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Apollo Crawler at 1/72 scale


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I don't venture in to this part of the forum very often so only came across this build today. And all I can say is WOW! and I mean WOW!. This is modelling at it's best.

Now following this closely.

Chris

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Chris,

Thanks for the nice words! I'm glad you like, and that you're a new follower. Keep watching!

Edited by RichO
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HEY ALL,

A quick update today. I have started to test fit the Ventilation Fans. I still have a ways to go on the fan section of the build, but to break up the monotony, I have started to test fit the fans.

This is the Ventilation Fan that vents the space next to the engine.

IMG_0177_zps89d488bb.jpg

In this photo, you can see the painted space on the floor. This is where one of the engines is to be placed.

IMG_0178_zpse84a4073.jpg

This is the test fit of the Diagonal Ventilation Fan.

IMG_0179_zpsc214fae1.jpg

This fan helps to vent the space where the 750 kw DC Engine Generator set is located.

IMG_0180_zps860aae16.jpg

Thanks to all who like the build! And all for great comments! I'll post more info later. Thanks!

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HEY ALL,

Just a reminder that I haven't forgot to post. The fan build is still going slow. Just one photo today, to show some progress. I have the four Diagonal Ventilation Fans finished. I also have three out of five Longitudinal Ventilation Fans done. I still have two more large fans to build and to place the screens on all. About a weeks worth of time to finish this part of the build. Bye for now.

IMG_0200_zps39d3ccc2.jpg

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This build gets better and better. The fans alone are more work than I can imagine.

The photos clear up a mystery for me about the red wall. It's actually a junction box, RichO's first picture shows it has been removed after the control room has been upgraded.

Fantastic work and a great thread building up :blush: here :worthy:

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Hi Rich,

you have been very busy with the fans, which is a very elaborate work but it's coming along nicely. cool.gif

Now only missing the protective grids, right? Maybe the propeller blades you might have still rotated slightly, but it looks great. zustimm.gif

Why did the propeller painted so bright, that you can see them better below the dark grids? undecided.gif

hallo.gif

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SLEEPER,

Thanks for the nice words and for being a fan! I think all I have done for the past month is build fans. I still have a ways to go. Thanks

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MANFRED,

Thanks again my friend for the good words!

I still have the protective grids to install and also the cooling slats on the back side of a few of these. I painted the fan blades an orange-yellow color so a person could see them from looking inside the models interior. The original color is a drab grey color. This would not look so good on the model and would be hard to see.

A member of my local IPMS club, through me a curve ball the other day and asked why the fan blades did not spinn! I didn't even think of that. It would have been so easy to use a pushpin in the center and make them spinn. Like I don't put myself through enough already. Thanks.

Edited by RichO
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HEY ALL,

So the fans build is comming to an end, sort of. I have a few more photos of the fan construction and wrapping up this part of the build.

This photo is a test fit of the fans on side 4.

IMG_0202_zps5e836999.jpg

This photo shows the test fit of the side 2 location.

IMG_0203_zps615445cb.jpg

This final photo is of the finished fans. I have five fans that each have 102 parts. I also have four fans that have 70 parts each. 790 parts to build these nine fans!! ( Oh, it's really to 'ot in here!! I need a fan!). But wait, thats not all! the next part of the build is ( you guessed it!!) more fans!!!

IMG_0201_zps0eb7b2b7.jpg

I'll be back with some photos of the engine's water cooling fans. Thanks all for liking the thread, and to all who left comments, Thanks so much, it keeps me going through these tough times.

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PETE,

You must have ESP! The next fan build I have to do is of the four giant water cooling Radiators. Giant diesel engines need giant radiators to cool the water. These babies are like, 7 feet tall and wide! I'll have some photos for ya soon. Thanks

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Hello Rich,

you are the absolute MFM (Master of Fan Modeling), congratulations. 70.gif

It is unbelievable how much effort you are investing for these fans, which are barely visible on the finished model. shocked.gif

:goodjob:

I stay tuned.

hallo.gif

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MANFRED,

You know me, I love the little details! It's why I've been following your build for a year and a half. Keep up the great job!

Thanks for the good words, and BTW: In the USA, anything said that starts with the letters "M F" is not a good thing! It refears to a not so good comment about one's Mother... just to let you know. Thanks

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HEY ALL,

A build report on the Water Cooling Radiators.

These are the basic parts for a radiator fan. This fan is about seven feet tall and wide on the real crawler, quite large!

IMG_0206_zps633f2345.jpg

Building the fan box itself was not to complex so far. As always, just slow going, small parts.

IMG_0207_zpse26d7d59.jpg

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These are the parts for the internal fan box.

IMG_0210_zpse89e6339.jpg

The front side of the Radiator, so far

IMG_0211_zpsc528a7b7.jpg

And the back side of the Water Coolong radiator.

IMG_0212_zps309d16b2.jpg

Now I have to build the external parts of the Radiator. This part of the construction has me building, the pullies and belts to spin the fan blades, safty cages around the pully system, drive shafts, and the electric motor that runs the fan. I'll be back with more photos of the rest of the assemblies and I'll try to find a photo or two of the actual Water Radiator on the real crawler.

Thanks All for following along, untill next time!

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MANFRED,

You know me, I love the little details! It's why I've been following your build for a year and a half. Keep up the great job!

Thanks for the good words, and BTW: In the USA, anything said that starts with the letters "M F" is not a good thing! It refears to a not so good comment about one's Mother... just to let you know. Thanks

omgsign.gif

This is my own word creation with abbreviation, I hope you understand what I mean, and not what other guys might think or mean. :rolleyes:

hallo.gif

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MANFRED,

I hope you know that I'm just pulling your leg! Besides i know you well enough to know you ment only what you said. I'll try to remember to put a LOL when I'm joking with you. Keep building my friend!

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HEY ALL,

An update for the Water Cooling Radiator.

The big fan blade that is shown in the last post is driven by an electric motor. This motor on the model is 5mm wide x 1cm long. I had 32 parts to build this tiny thing!

The parts for the electric motor.

IMG_0211_zps4b796134.jpg

The parts assembled.

IMG_0212_zpsa721ffa1.jpg

The parts with the insulator at the back.

IMG_0218_zps02a6987e.jpg

Two photos of the motor with the cooling fins applied

IMG_0223_zps41c01853.jpg

IMG_0224_zps453e1404.jpg

The motor has a Pully and Belt assembly that fits between the motor and the fan blade. With a safty cage around the pully and belt, this one Radiator will be finished. I'm off right now to find a NASA photo of the Water Cooling radiator for you all to see.

Thats all for today kids, please check back again soon. Thanks!

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HEY ALL,

This is the last step for the Water Cooling Radiator. I have now finished the first radiator, and it's time to go into mass production. But a small run of only three more to build.

The screen that I used is a 40 mesh stainless steel, painted gloss black. I think this is a nice contrast to the grey. On the real crawler everything is painted battleship grey. As a retired art director, I have a hard time with everything being painted the same color. I sort of like some contrast and complimentary colors going on with my builds. Even tho this my not be historicaly correct, I think it looks a lot better to be able to see some variation in colors as apposed to all being the same grey ( It's more important to look good, than to feel good!) Anyway I'm just rambling here.

These are the parts for the Pully assembly.

IMG_02232_zps851e95ff.jpg

These two photos show the total finished Water Cooling Radiator, front and back.

IMG_0227_zpsb89a4293.jpg

IMG_0225_zps5762d456.jpg

BTW, I have found a good photo of the radiator on the real carwler, but I haven't quite figured out how to take a frame out of a video and post it. I'll keep working on that, and I'll have more photos of the production line.

Thanks All for liking and comments. Thats all for now.

Edited by RichO
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The screen that I used is a 40 mesh stainless steel, painted gloss black. I think this is a nice contrast to the grey. On the real crawler everything is painted battleship grey. As a retired art director, I have a hard time with everything being painted the same color. I sort of like some contrast and complimentary colors going on with my builds. Even tho this my not be historicaly correct, I think it looks a lot better to be able to see some variation in colors as apposed to all being the same grey ( It's more important to look good, than to feel good!)

I would also think that if everything was the same colour, a lot of that beautiful detail would become invisible. Having it in a contrasting colour means it will show up a lot better.

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Hi Rich,

very nice update for the Water Cooling Radiator, especially the tiny motor is an excellent miniature and and I like it. :speak_cool: But you have forget to install the V-belt, so the fan can not run. :analintruder:

Joking aside, :goodjob:

BTW, has Mischa also templates for the huge diesel engines in his Paper Kit?

ctengine.jpg

Source: NASA

I would not be surprised if you put the other motors and generators also want to build, right? cool.gif​

BTW, mid-2012 one of NASA’s gigantic crawler transporters got an overhaul and was receiving new engines and other improvements that will allow it to carry the future Space Launch System (SLS) rockets. I have found some interesting photos, maybe you know.

Here the old diesel engines being lifted out of the crawler,

crawler-transporter-9.jpg

Source: NASA (Kim Shiflett)

and so appears the new generation of diesel engines.

crawler-transporter-10.jpg

Source: NASA (Kim Shiflett)

Last but not least, the coloring is always a matter of taste, and here the artist should, however, be granted the freedom for changes. 377.gif
Personally, I primarily orient myself to the original real thing, as you know. gut.gif In this point, your approach is maybe then more an interesting demonstration object than the real thing and your individual painting is a nice stylistic device in order to emphasize certain details in this way, why not. :whistle:
Keep up the great work. zustimm.gif
hallo.gif
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COLIN,

Thanks for checking back. Glad you like the fan, there are more fans to build.

GORDON,

That's right. I want everybody to see the details. The contrast and shadows are what makes people realy notice the model.

MANFRED,

There is a vicious rumor about, that Mischa is going to do all the interior componants at a later date. I think this would be so cool. The interior is full of engines, motors, giant liquid storage tanks, generators, pumps...etc. However I am having a real hard time finding photos of the Apollo era interior, so I sure hope Mischa can find them and maybe produce some patterns to look at, but I'm not sure if that is a priority any time soon. You know me, I'd love to build these and install 'em.

I have most of the photos I could find, and more as I go along with the build. The new engines and water cooling radiators really do not look like any of the Apollo era stuff, so not much of a reference item there.

I am a big fan of artistic freedom. I had artistic parents, and I had an entire art career of nearly 30 years as a pro artist, so this is quite important to me. Besides, it's my model damn it! LOL

Lastly, GO TEAM GERMANY!!! I should be rooting for an American team, but I don't know anybody that is wanting Argentina to win.

Thanks All.

Edited by RichO
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