Gamera

Ah right Bakster, I keep thinking of the compressor I use for my air brush.

Gamera

PS: I bought Rolo tube number three yesterday and am eating them over two days. I'll buy an extra package if you want to leave one on the moon. 

Oh no worries comrade cosmonaut! I'm not sure what to call it either. 

PS: Good idea, you need to keep your energy level up! 

Gamera

PS: Good idea, you need to keep your energy level up!

Correctomundo...

You know, I don't recall Yeager asking anyone if they had any Rolos?    Well, space food...

Mach71, Bakster>  Good work on the engine and jeep THING.  Glad someone is making progress.

I got word my order has shipped.  The paint for the Vostok and some German tank crew figures should be here tomorrow, so painting will be the order of the day.  I'm ready to get the boosters done and finished up.  Should be a nice day weather wise, so I'm hopeful.

Meanwhile, we continue counting down to the end of the GB.  35 days left.

Gary

Today In Space History:

1963 June 14 - . 11:58 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Vostok 8K72K.

• Vostok 5 - . Call Sign: Yastreb (Hawk ). Crew: Bykovsky. Backup Crew: Leonov, Volynov. Payload: Vostok 3KA s/n 7. Mass: 4,720 kg (10,400 lb). Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Bykovsky, Leonov, Volynov. Program: Vostok. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Vostok 5. Spacecraft: Vostok. Duration: 4.96 days. Decay Date: 1963-06-19 . USAF Sat Cat: 591 . COSPAR: 1963-020A. Apogee: 131 km (81 mi). Perigee: 130 km (80 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 87.10 min.

  Joint flight with Vostok 6. The Soviet Union launched Vostok 5, piloted by Lt. Col. Valery F. Bykovsky. Two days later Lt. Valentina V. Tereshkova, the first spacewoman, followed in Vostok 6. On its first orbit, Vostok 6 came within about five km of Vostok 5, the closest distance achieved during the flight, and established radio contact. Both cosmonauts landed safely on June 19. The space spectacular featured television coverage of Bykovsky that was viewed in the West as well as in Russia. Unlike earlier missions, only a black and white film camera was carried. Photometric measurements of the earth's horizon were made.

  Mission objectives were officially: further study of the effect of various space-flight factors in the human organism; extensive medico-biological experiments under conditions of prolonged flight; further elaboration and improvement of spaceship systems.

  Vostok 5 was originally planned to go for a record eight days. The launch was delayed repeatedly due to high solar activity and technical problems. Finally the spacecraft ended up in a lower than planned orbit. Combined with increased atmospheric activity due to solar levels, Vostok 5 quickly decayed temperatures in the service module reached very high levels.

  Bykovsky also experienced an unspecified problem with his waste management system (a spill?) which made conditions in the cabin 'very uncomfortable'. He was finally ordered to return after only five days in space.

  To top it all off, once again the Vostok service module failed to separate cleanly from the reentry sphere. Wild gyrations ensued until the heat of reentry burned through the non-separating retraining strap.

1967 June 14 - . 06:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC12. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas SLV-3 Agena D.

• Mariner 5 - . Payload: Mariner 67-2. Mass: 244 kg (537 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: JPL, NASA. Program: Mariner. Class: Venus. Type: Venus probe. Spacecraft Bus: Mariner. Spacecraft: Mariner 5. USAF Sat Cat: 2845 . COSPAR: 1967-060A.

  Mariner 5 flew by Venus on October 19, 1967 at an altitude of 3,990 kilometres. With more sensitive instruments than its predecessor Mariner 2, Mariner 5 was able to shed new light on the hot, cloud-covered planet and on conditions in interplanetary space. Operations of Mariner 5 ended in November 1967. The spacecraft instruments measured both interplanetary and Venusian magnetic fields, charged particles, and plasmas, as well as the radio refractivity and UV emissions of the Venusian atmosphere.

1969 June 14 - . 04:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC81/24. LV Family: Proton. Launch Vehicle: Proton-K/D. FAILURE: Block D upper stage did not fire and payload did not attain earth orbit,. Failed Stage: U.

• Ye-8-5 s/n 402 - . Payload: Ye-8-5 s/n 402. Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Program: Lunar L1, Luna. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft Bus: Luna Ye-8. Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Decay Date: 1969-06-04 .

  Another attempt to launch a Ye-8-5 to return lunar soil to the earth, 'scooping', the Americans' impending Apollo 11 mission. Yet another UR-500K launch failure. This time the UR-500K booster functioned perfectly, but the Block D upper stage did not fire, and the payload did not even attain earth orbit. Every UR-500K launch is costing the Soviet state 100 million roubles. This failure pretty much ended the chances for the Russians to trump the American moon landing. Tass yesterday began running stories to prepare the masses for the upcoming Apollo 11 triumph. The party line is that the Soviet Union is not about to risks the lives of its cosmonauts on flights to the moon, when automated probes can safely retrieve soil from the moon for study on earth.

1975 June 14 - . 03:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC81/24. LV Family: Proton. Launch Vehicle: Proton-K/D.

• Venera 10 - . Payload: 4V-1 s/n 661. Mass: 5,033 kg (11,095 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Venera. Class: Venus. Type: Venus probe. Spacecraft Bus: 4MV. Spacecraft: Venera 4V-1. USAF Sat Cat: 7947 . COSPAR: 1975-054A. Apogee: 113,900 km (70,700 mi). Perigee: 1,620 km (1,000 mi). Inclination: 29.50 deg. Period: 2,963.00 min.

  The orbiter spacecraft entered Venus orbit and was separated from the lander on October 23, 1975. The lander touched down with the sun near zenith, at 05:17 GMT, on October 25. A system of circulating fluid was used to distribute the heat load. This system, plus precooling prior to entry, permitted operation of the spacecraft for 65 min after landing. During descent, heat dissipation and deceleration were accomplished sequentially by protective hemispheric shells, three parachutes, a disk-shaped drag brake, and a compressible, metal, doughnut-shaped, landing cushion. The landing was about 2,200 km distant from Venera 9. Preliminary results provided: (A) profile of altitude (km)/pressure (earth atmospheres) / temperature (deg C) of 42/3.3/158, 15/37/363, and 0/92/465, (B) successful TV photography showing large pancake rocks with lava or other weathered rocks in between, and (C) surface wind speed of 3.5 m/s. Venera 9 and 10 were the first probes to send back black and white pictures from the Venusian surface. They were supposed to make 360 degree panoramic shots, but on both landers one of two camera covers failed to come off, restricting their field of view to 180 degrees.

Thanks,

More detail work today. I'm trying to figure out the best way to mount the RF shield.

The air filter is glued on the engine.

I started to paint the firewall, the wheels are done. 

The tires are a very nice quality. Soft vinyl with nice detail. The white walls are already painted on.

I didn't accomplish too much this weekend, or so it seems. Today I worked on the antenna assembly. My kit does not come with an antenna, just the base for one. The instructions advise you to stretch sprue in order to make one, and I decided to make something a little better.

I searched the net for images of jeep antennas from that period and I found one that seems pretty good. I will add the image later, it's on my ipad. I was surprised at how hefty the antenna is.

Anyway, here is what I came up with. I used brass tubing for the base and 26awg wire for the antenna. I'll paint it now but mount it at the very end of the build.

Here is the image I mentioned.

Updated: And another

Bakster>  Great news about the jeep!  I like the antenna construction.

Here's a nice thread that contains good info on jeep colors, antenna and serial numbers from the "Armor" section.  Might answer some questions.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/3/t/180995.aspx

Nothing to report tonight.  Tomorrow... 

Gary

Today In Space History: A birth, a death and a woman.

1915 June 16 - .

• Birth of Jack Ridley - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Ridley. American test pilot. Technical lead for pioneering rocketplanes at Edwards AFB 1946-1956. Killed in transport aircraft crash, 1957..

1963 June 16 - .

• Vostok 5 day 3 / Vostok 6 launch - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Bykovsky, Gagarin, Khrushchev, Korolev, Tereshkova. Flight: Vostok 5, Vostok 6. Spacecraft: Vostok.

  Bykovskiy slept well, his pulse was 54. The ground station could observe him via television - he made no motion while sleeping. On orbit 23 the cosmonaut was to communicate with earth, but no transmissions were received. Gagarin asks him why, and Bykovskiy simply replies that he had nothing to say and had already had a communications session with Zarya-1. But this was not true, they also reported no transmissions. At 07:00 he is asleep again, pulse 48-51. An hour later Korolev calls and discusses the impending launch of Vostok 6, 11 hours later.

  At 12:15 Tereshkova is on the pad. Her pulse skyrockets to 140 aboard the elevator to the top of the rocket. 10 to 15 minutes later she is in the capsule and testing radio communications with ground control. There are no problems with the spacecraft or launch vehicle during the countdown - everything goes perfectly, just as it did on 12 April 1961 when Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Tereshkova handles the launch and ascent to orbit much better than Popovich or Nikolayev according to her biomedical readings and callouts. Kamanin feels reassured that it was no mistake to select her for the flight.

  The launch of the first woman into space creates a newspaper sensation throughout the world. Direct orbit-to-orbit communications between Tereshkova and Bykovskiy are excellent. She talks to Khrushchev and the Soviet leadership soon thereafter. This was truly a great victory for Communism!

1970 June 16 - .

• Soyuz 9 Day 16 - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Mishin, Nikolayev, Ryazanskiy, Sevastyanov. Program: Soyuz. Flight: Soyuz 9. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-OK.

  All is normal aboard Soyuz 9, except that one of the local telemetry commutators in Ryazanskiy's system has failed. The telemetry data involved is not critical to the flight, and Mishin and Ryazanskiy allow the flight to continue. Mishin is considering extending the flight to 19 or 20 days. To do this the crew will have to stretch their rations. Kamanin finds himself out of the decision loop, 'as usual'. The landing commission wants to complete the flight as scheduled on the 287th orbit.

1971 June 16 - .

• Soyuz 11 Day 11 - fire aboard the station. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Bykovsky, Chelomei, Dobrovolsky, Khrunov, Mishin, Nikolayev, Patsayev, Popovich, Sevastyanov, Shatalov, Volkov, Volynov. Program: Salyut, Almaz. Flight: Soyuz 11. Spacecraft: Almaz OPS, Salyut 1, Soyuz 7KT-OK, Soyuz OB-VI, Soyuz VI.

  Kamanin is to fly back to Yevpatoriya in the afternoon. Chelomei is often ill lately -- Mishin is using the opportunity to lobby Ustinov and Smirnov to kill Almaz, and increase the DOS-7K order from four to ten. Mishin killed Kozlov's Soyuz VI in a similar manner. Prior to his departure, the cosmonauts brief Kamanin on the results of the visits of Popovich and Sevastyanov to France, and Khrunov to the USA. Kamanin is having trouble with the leadership in allowing Volynov to be assigned to another crew.

  As Kamanin is on the way to the airport, a serious situation develops aboard the station. At 13:00 the cosmonauts report a strong burning smell, and smoke in the station. The crew evacuates the station and retreat to the Soyuz lifeboat. Forty minutes later, just as Kamanin is boarding the Tu-104, Shatalov reports that the mission will continue, but the situation aboard the station is not comfortable. The crew has turned off the primary oxygen regenerator and exchanged the filters of the oxygen supply and reserve regenerator. At 14:05 Kamanin finally boards the aircraft, which takes off and sets course for the Crimea. At 14:30 they are ordered to turn around and land at Chkalovksy Airfield outside Moscow. The whole thing turns out to be a banal mistake by one of the officers at an air traffic control station! They lose two hours in the process. No information is available when the Tu-104 finally lands at Saki, since Nikolayev and the other cosmonauts who attended the emergency meetings had taken off to return to Moscow three hours earlier. Kamanin finally arrives at Yevpatoriya at 23:00, in time for a comms session with Dobrovolsky and Patsayev (Volkov is sleeping). The Soyuz 11 crew reports that the training suits are very tiring. Dobrovolsky reports all is now normal otherwise. He requests permission to continue the flight. Bykovsky reports that the situation on the station is now stable. There is no more smoke or burning smell, but the crew has been overloaded in the last six hours. They have done a lot of work with no food or rest. The situation was so bad at one point that preparations had been made for undocking the Soyuz for an emergency return to earth.

1977 June 16 - .

• Death of Wernher von Braun - . Nation: Germany, USA. Related Persons: von Braun. German-American chief designer, leader of the 'Rocket Team'; developed the V-2, Redstone, Jupiter, and the Saturn rockets that took US to the moon. He made the idea of space travel popular in the 1950's and a reality in the 1960's..

2012 June 16 - . 10:37 GMT - . Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch Complex: Jiuquan SLS. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 2F.

• Shenzhou 9 - . Mass: 7,800 kg (17,100 lb). Nation: China. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Spacecraft: Shenzhou. Duration: 12.64 days. Decay Date: 2012-06-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 38461 . COSPAR: 2012-032A. Apogee: 355 km (220 mi). Perigee: 334 km (207 mi). Inclination: 42.80 deg. Period: 91.40 min.

  First docking of a manned Shenzhou spacecraft with the Tiangong space laboratory. The crew was commanded by Jing Haipeng (who flew on Shenzhou 7) with rookies Liu Wang and Liu Yang, the first woman to fly in a Chinese space crew. At about 14:40 GMT on June 17 the ship maneuvered from 261 x 315 km to 315 x 326 km. On June 18 at 06:08 GMT the Shenzhou 9 spaceship docked with the Tiangong 1 spacelab. At 09:10 GMT the three astronauts opened the TG-1 hatch and entered the lab for the first time. The Shenzhou 9 crew undocked from Tiangong 1 at 030:9 GMT on June 24 and backed off to 300 m, then reapproached first to 140 m and then to a manually controlled redocking carried out by Liu Wang at 04:49 GMT. On June 28 at 01:22 GMT Shenhzhou 9 undocked again for the last time; a brief manual re-rendezvous to 140 m was carried out. Return to Earth came on June 29 with orbital module seperation at about 01:16 GMT, retrofire at 01:17 GMT, service module sep at 01:38 GMT and landing at 02:02 GMT in Siziwangqi, a district in Ulanqab prefecture in Inner Mongolia.

GAF

Bakster>  Great news about the jeep!  I like the antenna construction.

Bakster

Here is the image I mentioned.

Great job on the Jeep Bakster!!! Looks just like the real thing!

Where's the X-1 though!?!?!?! 

Gamera

 Bakster

Here is the image I mentioned.

 

 Great job on the Jeep Bakster!!! Looks just like the real thing!

Where's the X-1 though!?!?!?! 

 

 

I think it's in the bag in the back... 

My update on the Saturn V.  Still clening up the basement of mold from flooding a few weeks ago.  

The capsule and exscape tower is done.  The launch lugs were installed yesterday and I started balancing the rocket.  I cannot paint until the humidity gets lower.  Its been in the 70% range the past few days.

I'm liking your SV scottrc. I hope the weather allows yu to paint her soon!

I started experimenting with washes today on the Corvette.

The grill

I used a light wash of dark grey on the chassis and suspention.

Also The wheel hubs were hit again to bring it out some more.

Gamera

Looks just like the real thing! Where's the X-1 though!?!?!?!   

GAF

I think it's in the bag in the back...    Gary

No sir, that is my lunch. It's full of Rolos.  Hehe.

Okay, let's see where we are.  Navigational computer on...

Mach71>  Boy, that Corvette is coming together nicely!  Personally, I think you were pessimistic about not completing it before July 20th.  She's looking awfully good!

ScottRC> Glad to see the flood didn't set you back too much.  The Saturn V looks about ready to get out to the pad.  I hope you get the mold under control, as it can be pretty nasty stuff.

Bakster> Rolos?  Well, at least it's not rocket fuel (vodka)!  

Nothing to report here... however, my opposite on the Soviet side...

Today In Space History:

1952 June 17 - .

• Death of John Marvel Whiteside 'Jack' Parsons - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Parsons. American rocket pioneer; co-founder of Aerojet, inventor of solid rocket propellant and American inventor of the storable liquid rocket. Dabbled in the occult, expelled from Aerojet on DoD orders. Killed mixing rocket fuel in his garage..

1970 June 17 - .

• X-24 Flight 14 - . Crew: Manke. Payload: X-24A flight 14. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Manke. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Spacecraft Bus: X-24. Spacecraft: X-24A. Maximum Speed - 1051 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18593 m. Flight Time - 432 sec..

1985 June 17 - . 11:33 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.

• STS-51-G - . Call Sign: Discovery. Crew: Al-Saud, Baudry, Brandenstein, Creighton, Fabian, Lucid, Nagel. Payload: Discovery F05 / Morelos 1[PAM-D] / Telstar 303. Mass: 20,174 kg (44,476 lb). Nation: USA. Related Persons: Al-Saud, Baudry, Brandenstein, Creighton, Fabian, Lucid, Nagel. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Flight: STS-51-G. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Discovery. Duration: 7.07 days. Decay Date: 1985-06-24 . USAF Sat Cat: 15823 . COSPAR: 1985-048A. Apogee: 369 km (229 mi). Perigee: 358 km (222 mi). Inclination: 28.50 deg. Period: 91.80 min.

  Deployed and retrieved Spartan 1; launched Morelos 1, Arabsat 1B, Telstar 3D.Payloads: Shuttle Pointed Autono-mous Research Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN)-1; Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (ADSF); High Precision Tracking Experiment (HPTE); Orbiter Experiments (OEX); French Echocardiograph Experiment (FEE) and French Pocket Experiment (FPE).

1989 June 17 - .

• Astronaut Stanley David Griggs dies at age of 49 -- Crash of a World-War-II-era training plane. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Griggs. American test pilot mission specialist astronaut 1978-1989. Died in the crash of a World-War-II-era training plane. 1 spaceflight, 7.0 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-51D (1985).

GAF

Bakster> Rolos?  Well, at least it's not rocket fuel (vodka)!  

Laughing. And another zinger delivered by GAF.

BTW, the vodka is propelling the X-1 overhead.

Honored Members of the Politburo Commission on Space,

I have the extreme pleasure to report that the Vostok space launch vehicle is entering the final assembly stage.  The unforeseen setback that occured last month is now corrected and the entire program is back on schedule.  In fact, ahead of schedule!  All systems are operational and proceeding at an unprecedented rate!  Rumors that some members of the vehicle assembly team were threatened with being shot if their work was not brought forward in a timely manner are purely fantasies of the decadent western press, and are not to be believed.  All team members fully support the effort to put a man in space and are working round the clock to make sure there are no further mistakes.  We will take our glorious revolution to the stars!

The paint arrived on Saturday.  That morning I had sprayed the central rocket body with a new black base, then arranged the pieces for the new painting.  I almost immediately took the new can of "Euro 1 Gray" out and sprayed the pieces.  For a moment, I thought disaster had struck as the central rocket body appeared to "orange-peel", and I almost threw it against the wall!  I decided to allow it to dry before assessing the damage.  When I returned about 15 minutes later, the paint had dried to a smooth finish without any sign of orange-peel!  I was so happy I almost danced!  In fact, the paint went down smooth on all the model parts.  It looked pretty nice, and the color was what I was expecting.

After the paint had dried for a day, I masked off the lower sections of the boosters and painted them a silver color.  The top stage had sections also painted silver.  For the rocket nozzles, I painted the interior copper (as shown in the below photo of an actual example).  I intend to add some red trim around the nozzles tomorrow, along with final touch-up of nozzle openings.  There are a couple of antenna and what appear to be extra RCS units on the Vostok that are not on the model.  I will attempt to scratch-build something resembling them.  Once that is done, final assembly will occur later this week (I hope).

That's where she stands now.  Still need to work on the base.

This shows the central rocket body motors without the boosters.

Till next time!

Gariski

Today In Glorious Russian Space History!

1970 June 17 - .

• Soyuz 9 Day 17 - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Grechko, Andrei, Kerimov, Mishin, Nikolayev, Sevastyanov. Program: Soyuz. Flight: Soyuz 9. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-OK.

  Today the Soyuz 9 crew set a new space endurance record. Everything is normal aboard the spacecraft, except for the failed telemetry commutator and the engaged ASP switch. What would now be needed, notes Kamanin, are new Soyuz spacecraft to extend the duration in space gradualy to 30, 40, 50, and then 60 days. But there are no new spacecraft - Kamanin's plan for construction of an additional ten Soyuz was blocked. Grechko and others in the leadership want a big greeting ceremony for the crew in Moscow, but Kamanin only wants the crew in the hands of the doctors for the first 10 to 12 days after the flight. At 15:00, Mishin and Kerimov, following their bosses' orders from Moscow, announce that they want to extend the flight to 20 days.

1971 June 17 - .

• Soyuz 11 Day 12 - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Dobrovolsky, Mishin, Patsayev, Volkov. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 11. Spacecraft Bus: Almaz. Spacecraft: Salyut 1.

  At the 08:00 comms session Volkov is on duty, while Dobrovolsky and Patsayev sleep. Kamanin notes that to Volkov everything in his account of the previous day's emergency is 'I' - 'I' decided, 'I' did, etc. Mishin expresses his opinion that the flight commander must make all the decisions; to which Volkov answers 'the whole crew decides things together'. The tracking team, however, considers him too independent and emotional, a person who won't recognise or acknowledge his errors. The State Commission meets at 11:00 and decides there is nothing to prevent the mission continuing. However it is decided to shut down all scientific equipment. They will be turned back on one by one in an attempt to find the origin of the burning.

Vladimir Gaf, I am happy to receive news that your paint corrected itself. This was a test of your commitment to the cause. Congratulations, Comrade. The Vostok lives to see another day.

Seriously, glad it worked out. Do-overs suck.

Gary that paint looks outstanding! Nice work.

It's coming along very well!

As to the Vette being done in time, I hope so. I'm on vacation, but life keeps getting in the way.

I agree Bakster the Jeep looks great!

Thanks.

The bottom suspension is on:

It needed clamping to stay in place. 

The front has upper A frames to be installed later tonight or Thursday.

I'll have to gloss coat the body soon, and start work on making the decals.

Thanks for the kind words on the Vostok!  I think there will be an important announcement today (Moscow time) concerning that subject. 

Steve>  Yes, the design philosophies were quite different, considering they both were engendered from the same source (V2).  We talk about our early rockets exploding, but the Russians suffered even more failures than we did.  They just didn't report it.

Mach71> I think you're going to make it!  I think you're going to be an Astro-Corvette-Naut! 

Today In Space History:

1959 June 18 - .

• Centrifuge program to investigate the role of a pilot in the launch of a multi-stage vehicle. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Armstrong. Spacecraft: Mercury.

  A centrifuge program was conducted at Johnsville, Pennsylvania, to investigate the role of a pilot in the launch of a multi-stage vehicle. Test subjects were required to perform boost-control tasks, while being subjected to the proper boost-control accelerations. The highest g-force experienced was 15, and none of the test subjects felt they reached the limit of their control capability. As a note of interest, one of the test subjects, Neil Armstrong, was later selected for the Gemini program in September 1962.

1963 June 18 - .

• Blue Gemini - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Dynasoar, Gemini.

  McNamara believed that the Pentagon needed no manned military spacecraft. His first step in the destruction of Dynasoar was the proposal of a 'Blue Gemini' spacecraft. This would use the two-manned spacecraft being developed by NASA to conduct military manned space experiments scheduled for DynaSoar. General Curtis LeMay countered that the country needed both programs - Blue Gemini and DynaSoar. McNamara responded by insisting that a specific military mission be immediately defined for the X-20, or he would cancel it.

1969 June 18 - . Launch Vehicle: N1.

• Mishin and Kamanin select candidates for the lunar landing mission. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Afanasyev, Sergei, Bykovsky, Khrunov, Leonov, Makarov, Mishin, Patsayev, Rukavishnikov, Voronov, Yeliseyev. Program: Lunar L3.

  They are Leonov, Bykovsky, Voronov, Khrunov, Yeliseyev, Makarov, Rukavishnikov, and Patsayev. Mishin expects a landing by the end of 1970; Kamanin thinks this is impossible. Afanasyev and Mishin propose modernisation of the N1, but this will take three to four years, by which time the booster will be essentially obsolete. The second launch of the N1 is set for 3 July. It would be a welcome miracle if it flew, but it still would not be enough to erase the American lead in the moon race.

1971 June 18 - .

• Soyuz 11 Day 13 - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Dobrovolsky, Mishin, Patsayev, Volkov. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 11, Soyuz 12 / DOS 1. Spacecraft Bus: Almaz. Spacecraft: Salyut 1.

  The crew makes a five minute television transmission. The telescope in the background produces dissonance in the image. Kamanin calls Mishin at Tyuratam, where the N1 is being prepared for launch. There are delays, and the launch must be moved back two days to 22 June. Kamanin tells the crews that this means there will be no good opportunity for them to observe the launch from the station with the Svinets apparatus, as was planned. Meanwhile the electrical specialists and Chertok in Moscow cannot localise the electrical problem. All of the equipment aboard has been turned off and on, and the burning simply does not occur again. Meanwhile there are concerns that Soyuz 11 may be able to reach the desired mission length, but that Soyuz 12 may not be safe to fly by its launch date. The mission is still planned for the full 30 days, but the physical training program has not been followed due to the problems and breakdowns aboard the station, requiring the cosmonauts to spend a lot of time in unplanned repair activities. The physicians are not in favour of prolonging the flight.

1977 June 18 - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Edwards. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.

• Enterprise flight 1 - . Call Sign: Enterprise. Crew: Fullerton, Haise. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Fullerton, Haise. Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Spacecraft Bus: Shuttle. Spacecraft: Enterprise. First manned captive active flight. Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft, Edwards (55 minutes, 46 seconds).

A Case of the Missing Steering Wheel... a short story by Bakster

This evening I set out to paint the shifter knobs, the antenna, and the steering wheel. I gather my pieces for masking when, where is the steering wheel? I begin looking. Nope, nope, nope, and nope, not there either. I searched my bench, my spray booth, the garbage can, my vacuum, and the floor to name a few. I was on my hands and knees with a flashlight searching for it. I searched for a good hour when I settled on the horrible realization that it is permanently lost, and this means, I have to make one from scratch. 

Suck it up buttercup, time to move on and paint the other parts. I grab my paint cup, pour  some paint, add some thinner, and mix the concoction for spraying. A thought enters my mind, check the area again near where it was expected to be, and never mind that I searched the area 8 to 10 times already. I grab the bin I use for parts holders, search again, still nothing. Sigh. I lift the paper towel that covered them, search through it again, again nothing. I move to put the paper towel back when something falls into the bin... I can't believe my eyes, it is the steering wheel.

Holy cats, the gremlins were out tonight. And speaking of cats, I think Sammiecat, my guest cat, may have played a part in this. One evening whilst I was at the bench working, Sammie jumps up and walks over to my parts box. Before I could grab him he steps on it and I can hear the parts moving around. Fortunately, he didn't break anything, but I suspect now that the steering wheel was tossed around. I still can't figure how I didn't see it in my earlier searches. It was the oddest thing, like it fell out of thin air.

Needless to say, I gave my thanks to the good Lord.

THE END

Bakster>  Well, that's NEVER happened to me!  Nope, not ever, never.  Uh, huh!

I've never lost a steering wheel in my life...

Glad you managed to recover it.  Maybe the gremlins just took pity.

Gary

GAF

Bakster>  Well, that's NEVER happened to me!  Nope, not ever, never.  Uh, huh!   I've never lost a steering wheel in my life...

GAF

Glad you managed to recover it.  Maybe the gremlins just took pity.

Scott: Hope things are going well with your cleaning. The Saturn V and escape tower look great!

Captain Mach71: Nice work there on teh Corvette. Looking forward to seeing it all mated together. 

Gary: The engines look good!!! 

Bakster: Happy you found the steering wheel. I know what you mean. Had a head shoot off a 1/35th MP (aka the size of a pea) while priming, bounce and somehow insert itself into a 3cm gap between two boxes and then slip into a 1cm gap about 5cm long in the top of a box. 

Students and Faculty of the Academy of Cosmonautics,

It is with great pride that I announce that the first of our manned space rockets nears completion.  All major components have been assembled, and only minor equipment and final checks need to be accomplished before she will propel our first cosmonaut into the heavens!  A tremendous step on our pathway to the stars!  Veselit'sya!

Gariski, Chief of Rocket Research and Development

I managed to get things assembled yesterday and mostly painted.  The top stage is still separate so I can finish attaching a couple of loop antenna to the outside.  I've kept it separate because this thing is heavy!  I was surprised at the weight of the entire thing, and it amazes me that someone sold this as a flying model rocket.  Apart from the fragility of the plastic, the weight would mean you need a pretty powerful model rocket motor.

I've also scratchbuilt some minor attachments on the rocket which were not on the model.  You can see them just below the lattice-supports.  Another loop antenna will go here also.  You can see the locations as Item 6 in this plan.

The engines have been painted and trimmed in red.

After the antenna are attached, I need to do some touch-up on seams and paint.  Next will be the base.  That's it for now!

Today In Glorious Russian Space History!

1963 June 19 - .

• Vostok 5 and Vostok 6 return to earth - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Bykovsky, Korolev, Tereshkova. Flight: Vostok 5, Vostok 6. Spacecraft: Vostok.

  In the morning Tereshkova manually oriented the spacecraft for re-entry easily and held the position for 15 minutes. She was very happy with the result. At 9:00 the state commission took their places in the command post. At 9:34:40 the retrofire command was sent to Vostok 6. After a few seconds, telemetry was received indicating that the engine burn was proceeding normally. The nerves of the commission members finally settled down, but Tereshkova did not call out each event as required. No report of successful solar orientation was received, no report of retrofire, and no report of jettison of the service module. Things remained very tense in the command post - no communications were received from the capsule at all. Knowledge that the spacecraft was returning normally were only received via telemetry, including the signal that the parachute opened correctly from above the landing site. Both spacecraft landed two degrees of latitude north of the aim point. It was calculated that this could have occurred by duplicate landing commands having been sent, but such a failure could not be duplicated in post-flight tests of ground equipment.

  Many errors occurred in the entire landing sequences, including actions of the VVS recovery forces. The conditions of the cosmonauts were only reported several hours after their landings. Big crowds gathered at both landing sites. Bykovskiy spent the night in Kustan, then left on 20 June aboard an Il-14 for Kuibyshev. Tereshkova spent her first night in Karaganda, then flew in an Il-8 to Kuibyshev. Many congratulatory phone calls were received from the Soviet leadership. Korolev declared he had no longer had the time to personally direct Vostok flights and wanted to hand the spacecraft over to the military for operational use. He could then concentrate on development of the Soyuz and Lunik spacecraft.

1970 June 19 - .

• Landing of Soyuz 9 - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Goreglyad, Leonov, Mishin, Nikolayev, Sevastyanov, Shatalov, Yeliseyev. Program: Soyuz. Flight: Soyuz 9. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-OK.

  At 13:00 it was reported that the landing site was ready, 12 to 15 km visibility, 5-7 m/s winds. At 14:00 it is officially ordered that the landing commence. There are 150 technicians in the hall of mission control for the landing. Nikolayev reports the start of the retrofire burn of the TDU. Retrofire and seperation of the spacecraft modules is normal. The PVO radar at Turtsiy picks up the Soyuz at 83 km altitude and follows it down to the point of parachute deployment. Two helicopters sight the parachute and follow the capsule to landing. Within a minute after the capsule has landed General Goreglyad and Colonel Popov are already at the hatch. Following landing Leonov advises that the crew is all right. However the cosmonauts' condition after landing is awful. It is painful and difficult for them to get up. They fall down in their first tortured attempts at walking. They have to be dragged along by the arms. At 16:30 an Il-18 leaves from Saki for Moscow with the cosmonauts aboard. Both of the cosmonauts looked very ill aboard the plane. They had to be supported by Shatalov and Yeliseyev to get down the stairs in Moscow. Nikolayev departs from his prepared speech to the Sate Commission, and says 'Comrade Chairman! The orders for flight aboard the spacecraft Soyuz 9 were fulfilled and we await further orders!' After the report hey are rushed to the doctors.

  It is obvious to the Soviets that they were seriously mistaken about the effects of zero-G on human beings (Mishin thought flights of three to four months would be no problem). Kamanin recites again his belief in the need for more long solo Soyuz flights, how the leadership has blocked such flights, and the general lack of support for manned space. He even had to fight to allow the Soyuz 9 crew to go straight to the hospital and their loved ones, rather than attending ceremonies.

Gamera

Bakster: Happy you found the steering wheel. I know what you mean. Had a head shoot off a 1/35th MP (aka the size of a pea) while priming, bounce and somehow insert itself into a 3cm gap between two boxes and then slip into a 1cm gap about 5cm long in the top of a box. 

Comrade GAF--the Vostok looks excellent. Nice work sir and that is a cool model!