Launch 14 - Cooper's Rocket

[roma847]

If Rich likes it so, everything is okay, no problem.           

 

I try to replicate the original as much as possible on the basis of reference images.

 

That is all a matter of taste and of the own entitlement. 

[Badder]

Just caught up on your build Rich..... extraordinary stuff. I would expect this to end up in a museum or on display in a techinical college or similar!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Timmas]

28 minutes ago, Badder said:

..... extraordinary stuff. I would expect this to end up in a museum or on display in a techinical college or similar!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

Yep, I agree. I said something similar about his scratch-built Maz (which is here if you haven't seen it):

But I think Rich said he just puts his models away when they're done and he moves onto the next project. That's a real shame in my view...people should see them.

 

So, Rich, people think your models should have a wider audience 😲 !

[RichO]

Hey Guys,

 

  I really enjoy the conversation here about building this as an acurite scale model, or good representation, there of.   I'm trying to take the same approach that Revell did with their original design.  A good representation of an acurite subject.  Revell did not get a lot of things correct about the accuracy,  but they did get a good and fun representation of the subject, acurite enough that everyone looking knows what this is representing.  

 

  I have no clue about a lot of this build, simply because I just do not have references for the items.  I'm sort of building this diorama the same way they built the space program and especially these early rockets, "by the seat of your pants".  If it misfires a bit, oh well.  I'll rebuild again after the test results.  

 

  So if I put a stairway on the back side to match the front side, I am just having fun and building the way I want to, but making it look like Revell designed it this way.  I have no reference that shows one way or another.  But people need to get to the top of the ramp from both sides.  Makes sense to me.

 

  Having FUN is what it's about........

[RichO]

2 hours ago, Badder said:

Just caught up on your build Rich..... extraordinary stuff. I would expect this to end up in a museum or on display in a techinical college or similar!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

Thanks Badder!  That's nice praise from a master builder.  I'll try not to disappoint. 

[RichO]

2 hours ago, Timmas said:

Yep, I agree. I said something similar about his scratch-built Maz (which is here if you haven't seen it):

But I think Rich said he just puts his models away when they're done and he moves onto the next project. That's a real shame in my view...people should see them.

 

So, Rich, people think your models should have a wider audience 😲 !

Thanks Timmas!  Ya, I don't get out much.  I live in a small town and any wider audience is 60 miles away or more.  And I'm not that great with the computer, however my next scratch project will be on more model sites.  Thanks.

[RichO]

8 hours ago, roma847 said:

If Rich likes it so, everything is okay, no problem.           

 

I try to replicate the original as much as possible on the basis of reference images.

 

That is all a matter of taste and of the own entitlement. 

  Thanks Manfred,  Everyone should know that as far as I am concerned, Manfred is the exact reason that the Germans have a world wide reputation for engineering!  A super driven attention to detail that drives the rest of us nuts!

 

  It's a Revell kit, not a Manfred Rhor kit.  I'm guessing that there would be a huge difference between the two. LOL.

 

Lovin' your build Manfred!

[RichO]

Hi Everyone,

 

  I have finished building the four stairways that I needed to place.  I have full 100% references for three of the stairways and the last one I built because I thought it would look good, and it made sense to me, even tho I can find no reference for it.

 

  I left off with having to rebuild the front stairway.  That accomplished, I move to the other stairs.  

 

  I had two small access stairs that are placed at each end of the access platform...red circles........

 

 

These are hard to see even with a clear image.  Mostly, I bashed these, with some scratch.  I tried to take the photo close to the same angle..........

 

 

  Then I had the ramp block stairways to build.  Again, the front stairway was mostly bashed from a couple of places. The back stairway (which I have no references for at all, so I just pulled this out of thin air, because the back wall was blank, and an access from the back side seemed reasonable), was totally scratch built.

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was off to the paint shop........

 

 

 

The back steps installed.........

 

 

The front stairway installed.........

 

 

The back stairs.......

 

 

And a head on view with all the stairways installed...

 

 

That's it for the stairways for a while.  I will have a ton more with the towers.

 

  I have been considering the guard rails around the launch tarmac.  I'll have a ton of these, mostly scratched.  However these will be very fragile and easy to knock off the build.  I think I'll wait a bit on those.

 

  I still want to build vertical for some reason, so I'll start with the rocket launch gear next.  And it's time to start texturing the ground.

 

 I'll be back soon,  Thanks All.........

 

P.S.  Today's movie is "Rodan" 1956.  Fun stuff.........

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[roma847]

3 hours ago, RichO said:

  Thanks Manfred,  Everyone should know that as far as I am concerned, Manfred is the exact reason that the Germans have a world wide reputation for engineering!  A super driven attention to detail that drives the rest of us nuts!

 

  It's a Revell kit, not a Manfred Rhor kit.  I'm guessing that there would be a huge difference between the two. LOL.

 

Lovin' your build Manfred!

 

Thanks Rich for your nice words, Donald Trump would say: Fake News! 

 

 

[bar side]

Something about the section reminds me of a railway bridge through a factory site I worked on - all pipes & conduit running across the site.  When i was there it was working but this was once the site was abandoned & then demolished

 

 

Keep up up the good work 😀

Edited May 6, 2018 by bar side

[RichO]

Great Dio photo Bar!

[RichO]

Hey All,

 

  The vertical assent has started, but very slowly at first.

 

  I started with building the rocket transporter.  The transporter is a handling cradle that carries the Atlas rocket and is powered by a tractor. I have found a few photos of this

 

 

 

  When I received this kit via post, it was banged up a bit to say the least.  The delicate nature of the cradle ensured that it arrived in several pieces.

 

 

 

After getting all the parts back together,  was time to build the trailer...

 

 

This is a photo of some of my toys.......

 

 

Once I got the trailer together, I started building the rocket elevators.

 

  The rocket elevators hold the rocket in place on the pad before launch.  I have many photos of this......

 

 

This bit of build was a nice complicated lattice work of fragile parts...

 

 

In more than several photos, the rocket elevators are painted yellow.  I have two versions, but only one is yellow.  I had to mix and match the parts.  Some parts were broken so I just traded parts to get a complete set.

 

 

 

 

It is at this time that I have to consider the Launch Tower.  The Launch Tower kit from LVM Studios, has some parts that need to be considered as part of the rocket elevator assembly.

 

  The LVM Launch Tower kit is a complex kit of PE brass.  I really don't like the flat 2D nature of photoetch, but this is a very nice kit...

 

 

 

 

Once I got things sorted, I finished up the trailer and rocket elevators...My wife and I use the same room for our hobbies.  We work together a lot of the times and sometimes end up in each others photos. Busy hands........

 

 

 

 

 

 

All kinds of fun going on here.  I'll be back with more cool stuff.

 

Later All.........

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

Rich,

I just played catch up again. It's looking very impressive.

The stairs are a minor detail and I too could live with them as is.

On 4/30/2018 at 8:44 PM, bar side said:

what is that white stuff in the tub?

Spackle is a US generic term for what we know as Pollyfilla. 

 

[RichO]

  Thanks Pete,      The stairs are a minor detail overall.  I just went with what Revell had already established.  It's more important to me that I achieve an over all look that says Revell, rather than a precise historical representation. 

 

  I still seem to be struggling about rather to use the LVM Launch Tower kit or not.  I'm going to take a good look at materials available to see if I can scratch the Launch Tower using the LVM kit as a pattern.  This may not work out tho.  The LVM kit has some really small parts that might not work made from styrene.  I'm not against using the LVM kit at all, it just doesn't really look like a Revell kit.  A good look at the Revell kit show a product that is very "soft shouldered" and somewhat rounded in the corners, no sharp edges or points.  The PE Launch Tower kit is very sharp edged and flat.  Just the opposite of the plastic look.

 

  And thanks for the British name.

 

  

[RichO]

Hey Dio Guys,

 

  I have been working on some of the vehicles that I want to place around the scene.  I raided all the boxes that I have for this build and came up with a junk yard full of items.  I have several photos that show a multitude of different vehicles.  I can use some of the items in the kits as patterns to cast from to make the vehicles that I don't have.  Others can be scratch made from styrene.  But at the end of the day, as is, I don't have nearly enough vehicles to match the reference photos.

 

Welcome to Rich's scrapyard......

 

 

Once I got all that separated into the individual vehicles,  I started building the ones that I only need one copy of.

 

 

Only one Rocket Crane....

 

 

 

I'll return with more exciting items soon.......

 

P.S.  Today's movie is.....George Pal's "Destination Moon" , 1950.

[RichO]

Hi All,

 

  Today's report is about building the safety rails around the launch pad.

 

 

I had a bit of scratching to do, and I still have. Safety rails also go down the launch ramp.  However I'm holding off on that section for a bit.  I don't want to knock these off the ramp.

 

 

 

I have been working on the vehicle collection also.  I still need more cars and trucks.

 

 

That's the brief report for today.  While the vehicle construction is going to be an on going thing, I have also started with building the Service Tower.  More on that next report.

 

Thanks for looking...........

 

 

[bar side]

Handrails.  Simply one of the things I dislike most.  Trying to build some in 1/48 at the moment & the plastic refuses to stay stuck together despite the fact that the glue would normally melt model parts to an unrecognisable blob.  Last time I used a metal rod & soldered them because I had had enough.  Keep up the good work Rich

[longshanks]

Another tiny step forward ..................

 

Kev

[RichO]

Hey All,

 

  Time to start bending!

 

  Working with this, LVM Studios, kit is a dream.  The gauge of the metal is somewhat thicker than others I have worked with in the past.  This makes the piece a little harder to bend, but the finished part is very stable even for it's size.

 

  I took a day or so to check out the instructions very carefuly and get a grip on how the parts are laid out on the parts sheet.  When working with Leon's kit, be very careful. I have found that some parts are arranged on the parts sheet up-side-down!!  I'm guessing that this was to save space on the parts sheet.  Also no parts numbers.  I have to refer to an online parts sheet or on the supplied dvd, no numbers on the tree.

 

  Once I got a grip on how LVM has arranged their parts, it was time to timidly start the Launch Tower.  First up, locating the parts and getting them removed from the sheet.  This is a big sheet, 8.5 x 11.5 inches 207 x 293mm heavy gauge brass sheet with really small parts to bend.  However these parts are not as small as I have seen, with the AFV  Tank guys and their builds.  These are small for stairways and structure lattice.

 

The parts for the inside support structure and stairways.......

 

 

Because I was over concerned about keeping the bends square and true, I really took an over abundance of time to get these bent.  All day.

 

 

 

 

Because of the size of the bender that I use, I will have to rig for the bigger parts...

 

The first part of the tower is bent into a square tube, so I painted the inside first before I bent the part....

 

 

Fresh back from the paint shop...

 

 

 

Sorry about the gap in the construction photos.  

 

 

 

I can't believe that an entire build day went by without a photo.......intense.

 

On the Launch Pad........

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be back with more Dio building madness soon...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[bar side]

That’s a great looking tower Rich.  Looks a nice kit.

[roma847]

Hi Rich,

 

cool bending job with these delicate PE parts. 

 

Too bad that the PE parts are not numbered on the PE sheet, which complicates the assembly considerably. 

 

That was perfectly done in the 5 Detail kits for the Revell Space Shuttle Launch Tower (FSS/RSS). 

 

Did you treat the PE parts before airbrushing, did you degrease and prime them, or have you immediately painted them in red? 

 

What kind of glue do you want to use for the PE parts? 

[RichO]

Hey Manfred,

 

  Leon's PE parts are well worth the extra time to work with.  As far as the parts numbers. It was sort of a hassle to realize that I had to keep checking on line to get the correct parts.  However now that the first part of the tower is built,  I realize that having to keep referring to the parts page has made things slow down and reassuring that I do have all the correct parts that match the sheet layout.

  I'm glad to know that this minor over site has been resolved for your 5 kits.  You are going to have such a great time bending your kits!

 

  Painting;  I just use the raw brass the way it was shipped to me.  I use a rattle can of primer and paint in one can.  This is an enamel paint that dries in seconds and is very glossy.   I almost never use an airbrush. I have to consider cost of everything, and a rattle can is just a couple of dollars, where the fancy airbrush paints are outrageously priced for a few drops of paint.

 

  Glue;  I use a standard white glue to place my parts.  Just a very tiny drop to place the parts, to arrange and hold, and then I use standard super glue. Liquid and Gel.  I really like the gel, I can get the smallest amount on the tip of the knife blade and place it just were I need it. Nice and clean.

 

  I took another day to finish the tower build.  I had some small details to add...photos to come.

[RichO]

Hey,

 

The small details that needed adding...

 

This represents the blast shield for the cable run,  two electrical conduit, and some scaffold details.

 

 

Test fitting these parts to size........

 

 

Installed and painted...

 

 

 

 

I now get to move on to an extension structure, that sits atop of this.

 

I'll be back soon....

 

Today's movie; " X the Unknown" 1956.

[RichO]

Hey All,

 

  Building the tower is a continuing process.  This stage of the tower build is very reminiscent of the old "Big Joe" years in the 1950's.  I have a hunch that the tower was added to over the years until it looks like it did in the 1960's...

 

This shot of the "Big Joe" tower is how it looked in the 50's...

 

 

This is about were I'm at in the tower build.

 

This part of build is really small also..

 

 

 

Parts to bend...

 

 

Bent...

 

 

 

Painted...

 

 

Built........

 

 

And now that I am starting to get some heighth to the tower I can get a good idea of how the Service Tower relates to the Launch Tower.

 

  You can see parts for the Service Tower in the background here, as I start with the vertical assent of the that tower.

 

I'll be back with some construction of the Service Tower soon......Thanks All for watching!

 

[RichO]

Hey All,

 

  The construction of the two towers has been going fine.  I have started the Service Tower with a card mock up hoping to get a grip on the proportions.  I have started the mock up by making a series of card "tubes" that represent the individual construction rectangles that make up the tower.

 

  If anybody is at all interested in card modeling or interested in the space program, a person can acquire model kits by David Maier at "Edu-Craft Diversions".  I looked at how David has designed the model kits.  His kits are made of card "tubes" with the details printed on the outside of the "tubes".

 

 

You can see that the printed card makes a convincing representation. It looks a lot more detailed than it really is.

 

 

Taking this idea I started construction of the service tower by building lots of card tubes.  then I taped these together to get started.

 

 

 

 

  I have cut these to the size that I need to get all the proportions as close as possible.  You can see how these represent the same size "tubes" in the photo below, but open iron work will replace the card shapes.

  As I get my proportions closer, you can imagine that these tubes will now be built as the angle iron frame.

 

 

And so,  the tower climbs...

 

 

 

The two towers.........

 

Once I start with the frame work, this will all open up and become much lighter and airier like the Launch Tower.  I know it looks a mess right now, but I can see the light.  This is going to look cool.

 

Thank All, I'll be back, don't touch that dial.

 

Today's movie:  The Giant Claw, 1957