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Launch 14 - Cooper's Rocket


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Thanks for the looks guys!

 

Hey All,

 

  Building the two towers continues.  I'm waiting for more supplies to arrive for the construction of the Service Tower.  So in the mean time, it's back to the Launch Tower.

 

  I have now finished building the first two initial segments of the Launch Tower.  The top of the tower is the part I have been working on for a while now.

 

  With all the steps involved in constructing this top level, I have now reached the final assembly of this level.

 

  The last parts for this level...

 

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I had some small stuff to work with...

 

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Test fitting, as always...These parts have a snug tight fit.

 

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The ladder cage installed...

 

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The state of things to date...

 

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The glue tube is 5cm long.

 

    The next step in the construction is to join these two segments together.  I have measured the height of the two basics together, 23cm, and a mass of detail to add to these.  

 

I'll be back with what ever I'm working on next,  Later........

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Hey All,

 

  One thing I have noticed about diorama building is how fast things change with the build.  I have to report and post about every other day just to keep up with myself, or I'd have a hundred photos to load by weeks end.  Cool for you guys to watch tho.

 

  I 'm still waiting for my supplies for the Service Tower, and the launch tower is evolving fast.  The extension of the main bracing from the top of the tower to the launch pad was not so complicated to build, just fragile.  

 

The connection of the top structure and the tower body went well with no hitches.  I now have a single unit for the main tower structure.

 

dDvFhI.jpg

 

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This finished height might be extended even taller, depending on how I decide to pose the display at the end of the build.

 

Off to the tower bracing extension...The frame and the platforms...

 

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This is shown temporarily placed...

 

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Now I need to get all this secured into place and ready for install to the launch pad.  I still have pages of details to add to this structure, but you can see how it will add to the Revell kit.

 

I'll be working on this part of the build for a bit.  I expect supplies this weekend, then it's time to start the construction proper of the Service Tower.

 

Thanks for watching.....

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Thanks for the great comments guys!

 

  Hey All,

 

  Today,s report deals with the Astronaut Transport System.  This is the part of the Launch Umbilical Tower that the Astronaut uses to get into the rocket capsule.

 

  First up is the Lift Cage.  The Astronaut gets into the lift at the bottom of the Launch Tower on the back side of the Launch Pad.  This is the only photo I have ever seen of this.

 

HBw4VM.jpg

 

You can see above, the concrete pad that the cage lands onto.  I was supplied one of these with the kit.  However it is just a small square of bent brass.  I will build the pad and steps with styrene and paint grey to match the rest of the area of the build.

 

The parts...

 

Dnxm0N.jpg

 

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The cage then lifts the Astronaut to the Boarding Ramp.

 

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The parts for the Boarding Ramp...

 

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Once I got this installed, I had to pin it into place so parts would not fall off.

 

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Then the Astronauts can climb into the capsule...

 

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These photos are of the Loading Ramp closed...

 

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The conclusion of the Launch Umbilical Tower is quickly approaching.  I have a few more items to build, so stay next to that screen.  I'll be back with more details added.

 

Thanks All.

 

Today's movie:  Monolith Monsters, 1957

 

 

 

 

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Hey Guys,

 

  This report is of the support for the Umbilical Lines.  

 

  I had to build an Umbilical Support Tower, that is attached to the main support structure, that is attached to the main Launch Tower.  

 

  This was a little sketchy to build, as the kit parts were very thin and fragile, and this was the easiest bend to mess up big time.  Also the kit parts were badly bent from shipping.  Good thing brass is so easy to bend back into shape.

 

The parts...

 

hhkEu5.jpg

 

 

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These are now painted and assembled...

 

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And installed...

 

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I will spend the rest of today finishing this tower build.  I just have a few small details to add and this part of the build is done.

 

I'll be back with photos of the overall finished tower next...

 

Thanks Everyone!

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I cannot believe it has been over a year since I last posted on this incredible build  :sorry:( I do have to get out more) man Rich you are a building machine :like:

 

Regards

Richard

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Thanks Guys and Kev for the comments! 

 

  This report is a two fold sort of deal.  I have finished the Launch Umbilical Tower mini build, and have started the build for the Service Tower.

 

  The final touches for the Launch Tower, was simply to add the final details.  However I should remind myself that simple dose not always mean easy.  I just had a few dozen parts to clean up and paint.  This seem to take me hours because of the movie...

 

  The final parts...

 

85fupM.jpg

 

Cleaned and painted...

 

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Time to move on a bit...

 

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   I have finished with the Launch Tower, until the final install into the diorama.  Some parts need to stay lose until I get the tower secured to the launch pad. 

 

Time for the Service Tower.

 

OaCZyE.jpg

 

  In the photo above you can see how this entire structure sits on the carrier wheels that move everything from the rail car to the launch pad rails.  Directly above the wheels is the main foundation frame.  This is a rectangle frame that sits on top of the carrier wheels and is made of the "I" beams that support everything above it.

 

4VD190.jpg

 

  In the photo above you can see that the carrier wheels, at the bottom of the tower, sit on top of the rail car bed.  Atop the carrier wheels is the end "I" beam of the main foundation.  Notice that everything below this foundation beam is flat and square, and the iron above this beam has a severe angle to it. 

 

  I started with the supplied kit parts for the carrier wheels, then started my "I" beam construction of the foundation perimeter.

 

The end beams...

 

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Squaring up the frame...

 

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Everything looks good so far...

 

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 I saw in one photo what looks like a work deck on this level.  The photo was very small and I might have convinced myself that the deck was actually there, but I like it closed up instead of left open.

 

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  Now that I have a solid foundation to build on, it's time to get vertical!

 

I'll be back with the start of the (spaghetti erection?) Service Tower.  Thanks All....

 

The movie was "Earth vs the Flying Saucers" 1956

 

 

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Rich,

Fabulous as always. Highly impressive stuff.

Love your movie choices. If only I had the time....

On a couple of your earlier pictures,

What do the two guys talk about as the elevator goes up?

Secondly, helping the Astronaut in at the top. Why wear a hard hat right up there?

 

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Hey All,

 

  I have finished building the first level of the Service Tower, and now, I finally realized what I have gotten myself into.  Five and a half days to build these two first levels of the tower.  

 

  First up is the carrier frame.  I reworked these to better match a cleaner photo I had found, after I built these.  All I did was to take off the work deck that I thought I saw.  After that I added some cross beams to better show how I now believe it should look.

 

Before...

 

ZFx8yW.jpg

 

After...

 

hmX3Io.jpg

 

 

It dose add to the openness of the carriers...

 

wkag5h.jpg

 

  After I got that sorted, it was time to start the tower proper, with the first level.

 

  As you could imagine, this is going to be tedious and time eating.  The first thing was to draft out a plan of the beam layout.

 

wrKJh4.jpg

 

  Then, I'm sorry to say...this build is going to be nothing but cutting styrene profiles to length.

 

piCQQA.jpg

 

Two days build time...

 

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Five days...

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And a half day at the paint shop...

 

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This was fun to build but very slow.  I'll be back with level two fun and games, after this commercial break...

 

Thanks All......

 

Today's movie was, "The Angry Red Planet", 1960.

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Very impressive start with the beam framework. :coolio:

 

Do you have to cut all the profies individually or have you a cutting tool like the Choppersmiley215.gif

 

IMG_3582_rotated_grande.jpg?v=1516306183

Source: evergreenscalemodels.com

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Hi Manfred,

 

  I do not have a chopper.  I cut my beams a little longer than I need, then trim these when I glue everything together.  Everything is hand cut.  Nice chopper tho!

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Hey All,

 

  The second level of the Service tower is done, mostly.  I have finished with the construction of the frame work for the second level and placed the flooring for the third level.

 

  The start is the same as last time.  Just trimming profiles of styrene.  Once I got the measurements worked out, it was time to cut...

 

r3MmzV.jpg

 

 

Some heavier profiles of styrene to support the next level.  Once I get a basic idea of how I am going to approach the construction, then comes the tedious work of trimming all the profiles square and true.  This is the basic shape of this level.

4x22LJ.jpg

 

 

Starting to add the support beams...

 

KM0FA3.jpg

 

 

When I got everything just so, I cut the flooring to see how this would look.

 

zIB56F.jpg

 

 

This is the finished frame work for this level.  I still have some bracing to add after this level is secured to the tower.

 

ywUmuq.jpg

 

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After everything looked good, it was off to paint...

 

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All fresh painted with new flooring...

 

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You can see, if you look closely. that I have not secured the second level to the first level at this point.  I still have parts in the paint shop that need to be secured with this, at the same time.

 

vVroVE.jpg

 

 

The Revell measurements and proportions are a little fiddly to work with, but everything fits where it's supposed to go...

 

427cIQ.jpg

 

  The state of the project as of now.  A few more brace items for this level, and I get to start the third level.

 

  The third level is going to be the start of a lot of extra details to add to each level now.  Once I get this secured to the first level, I will have hand rails to add around this floor.  Extra bracing for the floors above.  I also need to build a back shed and install walls and siding...

 

1TKL3Q.jpg

 

As this part of the build will continue for some time, I may break up the tedium with outbursts of auto construction, or landscaping. Or fuel tank building, or....I still have a long way to go on this build.

 

  Thanks all for watching........

 

 

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I've been preoccupied on other things for the past couple of weeks and have only just caught up with this. It's terrific Rich, simply amazing.

 

Oh, and I notice you're an M&M's guy. Me too...you can't beat 'em

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Hey Dio Builders,

 

  It's been a week or so of still building the Service Tower.  I started with building the back face and shed.  I am now going to attempt to build this tower a face at a time.  This is sort of a "U" shaped tower, and I will build a side at a time as I go around the structure inside and out.  I have several photos that show the tower is not the same on both sides.

 

  Today's show and tell is the construction of the back face.

 

I taped the main rails to my plan and started cutting and gluing...

 

rbpcWj.jpg

 

 

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Once I had most everything cut that was needed for the start, it was time to weld all this together...

 

hBAEkE.jpg

 

The shed...

 

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Off and on, a weeks worth of build time...

 

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Fresh from the paint shop...

 

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I just thought I would see what this looks like with the model...

 

 

rP2ZuY.jpg

 

 

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I see in the photos, some gaps that need filling, but now it's off to start on the sides construction.  At this time the build is just cutting and gluing, so not much to report as to the construction, but the construction can be easily seen with the photos.

 

I'll be back with some of the construction of sides.  Thanks All for looking.

 

  Today's movie:  "Invasion of the Bodysnatchers"  1956

 

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Hey Guys,

 

  The building of the launch tower continues.

 

  This weeks report is building the side walls of the tower.  This took a bit of time to figure out the sizes of everything.  And like last time, once I got the measurements, then the cutting and gluing commenced. 

 

You can see that the side of the tower is quite complex in the arrangement of the beams.  I added enough beams to look good. but not so much as to overwhelm the build.

 

2SoUyU.jpg

 

tSf11a.jpg

 

I had a bit of a time trying to figure out which beams went where. Once I studied the photos. I got to cutting.  It all starts with the walls...

 

 

Yg5IrU.jpg

 

abV2xx.jpg

 

Beams, and beams, and beams.....

ePnm1P.jpg

 

The placement looks fine to start.  It's all the details that will make this thing look right...

 

YDpgtN.jpg

 

 

In this photo you can see the side wall is complete, and I'm ready to start the next one...

 

 

metOaC.jpg

 

OkUCrN.jpg

 

 

Now that I have built one of these, the next one will take half the time.  I still have so much to do before I can attach these to the tower base.  The build continues, then off to paint.

 

I'll be back with more tower construction again soon,  stay tuned............

 

Today's movie: "First Spaceship on Venus" 1959

 

 

 

  

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Thanks Guys!

 

  The tower building continues.  I have finished building the two outside wings of the tower.  These are the four major sub sections that I needed to build before I could get some sort of reasonable resemblance to the Service Tower.

 

zcs9rP.jpg

 

First wing added...

 

xEygJm.jpg

 

 

Now it's starting to look like something...

 

awxKCE.jpg

 

ciGRyv.jpg

 

YZ5e7J.jpg

 

 

Ev0PYe.jpg

 

 

Thanks for watching everyone,  I'll be back......

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