DaveJL Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 (edited) Hello all, As a side project to my current GB commitments, i'm going to have a go at Revell's 1/144 Space Shuttle. I've never built a space kit before, so it's all a bit new! Though i do have plans to add a Saturn V and Lunar Module, but that's another story! The kit: Aftermarket: Using Realspacemodels resin engines and tile decals from a chap on ebay. The patch is for the final flight of, not only the Orbiter Atlantis, but the whole Space Shuttle program. STS-135 ran from 8th-21st July 2011. My inspiration to build this now came from watching several videos on youtube, namely and .Dave Edited September 28, 2012 by DaveJL 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madam I'm Adam Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 One to watch... Whose tile decals are they? Enjoy Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted August 26, 2012 Author Share Posted August 26, 2012 One to watch... Whose tile decals are they? Enjoy Adam Thanks Adam. The decals are from this seller on ebay. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Same set up as I have lurking about. Really wish I could find the time and build as quickly as you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted August 26, 2012 Author Share Posted August 26, 2012 Same set up as I have lurking about. Really wish I could find the time and build as quickly as you... I had planned to go 1/72 but this one looks big enough Really don't know how I build so quickly...only two days off a week. Though, was off all last week so was able to power through the B-1 Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 (edited) I built the Academy 1/144 Shuttle last year and used the tile decal set produced by Meteor Models - who have now ceased production. They certainly enhance the look of the orbiter but it was one of the most difficult decalling jobs more that I ever attempted. In their natural state the tile pattern was far roo pronounced but a few misted coats of Tamiya Dark Grey, NATO Black and Smoke helped tone everything down. I think the key thing to achieve for a realistic orbiter is to try and depict the various shades of white and the discolouration caused by re-entry which is really quite pronounced. Edited August 27, 2012 by Eric Mc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hi dave,nice to see a shuttle build,would of loved to do a group build with a shuttle,its the one vehicle i just cannot get right,ive built and scrapped 4 so far ,and have at least 8 waiting until my confidence improves,sorry until my build confidence improves.One of the things that bugs me is the armchair critics who have every rivet,numbered,and dont mind telling you,would love to end up with a representation of a shuttle,so i will watch with envy. cheers Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tardis2 Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 got one on the go going to do moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hi dave,nice to see a shuttle build,would of loved to do a group build with a shuttle,its the one vehicle i just cannot get right,ive built and scrapped 4 so far ,and have at least 8 waiting until my confidence improves,sorry until my build confidence improves.One of the things that bugs me is the armchair critics who have every rivet,numbered,and dont mind telling you,would love to end up with a representation of a shuttle,so i will watch with envy. cheers Don Hi Don, I've found a couple of links to some very helpful resources for information which might help you. I'll send you a pm. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chablar Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Ill be watching this one. How big is the kit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 Ill be watching this one. How big is the kit? Not sure off hand. I'll measure it up later in the week. The stack is quite large for 1/144. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 The box art shows it to be 43.7 cm, however the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP), that the Shuttle stands on, is half correct size in the Revell kit. This means that the correct scale MLP would make it a few cm taller. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basosz Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 It's a nice thing to build. Want to do one myself some day. Already have the HUUUUUUUUGE ISS kit so maybe I can do a Shuttle to go with it. The box-art looks wrong though... the Shuttle would never have that attitude in relation to the earth when she's that high, and I don't think the SRB's would still be attached at that altitude. Sorry... geek mode off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 got one on the go going to do moonraker Hi ,is there much difference in the kits,or is it just a paint job...look forward to seeing it.......Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) Don't even bother trying to make that Revell MLP look like a real one due to how small it is (among other flaws, such as crawler tracks on the bottom making it look like it has the crawler built in when the crawler just deposits the MLP at the pad and drives away). I would say paint it to look like a display stand with some hints of an MLP in it and you will be fine. In the case of my future shuttle builds though, I'm just going ahead and scrapping the MLP bases to use trophy plaque type bases for display, since they look slicker. And I can get the patches to lay down on them evenly. This is a 1/72 stack, but one can easily do it with a 1/144 stack as well. As for the tile details, the decals work fine, although the tiles really only gray out on the bottom of the orbiter from repeated reentries due to the higher heat loads. On the upper wings, tail and sides of the nose, they remain more or less black with some ever so slight sheen differences. Painting the darker shades on the sides of the nose can yield some very nice looking effects (again, 1/72, but I achieved similar results with a 1/144 Columbia stack). If you plan to build a recent orbiter, one very simple modification that can be added is a dragchute housing at the base of the tail. Endeavour had it new from the factory and the other orbiters had it retrofitted to them as they went through refit work during the mid-1990s. No kit or prebuild in any scale to date (with the exception of the expensive Bandai 1/144 prebuild) as ever correctly replicated it. But it is a very easy fix. And the last of the easy fixes/modifications that can be done is to use Milliput or a similar epoxy putty to make foam rings around the aft segments of the SRBs. Revell represents them with decals, but they really are raised. In real life, they are made from the same spray foam applied to the external tank. NASA tested and started using the foam when it was found that sea water under pressure (since the aft segments float deeper in the water than the top ones) was leaking into the joints and damaging them. So the foam acted as a final layer of sealer. ET foam can be almost any color from pale yellow brown, to orange, to chocolate brown depending on how long a shuttle spends at the pad before a successful launch (the foam gets a sun tan as it were). But the foam rings tend to never darken to more than a orange shade at most since they are applied at KSC during stacking operations. Best way to paint them I've found is after making and applying the rings, paint the SRBs in gloss white as normal, then mask off the rings and shoot on the orange color. Edited August 28, 2012 by JMChladek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Thanks for the info mate. I had planned just to use the 'crawler' as a base, nothing more, since it looks a bit s***!! Do you have any photos of the dragchute housing on the actual orbiters? Just so I can get an idea of overall shape etc. Any close ups of the foam rings? Cheers Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 PM me with your email address and I'll go digging through my archives. There aren't any very clear images of the dragchute housing from the side since the OMS pods get in the way (I've got a couple that are close) and I've also never found a good shot showcasing if the housing flares out either, but if you get the side profile right, it will look fine for a launch stack anyway since nobody is going to stick their nose up the bottom of the stack. I should have some decent shots of the rings though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Thanks mate, i'll pm you now. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cimmerian Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I have exactly the same items in my stash so really looking forward to watching this unfold! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 I have exactly the same items in my stash so really looking forward to watching this unfold! Hopefully will be of some use to you. Planning to make a start this weekend. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genedig65 Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I made my drag chute housing from epoxy putty, I was very surprised how easy that was to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Thanks for the tip. I'd best stock up! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Hi Dave, have you started your build in the meantime? Can't wait to see your first progress photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 No progress yet. Building has been side tracked slightly by various group builds. Will hopefully start soon. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted March 28, 2013 Author Share Posted March 28, 2013 Been delaying this one for too long now! I've a week off work the week after next, so a start will be made then! Just need to clear some bench space! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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