Eric Mc Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 After almost three months of intensive accounts preparation and tax return work, I am ready at long last to return to the modelling workbench. In order to preserve any form of sanity over the period and to give my brain a break from tax work, I've been reading up on project Apollo and have really built up a head of enthusiasm for doing an Apollo related subject. I decided that it was about time I had a Saturn V in my collection - especially as it will provide an impressive comparison to my already completed similar scale Space Shuttle and Saturn IB. The kit I have in my collection is the re-released and updated version of the now very old Airfix Saturn V. Like the Saturn IB model, Airfix released corrected versions in 2009/10. The main area of correction is the Command/Service Module (CSM) which is now of the correct dimensions and features the proper surface details for a Block II Command/Service module. The original kit had a Command Service Module which was under scale and the panel details were based on Block I designs - which were never used for manned Apollo missions. As a consequence of the CSM dimension corrections, the Lunar Module Adaptor fairing is now also corrected. Elsewhere the model remains much as it has since it was first released in 1970. The moulds are definitely past their best and a close inspection of some elements, such as the first stage engines (the mighty F1) shows plenty of flash and, in one case, an actual hole in the engine exhaust bell - which will have to be patched somehow. I'm not terribly worried about seam lines or damage etc on these engines because, in real life, when sitting on the pad ready for launch, these engines were "batted" i.e. they were covered in a heat protective ablative material - rather like a blanket. I intend to use foil to replicate this material and it will hide a multitude of mould flaws, damage etc. I built an Airfix Saturn V way back in 1980/81 and it will be an interesting experience revisiting this monster after three and a half decades. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billydick Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Good luck with this one Eric .... be following with interest BillyD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Here you can see some of the problems apparent with the engines.This is a picture showing one half of one of the six J-2 engines provided. The second stage had five of these and the top stage had one. You will notice a large protuberance in the centre of the engine bell. This did not feature in the original release of the Airfix kit. However, in 1980, when Airfix was owned by Palitoy, they turned some of their kits into what they called "Snap n'Glue" supposedly to make them easier to build. Large location holes and pins were added to the original moulds. Whether they aided construction back then is a moot point. All they do today is get in the way and prevent even mating of the parts. So - one of the first thing you have to do in the construction sequence is remove all these unwanted lugs. Once removed, the parts fit much better.The second picture shows one of the five F1 engines of the first stage. You can see the damage to the part which appears to be caused by a faulty mould. The mould is now 45 years old and is obviously really past its best.I have place a backing plate of plasticard behind the hole and will fill the gap with putty.As I mentioned earlier, the foil batting material will cover all these repairs and mould flaws.Her's what the batted engines looked like in real life- 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisCummins Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I'll be following this with interest Keen to see how you get on with the foil engine batting! Cheers, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 The batting on the engines has perplexed modellers for years. Indeed, it wasn't 100% clear until fairly recently that this "batting" was carried out at all. As can be seen from the photos, it was definitely something that was done. The problem seems to be that the batting process was one of the last carried out on the Saturn V before it was rolled out of the Vertical Assembly Building - which is why photos of what it looked like are quite rare. Most pictures of the F1 engines show them "unbatted"!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Progress report - All the engine bells have been assembled now and await cleaning and sanding before priming. The next task is to remove these odd fairings which are on the second (SII) stage. These were not featured on real Saturn Vs so need to come off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Hi Eric, nice to see your start with the Airfix Saturn V (1:144) because I have the same kit in updated version in my collection, I would like to build after finishing my Launch pad 39A project. So I am looking forward to your progress report and I'm very curious. Since I am a friend of tiny details, I will probably build the F1 engines without the protective cover you will build. The batted F1 engines I have seen by LVM Studios for the Dragon Saturn V, but only in 1:72. Good luck, I stay tuned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I'll be watching this build with interest, as I built this model in 2009, but have since built the Dragon 1/72 Saturn V,which is a beast ! If you need any extra info just PM me, as I've LOADs of stuff on the Saturn V / Apollo 11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Thanks for the offer. I don't want to get too bogged down in additional details. I'm more interested in removing the erroneous details on the kit rather than adding lots of extra stuff. I would also like to get the model completed within a month - which would be a bit of an achievement for me. Some models look better from a distance - especially mine 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I would also like to get the model completed within a month - which would be a bit of an achievement for me. I only know this too well (currently I try this with a Sea King - excluding decals. It is alread an epic fail...). Will watch this with interest. Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Welcome back to modelling Eric! Look forward to seeing your progress on this - needless to say I built one of these way back in the mid 70s but I can't remember anything more about it than IT WAS AN APOLLO ROCKET!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Hope to make a bit more progress over the weekend. Mid-week modelling for me is always rather slow. I've managed to get through quite a bit of model filler during the week trying to tidy up the seams of the rocket body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 11, 2015 Author Share Posted February 11, 2015 Have the day off today and so decided to do some work on the Saturn. Lots of filling and filing going on, I have to say.One item that needs correcting is the heat shield which protects the base of the SII stage from the heat of the five J engines. The kit item doesn't look awfully like the real thing. I found some references on the internet which show the true shape. It could do with being completely replaced but I am just altering it a bit to make it look a bit better. Most of the time it will be hidden from view anyway.The second image shows the shield part way through being amended.And if anybody says anything, the Saturn V displayed at cape Canaveral has left this shield off. ` 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartG Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Eric - the kit has the S-II outer engines way too far apart - they should be much nearer the centre like this..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Thanks for that. I'm not going to spend time accurising too much - especially areas that won't be seen most of the time. I want to get it finished within a reasonable amount of time. The plan is to have it ready for my next monthly club meeting - which will be on March 9th. I spent some time over the weekend painting the tank domes and rocket engine bells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 Some progress has been made on the model. It's currently part primed using Halfords Grey Primer. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 One whole can of Halford's White Primer later - Next task will be an application of Halford's Appliance White - hopefully not the whole can this time. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Well, I definitely won't have the model finished in time for this evening's Farnborough IPMS meeting. I found myself beginning to rush things and make mistakes. So I decided to give up on the idea of finishing it by tonight. Because of serious bleeding on the "flared" fairings at the base of the rocket, I decided to sand off the poor painting and try again. I still hope to finish everything within a couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 tsk tsk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 I'm bleedin' furious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Next month then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Painting now completed and ready for decal application. I've left off some of the final fragile items, such as the Launch Escape Tower until after all the decals have been applied. I gave up on the idea of batting the F1 engines as the wrapping with foil did not really convey the right look. Should be completed by the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisCummins Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Looks great Eric. I've been too busy with work recently to make any progress on mine, so looks like you win this space race! The detail on your Airfix kit looks a lot nice to boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 (edited) Calling this one done now.With the exception of the Jupiter C (which is about 1/120 scale), all the other models are in 1/144 - so the size comparisons are genuine. It really shows how big the Saturn V was. . Edited March 15, 2015 by Eric Mc 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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