Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

and because it just fits to the SSWS, here out of sequence, a look over to the Pad 39A, on which one now more often can admire the SSWS of SpaceX, which looks something different.

 

For me, these pictures were new and extremely interesting, which is why I want to show them here briefly. 

 

Here is a picture of a SpaceX Water Deluge Test with a linked huge HiRes shot, 

 

Source: flickr.com/NASA Kennedy (Kim Shiflett)

 

and here in full action at the recent launch of the Falcon 9.

 

Source: twitter.com/NASASpaceflight (Ben Cooper)

 

and here a shot from the FSS perspective. 

 

Source: twitter.com/NASASpaceflight (Ben Cooper)

 

But one will have to become adjusted slowly to these pictures from Pad 39A ...

[xffw45343tg]

[Edit: In response to your post on the previous page:]

 

I see. So surely if you paint your assembly red/orange, "weather" it and then fill with clear "resin" (or whatever this modelling water is) it would create a very realistic effect?

(and much easier than attempting to re-scale hydrogen and oxygen atoms ).

 

Edited April 8, 2017 by Kirk

[Mustermark]

You're right Kirk. The one I was thinking of is the Woodland Scenics "Realistic Water" that I've used for model railways at 1/148 scale. It is neat because you can mould it as it sets and make pretty realistic waves or boat wakes, or even make a waterfall with it (not that I've done that, but I've seen it done).  But I was happy that the idea had amused Manfred.

 

It's probably not right for Manfred though as it comes in a 500mL bottle for €15 and these water bags would use 0.5mL!!! It could be hard to apply to such a tiny gap, too.

 

In some shots at the 12":1ft scale that Manfred has posted, the water has ripples that I thought could be modeled with this stuff, but I think Manfred's idea with mottling the paint and adding a shiny layer of varnish will also work well.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Mustermark

[roma847]

Hello my friends of the "Realistic Water" and thanks for your well-meant ideas.  

 

BTW I have also seen such impressive dioramas, but I think that this stuff is better suited to simulate larger water movements like waves etc.   than for the silent water in these narrow bags ... 

 

 

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

today to the gluing of the Pipe Supports under the ring line behind the LH2-TSM.

 

First, I have glued the three supports on the SRB Blast Shield, because this determines the clear height of the ring line over the MLP deck, under which the rest of the supports must find place.  

 

 

How remeasurements of the height of the supports have shown, the latter fluctuates by 0.1 - 0.2 mm,   which is why I initially placed them only provisionally under the ring line, 

 

 

so as to be able to compensate for minor differences by replacing the supports.

 

 

Afterwards, I then glued the front, middle and rear support, so as to get a uniform alignment in the longitudinal direction. 

 

 

After that, I have removed the ring line again and went back to the bracket holder in the mini vise, which offers more degrees of freedom for the gluing of the supports.

 

 

 

After this strand was completely equipped, 

 

 

it went on behind the front bow. 

 

 

 

 

For gluing of the six supports on the inside of the line and the six triangular supports under the outlets I then have inserted the ring line again into the shaft. 

 

 

So far again for today.

[Mustermark]

Awesome work Manfred. Truly exceptional.

[roma847]

Thanks Mark for your nice compliments. 

 

Just one step left and then I have finally finished the challenging SSWS chapter, with the exception of the final paintwork. 

 

Stay tuned my friends. 

[roma847]

Sorry, double post! 

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

now there is only one last assembly step to complete the difficult SSWS chapter, which I want to do today.

 

Now there are only 12 supports left, and after the position of the ring line was stabilized, I have begun with the gluing of the first six supports under the ring line, 

 

 

and so it went on to No. 6.

 

 

Next came the six triangular supports under the outlets,

 

 

First on the Blast Shield at the inside of the shaft,

 

 

and then on the outside. 

 

 

And after the small support under the 16'' rejuvenation was glued still, the deed is actually done and the SSWS thus finally completed,   or is there still something missing?  

 

 

You are right, of course, since the two slim Supports are still missing under the 9'' transitions, which I quickly added. And to the celebration of the day the Rainbirds are also coming along in order to finally round out the picture.  

 

 

 

And here with a little better light, further panorama perspectives of the SSWS Status Quo.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But this should be enough now, and so I will now look in on the paint shop, whether the guys eventually have time and desire.

 

But before Easter nothing will happen anyway, and so I just want to wish you all

[RichO]

Let the paint shop boys smell the fumes!

[John_W]

I have this feeling that when you build the shuttle, each tile will be hand made...

[roma847]

6 hours ago, RichO said:

Let the paint shop boys smell the fumes!

 

Hi Rich,

keep cool, at the moment the guys still have holiday and paint only eggs ... 

[roma847]

Thanks John for your amazing proposal.   

 

What a nice feeling ... 

 

You must be a joker, do you know what that would mean?  

 

If we look only at the High-temperature reusable surface insulation (HRSI) tiles, which covered the orbiter's underside, then there were approx. 20.000 of these tile type with normally 6 by 6 inches (15 by 15 cm) in square. 

 

Source: wikipedia.org

 

In 1:144 these tiles would be only 1 by 1 mm in size, thus an utopian idea ... 

 

I usually say always, Nothing is impossible, but that would be not just modeling madness, but modeling overkill ... 

 

And therefore, No - Thanks, forget it, but a little bit fun must be!!! 

[Mustermark]

Wonderful work. Congratulations on finishing this chapter.

 

For the tiles, I used the aftermarket decals and I think they look great.

But John_W's idea wouldn't surprise me too much if you were to adopt that more detailed approach   

[roma847]

Thanks Mark for your congrats,  

I also find that the result after several starts has become rather impressive and I'm also fully satisfied and enthusiastic.

The SSWS in its entirety was a hard nut and took lots of effort and was, above all, very time consuming, but so I had always imagined it, wherefore all the effort was really worth it. 

After this milestone has now been reached, I can sit back for a moment and so my tired eyes can relaxe a little bit ... 

 

BTW, I will also use decals for the tiles, when time has come ... 

[RichO]

I'm thinking that you started this build around the time I started with the first build, the paper crawler.  3 or 4, maybe even 5 years ago.  With the effort in this part of the build, the RSS, and the Shuttle are going to be brilliant, and years of educational entertainment. Thanks!

[roma847]

Hi Rich,

 

you are right, I started this long-term project about five years ago. And at the same time I began studying this phenomenal NASA space technology intensively, from which I had until then less knowledge of technical basics, as well as special details and technical terms.  

 

But little by little I have learned a lot about correlations and details, which are a great help for me until now.

But really exciting it will become when I will start with the FSS launch tower and the RSS, which will surely still keeping busy me for the next years ... 

 

And if it might supply interesting entertainment for most of you, everything would be okay and I'm happy ... 

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

the break was really long enough, but after the SSWS stress it has benefited me.

 

To the warm-up I have first done some small things, which I have kicked so far down the road again and again.

 

There were initially still to do the openings for the Rainbirds, what were now finally made. Since the openings in the paper kit were somewhat too small, they had to be corrected anyway. In addition, I had deepened them too far already, since they should only be about 0.5 mm deep. 

 

 

And so the MLP deck looks now from above.

 

 

After that, I went to the Stair Housing once more, with which I was not completely satisfied, especially since it was built in an early stage, in which I was still not as exacting and crazy for details as today.

 

Since the housing from the Paper Kit especially at the back with the door looked relatively pale,

 

 

I had it at that time a bit weathered, which then but became a bit too dark. In addition, I had now found some detail photos, which have naturally animated me for scratching.  

 

In this picture one can see some details that seemed to me feasible, especially this red warning bell in the upper left corner. 

 

Source: capcomespace.net

 

Here is a similar picture from that time from the other side. 

 

Source: www.apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

This is why I built the housing once again, and now I find that the coloring, except for the too bright door, it fits better into the picture than the old one, which in turn is pure taste.  

 

 

And now to the required small parts, e.g. this bell. At first, I had thought of small red discs, which I had punched out of the cap of a thumbtack, which should be about 1.4 mm in diameter.

 

Then, of course, there are also pin needles with correspondingly small, flat head, which I dipped briefly in red color, which looks almost even better.

 

For the red box underneath the bell, I used the holder of an interdental brush, from which I have cut off one of these side pins, which correspond to the required size with 1 mm x 1 mm.  

 

 

As one can see in the pictures, the bell sits on a small support or socket, which I still need to color. 

 

 

 

Then I tried the lower longer locking lever made of 0.3 mm steel wire, which is inserted in a brass pipe (0.4 mm) and could be rotated thereby. The ball handle is a glue drop, but it is still a bit too big.  

 

 

Since the lever seems to be too long and too thick on the housing, I have tried the whole thing again a little smaller and shorter, with brass wire 0.2 mm in a 0.3 mm brass tube, but still without a ball handle.   

 

 

 

This could already look better and should be tried on today.  

[RichO]

Model building on the head of a pin!!  Great stuff Manfred.  Welcome back.

[roma847]

Thanks Rich for your nice compliments,
yeah, now one can hear the bell ringing soon ...

Wait a minute and listen ...

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

and so on with the equipment of the Stair Housing with some accessories, which has now also got a new door with a from red to green foldable warning sign, of which I have unfortunately shot no close-up.

 

The two locking levers I have bent once more using 0.2 mm brass wire, which are in a brass tube (Ø 0.3 mm), here the longer lower lever, 

 

 

and here together with the smaller upper lever, both with a small glue ball. 

 

 

After both levers were painted gray, 

 

 

they could also be installed, and the red warning bell and the small box underneath are already attached, wherewith the Stair Housing is finished and looks good so far.  

 

 

And here are some pictures with the housing on the MLP top deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again only a small step, but at least a little progress ...  

[Mustermark]

Great to see you back Manfred. 

[roma847]

Thanks Mark for stopping by,
yeah, I'm still alive, Let’s get ready to rumble!

[Nigel Heath]

Great detailing work Manfred!

[roma847]

Thanks Nigel for your nice words! 

 

Hello everybody,

 

since now only are missing the cameras, as well as the railings and gutters, etc., which still can wait, I now want to take a closer look at the side walls, because there are also some nice details that should not be missing.  

 

Let's look at the Side 2, where there are some inconsistencies in David Maier's Paper Kit touching his CAD Design, that contains some details that do not fit to MLP-2 and therefore need to be corrected.

 

Here first this picture of the Side 2 of my MLP. This side is admittedly numbered in the first and last Bay with Nr. 2 for MLP-2, which, on closer inspection, contradicts some details of the original.

 

 

This red-rimmed three-fold kink of the two thin pipes above the LOX lines there is only on the MLP-1, which can be seen in the following picture. Therefore, David M. obviously must have confused the MLP numbers, whyever, because otherwise I can not explain.  

 

Source: NASASpaceFlight.com (NasaPhotographer, STS-116)

 

This typical route of the two pipes in the middle does not match the MLP-2, as can be seen in the next picture. Both on MLP-2 and MLP-3, these two pipes have only a double kink, which is not in the side center, but further to the left in the Bay 13, whereas the three-fold kink on the MLP-1 is clearly to the right of this interface (Bay 9-11).

 

Source: NASA (STS-115)

 

David M. also has some reference photos in his Paper Kit documentation. The curiosity about the thing is that the only reference photo of the Side 2 comes from the MLP-3, whereby the double kink here is unfortunately hidden by the service platform.

 

Source: NASA

 

Therefore it would have been better, if the master had used the MLP-3 as a template, especially since his LC39-Paper Kit is based on the STS-135, on which MLP-3 was used. Then his CAD design would have been self-consistent and Launch Pad and MLP would get well together.  

 

But be that as it may, one only needs to know and take into account for the construction, which is why I simply let this false triple kink disappear and will mount these two pipes with the double kink in the right place.  

 

Fortunately, I have made some copies of the side walls, and there are also some sheets with backup parts in the Paper kit, among others also with neutral gray bays, as one can see here, which I have used.  

 

 

Since some bays on the side because of the slight reddish color anyhow were not to my liking, these parts for the Bay Lifting come just right, since they fit quite well from the color to the remaining side.

 

Now I have to cut off only suitable parts for the corresponding bays and thereby to redecorate, with which I have already begun here. 

 

And so I'm hopeful that I can give this side with a better outfit.