SA-5,Apollo/saturn,in resin and Airfix parts at 1/144 by martins models

[jetboy]

HI,thought id start this one,its the next phase of the pre-apollo flights,preparing the launch vehicles.This was launch no5,and it utilised all new fins,and a seperating upper stage topped by a jupiter missile nose cone,which made it very distinctive,this was the launch that president kennedy the day before he was assaainated,said with this we will have caught up with russian technology?.

This was the first flight to reach orbit.

martin,s models does a complete kit,or as im using a conversion set to use the Airfix saturn 1B Apollo 7 kit.the choice is yours?

Also the use of a jupiter nose cone on this flight inspired many jokes about it being extremely pointy?heres one with werhner talking to kennedy,about the rocket.?

thats off the net in images?

So heres the start of the build.....

im using an old saturn kit to convert,so ive had to clean off previous paint etc

the fist job is too remove all the kit fins

and removing the top of the cluster,but if you were starting fresh,you would not fit this part,

i noticed that with the tank top,off there was a slight movement in the vertical join,it was a little bit flexible,

so i cut some strips of plastic

and fit them inside the body to stop the flex?

now start to fit the conversion kit fins..

cheers Don

[bootneck]

Another one for the line up Don!

Who/where are Martin's Models? May have to get one of those conversion sets myself.

cheers

Mike

[jetboy]

Hi mike,cracking stuff on here,and he,s good to talk to,no problems with his service,mind you he,s just down the road?

http://martins-models.co.uk/

cheers Don

[jetboy]

well,here we go again,just a few more for you....

so this is fins before

so fitting the resin ones

its large,small large

so thats all the base fins fitted...

putting lower stage/tank top on

starting on upper stages

so this is about as far as ive got...

these parts still to fit,including four engines fronm the airfix kit...

getting first coat of paint on

filling a few gaps in...

last coat before masking for the black....

thanks for looking, cheers Don

[jetboy]

HI,Time for an update,as ive finished the build this week,here,s the story so far.....

the clusters re-painted,these are the piece,s for the upper stage..

upper stage,

removing all the masking tape,to find out which quadrant to start in..

somewhere near,you need to find out which fin to start from,which then relates to the upper stage and retro,s etc

tidy up the black edges where the paints crept under....

putting a few decals on now as the further work is over top of these,so very hard to do afterwards,ive used some of the decals off the airfix kit for this one,

lokks a bit rough,but it will clean up later,i hope?

getting ready to mate the Jupiter nosecone to the upper stage,a bit of sanding...

trying to cut black decals to make the castellation effect,of the clustered tanks,you could paint it,if your careful,or stamp it on with a imprint and pad?

but this will do me...

cheers Don

[jetboy]

HI a few more pics...

not looking too shoddy,

starting on the upper stage and lower stage furniture...

firrst im painting the dowel rod,supplied,to imitate the lox pipes?on the outside of the tanks,not on previous versions,also cutting dowel for the retro,s

drilling and cutting the retro,s

put some paint stripes on to simulate the pipe brackets,seen on some photo,s

so get your lower stage,and make sure you start to fit the pipes,in the posistion on your photo,s

now a bit of colour on the upper stage,though not seen..

you can see in the background the photo i used,i find its easier,for someone who does,nt want an historical scale replica,just a model?,just find one good photo and work to the detail on that,cos i guarantee,yo will never finish otherwise,as i find photo,s later of other lines etc,i could of put on,...but hey thats just me?,,it passe,s as a sa5 ,it is an sa5

this is the instrument ring,seen on all the apollo moonflights,i think this was its first outing,the circular holes are where trays of instruments were slid in?..

jupiter nose cone painted,and roll decals fitted,

lox pipes you can see have to be hinged out over the stage flange...

the engines the kit uses 4 of the airfix engines as the inner 4 were different to later ones..so 4 kit,and 4 airfix

mating up the jupiter nosecone and the upper stage,complete with its engines and heatshield..

sorry got to go,and have my sunday bath?....cheers Don

[jetboy]

HI,LAST PICS,before i do the base,and call it finished.....

well that it,a very important rocket,in the space race,thanks for looking,and perseveering,next pics,in the finished section

cheers Don