Saturn V SATURN V With Lunar Module - AMT 1:200

[Julien]

SATURN V With Lunar Module

AMT 1:200

 

The Saturn V rocket was the largest in the family of Saturn rockets developed by NASA for its Apollo and Skylab programs. It was a multistage liquid fuelled expendable launcher. NASA launched a total of 13 Saturn V rockets in total and it holds the record for the heaviest payload to low earth orbit of 118,000 Kgs. Even though this is the official record it has been said that weights up to 240,000 Kgs were carried (on Apollo 15).

The Saturn rockets were developed under the leadership of Wernher von Braun, and Arthur Rudolph, who the Americans successfully removed from Germany after WWII under Operation Paperclip. Major industrial collaboration was needed on a programme of this scale with Boeing, North American Aviation, and Douglas Aircraft providing the aerospace expertise. IBM was to provide the computing expertise needed.

The Saturn V would consist of three main stages, an instrumentation package with the Lunar Module (+adaptor), Service Module, Command module; and launch escape tower on the top. The first stage made by Boeing house 2000 tonnes of rocket fuel and liquid oxygen and generated 7600000 Lbf of thrust on launch via 5 Rocketdyne F-1 engines; stage one would run for 168 seconds getting the Saturn V to an altitude of 67km. Stage 2 built by North American Aviation would then kick in. Using liquid Hydrogen & oxygen through its 5 Rocketdyne J-2 engines 1100000 Lbf of thrust was generated. The last rocket stage 3 was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company and used the same fuel as stage 2. Stage 3 only had one J-2 engine though it burned for 2 ½ minutes to ensure allow for orbital insertion. On top of all three stages sat the instrument package designed by IBM.

On top of the three main rocket stages sat the business part of the rocket. The lunar module adaptor covered the lunar module manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Engineering. This would take the astronauts down to the moons surface, and bring them back to the command module later. The service module made by North American Aviation sat above this. The command & service modules would orbit the moon while the lunar module went to the moons surface. This is where the crew would live on their journey to and from the moon. The command module would be the only part of the whole rocket to return intact to the Earth. This was fitted with a heat shield to survive re-entry. Lastly on the very top of the rocket was the Launch Escape Tower. In the event of a catastrophic failure of the rocket on launch the tower would pull the command module away from the explosion and allow it to land with its parachute system.

To date the Saturn V is the only rocket to carry humans beyond low earth orbit, A total of 24 astronauts were launched to the moon between 1968 and 1972. Following the Apollo mission NASA created the AAP (Apollo Applications Program) which looked into missions which could be performed using Apollo hardware. Skylab was the only launch not related to the Moon landing program. The Saturn V remains to this day the tallest, heaviest and most powerful operational rocket system.

The Kit
The kit arrived on five sprues of white plastic. The rocket can be assembled as one part, or it can be made to come apart to revel all the different sections and internal modules. Construction seems fairly similar to how the real rocket was assembled.

 

 

 

The first construction step is the rockets first stage. The five main engines are built up and attached to the engine fairing. The two sides of the first stage are joined together at the same time installing the to bulkhead for the Liquid oxygen tank. The interstage fairing is then attached.

 

 

 

 

The next stage is shockingly the second stage of the rocket. The five engines are attached to the second stage engine support; this is then added to the second stage which is assembled from its two parts and the top liquid oxygen bulkhead. The third stage is is then assembled in exactly the same way as stage 2, but there is only one engine to add. None of the first three stages need to be glued together in order that the rocket can come apart to explain how it functioned.

 

 

 

 

On top of the third stage is where it gets interesting. If you wish the rocket to be used for a display then the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), the LEM housing, and the service module can be assembled at this point. The LEM housing parts should be be glued together if you want to display it open.

 

 

 

 

Finally the Command module and escape tower are constructed and added to the top of the rocket.

Decals
A small decal sheet provides the National Markings for the rocket. The decal she looks in register and quite matt. There is no mention of the maker.

 

 

 

Conclusion
This should make upto a nice model of the Saturn V rocket without it being too big to display. If needed it can be made into a good instructional aid of how the rocket worked. Overall recommended if you want a smaller Saturn V in your collection.

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of
UK distributors for

If you would like more info on the Saturn V then please look at our walkaround

 

 

[Bear13583]

I have glued together the same from the 'man in space' set. Going to follow this and hopefull get round to painting it at some point!

[oldmodeler]

Made this kit about 30 years ago, the nice thing is that it all clips together nicely, except for the service and command module, you may want to make some kind of method for clipping these together.