Are you looking to take pics of the CSM or the LES?

GAF

At the moment, I'm trying to figure out how to take images of the top of the Saturn V that is lying on its side.

Drone with camera.   LOL

Mach71: Ah ok, very cool! I'd just assumed you'd cut the metal strips yourself. 

Gary: Well instead of a selfie stick you could ask them if you can fly a small drone with a camera around the hanger... 

Mach71>  I understand compromise on details, though it seems there are enough examples around for a model company to get at least close.  In the 1960s when my model was produced, not so much.  Still, I'm sure you'll produce something really impressive!

About the trip to Huntsville.  It has come down to needing to do up-close research because the internet just doesn't have the required images.  I'll do it in person.  At the moment, I'm trying to figure out how to take images of the top of the Saturn V that is lying on its side.  I need some sort of do-it-yourself selfie stick to raise my camera in the air to get the top.  Don't know what the employees at the Space Center will say about that! 

And I will take plenty of pictures.  If anyone needs something, let me know and I'll try to get some shots if they have an example of what you want.

And I didn't get anything done tonight as I fell asleep.  Up too late last night, and up too early this morning.  I'll leave you a photo of where things stand now.  The antenna are finished and ready to be attached.  I've dry-fit the Command Module with interior, and have decided to re-paint the interiors with a lighter grey.  Starting work on the engine bell nozzle.  The LM Storage Area is a bit out of round (ever so slightly), so I need to come up with a ring or metal striping that I can jam inside to keep it so.  The balsa wood bar is just temporary.  That's about it for tonight.

Gary

Today in Space History:

1969 January 10 - . 05:51 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. Launch Pad: LC1 or LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M.

• Venera 6 - . Payload: 2V (V-69) s/n 331. Mass: 1,128 kg (2,486 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Venera. Class: Venus. Type: Venus probe. Spacecraft Bus: 2MV. Spacecraft: Venera 2V (V-69). Decay Date: 1969-05-17 . USAF Sat Cat: 3648 . COSPAR: 1969-002A.

• Venera 6 was launched towards Venus to obtain atmospheric data. When the atmosphere of Venus was approached, a capsule weighing 405 kg was jettisoned from the main spacecraft. This capsule contained scientific instruments. During descent towards the surface of Venus, a parachute opened to slow the rate of descent. For 51 min on May 17, 1969, while the capsule was suspended from the parachute, data from the Venusian atmosphere were returned. The spacecraft also carried a medallion bearing the coat of arms of the U.S.S.R. and a bas-relief of V.I. Lenin to the night side of Venus.

The straps are built out of the box. The details are not 100% accurate, but I see what Scott was doing when he planned the kit, This is a nice compromise. 

The cable conduate that runs under each strap is hard plastic, they will look ok but I'm wondering if wire would look better. 

No new photos, but I've started on the retro pack. The instrument panel is glued, I now have a decision to make. How much do I want to detail behind the panel. It really looks empty stock. Something should be done, but I was really hoping to be well beyond where I am by now.

GAF, when you go to Huntsville please post photos! I have photos of the SV/Apollo from Florida and Texas, I'll look through them and see if I have any of the area you need. I'm not hopeful though.

Mach71: So you scratchbuilt all the detail on the straps? Wow! 

Gary: Sounds cool! And last time I visited Huntsville (probably 5-10) years ago they had a lot of cool stuff to look at. Well worth the trip. 

Gamera> Nah!  I'd never confuse you with Bakster... 

Mach71>  Hey, welcome back!  I understand about other things getting in the way of bench time.  Glad to see you're good, though.  After my bout with the flu last month, I do wonder about people's absences.  

The Mercury is looking good, and I do see some minor differences in the straps.  I think a few minor pieces of cardboard would correct the problems, but that's just me.  Unless you had pointed it out, I don't think anyone would have noticed. 

Project Report:

A lot more minor prep work tonight, as I wrapped the Instrument Unit antenna in white vinyl electrical tape and sanded down the RCS units for the Service Module.  Amazing how much time that takes.  I am pleased with how the antenna came out, and promise a photo next time when I've made more progress.  Meanwhile, I'm considering how to handle the interior of the Command Module and am considering some printed panels to go in the crew compartment.  I think I have some nice interior CM layouts in my collected images.

On the other hand, I really need some information on the lower part of the LM Storage Area, and the images I've managed to find online don't really cut it.  In that regard, I'm considering a trip up to Huntsville to visit the Space and Rocket Center later this month.  I haven't been there since the early 70s, so it's about time for another.  (It's less than a 2 hour drive.)

Should be interesting.

Mission Director (GAF)

Today in Space History:

1948 January 9 - .

• XS-1 Flight 63 - . Crew: Lilly. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 25. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Lilly. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. NACA flight 5. Pilot familiarization..

1959 January 9 - .

• McDonnell selected to produce the Mercury spacecraft. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Glennan, Silverstein. Program: Mercury. Spacecraft: Mercury.

• The Source Selection Board at NASA Headquarters composed of Abe Silverstein, Ralph Cushman, George Low, Walter Schier, DeMarquis Wyatt, and Charles Zimmerman, completed their findings and reported to Dr. T. Keith Glennan, the Administrator. McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was selected as the prime contractor to develop and produce the Mercury spacecraft.

1961 January 9 - . LV Family: Nova. Launch Vehicle: Nova 4L.

• First meeting of the Manned Lunar Landing Task Group - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Silverstein. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, Apollo Lunar Landing, CSM Source Selection, LM Mode Debate, LM Source Selection.

  At the first meeting of the Manned Lunar Landing Task Group, Associate Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Director of the Office of Space Flight Programs Abe Silverstein, and Director of the Office of Advanced Research Programs Ira H. Abbott outlined the purpose of the Group to the members. After a discussion of the instructions, the Group considered first the objectives of the total NASA program:

  1. the exploration of the solar system for knowledge to benefit mankind; and
  2. the development of technology to permit exploitation of space flight for scientific, military, and commercial uses.
  NASA's lunar program was a logical step toward these objectives. In current lunar program planning, three steps were projected:
  1. a manned landing on the moon with return to earth,
  2. limited manned lunar exploration, and
  3. a scientific lunar base.
  To accomplish the first step, a great increase in launch vehicle capability would be needed beyond that provided by current funding. A comparison of a three-million-pound-thrust and a six-million-pound-thrust Nova launch vehicle was made. It was estimated that a 60,000- to 80,000-pound payload to escape velocity would be needed for a manned lunar landing mission.

1965 January 9 - .

• Cosmonaut recruitment - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Korolev, Kuznetsova, Ponomaryova, Solovyova, Tereshkova, Yerkina. Program: Voskhod. Flight: Voskhod 5. Spacecraft Bus: Vostok. Spacecraft: Voskhod.

  Kamanin would like to get going with the training of 40 additional cosmonauts from many disciplines in order to 'storm space'. Korolev is opposed. Kamanin is also trying to get new flights scheduled for his female cosmonauts. This is never mentioned in the planning of future flights. Korolev is opposed to sending any further women into space. Kamanin would like to see a two-woman Voskhod flight, or a woman making a spacewalk. Aside from Tereshkova, Ponomaryova and Solovyova are as qualified and talented as any of the male cosmonauts for such flights. Yerkina and Kuznetsova, although they have completed the course, are ruled out by weaknesses in technical areas or character, in Kamanin's opinion.

1968 January 9 - .

• Budgetary restraints required additional cuts in AAP to three Saturn IB and three Saturn V launches. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: AES Lunar Base, ALSS Lunar Base, Orbital Workshop, Skylab.

  NASA budgetary restraints required an additional cut in AAP launches. The reduced program called for three Saturn IB and three Saturn V launches, including one Workshop launched on a Saturn IB, one Saturn V Workshop, and one ATM. Two lunar missions were planned. Launch of the first Workshop would be in April 1970.

1969 January 9 - . Launch Vehicle: N1.

• State Commission for the first N1 launch - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Afanasyev, Sergei, Kurushin. Program: Lunar L3, Lunar L1. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-L1A.

  The State Commission for the first N1 launch, headed by Afanasyev, convenes at Area 12 of Baikonur. All of the Chief Designers and top generals of the VVS are in attendance. Many defects are identified in the review, but there seem to be no show-stoppers. Payload integration with the booster is to begin 13 January and launch by 18 February. Then Baikonur commander General Kurushin drops a bombshell - he declares he is not prepared to attempt to launch this 'unready' rocket. Much argument and discussion ensues. Finally Afanasyev asks that the issues raised be reviewed, in preparation for the next commission meeting on 11 January.

1971 January 9 - .

• VVS Reviews TsKBM Facilities and Programs - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Chelomei, Mishin, Ustinov. Program: Almaz, Salyut. Spacecraft: Almaz OPS, Salyut 1.

  The VVS leadership visits Chelomei's facility at Reutov. Kamanin recalls first seeting the Almaz mock-up five years earlier - it was already fully defined then. But it was only in August 1970 that a resolution was issued setting a firm schedule: Chelomei was to start flight trails in the second half of 1971, and the station was to enter service in 1972. Mishin is proposing to cancel Almaz and build 10 DOS stations instead. Mishin currently supervises five design bureaux, 60,000 workers, and is working on Soyuz, 7K-S, L3, DOS-7K, and a very few other projects. Chelomei has only one design bureau and 8,000 workers. Yet he has produced well-designed, mass-produced cruise missiles for the Navy, over 1,000 ICBM's for the RVSN, and the high-quality UR-500 Proton launch vehicle. Almaz could have flown on time if Ustinov had allowed Chelomei just 10% of the resources he has let Mishin squander on DOS. Chelomei easily agrees with the VVS to a mutual schedule for Almaz crew training, crew composition, etc. The contrast with the argumentative Mishin couldn't be greater.

1994 January 9 - .

• Mir News 202: Soyuz-TM18 blasted off for flight to Mir - . Nation: Russia. Program: Mir. Flight: Soyuz TM-17, Soyuz TM-18, Soyuz TM-18 Mir LD-4.

  Soyuz-TM18 has been launched from Baykonur on 8.01.94 at 1005 UTC. All went well and at 1014 UTC Soyuz-TM18 had reached the right orbit. For the flight the 1st crew had been selected, so: Captain V. Afanasyev, who makes his 2d flight, board engineer (rookie) Yu. Usachev (pronunciation Usachov ) and the physician Dr. V. Polaykov, making his 2d flight. He will try to remain 427 days in space. The call of the crew is Derbent, so resp. Derbent-1, 2 and 3. For radio-amateur traffic resp. U9Mir, R3Mir and U3Mir. Soyuz-TM18 came in range during orbit 3, 1307 UTC. Strong transmissions on the known frequencies (121.750, 165.874 and 922.755 mc). Afanasyev reported that all went well and he added some pressure values. After abt. 30 mins Mir (orb. 45114) could be heard here. TsUP told the Mir-crew that all on board Soyuz-TM18 was normal. In the pass in the 4th orbit (1436 UTC) Afanasyev reported that the Soyuz-TM18 executed 2 orbit corrections without significant problems. During the pass in the 5th orbit (1609- UTC) Afanasyev reported the successful performance of Soyuz-TM18 during the 3d orbit correction. Afanasyev got the order to adjust the Globus position indicator and Dr. Polyakov stated that the condition of the crew was excellent. On 10.01.94 at 1150 UTC Soyuz-TM18 has to dock to the Mir-complex. This will be abt 4 mins. after LOS of the space objects in Mir's orbit nr. 45144.

  Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.

2001 January 9 - . 17:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch Complex: Jiuquan SLS. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 2F.

• Shenzhou 2 - . Mass: 7,400 kg (16,300 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CASC. Manufacturer: CALT. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Spacecraft: Shenzhou. Duration: 6.77 days. Decay Date: 2001-01-16 . USAF Sat Cat: 26664 . COSPAR: 2001-001A. Apogee: 345 km (214 mi). Perigee: 330 km (200 mi). Inclination: 42.6000 deg. Period: 91.30 min.

  The second unmanned test flight of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft design carried a monkey, a dog and a rabbit in a test of the spaceship's life support systems. Shenzhou 2 was the first test of an all-up flight model of the spacecraft, with a functioning orbital module. It was also the most ambitious space science laboratory ever launched by China. It carried 64 scientific payloads: 15 in the re-entry module, 12 in the orbital module and 37 on the forward external pallet. These included a micro-gravity crystal growing device; life sciences experiments with 19 species of animals and plants, cosmic ray and particle detectors; and China's first gamma ray burst detectors.

  The launch was originally scheduled for January 5, but the second stage of the launch vehicle was dented by an access platform while being prepared for roll-out in the vehicle assembly building. This caused several days of delay until it was cleared for flight. Shenzhou 2 made three orbit-raising manoeuvres during its flight, reaching a 330 x 345 km orbit by the end of the initial phase of the mission. Ninety minutes before landing the orbital module depressurised, and the spacecraft went briefly out of control. However this was regained after venting of the atmosphere from the module ended. The descent module and service modules separated from the forward orbital module and external pallet normally. After retrofire by the service module, it separated and the descent module landed at 11:22 GMT on January 16 in Inner Mongolia. Lack of post-recovery photographs led to speculation that the recovery may not have been completely successful. The Shenzhou orbital module had its own solar panels and remained operational in orbit, conducting scientific experiments. It was actively controlled for six months, maneuvering in orbit several times (reaching a final orbit of 394 x 405 km). It then was allowed to decay and reentered the atmosphere at 09:05 GMT on August 24, 2001. The reentry point was near 33.1 deg S in latitude and 260.4 deg E in longitude, over the western Pacific Ocean between Easter Island and Chile.

Gamera

Gary: It's ok to confuse me with Steve as long as it's ok with him.

Well. ...hmmmm 

The holidays are over and I made to my workbench!

The first time in almost a month.

I spent some time just figuring out where I'm at and where to go.

I've figured out that the cockpit is very close to Gordon Cooper's Faith-7

so I think I can move forward on that.

The Retro pack tiedowns are also started. Sadly, while they look great, they

are not all that acurate. 

This is what the straps should look like:

Gamera

Just don't confuse me with Bakster... 

Laughing. Smart ***

Gary: It's ok to confuse me with Steve as long as it's ok with him. Just don't confuse me with Bakster... 

And btw nice work, you're making great progress. Love the three teeny astronauts. 

Gamera> Yeah, but you know how modelers are...    "Not enough RUST!"

(Oh, and I mistakenly directed my comment to Steve instead of you in my previous post!  Sorry!)

PFJN> The base does look good!  A few tire marks and she'll look very realistic.  :-)

Project Report:

Work continues slowly on the Apollo project.  I did some painting on interior items by spraying everything "grey"!  I think the color may be a little too dark, but after dry-brushing and some color on the wiring and seats it will probably be okay.  The interior of the folding panels I painted the same color, though I haven't done the interior of the lower section of the LM Storage Area yet.  Still have some work to do there.

On the board are the antenna for the instrument section.  I've cut them from balsa wood and will cover them with vinyl tape before painting.  I'm also going to start attaching the RCS units to the Service Module, but hold off on gluing the nozzles on (because I know I will just break them off.  Also, the three astronaut figures are being prepped and sanded for paint.  The SM S-Band High Gain Antenna has a broken arm, so I'll replace that with some plastic rod.

I'm actually beginning to think I'll finish this thing!

Mission Director (GAF)

PF: The base looks good!!! And I love the door display, esp the yeti. I love cryptids, don't believe in them but they're so much fun.

Gary: It's a Klingon ship so it doesn't really need to look that good. I remember one novel referencing the Romulans using Klingon D-7 in 'Balance of Terror' where one Romulan captain states Klingon ships are junk- the thing the Klingons know best about ships is how to blow them up...

GAF, Modelcrazy & Baxter,

Didn't win anything on the door this year, but there is always next year.

The frame of the base is something I picked up off eBay.  I was originally going to try and just use a fine grit piece of sandpaper to try and represent a "dry lake bed" type landing strip, but then began to think that if I did that I should maybe try and add some sand/dirt to the shuttle.

After looking around on the internet, I came across some photos of the X-24A & B on a regular airstrip, like I showed previously, and thought that this migh work out better.

So, I measured out the frame, and made a real simple 3D model that I could break into a couple parts.  I beveled the edges of the 3D partsto represent gaps in the runway sections, and then primed and painted the pieces.  Right now my printer has black filament in it, but I used Tamya white primer as a base coat, please a coat or two of sanding sealer and/or Mr Dissolved putty, applied kind of haphazardly to make the surface, just ever so slightly not perfectly flat.  After that I gave it a quick coat of some craft store acrylic gray paint that is supposed to have a chalky finish.  After that I added some other regular lighter gray paint.

I still want to 3D a black filler between the sections and I'm still thinking of maybe doing a little weathering and/or oil stains plus maybe a yellow stripe (like you can just kind of see in the picture of the X-24B).

Regards

PF

Nice job on the base and door. Did you win anything for the door?

PF, both projects look good. That x24 will be cool on that Tarmac. And nice work on the Christmas scene. Very creative!

Gamera> I'm not sure I want to post images of the D7.  It has lots of gaps and bad spots.  I'm going to give the primer a week to cure (so next weekend) and then try to fix things.  Luckily, this is for a friend to go along with the USS Enterprise model I gave him, so he probably won't notice the minor things.  Modelers might not be so kind!

And I feel your pain about sanding all those ridges!  Good luck!

PFJN> Welcome back!  I was a bit worried about your absence, but glad you're just busy.  That base is looking really good!  What is it made of?  It would do for displaying a variety of vehicles, not just the mini-shuttle.  And your door decoration is a splendid idea!  People must have been quite impressed!

Hopefully I'll have some progress to report later today on my own build.  Two steps forward, two steps back, one step forward...

Gary

Today in Space History:

1947 January 8 - 

• XS-1 Flight 17 - . Crew: Goodlin. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 7. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goodlin. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Bell flight 7. Buffet boundary investigation. Mach 0.80 at 10675 m..

1948 January 8 - 

• XS-1 Flight 62 - . Crew: Hoover. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 24. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Hoover. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. NACA flight 4. Turns and pull-ups to buffet. Mach 0.83..

1973 January 8 - . 06:55 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC81/23. LV Family: Proton. Launch Vehicle: Proton-K/D.

• Luna 21 - . Payload: Ye-8 s/n 204. Mass: 5,567 kg (12,273 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Luna. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8. Decay Date: 1973-01-15 . USAF Sat Cat: 6333 . COSPAR: 1973-001A. Apogee: 110 km (60 mi). Perigee: 90 km (55 mi). Inclination: 60.0000 deg. Period: 118.00 min.

  The Proton / Block D launcher put the spacecraft into Earth parking orbit followed by translunar injection. On 12 January 1973, Luna 21 braked into a 90 x 100 km orbit about the Moon. On 13 and 14 January, the perilune was lowered to 16 km altitude. On 15 January after 40 orbits, the braking rocket was fired at 16 km altitude, and the craft went into free fall. At an altitude of 750 meters the main thrusters began firing, slowing the fall until a height of 22 meters was reached. At this point the main thrusters shut down and the secondary thrusters ignited, slowing the fall until the lander was 1.5 meters above the surface, where the engine was cut off. Landing occurred at 23:35 GMT in LeMonnier crater at 25.85 degrees N, 30.45 degrees E. The lander carried a bas relief of Lenin and the Soviet coat-of-arms. After landing, Lunokhod 2 took TV images of the surrounding area, then rolled down a ramp to the surface at 01:14 GMT on 16 January and took pictures of the Luna 21 lander and landing site. It stopped and charged batteries until 18 January, took more images of the lander and landing site, and then set out over the Moon. The rover would run during the lunar day, stopping occasionally to recharge its batteries via the solar panels. At night the rover would hibernate until the next sunrise, heated by the radioactive source. Lunokhod 2 operated for about 4 months, covered 37 km of terrain including hilly upland areas and rilles, and sent back 86 panoramic images and over 80,000 TV pictures. Many mechanical tests of the surface, laser ranging measurements, and other experiments were completed during this time. On June 4 it was announced that the program was completed, leading to speculation that the vehicle probably failed in mid-May or could not be revived after the lunar night of May-June. The Lunokhod was not left in a position such that the laser retroreflector could be used, indicating that the failure may have happened suddenly.

1982 January 8 - 

• Estafeta development approved. - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: Estafeta.

  Development of the military nuclear powered communications satellite was approved by the Soviet VPK Military-Industrial Commission. The satellite would have used the 5 kW nuclear reactor originally planned for the Ekran satellite and used secure uninterceptable laser and radio inter-satellite and space-to-ground communications links. Did not reach flight status before the collapse of the Soviet Union.  (Editor: Thank goodness! )

Hi,

Sorry for not posting many updates lately.  I have been distracted a bit by a few work related things, as well as having messed up my paint job a little which is taking a bit of time to clean up (plusI also started a small WWI UK tank model for another group build). 

While working to fix my paint job and pondering how to finish off the build, I have taken the time to rework a couple small parts of the conversion (like the exhaust nozzles) and also started a base to mount it on, as shown below.

The base is still under construction and I need to fill in the joints between the main tarmac surfaces, but in general I am going for somthing similar looking to this image of an X-24B.

PF

PS.  Here is one of the other things I have been distracted by at work.  Each year for the Holidays we have a door decorating contest, so this year I decided to do a small diorama, attached to the door.

Sorry, don't know why the image is rotated.  (The house is just a converted birdhouse I bought from Michaels, aliong the the bridge and trees, but the Snowman and Yeti are 3D printed.)

Steve: Yeah, that's an awesome lithograph! 

Gary: Hope you're going to post the D-7 over in the SF forum. I'd love to see her. 

No much going on here. Most of the astronaut is puttied but sanding is slow. Due to the wrinkled nature of the suit I'm having to use small rolled up sections of sandpaper to get down in the folds and it's slow going. So far I've gotten one leg done. I'll forgo posting any photos of 'Pogo: The Amazing One-Legged, Disarmed Astronaut' for now. 

Steve> That's a great print, and probably well worth the price!  I envy your collection!

Bakster>  Well, it was only an idea...    It sounds like the Eduard kit will be a nice build.  It's funny how many people have trouble with PE seat belts.  Think I'll stick to foil...

As for me, I did do some painting yesterday... on the Klingon D7!  Got the primer on and am letting it cure before I begin trying to fix gaps and spots.  On the Apollo project, I've been cutting out antenna for the instrument unit, but have realized after some thought that I should paint the base before I attach the antenna.  This will make it easier to mask and prevent me from knocking these small antenna off in the process!  I'm learning.

I'm also beginning to get the interior of the command module ready for paint.  It's pretty much "grey", so I can do that when I second coat the D7.  Progress!

Gary

Today in Space History:

1968 January 7 - . 06:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC36A. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas SLV-3C Centaur.

• Surveyor 7 - . Payload: Surveyor SC-7. Mass: 1,036 kg (2,283 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: JPL, NASA. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Surveyor. Decay Date: 1968-01-10 . USAF Sat Cat: 3091 . COSPAR: 1968-001A. Soft landed on lunar Moon; photographed lunar surface; sampled lunar soil.

GAF

Bakster> Great pictures!  Don't think I ever built the X-1 in my mispent youth (though I do remember an X-3 "Stiletto" model).  Looking them over, I wonder what that tracked vehicle in the first picture is?  Must be the tractor that hauled the B-29 into place.  And wouldn't a P-80 / X-1 combo be neat?  Place them in flight like in the 4th picture?  Now that would be cool!  Not that I'm suggesting anything, mind! 

Gary

 

 

All great points, Gary. Your inflight idea is a great one. That would be awesome. I will leave that project for a more experienced modeler. 

No pictures today, but I am making progress. I am nearing the paint stage with the interior. I have assembled what made sence to assemble and the PE is cut, formed, and ready.

I had some fun with the seatbelt latch, you all probably know the one. It is a tiny hook looking thing that is glued on its edge. It's a miracle I didn't lose that piece because I dropped it nearly a dozen times. One of the times I found it on my shirt. THAT nearly disappeared into oblivan.

Eduard makes really nice PE. It looks great, and it's easy to remove from the sprue. What a difference from the Horizon PE. I could have used tin snips on theirs, and that is no joke. Horizon needs to do an upgrade on their PE.

So far, the kit is going together nicely. What a joy it is to work on a properly designed model. Their instructions are pretty good but like with most kits now a days, I have to really think about things. in other words... you have to read between the lines. That is something that I don't do very well. Ok, I am babbling.  

Steve, that lithograph is very cool. I can totally see why you wiped out your souvenir money to get it...

Thanks for sharing that.

Ahh the X1. I bought this Lithograph signed by Yeager several years ago at the Reno Air Races. I don't remember the price but I know it wiped out our souvenir money plus. I have it hanging in my hobby room.

Bakster> Great pictures!  Don't think I ever built the X-1 in my mispent youth (though I do remember an X-3 "Stiletto" model).  Looking them over, I wonder what that tracked vehicle in the first picture is?  Must be the tractor that hauled the B-29 into place.  And wouldn't a P-80 / X-1 combo be neat?  Place them in flight like in the 4th picture?  Now that would be cool!  Not that I'm suggesting anything, mind! 

Gary

Here is some inspiration from The Right Stuff:

GAF

You might be able to see the details in the cockpit in that one!

I think so too.

Bakster>  Good that it's got some nice PE to go inside.  You might be able to see the details in the cockpit in that one!

Ben>  What movie are you talking about?  "The Right Stuff" or "Blazing Saddles"?

No report tonight, except that most of the detailing I put on the LM Storage Area I ripped off and started over again.  Just a matter of alignment.  So far this project has been two steps forward, two steps back and one step forward.  *sigh*

Today in Space History:

1931 January 4 - . Launch Vehicle: Swan.

• Rocket glider 30 minute flight. - . Crew: Swan. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Swan. William G. Swan stayed aloft for 30 minutes over Atlantic City, N.J., in a glider powered with 10 small rockets.

1970 January 4 - . Launch Vehicle: Saturn V.

• NASA canceled the Apollo 20 mission and stretched out the remaining seven missions - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Low, George. Program: Apollo. Flight: Apollo 20. Spacecraft: Apollo Lunar Landing.

  NASA had canceled the Apollo 20 mission and stretched out the remaining seven missions to six-month intervals, Deputy Administrator George M. Low told the press in an interview after dedication of the Lunar Science Institute (next to MSC in Houston). Budget restrictions had brought the decision to suspend Saturn V launch vehicle production after vehicle 515 and to use the Apollo 20 Saturn V to launch the first U.S. space station in 1972.

2004 January 4 - .

• Mars Exploration Rover A (Spirit), Mars Landing, Successful - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: MER.

I too always liked this bird, the movie, and General Chuck Yeager....

When men were men..... and sheep we scared (just joking!)

v/r,

Ben

Gamera

Ohhhhhh awesome Bakster. Makes me want to go pull out my DVD of 'The Right Stuff' again. 

 

Yeah, Gam. This model totally makes me think of that movie. Depending on how this goes and how much time I have -- I might model it on a tarmac like in the movie. 

GAF

Bakster> That's a nice looking kit!  Look forward to seeing it go together.  Are there any cockpit details?

The kit comes with some nice PE that includes cockpit details. Primarily, the instrument cluster and seat restraints. I think that is all I'd need aside from a seat and a control stick. Pretty sure the latter is included.

Look at the view from the inside. Can you imagine the rush that this would have been? A man is strapped into a bullet shaped rocket that comes with a panoramic view. What a rush...