Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6

[RichO]

Interesting that you would find this years later.  I hope you can update without to much trouble.

[Pete in Lincs]

Manfred, this is truly a labour of love.

We love it too.

[roma847]

3 hours ago, RichO said:

Interesting that you would find this years later.  I hope you can update without to much trouble.

 

Hi Rich,

 

this mistake in Davids design I noticed already some years ago, but so far it has not disturbed me, because it was standing on my to-do list. But now I can correct it, no problem. 

[roma847]

2 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Manfred, this is truly a labour of love.

We love it too.

 

Thanks Pete for your nice compliment, 

 

and stay tuned. 

[Mustermark]

Wow. Once again your attention to detail and thorough research is exemplary, and your determination is steadfast. I am full of admiration because I thought I was one to make things the right way, but you surpass even my wildest ambitions once again.

[roma847]

Thanks Mark for your great acclaim, 

 

often there are only small things that make the difference, and meanwhile I have a sharp look for these tiny details. 

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

after a little art break, it can now go on now, but therefor a little more detailed.

 

Here is an image of the Side 2 after the recent modification of some bays with some "new wallpapers".

 

 

Now the disturbing triple kink is eliminated, but as it has turned out, it is not done with it, because on closer inspection, I have also noticed other things that are exactly related to this triple kink and finally explain its strange constructive execution, which is completely mystery to me.

 

The reason for my research was initially the fact that the Side 2 still did not really please me, especially since the two thinner pipes and this little red circled box on the frame in the Bay 13 seem sit too high.  

 

Moreover the marked supports on the right (Bay 3-8) have too big shadows, and as I wanted to scratch the supports anyway, they should then cast their own shadows.

 

 

That's why I did still some ancestral research and have looked at my few old reference pictures from the Side 2 at times of the STS-6 and afterwards, but they don't show enough details because they are simply too fuzzy. And the awesome HiRes NASA or Street View panoramas from the past few years unfortunately do not help, but only clarify the dilemma with which I must necessarily live with during my Real Space Scratching of my models.

 

Meanwhile, I'm a bit smarter and I know that I can also  redecorate this box on the frame in the Bay 13, as there was no such equipment at the MLPs during the first shuttle years,   but instead a different typical detail on another place.

 

A first clue for this was the shot from Challenger's Rollout for the STS-8 (1983), which at first glance seems less exhilarating, because one can hardly see any details on the Side 2.  Therefore, I would like to draw your attention directly to this encircled hutch, which later inter alia can explain the position and shape of the triple kink on Side 2 of the Paper Kit. 

 

In the linked HiRes resolution one can see this somewhat larger box in the Bay 10 more clearly, and the practiced eye can also recognize the double kink of the two pipes on the left even though only hazy.

 

Source: spacefacts.de

 

And here is a shot of the STS-6 from the NSF Forum (Ares67), which shows on the left side of the picture that this box above the two thinner pipes at that time already had existed, actually logical, since both missions are only a few months apart.  

 

Source: NASASpaceFlight.com (Ares67)

 

In the course of these findings, I have recollected to images from the Side 4, on which I had noticed a similar box, which can be seen in the following image section from the Lift-off to the STS-6 and that it has oblique supports. 

 

 

After my overview so far, there were these boxes at the MLPs at least until the end of the 80s, as one can see on this picture from the Rollout of the Discovery on the MLP-2 for the STS-29 (1989).

 

Source: spacefacts.de

 

Since these middle boxes are not available in the Bay 10 in the paper kit, I can now adjust myself to this and can omit these other boxes in the Bay 13 and the triple kink of the pipes (Bay 9-11) with clear conscience.

 

But now still to the elucidation of the location of this triple-kink in the paper kit, which is indeed on the Side 2 of the MLP-1. The reason for this becomes clear very quickly from this image of the Rollout of the Columbia to the STS-1, although I had to evaluate lots of images. But from the STS-1, there are luckily most of the images you can find in the KSC-Media-Archiv.

 

As can be seen in this picture, earlier this box was sitting there, around which the pipes were installed. I suspect that it could be a kind of Firex water tank, because you can see a red pipe on the right, which would speak for it.

 

Source: NASA

 

These boxes were later dismantled on the MLP-1 (red circle), as can be seen in the image of the STS-79 (1996). And since then there is in the Bay 13 instead this box on the frame (green circle), which is existing in the paper kit on both sides, but for the MLP-2 they are absolutely wrong there.  

 

Source: NASA

 

For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that the old boxes on the MLP-2 were also sometime dismanteled and replaced by the boxes on the frame, as shown in this picture of the STS-115 (2006), which was then also freshly painted.

 

Source: NASA

 

And now I come to the great photos of the MLP-2 from John Duncan from the year 1998, which I actually wanted to use as standard reference photos for the further detailing of the side walls.   

 

Since it is soon time to deal with the "roof"gutters, which are interrupted several times, I have numbered the Bays on the Side 2 for better orientation, since I do not always want to count them again for myself.

 

I can still use these images well for scratching, since one can see the details of the pipes and the supports very beautifully. 

 

Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

I just have to keep in mind that I have to omit the box with frame in Bay 13 and mount the old box in the Bay 10.  

 

And finally there are still some small things that I need to correct on this occasion on the Paper Kit side walls, of which more later.

 

After seeing things a bit clearer and having penetrated through David Maier's MLP confusion, I feel immediately more comfortable again.

[The Chief Smeg]

Honestly I am dumbstruck with the level of both detail and investigation you have put into this project.  I'm staggered by the work you have done. I am enjoying your updates immensely. 

[RichO]

Nice color blends Manfred, a good color match.  I also see quite a bit of plumbing in the photos that is not on the model...?   A guy could add details forever I guess.

Great job with the research, as always.

[roma847]

12 hours ago, The Chief Smeg said:

Honestly I am dumbstruck with the level of both detail and investigation you have put into this project.  I'm staggered by the work you have done. I am enjoying your updates immensely. 

 

Thanks Chief, 

 

your nice words make me really a little bit proud.   Nice, that you like what I'm building day by day ... 

 

No sweet without sweat! And since I am building one of the oldest shuttle missions, I need to to spy out many details and investigate until they become tangible for scratch-building. 

[roma847]

11 hours ago, RichO said:

Nice color blends Manfred, a good color match.  I also see quite a bit of plumbing in the photos that is not on the model...?   A guy could add details forever I guess.

Great job with the research, as always.

 

Thanks Rich, 

 

so charming many details are, one should not try to scratch them all,  but some still will be added, and some others are not typical STS-6 and need to be corrected ... 

[roma847]

Hello folks,

 

I want only briefly tell you that I had a good nose with my guess regarding these boxes.  

 

As I have discovered in an isometric representation of the MLP-1, Fire Hose Reels were in these boxes.

 

After dismanteling the old boxes, these hose reels were then mounted directly on the top deck, which were connected by a thin tube coming from the side wall (Bay 10), as can be seen in this image.  

 

Source: NASA

 

And here is the matching panoramic shot of the later MLP-2.

 

Source: NASA

 

Bye for now. 

[Space Ranger]

Will you also duplicate the trash can (just to the right of the hose reel) seen in the last photo?

[RichO]

I'm with Space Ranger.  The trash can is about the same size and should be built with a tie down cable also.

[roma847]

Hi fellows,

 

I know you're doing it just for the hell of it, and fun must be!  

 

But I think, I must unfortunately disappoint you, because such stuff don't belong to the standard equipment. 

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

before it goes on with the side walls, here still an appropriate image of the washing and cleaning crew during the Pad Washdown with the long hose from the hose reel to remove the traces after an ordinary start.

 

Source: NASASpaceFlight.com Forum (padrat)

 

But this was always routine work for the pad guys.  

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

it went on with the Side 2, here is an intermediate step with the redecorated left half,

 

 

and here the somewhat harmonized and now almost "new" side, which I like much better now.  

 

 

And on this image the details can be seen, which are now/again to be attached.

 

 

These are beside the box, the pipes and supports, the three rain gutters with downspouts, whereby the angled, oblique tube at the end of the side (Bay 16-17) is not present in the paper kit. This is due to the wrong MLP-1 version of David Maier, which I will not go into, where this downspout does not exist.  

 

On the Side 2 of the MLP-2, there was this downspout from the beginning, how also in the STS-115 can be seen in the next image.

 

In the Bay 17 are still the red ports for the purge lines of the Orbiter's Environmental Control System (ECS), on which the thick red hoses of the Mobile Portable Purge Unit (MPPU) are connected, which should be placed there as a connector. 

 

Source: NASA

 

And beneath there are the four Instrumentation Interface Panels, which I will try to get a little bit sharper than the ones from the Paper Kit,  

 

Source: NASA

 

whereby I'm favourably impressed by this cable jumble during the MLP cabling on the pad again and again.  

 

Source: NASA

 

And now to the Side 4, on which there are also some things (marked in red) that should be corrected.  

 

 

First of all, there is the box on the frame in Bay 13, which is wrong there and is omitted, but for which the old box is mounted in Bay 10.

 

And then I must unfortunately dismantle the two lower Pneumatic Vent Mufflers,   because they did not exist yet during the STS-6, as I have only now noticed what one can see in this image of the STS-8, which was launched four months later.

 

Source: NASASpaceFlight.com Forum (Ares67)

 

But either I build my pad after the historical original, or I let it be, and therefore they must be removed, whether I like it or not.

 

At the beginning, I naturally confided in the correctness of the design in David Maier's Paper Kit and reproduced the details, especially since I had neither special detail knowledge nor useful reference photos of the STS-6. 

 

Today, however, I have a pretty good overview, and so I noticed when studying the fantastic threads of the early missions by Ares67 that the MLP numbers in the kit, especially on the Side 4 do not sit in the right places,   but rather where I have drawn them (green).

Almost, I wanted to take over these identifiers from the STS-8, but then I still have discovered an image of the STS-6, which shows, that the rear identifiers of the STS-6 looked differently.  

 

It was this image here, on which the front identifier is concealed, but for this the end of the page is to be seen, on which one would be able to recognize something perhaps with a corresponding zoom, I thought at least.  

 

Source: NASASpaceFlight.com Forum (Ares67)

 

And I was lucky, because that is indeed the case, as you can see on this image.   There one can hardly see yet, that the rear identifier is not completely placed in the Bay 18 but in the Bay 18 (red circle). However, because there is little space, due to the the pipe support and the crossbars on which it sits, the 2 is above the lower strut, and the identifier Side 4 beneath it.

 

At the same time, it can be seen that there were only the two upper Vent Mufflers (blue circle).

 

 

And thus I can also consider and correct this disagreement.

 

And finally, I've still tried, wether the Instrumentation Interface Panels can still be improved, wherefore I have copied them from the Street View shot of the MLP-1 and reduced it to 1:160.

 

 

And that should be quite possible, I think.  

[RichO]

Have fun with all that small stuff!

[roma847]

Thanks for your good wishes,

 

 I will certainly have it. 

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

here comes at last the next update.  

 

But in the implementation of the latest ideas and details, new questions emerged, which I had yet to pursue, in order to clarify their structure.

 

Therefore, in sequence, and thus first to the Interface Panels at the end of the Side 2, which looked as in this image using the template from the Paper Kit.   

 

 

And now these are the panels taken from the MLP-1 (Street View) and scaled, which look a little clearer,

 

 

and also at the MLP look quite well, at any rate better than the previous blurred paper Kit panels.

 

 

And so to the next details in Bay 17, the red indicated ports for the ECS Purge lines, which I wanted to scratch by simple round bars with red caps.

 

However, on closer inspection, it can be seen clearly that these ports consist of through-sleeves, in which are the connecting sockets of the purge lines, at which the red ventilation hoses of the MPPU are linked.  

 

Source: NASA (Street View)

 

After some consideration, I remembered the wire end ferrules already used for the lampshades. And these are not only available as pure metal sleeves, but also with plastic sleeves, which can be easier cut off to the required lengths than the metal sleeves.

 

And as a result of my usual scaling, 

 

 

I have come to the following sleeve types, whose diameters would fit perfectly, into which then the matching connecting sleeves made of round bars are glued and red caps are painted.    

 

 

Later, it goes on with the reconstruction work on the Side 4.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

since in the laying of the two thin pipes on the Side 2 inevitably the "roof"gutters come into play,

 

Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

I have made a couple of new attempts in the meantime to get some bending feeling again, because unfortunately there is nothing off the shelf.

 

For my first attempts at the very beginning of the project, I got an aluminum tube Ø 2 mm and filed down carefully the upper half with a fine mill file, which basically works, but which was quite elaborate and laborious.  

 

 

Therefore, from today's point of view, I would rather want to return to the already tested variant of moulding a sheet metal strip over a round bar. 

For the back Gutter 3 over the Bay 18 I need a 23 mm long piece, after it follows an elongated substructure, on which two sockets with connection stubs sit, whose purpose of use I have not yet been able to find out however. But no matter, maybe I still can discover it. And as it looks like, the two thin pipes seem to be attached to these sockets when I see this right. 

 

This is indeed a picture of the MLP-1, 

 

Source: NASA (Street View)

 

but on the MLP-2 this part looked similar, as one can see on this image detail, only the two sockets sit more in the middle.

 

Source: apollosaturn.com (John Duncan)

 

On this panorama one can see the details more clearly.

 

Source: NASA (Street View)

 

This time I've used thin aluminum sheet (0,2 mm) for the gutters, cut out a strip of 23 mm x 3 mm and molded it over a round rod Ø 1,5 mm, but the strip can also kink axially, instead of curving itself evenly, which should be better prevented.

 

Here one can see the filed down pipe (above) and below it the molded gutter piece, which one can do more precisely than by filing. 

 

 

 

In order to prevent this axial kinking, I will lay the strip on a rubber pad on the next attempt and then press down the round bar from above, perhaps it will work better then. However, how good this can be done with the longer strips, we will see then.  

 

Afterwards, I started with the face lifting of the Side 4, on which there are also some pipes and cables, which I would like to scratch. And since they lie above the vertical struts, then the 2D textures and shadows on the wall template disturb the picture, which would certainly look comical, especially since the 3rd dimension is missing anyway.

 

So I have started to cover the Bays on this side with matching parts, which was quite tedious because one had to measure all the fields and covers before, so that they fit into the fields.

 

Then came the Bay 16 with the four Vent Mufflers, where I first removed the two lower mufflers. But since the shadows there just look too brutal,  

 

 

I then also removed the two upper Mufflers to be able to cover this bay completely new. And the front and rear MLP-2 identities have meanwhile also been renewed and were placed in the right bays.  

 

 

 

Afterwards, the two vent mufflers were glued again, which now looks much better and corresponds to the original.  

 

 

In order to have more freedom of movement, I've put my turntable on a stand to have easy access from all sides, which makes the work much easier.    

 

 

 

 

Now only a few fields have to be renovated, which will be done tomorrow.

 

 

As far as for today, and thank you for watching.

[RichO]

Again, nice research with all the small stuff.  Please do not bump the stand and knock the build on to the floor!!

[roma847]

Thanks Rich for your compliments, 

 

BTW, but you will not believe it, almost the misfortune actually had happened.

 

When I quickly got up from my revolving chair to fetch something from the closet behind me, the chair was rolling sideways without me noticing. When I came back, I saw that he was standing about 1 cm in front of Side 1, my hair stood on end,   and I thanked my guardian angels.   

Only 1 cm closer and the worst case desaster would have happened, there would have been an ugly sound  and my lovely MLP would have been smashed to pieces on the floor, what a nightmare ...  

 

Hopefully I will not dream of it tonight. 

[Space Ranger]

35 minutes ago, roma847 said:

When I quickly got up from my revolving chair to fetch something from the closet behind me, the chair was rolling sideways without me noticing. When I came back, I saw that he was standing about 1 cm in front of Side 1, my hair stood on end,   and I thanked my guardian angels.   

Only 1 cm closer and the worst case desaster would have happened, there would have been an ugly sound  and my lovely MLP would have been smashed to pieces on the floor, what a nightmare ...  

 

The Launchpad Safety Officer has been grossly negligent. There should be chocks (with red "Chocks In Place" warning flags) on that chair! Or your floor needs to be jacked up and made level. :-)

[roma847]

I fully agree wwith you, Space Ranger, 

this Launchpad Safety Officer should be fired immediately,  because this action could have blown up in his face.