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Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6


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Fascinated by some modellers’ commitment to the craft!

6 minutes ago, Bigdave22014 said:

Well, I never thought I'd be impressed by someone putting masking tape on a model...... :clap:

Sums it up perfectly 😄

 

Keep up the meticulous work,

 

Alan

 

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Hello everybody,

 

here for comparison a small photomontage of the new SOFI Pattern structure in the original image of the ET-8 during the Roll-out, which shows that it looks not so bad, right? up040577.gif

 

9KSXR1.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)

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Hello everybody,

for masking before Flour coating, I need a stable and secure solution, either with masking paint or tape, smiley215.gif especially since I have the cover problem as with the Ramps even with the other ET add-on parts, such as with the ET/Orbiter Interface Attachment, this is the rear support structure of the orbiter with the different vertical and diagonal struts,  

 

up067836.jpg

 

as well as the LH2/LO2 PAL Ramps, etc. rolleyes.gif

 

up067837.jpg

 

The Airfix solution of this Interface attachment, on the other hand, looks a bit more modest and therefore is not quite realistic, nono.gif

 

up067838.jpg

 

so there some scratch building is needed. smiley215.gif

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Pretty much every time I read your postings Manfred, I learn something about the shuttle, modelling or both. Whilst it would be nice to see a finished model at some point, at the same time I don't want this to end. :)

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Thanks Kirk for your nice words. :worthy:

 

I'm also learning something new every time about this brilliant technique, which is why I firstly always make a detailed research before I'm building, which is meanwhile like a drug, in this sense I am a junkie ... eek.gif

 

And thus all progress takes a little longer ... hmmm.gif

 

Regarding your nice desire, the Admin of our German Raumcon Forum already had the same wish long time ago,  and maybe many others might think so too. up040577.gif&key=327a20a361d18ad6d35cabf

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Thanks Kirk for your kind comment. bow.gif

 

According to my opinion a pluggable solution would be too complicated. hmmm.gif 

 

Actually, all Stack parts should be firmly connected together because of the necessary stability. That's why I have planned a brass rod that goes through the Intertank's SRB fittings, on the ends of which the two boosters will be plugged onto. top.gif

 

Also, I need a solution that keeps the balance of the upright standing stack, for which I've been considering a solution like this with support bars through the TSMs into the Orbiter's Umbilical Plates. up045518.gif

 

up029133.jpg

Source: NASA

 

up029131.jpg
Source: NASA

 

That's why the Stack parts should actually be fixed permanently. up040577.gif

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Hello  Manfred...

 

Been following this for a while now... you are doing an IMPECCABLE meticulous job .

 

Having been to the NASA museum ,seeing your build excites ME.

 

Keep the EXCELLENT  workmanship.

 

:mike:

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23 hours ago, roma847 said:

... for which I've been considering a solution like this with support bars through the TSMs into the Orbiter's Umbilical Plates. up045518.gif

 

That's why the Stack parts should actually be fixed permanently. up040577.gif

 

Hmm. If you do this, I don't think it will be able to take off at the end of the countdown. :D

 

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11 hours ago, HOUSTON said:

Hello  Manfred...

 

Been following this for a while now... you are doing an IMPECCABLE meticulous job .

 

Having been to the NASA museum ,seeing your build excites ME.

 

Keep the EXCELLENT  workmanship.

 

:mike:

 

Thanks Houston for your nice words, :worthy: I'm glad if you like it what I'm doing here.  up040577.gif&key=327a20a361d18ad6d35cabf

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6 hours ago, Kirk said:

 

Hmm. If you do this, I don't think it will be able to take off at the end of the countdown. :D

 

 

That's right my friend, but Safety firstup040577.gif&key=327a20a361d18ad6d35cabf

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Hello everybody,

 

and since both Airfix and Revell did not consider these two Umbilicals in their kits, but at least should be hinted, therefore here another view showing the connection of all lines and cables between the ET and the Orbiter Doors. top.gif

 

27dgUp.jpg
Source: NASA

 

And who wants to follow all the details exactly, can look at this drawing and even find some dimensions, whereby it should be noted that the struts are shown here without TPS.  up045518.gif

 

4xx7Bb.jpg
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT - Vol. II

 

For the further building process, it will become useful to model the ET/Orbiter Interface Attachment incl. Umbilicals separately and to glue it only after the Flour coating, priming and painting of the ET. Then I need to mask only the connecting areas of the two Longerons as well as the foot points of the vertical struts.  speak_cool.gif

 

Then follows the mounting of the LO2 Feedline as well as the Ice Frost Ramps with the two GH2/GO2 Press. Lines and the Cable Tray on the LH2 tank, as well as the installation of the GO2 Press. Line along with its Ramps and Cable Tray on the LO2 tank.

 

And only at the very end the complete and painted ET/Orbiter Interface Attachment are glued and the corresponding line connections adjusted at the interfaces.

 

So far to the theory, that wants to be well considered. I just hope that this can also be realized in practice. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

to get in advance an idea of the size of the two Umbilicals, which I want to scratch, cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif I reduced the drawing to 1:144 and cut out the Crossbeam with the Umbilicals and Cable Trays and put it onto the Crossbeam of the Airfix ET.  top.gif

And now one can see how small these miniature parts are that always look so huge in the photos. eek.gif 

 

sp4HL5.jpg

 

ER977Q.jpg

 

Here is a photo in daylight. cool.gif

 

T0Z9JD.jpg

 

And matching it I have a great photo of my friend Scott "Shuttleman" Phillips (see arrow), standing as young but then already about 1.80 m large greenhorn next to a Original LH2Umbilical, which shows the true size of this part. erschrocken3.gif 

 

54210419_10157266814004171_8389093546052
Source: Scott Phillips

 

Mighty impressive, right? up040577.gif

 

By the way, Scott Phillips has been busy for quite some time with two very interesting projects in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the first Moon landing, which is imminent. 

 

up067926.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Since I've supported him a bit, I was also let in on, but I had to promise him not to reveal anything, as it should become a surprise. up045518.gif 

 

Here one can see Scott and his wife Dianne in the workshop of the creators before the internal unveiling of the "Corpus Delicti". cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif

 

up067927.jpg
Source: Scott Phillips

 

Only so much in advance, it has something to do with historic wood ... smiley215.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

in the meantime, I went into more detail to find out where the interface between the LH2 Cable Tray and the Aft ET/Orbiter Attachments is, or how the cables out of the the LO2 Cable Tray get there, especially since this is a pretty tricky affair and there are hardly any direct photos of this interface. smiley_worship.gif

 

One also should know how the cables run out of the cable tray onto the LH2 Tank from point A via B and C respectively D to the LO2/LH2 Umbilicals and wherefore this gray box (?) is used, which could possibly be a kind of distribution box? up047089.gif

 

up067915.jpg

Source: NASA

 

Maybe there are useful hints from the forum, if so, then always ago with it. up040577.gif

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Hello folks,

 

to this question I also consulted my friend DaveS (forum.nasaspaceflight.com), who also had some interesting photos in stock, like this one.

 

up067914.jpeg
Source: NASA

 

on which unfortunately one can not see this interface of the LH2 Cable Tray that interests me, as it is obscured by the Vertical Strut as in most photos. rolleyes.gif But at least one can see more of the arrangement of this gray 'distribution box', which apparently has such a function. huh.gif

 

Afterwards, I've continued to search for the interface myself, and as one could already see in this photo, 

 

up067915.jpg
Source: NASA

 

the LH2 Cable Tray seems to run diagonally upwards at the point A, possibly to this 'distribution box', up047089.gif as it also appears in this photo of the ET-8 (STS-6).

 

up067916.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (woods170)

 

The matter got a bit clearer to me when I saw this photo of the ET-119 (STS-121) zoomed in,

 

up067918.jpg
Source: NASA

 

on which one can see at the point A the continuation of the gray LH2 Cable Tray, but which not directly leads to the 'distribution box' but apparently to the Vertical strut. hmmm.gif

 

And then suddenly the penny dropped, idea1_2.gif when I've again checked this photo again and asked DaveS for it.

 

up067919.jpg

 

And on this image detail of ET-122 (STS-134) one can see this interface almost even better.  up046118.gif

 

up067920.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)

 

And finally, DaveS confirmed my guess and sent me this detail photo of the ET-125 (STS-122), whereat the orientation is a bit difficult to see at first glance.  cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif

 

up067921.jpg

 

Who wants, can first try to find one's way before it goes on with the further course of the LH2 Cables, as they still did not arrive at the LH2 Umbilical ... up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

okay, I admit that this photo by DaveS takes some getting used to, and I also took some time to find my way, although I've already seen many similar photos, but not yet with opened cable tray.  top.gif

 

up067921.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (DaveS)

 

What strikes all these photos is this ominous 'distribution box', huh.gif who initially looked orange-brown, as here at the mission STS-6

 

zCcipj.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (woods170)

 

or here at STS-47

 

NVhPRP.jpg
Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)

 

Only with the later missions he looked then gray, as in the following picture. As one can see, from this 'distribution box' the yellow marked LH2 Cable Tray seems to branch off, which then on the front of the Crossbeam runs to the other side to the LH2 Umbilical. hmmm.gif

 

SNMvCr.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (DDG40)

 

The confirmation for my guess came then with this great photo by Scott Phillips, speak_cool.gif whom I've also consulted, here with the front TPS covering removed.

 

oP79en.jpg
Source: Scott Phillips

 

And with that the hitherto searched interface of the LH2 Cable Tray gradually becomes clearer, which I have circled here yellow, which discharges into the TPS cladding of the Vertical Strut. top.gif

 

ofOhTr.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (DaveS)

 

And, as I've learned by now, not only the LH2 cables run inside the LH2 cable tray, but also the LO2 cables, which was not clear to me yet. huh.gif But as I learned from DaveS too, the cable trays that time were named after the ET tanks (LH2/LO2) and say nothing about the cables running in it, but what one has to know. smiley215.gif

 

And by this picture-in-picture montage will hopefully become clear, where this place is located, whereby this image is rotated 90° and the TPS cladding on the front of the Vertical Strut is open (blue arrows). cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif

 

mwgaIB.jpg

 

In the next photo one can see the opened LH2 Cable Tray in front of the crossbeam with the cables running into it, which lead to the LH2 Umbilical,

 

Anu6w3.jpg
Source: Scott Phillips

 

as well as here the cable harnesses laid in the opened knee of the LO2 Cable Tray. up045518.gif

 

H7eywR.jpg
Source: Scott Phillips

 

And so I now know about how the cable trays and other lines run, and thus can try to scratch this ET/Orbiter Attachments accordingly. up040577.gif

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Thanks my friend, :worthy: but that is illusory, as you know. But they can have a look at my thread in forum.nasaspaceflight.comcant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif

And at the end, I'll make a video of the diorama so one can see the entire Launch Complex from all sides. up040577.gif&key=327a20a361d18ad6d35cabf

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