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Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6


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Hello everybody,

 

but this is just one side of the ET/Orbiter Interface. cool.gif

 

up067924.jpg

 

But the other side on the Shuttle has to fit too. huh.gif And therewith it looks pretty poor on the Airfix Kit, smiley_worship.gif 

 

NHuqno.jpg

 

because the two Orbiter doors are not present, let alone their deepenings in the opened state, just like one needs it for the Stack (ET/Orbiter). rolleyes.gif

 

x1vuWA.jpg
Source: NASA

 

The least would therefore be a solution in which one could glue a Decal or a paper printout of the two doors in the opened state onto the appropriate place, which would look a bit better, namely something like here.  top.gif

 

xJe3we.jpg

 

BTW, if I remember rightly, Hotdog (ARC forum) had provided similar decals in his set. hmmm.gif

 

It would be even still better, of course, if the two deepenings were really brought in, however, and then glue the Umbilical decals into, or simply the printout, and the two doors in between, what I could imagine. speak_cool.gif

 

This is what my friend Mike (egt95) did in the ARC forum on his STS-1 stack.  speak_cool.gif

 

ColumbiaSTS-132640x480_zpsadcbd366.jpg
Source: arcforums.com (egt95)

 

But since this place at the finished stack on the MLP can not be seen anyway, glued decals/printouts without the openings, but with glued doors would actually suffice. smiley215.gif

 

In the meantime I started with the modification of the Airfix-Longerons, which protrude anyway and do not rest on flat. rolleyes.gif These are these stripes on both sides at the end of the LH2 Tank, on which the oblique Thrust Struts and the Vertical Struts are mounted, because these parts do not look like in reality, as one could see already on this well-known photo of the ET-8.

 

up067836.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)

 

For me, it seems, that the SOFI patterns has been leveled in this area, with only the front wedge-shaped part is supporting the oblique strut. 

 

And this I have modified by sanding off the Kit-Longerons accordingly, whereby now the front slant ramp must be filled accordingly. 

 

zniJXg.jpg

 

And here I have tried to adapt the TPS cladding from the Newware Kit, for which I had to sand off approx. half of the lower block of the Airfix-Strut, however, whereby the lower part of the Resin-cladding seems too clunky to me, which is why it still has to slim down a bit.  hmmm.gif

 

Wd9cSW.jpg

 

But every beginning is difficult, just do not panic ... up040577.gif 

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Hello everybody,

 

who wants to know more about the ET cabling as well as about the Cable trays and their Thermal protection system (TPS), here one still can find some interesting information. top.gif

 

XhwOIq.jpg
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT (Lockheed Martin)

 

CrJGBW.jpg
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT (Lockheed Martin)

 

As one can see in the first picture, it was distinguished between Internal and External LO2/LH2 Cabling. up045518.gif

 

But there is another important interface, namely the ET/SRB interface between the ET and the SRBs, about whose cables, sensors, etc. the separation of the burned SRBs has been activated.  

 

And unfortunately, this interface with the associated Cable Tray is also missing in the Airfix Kit and therefore also needs to be scratched.  

 

KVTMJ3.jpg

 

In this photo of the ET-8 one can see the transition of the Cable Tray from the vertical strut to the SRB Support, where the wiring passes through the Upper Attach Strut

 

0A1zI8.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (woods170)

 

This also makes it clear what these strange extensions at the end of the vertical strut mean, which I have noticed time and again. huh.gif

 

sy4Ytg.jpg
Source: nasaspaceflight.com (woods170)

 

These are the cable ends running from the root point of the Upper Attach Strut to the Aft ET/SRB Attach Ring (see previous picture). 

 

And these are those cables that can be seen in this photo, which can be seen at the bottom of the SRB Cable Tray in the previous image, 

 

up067921.jpg
Source: NASA

 

and then run into the booster via the Upper Attach Strut.  up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

although there is now clarity about the SRB struts, I still have problems with the shape of the Vertical strut of the ET/Orbiter Attachment, because the lower part of the Newware TPS-Facing looked a bit too clunky, rolleyes.gif  why I've dealt with this assembly once again and have analyzed further photos. cool.gif

 

For this I have repeatedly compared these two photos of the ET-8 (STS-6) and first tried to reconstruct the contours of the struts and to bring into agreement, which is not so easy, because the images were taken from different positions and thus certain details are partially obscured. smiley_worship.gif 

 

HH3iVz.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)

 

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

 

In particular, the two yellow and blue marked areas have puzzled me, smiley215.gif whereby the yellow marked wedge-shaped foot looks somehow different than the one on the Newware strut. Whose chunky form is more akin to the struts used in later missions, as seen here in STS-134 (ET-122). huh.gif

 

96ghBa.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Irritating is also the lower contour directly at the yellow arrowhead in the first image, which does not belong to the strut, but to the flattened SOFI pattern area of the Longeron, which is illustrated in this image by the yellow contour.

 

7nn9YG.jpg

 

Furthermore, it can be seen from the blue dimension arrows that the lower foot part is not wedge-shaped as the Newware part. 

 

And with this the vertical strut gets this blue drawn contour with a flowing transition to the SRB Cable Tray, which extends to the Upper Strut.  speak_cool.gif  

 

O3sjTp.jpg

 

This still leaves this question mark at the blue marked recess from the first picture open, which one unfortunately can not see in this last view. smiley215.gif

 

This wedge-shaped part seems in my opinion to be a part of the TPS facing which has been retrofitted, this recess probably having been finished later. In contrast to the SOFI Spray applications, these TPS parts were molded separately and mounted individually, just like the Intertank Closeouts. top.gif

 

And these are now the estimated dimensions for the scratch construction of the Vertical Strut, which show that especially the chunky foot part of the Newware facing does not fit the mould of the ET-8 and therefore has to be modified. 

 

dGVa9V.jpg

 

As reference dimension (yellow) was used the diameter of the rear part of the Thrust Strut, which is 16,6" at the original, which roughly corresponds to 3 mm of the Airfix part. up040577.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

what you will have noticed already, but unfortunately I have to slow down a bit, huh.gif because I have to take care more of my sick wife and our poodle Gino, who suffered two cruciate ligament tears in no time, eek.gif whose second cruciate ligament tear will be operated next week. 

 

But nonetheless, it should go on on the Launch pad. cool.gif

 

I'm still dealing with the rear ET/Orbiter Attachments, especially since besides the adaptation of the Newware Kit parts, also some things of the Airfix Kit have to be corrected or modified. rolleyes.gif

 

What looks so nice and vivid on the Reference detail photos

 

up068262.jpg
Source: NASA

 

is in scale 1:144 everything much smaller and therefore does not appear so readily feasible by Scratch-building. hmmm.gif

 

That's why I've put on the orbiter, and as one can easily see, there's a hell of few place to accommodate the LH2/LO2 Umbilicals and associated Cable Trays as well as GH2/GO2 Press. Lines. smiley_worship.gif

 

lzCpjk.jpg

 

And thus immediately to a curiosity of the Airfix kit, after which the GH2 Press. Line directly discharges into the LO2 Feedline (see the small hole just before the bow), which in reality would be a disaster of course. yikes.gif

 

OS57oZ.jpg

 

While the GO2 Press. Line is correctly laid and leads to LO2 Umbilical, the GH2 Press. Line runs below the Crossbeam to the other side to the LH2 Umbilical

 

up068101.jpg
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (DDG40)

 

Here are two other views with the still too chunky TPS cladding of the Vertical Strut, which I have sanded so that it fits better into the picture. top.gif

 

MVFpim.jpg

 

DF8hSZ.jpg

 

And now more details come into play, which also want to be accommodated. These are the Diagonal Strut, as well as the LO2 Feedline/Umbilical Support Brackets, of which there is also one on the other side of the bow, but which is missing, rolleyes.gif

 

Vn0ejL.jpg

 

as one can see on this image.

 

v2FW0J.jpg

 

On this drawing one can indeed see the different versions of these LH2/LO2 Feedline/Umbilical Support Brackets very nicely,  

 

ecwpRl.jpg
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT (Lockheed Martin)

 

however, it should be noted that all these parts are provided with a TPS cladding, which must be taken into consideration when scratching them. 

 

RZZnlW.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Yb50lh.jpg
Source: NASA

 

These two rings here are needless, because they do not exist on the real LO2 Feedline

 

QaKT0o.jpg

 

as one can see on this image.

 

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

 

On it one can see the last two (out of five) LO2 Feedline Supports with the rings in front of them, which are missing at Airfix, excepting the ring in the next picture, but after that nothing like that comes up before the LO2 Umbilical. nono.gif

 

And finally to the chunky TPS cladding of the Vertical Strut

 

D4GWQj.jpg

 

which I've slimmed down even further (right), as one can see here.

 

5OfsVY.jpg

 

Now I have still to modify the left strut and its cladding accordingly, so that both sides look identically.  up040577.gif

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Hi friends,

 

for a better idea of the true size of these parts I've put my Cent coin on the tank. top.gif

 

rdnIo0.jpg

 

And with some patience, I then have placed the coin on the Crossbeam, so you have a good comparison with the size of the Umbilical Plates. speak_cool.gif 

 

ptPdlO.jpg

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Great report Manfred!  I don't get to check your reports as often as before, but as always, great job on the research.  I can tell you are going to have a good time scratching these small details.  Have fun!  I'll stay tuned.

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Thanks Rich for looking in on me, :worthy:

 

as I've said, I have also to make smaller steps, but it still will go on ... smiley_emoticons_steckenpferd.gif

 

Scratch-building of these tiny parts is a great challenge, s-boese-wand02.gif but is also great fun, that's why I'm building the Challengerup040577.gif&key=327a20a361d18ad6d35cabf

 

 

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Hello everybody,

 

now I will start scratch building of the LH2/LO2Umbilical plates, which look quite nice on the drawing, but in 1:144 these are only about 7 mm x 5 mm small plates, for which I have used Styrene (1 mm). Normally, 1,5 mm thickness would be more correct, but it should be remembered that the upper part of the Umbilical Plates protrudes into the orbiter openings, whose recess I want to avoid, because this place will not be seen later anyway on the shuttle Stack. cool.gif That's why I'll use 1 mm thick platelets on which then the orbiter rests flat.

 

up068094.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Since I have to take into account the distance to the Orbiter during testing the small Umbilical plates and tiny Cable trays, I've considered a small stencil (1 mm Styrene, which is much easier to handle. top.gif

 

On this stencil I have drawn the openings for the ET/Orbiter Attachment as well as for the two LH2/LO2 Feedlines from my scaled down drawing (1:144), as well as have cut out small paper stencils of both umbilicals.

 

z5ADim.jpg

 

h0kbag.jpg

 

After the plate fits quite well already (the red ones are the Cable trays),

 

RKGpmB.jpg

 

now follows the production of the two Umbilical plates, whose drawings I have glued with transparent tape on the 1 mm Styrene plate.

In order to be able to cut out and file the small plates, I first drilled the holes (Ø 3 mm) for the Feedlines and plugged in rod plugs, so that the templates can not slip during handling.

 

YObTTx.jpg

 

And then I cut out the little plates, whereat I've always compared it with the contours of the two umbilicals in this larger photo, because the parts are really tiny and also difficult to hold, smiley_worship.gif which was much facilitated by the inserted holding rod.

 

up068443.jpg
Source: NASA

 

And then I've carefully cut the contours of the stencils with the diagonal cutter and then gradually filed and ground the final shape all around, which was quite tedious. rolleyes.gif 

 

I started with the LO2Umbilical plate.

 

jnhwHN.jpg

 

OdPSwf.jpg

 

Then the holding stopper could finally be removed, 

 

d1bQbM.jpg

 

and this is now the finished part. speak_cool.gif

 

chnDRr.jpg

 

And in the same way followed the production of the LH2 Umbilical Plate.

 

1C0SYG.jpg

 

JLWWhm.jpg

 

Poc1wj.jpg

 

e3PfAw.jpg

 

And these are the two finished Umbilical plates
 
PHi3oM.jpg

 

which can now be test fitted on the Attachment. top.gif

 

6UFjIo.jpg

 

And as one can see, the two parts fit quite well with the attachment.  up045518.gif

 

TymHeY.jpg

 

ZIKZPE.jpg

 

And now a look ahead to the outer LO2 Support Bracket, which is missing on the Airfix Feedline which I have drawn red.

 

9vOMRU.jpg
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT (Lockheed Martin)

 

Little by little, the bird builds its nest ... eichhoernchen_13.gif

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Hello friends,

 

for an even better overview when fitting and assembling the Umbilical plates and Cable trays I have made the same template of Acrylic glass (PPMA), which now allows the total vista, cant-believe-my-eyes-smiley-emoticon.gif what is certainly an advantage when handling. speak_cool.gif

 

WomHXy.jpg

 

JclJ5x.jpg

 

Okay, I could have come to that immediately ... up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

today,  I've been dealing with some filing and sanding work, first I had to sand the Vertical Strut of the ET/Orbiter Attachment on the LH2 side for the TPS cladding of the Newware Kit and had to modify the Resin part still a little bit. And then there was also the associated Longeron, which had to be modified too. cool.gif 

 

Since the outer LO2Feedline Support Bracket was missing anyway and the inner did not quite fit and was a bit too small, I've scratched both Support Brackets new. It should be noted, however, that both brackets look similar, but have not the same shape. huh.gif The inner bracket is a bit lower, 

 

4fpyw3.jpg

 

because the Diagonal Cross Strut runs over it and needs the appropriate space, as onecan see on this image.

 

up068443.jpg
Source: NASA 

 

Afterwards I've sanded off the two unnecessary wide rings at the end of the Feedline. As one can see here, I have to smooth the line around the stub yet, which has to be removed anyway after the tests and its hole must be filled too, because in reality there were neither the two rings nor this holder.

 

EnIhnL.jpg

 

Last night I did not notice the nicks, but even all the more so in daylight. rolleyes.gif

 

These are the modified parts,

 

lRd9b5.jpg

 

whose seat on the ET I've tried next. And as one can see, they fit quite well so far.  top.gif

 

v0195R.jpg

 

Now I'm going to modify the too short LH2 Feedline Support Brackets, and then it goes on with the tricky Cable Trays with all due respect. smiley_worship.gif

 

But scaremongering does not apply!  up040577.gif 

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