1/72 Revell Space Shuttle Orbiter W.I.P. Done! w/Photos

Max, the tile detail show up nicely. I wasn't expecting them to pop like they are. I like the tone of the paint as well. It looks like a semi flat with just a minor sheen. That looks perfect. Very nicely done.

Too funny about the little man. He needs to watch himself because the VAB is a dangerous place to walk around.

I will be interested to see what you do with the windows. 

Hey Pat and Steve. Thanks for watching and I always like your encouraging and bolstering remarks! Maybe it's more than we want to know about Space Shuttles, LOL! This build reminds of my 1/72 B-36 build with giant sub-assemblies and rattle cans!

I did have to save the little guy after he got wrapped up in his work, so to speak. Always scary unmasking things but the process went reasonably well and I'm somewhat happy with the black tile paint. There's still one more masking/painting event with the gray nose and wing leading edges and a few odds and ends like the black tile on the tail and gear doors.

The painting inspection went well but the little guy always seems to be pointing at the dreaded cockpit windows that need something beyond the scope of this kit. Definitely a weak feature. I think I've figured out an approach on the problem but I'm not there yet.

More to come but I have to be somewhat responsible today on this house project. Bah.

Max

Hey Max, it's looking excellent. It's coming together nice.

Hi,

The bottom of the wing is looking great.

Pat

Some masking and painting happening today. Again, all shuttles aren't exactly alike I'm finding out. I spent more time researching than painting today. Even the little guy was asking questions. I think I've figured out a representive example of the times that will pass inspection. Most of the black tile stuff is done at least how I think it should be. The little guy also had a busy day checking all this out!

Report---

Max

I discovered the same thing when I looked up how I was going to paint mine. The instructions are not accurate and the box photos are wrong as well. Guess you have a bit of freedom with your paint scheme.  :)

Again, not much guidence from the instructions showing painting of black vs white tile placement. A little reasearch shows that it probably changed not only between Shuttles but even between flights of the same Shuttle. Luckily the Challenger configuration that I'm building has the less complicated area around the ailerons. Still the lines on the model itself are different than the real item. A few compromises here and there and I think it will be acceptable. At least Im started on the black!

Max

Ah, good idea Mikey. They did craze a bit on the test so I did a light sand and prime. I just shot them and they came out close to what they should look like. Much better!

Max

You won't need the rattlecans for that Testors makes the small bottles of Chrome silver paint that you can find at any hobby Lobby or LHS or you can get the Testors rattlecan as that is formulated for polystyrene. Thankfully when I get to my shuttle kits I have a healthy supply of both the bottles of chrome silver and the Testors rattle cans. BTW one of your other earlier posts I think in page 2 also showed the cradles for the manipulator arm in the picture too.

Hodakamax

Hey Mikey, thanks for the comment. Yeah, I've checked this out. They are not quite chrome but neither is the paint. More like polished stainless that reflects blurred images. The chrome paint is probably something I should try. I've got a can around here somewhere and I need to run a plastic test on it before I melt more parts, LOL. I think I'll take your advice and at least test it. It did craze the plastic last time I tried it but the doors already have a coat of Krylon Metallics which will hopefully act as a primer.

The picture also shows the cradles for the arm that I've been searching for. I'll probably have a report on all of this soon.

Thanks!

Max

 

Hey Mikey, thanks for the comment. Yeah, I've checked this out. They are not quite chrome but neither is the paint. More like polished stainless that reflects blurred images. The chrome paint is probably something I should try. I've got a can around here somewhere and I need to run a plastic test on it before I melt more parts, LOL. I think I'll take your advice and at least test it. It did craze the plastic last time I tried it but the doors already have a coat of Krylon Metallics which will hopefully act as a primer.

The picture also shows the cradles for the arm that I've been searching for. I'll probably have a report on all of this soon.

Thanks!

Max

Hodakamax

Well, it's raining on my attempted house painting today and I'm trapped in the Shuttle assembly area. I did manage to get the rear bay insulation on and the American flag that some missions carried in that area. Maybe it's to remind the the ESA astronouts how they got there. Just kidding. My fake yellow wiring harness looks a little raggedy blown up but OK to the naked eye, well my naked eye. The inspector did pass all of this.

Reporting, 

Max

 

Max I would suggest painting the pannels on the cargo bay door chrome silver as those were reflective in real life.

Hey, thanks Greg! This project is turning out to be fun once I got through the beginning and I always have fun doing W.I.P.s. I did list it under Aircraft for my Aircraft friends and that's where I usually am. Hopefully I'll be back building some aircraft after getting this thing launched! 

Max

Another great WIP thread I'm finding for the first time. This one almost 2 months old. I don't know how that happens.

Max, this is indeed a gread WIP, and something completely different. Wow that thing is big.

And finally the mystery of your avatar solved. It's funny Steve's misread of it. I had one too. I browse on a laptop, so the fairly high resolution makes things small. For a long time, I thought it was a pic of Darth Vader's head (the canopy was the top of his helmet). Once I figured out it is a guy in a cocpit, I don't see Darth anymore. Now the guy has your face. Interesting morning so far.

Well, it's raining on my attempted house painting today and I'm trapped in the Shuttle assembly area. I did manage to get the rear bay insulation on and the American flag that some missions carried in that area. Maybe it's to remind the the ESA astronouts how they got there. Just kidding. My fake yellow wiring harness looks a little raggedy blown up but OK to the naked eye, well my naked eye. The inspector did pass all of this.

Reporting, 

Max

Hey Max, I somehow knew there was a story to it. And it's a good one! I love it! Thanks for sharing that. Now we know a little more about Max, AKA Felixmuller.

The first time that I had seen your avatar picture I had thought, "what the heck is that over his head? It looks like a washtub." I thought that with you being a photographer it was some sort of creative photo deal. Eventually, I took a much closer look and I figured out that it is a canopy. I laughed. Tired old eyes, small picture.

Thanks again.

Steve, Long funny story on the avatar picture. Years ago, me and two other pro photographers covered the international Motorcycle GP in Lauguna Seca Raceway in California. We were there for three days and we began to notice that almost everyone spoke different languages. For fun we decided that we all needed more exciting names to call each other at this great international event. We then all made up fun international racing names and me of slight German descent chose to be Max Felixmuller, after a famous German artist. The name never went away and in my motorcycle racing career even the bikes and helmets carried the decals for Felixmuller Racing.

One of the photographers would forever photoshop my head in famous historic pictures  or with my historic heros for major birthdays along with some fake story he made up. The avatar is only one of many pictures where my head is in some historic picture along with some whopper tale. All of the head shots come from our great USGP adventure.

You asked! LOL! BTW, I still answer to Max Felixmuller!

Max

Say Max...I am taking a vacation from the Mayflower WIP. I needed a break from it. I WILL go back to it though. You can find my current build under the ships forum as well. If interested, look for the Mobeus Seaview WIP. 

Well, I might be able to scrape up a few Aircraft Photography images to post. I will take a look at what I got. You know that EAA is coming up again don't you? Hint. Hint.

Hey, I have been meaning to ask this a long time. What is the significance of your avatar photo? Who is that? What's the story behind it?

Bakster

Yeah that is a cool shot.

 

Steve! What are you building these days? I only follow Aircraft and you're a good one to push me forward! I looked around and found your ship, anything else happening? I also need to go through the photo files for a few more of our Aircraft Photography posts which was fun but I'm about out of material, LOL! I guess it's time to go to a cool airshow I suppose.

Later, 

Max

Yeah that is a cool shot.

Hey thanks Steve! Here's a shot I just downloaded of the cradles for the arm. It looks like the arm can be configured from either side or extensions can be stowed on the right side. This is cool looking all this stuff up. Learning, another plus for modeling!

Max

What a shot!

Max, I am smiling here. Nice job sir. It looks cool. I think that the little man approves too. He looks pretty content in the work.

After a quick mock-up on the cargo bay all looks to be well. Like I said, one could get emersed in small details on this kit! The bay does need some cradles for the robotic arm if it's to be in the stowed position which I think it will be. I've been puting off the black paint but I think it's time to mask and attack it. Onward!

Max

Thanks Gang! I think this is going to work. The Spacelab will come forward and cover some of this. It just needed a bit of detail in this area. This could go on forever with minor details but this somewhat matches other details of the kit. A bit of touch up and I'm hopefully done in this area!

Max

Yes indeed, that is creative! I like it.  :)

Hey Max, I like it. It produces a nice effect. Creative thinking on your part.

I'm just trying something, If it looks hokey I can pull it out. The cargo bay is covered with blanket insulation which in different pictures looks wrinkly. I took some wadded up aluminum foil and painted it flat white on one side and sprayed adhesive on the other. I constructed the two gray uprights and I'm trying to line the forward panel with the simulated insulation blankets. Maybe I need to cut them into little squares for more realism. All an experiment at this point. We'll see.

Max

HA! Who needs a tail anyways!? LMAO!

M. Brindos

Maaaaaaaxxxx!!!!!!

You'll never guess what I found!

Bandai 1985!

 

 

 

More sacrilege!  (and performance)

Maaaaaaaxxxx!!!!!!

You'll never guess what I found!

Bandai 1985!