MartG Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Well I've finally managed to get my sticky mitts on Dragon's 1/72 Saturn V kit - I've done a little writeup/review of the kit here http://www.martins-models.co.uk/Sales/72/SaturnV/saturnv.htm As mentioned in the review, the kit isn't particularly accurate in many respects ( did I mention that understatement is a skill of mine ? ), so I plan on addressing its shortcomings as I build it. The first thing I did was to make a Lox tank dome for the S-IC first stage. For some reason the kit doesn't include one, just one with a hole in it for the stand rod that fits further down the stage ( by comparison the S-II stage includes both a tank dome AND the transit support structure used when the stage was being transported or lifted - a mistake Monogram made with their 1/144 one ). I used the S-II dome as the basis, adding various details such as pressure switches and pipe flanges. First resin Lox dome, fresh out of the mould Next I turned my attention to the S-1C forward skirt. The kit one has 108 stringers, half the number of the original, so a couple of hours ( and a load of Evergreen 1.0x0.5mm strip ) later it now has the correct number of stringers. Then I made the forward umbilical panel and access hatch, as well as the two Lox vents. Next job will be the Offset Doppler antenna panel, drilling the various vent holes, and adding the various antennae around it, before moving on to the interior : 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Nice work! I will make sure to save this thread and the photos and follow the build with great interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimB Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Very nice start. I'll be watching with interest - I'm not yet brave enough to start mine! If you find any more issues, I'll add them to the original list. Tim Brandt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 Thanks guys ! ODOP antenna panel in place, and interior structure done. I couldn't find any definitive drawings of the interior, but one NASA document states that the skirt was made up of 12 external panels, so I've gone for 12 vertical stiffeners between the three rings. Next step will be adding electronics boxes, wiring & piping - again an area where there isn't any definitive info, and I've yet to find a good photograph of this area that isn't obscured by the lifting/support frame, so it's going to have to be the old guesstimate method again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 HI,MARTIN,very nice work so far,will this be the end,so there will be no further mods when this ones done,is it going to be the ultimate saturn,cant wait for the skylab version?... all the best Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 S-1C forward skirt just about finished ( need to clean up the areas where the system tunnels go ), with exterior antennae, interior details, and the 48 tiny vent holes Just waiting for a delivery of silicone to make a mould and resin copies will be available Now on to the system tunnels - kit ones are the wrong shape and lack the surface details of the real ones 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 System tunnels - the kit ones are too high, too long, and don't have the ribs that appear on the real ones, s0.... The real ones are made up of a number of separate sections ( presumably each could be removed separately for access ) - fortunately there are only 4 different sized parts so I've made one of each size which I'll replicate in resin ( 2 ends, 2 long sections, 1 medium section, 28 short sections per tunnel ), then assemble the resin ones into the final part ( I'll probably cast each tunnel in 3 parts ). Below are the parts - just waiting for silicone to arrive now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 S-IC Intertank access hatch and Lox fill/drain umbilical. The part is designed to sit over the kit stringers So now I've sorted the top half of the S-IC stage, time to look at the bottom half - a mammoth task. The engines are the wrong diameter ( way too small ) and lack the insulation batting of the flight engines, the aft heatshield has too many panel lines engraved on it, the engine fairings are the wrong size and shape, there are no hold-down posts, and there are no umbilicals...... Quite a lot to do then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Very interesting topic! Will you use your corrected parts as masters for a resin set? Cheers, Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 Yes, I plan on making all the modified parts available in resin, both individually as they are completed and eventually as a complete set. Given that the Dragon kit is probably going to have a relatively short production, I may even end up selling a complete Saturn V resin kit ( and a 1B ) Cheers Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Hmm - I just decided not to have a look out for the Dragon Saturn. Wether I will change I do not know but I bet your set will be highly appreciated from what I heared. Cheers, Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellbinder99 Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Great work Martin. I have one of the kit versions and two of the prebuilts so I am interested in what you are doing here. Any plans for a Skylab conversion? Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 All in good time Tony At the moment I'm working on increasing the diameter of the F-1 engines by 7mm. The outside of the kit engines are smaller than the inside should be ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 I've been thinking about the S-1C aft skirt/thrust structure and aft heatshield ( mainly while trying to get to sleep last night - brain, why won't you let me sleep ! ) and come to the conclusion that trying to use the kit one would probably entail more work than simply scratch building a new one. Issues with the kit one include: Wrong number of stringers ( 108 instead of 128 ) so they would all need sanding off and replacing. The engine fairings moulded into it manage to be both too short ( should extend onto tank section ) and too wide. Cutting them off and placing a correct shaped one over the hole would leave a gap which would need filling. No hold-down posts or support blocks. No umbilicals Aft heatshield has incorrect panel lines engraved in it, and wouldn't match corrected engine fairings ( NewWare's add on kit for the 1/96 Saturn V has rectangular panels that sit inside the fairing, with the rest left open, as seen on one displayed in a museum, but I've found photos that show the complete fairing blanked off with heatshield panels, so the 1/144 kits are actually correct in this respect ) So the current plan is to scratchbuild a complete new aft end for the stage ! Time to order some more plasticard and plastic strip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 hi martin,lovely work so far,the patience of a saint?its turning into quite a headscratcher for a new model,...love following your progress,glad its not me? # cheers Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I will most certainly want a complete set of the resin correction parts, following this with great interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flemming Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Hi Any updates? Just got the kit and yes there are some issues that needs to be adressed. I'm interested in seeing how you will fix the wrongly shaped engine skirts on S-1C. It would have been lovely if the styrene had been white... Best regards Flemming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted August 24, 2013 Author Share Posted August 24, 2013 Sorry for the lack of progress on this - I've been distracted by a few other projects ( e.g. getting my 1/48 Mercury Atlas kit into production and working on the 1/48 Gemini Titan moulds ). I have made a mould for the S-1C forward skirt, but the two test shots I've made so far have a few too many bubbles in the internal ribbing for my liking ( though if anyone wants one just for the external appearance I can let you have a pic to see if you want one at reduced price ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickpadwick1801 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Nice start on this especially with all of the corrections you are making. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Well I found some time to do some more work on this project today. I'm still mulling over whether to modify the kit S-1C thrust structure & engine fairings or just start from scratch - at the moment I'm tending towards the modifying route, though it will require the existing fairings to be removed and the gaps covered over, all the stringers sanding off and replacing, and a new aft heatshield making. I'm also still casting all the small cable tunnel sections I need ( 32 ) but I've run out of resin ( delivery tomorrow ). In the meantime I've made a start on the F-1 engines - the kit ones are the right height, and the right diameter at the top but way too narrow at the bottom. Like every other Saturn V kit they also lack the insulating panels fitted to the engines for launch. The pic below shows the engine's current state - the one on the left is the exterior mould while the one on the right is the interior plug. The exterior one has been enlarged using modelling clay over a kit engine bell. At this stage I'm not bothered about the surface finish on the exterior mould as once the clay has dried and I've added the exterior pipework it'll be covered in self adhesive foil to simulate the insulation. Similarly the interior plug will be smoothed off when dry, covered in resin, then used to make a silicone plug for moulding. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkboy Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Hi, LVM Studios has released a batted F1 engine kit for the Dragon Saturn V. Looks realy good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 they look good,i,ll just wait for martins version though,btw i was looking at some of the engines available on all the versions of the saturns,and looking at the engines on the cutaway version,they are very detailed,and it wouldnt of taken dragon much too replicate?and a far better looking engine,than the one issued,but then again if your going to show a flight ready saturn,i suppose you need batted engines?each to their own. cheers Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomastmcc Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 cool build and big.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 The LVM F-1 engines look good - but have you seen how much they cost ? Got some work done on the S-1C forward end today - interior painted, LOX vent pipes fitted, dry fitted to top of stage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Looks nice :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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