Airfix Full Stack Shuttle

[HL-10]

I started out wanting to build a model of Atlantis as she appeared on her last mission.

The more I studied the subject, the more confusing I found it!

No two shuttles are alike, no two missions are alike.

There were so many changes made between flights that in the end I decided to make a generic Atlantis, so to the real experts out there, sorry, but it looks like a Shuttle to me! .

I added the ribbing to the inter-tank section and refined the "plumbing" with various sizes of plastic card, strip and tubing.

I textured the external tank by softening the plastic with liquid poly, then applying a stiff brush to roughen up the surface.

The orange/rust colour was mixed from various Tamiya acrylics.

On the shuttle, I drilled out the RCS motors and added masking tape thermal blankets.

The decals are a combination of kit and after market.

I again used Tamiya acrylics on the shuttle, especially their white as it doesn't yellow (yet!)

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Thanks for looking

[jetboy]

Hi,hl, thats the only way to do real space modelling,never more so than shuttles,theres always one smart bottom,who has a little bit of info secreted away,ie wrong colour coupling on fuel pipe,for example,its got to be done the best you can,you can never do a mission specific flight,as theres too many secret things your never told about?you have to do one thats close,and yours looks close enough to me,...all this waffle from someone who hasnt built one yet?the day will come?nice job anyway cheers Don

[Norman]

Now that is a nice job

well done

[HL-10]

I thought you might be interested to see these two WIP pictures of the tank.

It shows the ribbing I added along with the extra plumbing and bracing.

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[suggy69]

Nice job. I like it

[GordonD]

Very nice job. You can never have too many Shuttle models!

[triumphfan]

Looks superb. The extra work really shows, well done.

Steve.

[Caerbannog]

very nice Shuttle

[JaseGill]

That's cracking.

I especially like what you did to the external tank. Great paint job too.

J.

[JMChladek]

I love what you've done as it looks impressive (most impressive). I know from experience that doing shuttle models is not easy. The Airfix kit is the best of the lot in 1/144, but it still needs some TLC to bring it up to scratch (which you have done). Excellent work!

Only minor bit is the anti-geyser line on the left side of the ET didn't have to be added since it was deleted from the External Tank production line after five tanks were flown (I think STS-6 was the final flight with STS-5 being the first flight of the "light weight" tank).

[HL-10]

I freely admit to this shuttle not being 100% accurate.
I got so confused, and frustrated by all the variations between individual shuttles and missions that in the end I cherry picked the details I liked the look of to make a generic stack.

Thanks for all the comments and compliments, I greatly appreciate them