spacecraft: Mariner 6-7. USAF Sat Cat: 3759 . COSPAR: 1969-014A.

• Mars flyby 31 July 1969; returned 75 images of Martian surface. Ten days before the scheduled launch, a faulty switch opened the main valves on the Atlas stage. This released the pressure which supported the Atlas structure, and as the booster deflated it began to crumple. Two ground crewman started pressurizing pumps, saving the structure from further collapse. The two ground crewman, who had acted at risk of the 12-story rocket collapsing on them, were awarded Exceptional Bravery Medals from NASA.

• The Mariner 6 spacecraft was removed, put on another Atlas/Centaur, and launched on schedule. The main booster was jettisoned 4 min. 38 sec. after launch, followed by a 7.5 minute Centaur burn to inject the spacecraft into Mars direct trajectory. After Mariner 6 separated from the Centaur the solar panels were deployed. A midcourse correction involving a 5.35 second burn of the hydrazine rocket occurred on 1 March 1969. A few days later explosive valves were deployed to unlatch the scan platform. Some bright particles released during the explosion distracted the Canopus sensor, and attitude lock was lost temporarily. It was decided to place the spacecraft on inertial guidance for the Mars flyby to prevent a similar occurrence.

  On 29 July, 50 hours before closest approach, the scan platform was pointed to Mars and the scientific instruments turned on. Imaging of Mars began 2 hours later. For the next 41 hours, 49 approach images (plus a 50th fractional image) of Mars were taken through the narrow-angle camera. At 05:03 UT on 31 July the near-encounter phase began, including collection of 26 close-up images. Due to a cooling system failure, channel 1 of the IR spectrometer did not cool sufficiently to allow measurements from 6 to 14 micrometers so no infrared data were obtained over this range. Closest approach occurred at 05:19:07 UT at a distance of 3431 km from the martian surface. Eleven minutes later Mariner 6 passed behind Mars and reappeared after 25 minutes. X-band occultation data were taken during the entrance and exit phases. Science and imaging data were played back and transmitted over the next few days. The spacecraft was then returned to cruise mode which included engineering and communications tests, star photography TV tests, and UV scans of the Milky Way and an area containing comet 1969-B. Periodic tracking of the spacecraft in its heliocentric orbit was also done.

  Science Results

• Mariner 6 returned 49 far encounter and 26 near encounter images of Mars. Close-ups from the near encounter phases covered 20% of the surface. The spacecraft instruments measured UV and IR emissions and radio refractivity of the Martian atmosphere. Images showed the surface of Mars to be very different from that of the Moon, in some contrast to the results from Mariner 4. The south polar cap was identified as being composed predominantly of carbon dioxide. Atmospheric surface pressure was estimated at between 6 and 7 mb. Radio science refined estimates of the mass, radius and shape of Mars.

I looked high and low for something a little fancier, but for what I am trying to do, no luck. The good news is, it was cheap! I'll stain and varnish the thing. Maybe that will give it a little snap.

This base is 12 x 12. The top is flat, underneath is a recess that will accommodate a battery pack. The recess is what I need and what most other wood bases don't have.

Using a hand saw I miter cut wood strips to fit the perimeter of the wood base. I glued them down making a sort of retaining wall. I'll fill the void with water putty, smoothing it flat into a desert lake bed. It will be the basis that I'll build up from.

That's the plan as of today. 

modelcrazy

I've never had a problem with lacquer over decals but you might want to an acrylic first then a lacquer over that.

 

If you don't have problems then I did something wrong. I will stay the course with the lacquer. Thanks Steve 

I've never had a problem with lacquer over decals but you might want to an acrylic first then a lacquer over that.

GAF

Wax?  I'm going to try casting something

Hey Gary--I am looking forward to seeing your cast.

Well, here is my latest:

1. I sanded and repaired the hand mark under the fuselage. I also fixed a few pieces of lint that made it to the paint.

2. Fiddly bits are painted with interior green. This includes the back side of the hatch and landing gear covers.

Next on the roster I will probably paint the hatch gasket. After that I will begin applying decals. And in-between all that I am advancing work on the base. 

Speaking of decals, I can use some advice. I plan to seal them in a semi-flat coat using a mixture of Dulcote and Glosscote. My concern is how that final coat will react with the decals. I experimented with some scrap pieces and I didn't like how the lacquer altered the decals. I think that the mixture leached through or under the decals creating light and dark spots. Since then I have read it is best to spray a light mist to seal it, then follow with a heavier coat. What worries me there is that misting often leads to pebbly finishes.

Final clears scare me because it can make or break a model. Any advice on what you do would be appreciated! 

Thanks.

Gamera>  Well, this isn't "rocket science" casting.    I just need a round part to help finish up the nose cone for the Command Module.  I tore the first one apart as I decided to go back to the connection for docking the CM and LM.  Essentially, it's just a hollow ring.  A hard wax will be fine for what I have in mind, since the melting temperature is so high. After  coating and paint it will not be noticable.  I did get the new mold (which is just modeling clay) formed today, and I've left it in the refrigerator to dry out.  Tomorrow, I'll let it warm up and then try pouring again.  If I had a lathe, this procedure would not be necessary!

Other than that, I did some detailing on the astronaut figures after checking colors on the Block I spacesuits.  After the gray and black inside the Command Module, they look pretty colorful!

Meanwhile, in real space, I noticed that Space-X is going to launch the first Dragon capsule on March 2 (unless they run into further delays).  Will be interesting to see.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-spacex-clear-crew-dragon-for-critical-march-2-test-flight/

Gary

Today in Space History:

1964 February 22 - .

• Studies of the dangers of meteoroids and radiation in the Apollo program - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Mueller. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: A7L, Apollo CSM, CSM Cockpit.

• George E. Mueller, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, summarized recent studies of the dangers of meteoroids and radiation in the Apollo program. Data from the Explorer XVI satellite and ground observations indicated that meteoroids would not be a major hazard. Clouds of protons ejected by solar flares would present a risk to astronauts, but studies of the largest solar flares recorded since 1959 showed that maximum radiation dosages in the CM and the Apollo space suit would have been far below acceptable limits (set in July 1962 by the Space Science Board of the National Academy of Sciences). Cosmic rays would not be a hazard because of their rarity. Radiation in the Van Allen belts was not dangerous because the spacecraft would fly through the belts at high speeds.

1965 February 22 - . 07:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

• Cosmos 57 - . Payload: Voskhod 3KD s/n 1. Mass: 5,682 kg (12,526 lb). Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Korolev. Agency: Korolev bureau. Program: Voskhod. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Voskhod 2. Spacecraft Bus: Vostok. Spacecraft: Voskhod. Duration: 0.22 days. Decay Date: 1965-02-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 1093 . COSPAR: 1965-012A. Apogee: 708 km (439 mi). Perigee: 159 km (98 mi). Inclination: 64.8000 deg. Period: 93.20 min.

• Unsuccessful mission. Voskhod 2 test. Immediately after orbital insertion airlock and spacesuit inflated normally. Then two ground control stations sent commands to the spacecraft simultaneously. The combined signals accidentally set off the retrofire sequence, which some time later triggered the self destruct mechanism (designed to prevent the spacecraft from falling into enemy hands).
  Officially: Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space.
  

1966 February 22 - . 20:09 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

• Cosmos 110 - . Payload: Voskhod 3KV s/n 5. Mass: 5,700 kg (12,500 lb). Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Beregovoi, Shatalov, Shonin, Volynov. Agency: MOM. Program: Voskhod. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Voskhod 3. Spacecraft Bus: Vostok. Spacecraft: Voskhod. Duration: 20.69 days. Decay Date: 1966-03-16 . USAF Sat Cat: 2070 . COSPAR: 1966-015A. Apogee: 887 km (551 mi). Perigee: 181 km (112 mi). Inclination: 51.8000 deg. Period: 95.30 min.

• Successfully recovered March 15, 1966 13:00 GMT. Precursor mission for Voskhod 3 hardware. Two dogs carried into lower Van Allen radiation belts.
  Officially: Biological research.  Voskhod s/n 5 launched at 23:10 Moscow time, with two dogs, Veterka and Ygolka, aboard. This will be a 25-day mission. Kamanin is disgusted, he had proposed this as a 25-day mission by a single cosmonaut, but Korolev had constantly held with the 'dog variant'. Preparations for Voskhod-3 are proceeding well. The prime and back-up crews have completed their training and will take their examinations on 28 February. Parallel trials of the oxygen regeneration system at IMBP and OKB-124 both went well (IMBP, 12 days so far, temperature 16-24 deg C, 70% humidity; OKB-124, 10 days so far, temperature 18-16 deg C, 65% humidity).

We got a pile of ice up here, all over the power lines and trees. I didn't lose power but a lot of other people did in the area. Then yesterday the temp. popped up to 60F / 15C and all the ice melted in one day.

Please let me know how the casting goes this weekend. I tried using the silicone mold material and it never worked for me like it's shown in the instructions.  

Gamera

Gary: Hope you power wasn't off for long. And please let us know how the casting goes. I bought some stuff for that a few years ago- my results have been sorta uneven. 

Gamera>  The power was off for over an hour last night.  Luckily, it happened around 9:30pm so I just went to sleep.  The rain is coming down even now, and we're going to get even more between now and Saturday when they predict the worst of the storms will be coming through.  I think Wilford Brimley said it best:

As for the casting, my first attempt did not go well.  It leaked due to my lack of understanding of how this stuff would cool.  First, what I'm trying to do is not use a "lost wax" process, but just to mold the part out of the wax itself.  This is a harder wax than most, and has a higher melting temperature.  It's not the plasticized wax they use for carving, but it's close.  I figure for the part I need it will be fine.  Having seen what happened with my first attempt, I just need to thicken the clay mold.  I'll try again this weekend.

Not much else to report here.  I've been detailing the D-7 instead of the Apollo model.  Hope to have it finished up by the end of the month.

Gary

Today in Space History:

1947 February 21 - .

• XS-1 Flight 26 - . Crew: Goodlin. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 16. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goodlin. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Bell flight 16. Flight aborted after drop because of low engine-chamber pressure..

1950 February 21 - .

• XS-1 Flight 131 - . Crew: Everest. Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 77. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Everest. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. AF flight 55. Wing-and-tail-loads investigation..

1953 February 21 - .

• X-1A Flight 3 - . Crew: Ziegler. Payload: X-1A flight 3. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Ziegler. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-1A. Bell flight 3. First powered flight. False fire warning..

1958 February 21 - . 08:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: Kapustin Yar V-2. LV Family: R-5. Launch Vehicle: R-5A.

• Aeronomy / ionosphere mission - . Nation: Russia. Agency: AN. Apogee: 400 km (240 mi).

  Some reports say that one of the four launches this day carried the dogs Palma and Pushok. The dogs were said to have died due to cabin decompression. Rumors of the death of a 'cosmonaut Shiborin' can perhaps be attributed to this incident, if indeed it did occur.

1961 February 21 - .

• First Mercury crews selected. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Glenn, Grissom, Shepard. Program: Mercury. NASA Space Task Group selected John H. Glenn, Jr., Virgil I. Grissom, and Alan B. Shepard, Jr., to begin special training for first manned Mercury space flight.

1969 February 21 - . 09:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC110R. LV Family: N1. Launch Vehicle: N-1 11A52. FAILURE: First stage failure.. Failed Stage: 1.

• N1 3L launch - . Payload: Soyuz 7K-L1S s/n 3. Mass: 6,900 kg (15,200 lb). Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Afanasyev, Sergei, Dorofeyev, Kirillov, Mishin. Agency: RVSN. Program: Lunar L3. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-L1A. Decay Date: 1969-02-21 . Apogee: 30 km (18 mi).

  N-1 serial number 3L was the first N-1 launched. The vehicle ran into trouble immediately at lift-off. A fire developed in the tail compartment. The engine monitoring system detected the fire, but then gave an incorrect signal, shutting down all engines at 68.7 seconds into the flight. British intelligence detected the launch attempt, but the CIA's technical means for some reason missed it and they denied for years that it had ever occurred. In retrospect the launch team at Baikonur pointed to a grave mistake - at the christening of the first N1, the champagne bottle broke against the crawler-transporter rather than the hull of the rocket. After the 3L failure everyone knew there was no chance at all of beating the Americans to the moon.
  

Gary: Hope you power wasn't off for long. And please let us know how the casting goes. I bought some stuff for that a few years ago- my results have been sorta uneven. 

Nothing much happening here.  I did go by Hobby Lobby today and picked up some paints and wax.  Wax?  I'm going to try casting something.    Some detail painting tonight on astronauts and LM legs.  The weather is the big hold up as it's preventing me from finalizing coatings.  As a matter of fact, earlier this evening I was typing this post when the power went out due to a lightning strike.  No relief until the weekend!

Gary

Today in Space History:

"God Speed, John Glenn!"

1962 February 20 - . 14:47 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC14. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.

• Mercury MA-6 - . Call Sign: Friendship 7. Crew: Glenn. Backup Crew: Carpenter. Payload: Mercury SC13. Mass: 1,355 kg (2,987 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Carpenter, Glenn. Agency: NASA. Program: Mercury. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Mercury MA-6. Spacecraft: Mercury. Duration: 0.21 days. Decay Date: 1962-02-20 . USAF Sat Cat: 240 . COSPAR: 1962-Gamma-1. Apogee: 265 km (164 mi). Perigee: 159 km (98 mi). Inclination: 32.5000 deg. Period: 88.60 min.

• The 6555th Aerospace Test Wing launched the Mercury/Atlas D (MA-6), "Friendship 7," that placed the Mercury capsule containing LtColonel John Glenn, USMC, into orbit for the first Project Mercury manned orbital flight. "Friendship 7" completed three orbits before successful reentry and recovery in the Atlantic Ocean. First US manned orbital mission. John Glenn finally puts America in orbit. False landing bag deploy light led to reentry being started with retropack left in place on heat shield. It turned out that indicator light was false and a spectacular reentry ensued, with glowing chunks of the retropack whizzing by the window. After four hours and 43 minutes the spacecraft reentered the atmosphere and landed at 2:43 pm EST in the planned recovery area NE of the Island of Puerto Rico. All flight objectives were achieved. Glenn was reported to be in excellent condition. Beause of failure of one of the automatic systems, the astronaut took over manual control of the spacecraft during part of the flight. With this flight, the basic objectives of Project Mercury had been achieved.

Mach71: Looks pretty darn good to me!

Still here, great progress everyone. Everything I see looks spot on. Everyone seems to be moving forward very well.....

Ben

Gamera>  The astronaut figure is looking good.  I understand about white paint, let me tell you!  It will show up every flaw there is.

Mach71> Okay, the panels are great.  Love to see it coming together!

Don't have anything to report.  Work slowed after getting the Command Module interior, except for some minor detail painting.  Nothing worth showing.  The weather is the big hold-up at the moment.  This week looks like rain and more rain.  Still need to make a trip to Hobby Lobby to pick up a few things.  I've been putting it off for one reason or another, but what with the rain I might as well make the trip come Wednesday.

Gary

mach71

I like the orange on your X-1 Bakster

Gamera

Bakster: Yeah, I took the photo from the front, which is the better side. The paint ran on the back side and I'm going to have to do some sanding.

Now I undestand. 

Really nice work everyone! I like the orange on your X-1 Bakster, Gamera Your Moonwalker is looking great, I'm really likeing your Command Module Gary.

I havent gotten a lot done. I have started painting the Interior. The base grey ls down

and I've started on the Instrument panel. I've started cutting in the panel colors.

It's got a long way to go yet.

Bakster: Yeah, I took the photo from the front, which is the better side. The paint ran on the back side and I'm going to have to do some sanding.

Guess I should have stuck to the Tamiya primer from the first, never had it to run. 

Thanks, Gam. Hey, from over here your paint looks good.