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Space Shuttle Payload 1/72


Alan P

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Hi folks,

 

I've combed Google for some guidance on this, but does anyone still make components in 1/72 for realistic or unusual shuttle payloads? 

 

I'm scratchbuilding the interior of the Revell kit, but would be interested to know of a source for some authentic details for payloads, including a decent airlock.

 

Cheers,

Alan

 

Note to Mods: This is not a "Wanted" post, but a discussion item!

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The only aftermarket stuff I know of is the Real Space cargo bay interior but it is without any payload and even without airlock if I am not mistaken. Not even sure this is still in production.

The only payload which springs to mind is the Skillcraft Hubble which is looooong OOP. It pops up on the bay now and then but the prices are usually quite high. Here is a build threat on another forum of an orbiter plus Hubble:

http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=10642

I could find nothing on Shapeways either, though their sear function is quite poor - or my skills are ;-) Someone is offering two Hubble versions in 1:144. If interested you could maybe ask him to upscale it.

http://www.shapeways.com/product/4BDM8PYNV/012a-hubble-stowed-1-144?optionId=60964876

Finally you could check some paper modellers sites or get the Monogram kit, which contains some sattelites and such.

 

Not much help I fear.

 

René

 

Edit: Of course there is the Real Space Modellers yahoo group - maybe they can help. Some of the members are also on Britmodeller.

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2 hours ago, Pin said:

Good idea!

 

1 hour ago, Caerbannog said:

The only aftermarket stuff I know of is the Real Space cargo bay interior but it is without any payload and even without airlock if I am not mistaken. Not even sure this is still in production.

The only payload which springs to mind is the Skillcraft Hubble which is looooong OOP. It pops up on the bay now and then but the prices are usually quite high. Here is a build threat on another forum of an orbiter plus Hubble:

http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=10642

I could find nothing on Shapeways either, though their sear function is quite poor - or my skills are ;-) Someone is offering two Hubble versions in 1:144. If interested you could maybe ask him to upscale it.

http://www.shapeways.com/product/4BDM8PYNV/012a-hubble-stowed-1-144?optionId=60964876

Finally you could check some paper modellers sites or get the Monogram kit, which contains some sattelites and such.

 

Not much help I fear.

 

René

 

Edit: Of course there is the Real Space Modellers yahoo group - maybe they can help. Some of the members are also on Britmodeller.

Thanks a lot. Very nice link, the finished product looks excellent.

 

I checked out Shapeways and managed to pick up some astronaut figures. The postage costs are eye-watering though. Don't think i'll be shopping from the States anymore!

 

Al

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Alan - what scale -  1/72 or 1/144?

 

I'd like to have a go at doing something with the Revell 1/72 Shuttle - maybe the Hubble Space Telescope or Solar Max (a satellite that was repaired in orbit in 1984).

 

The kit comes with a Spacelab module but I can't vouch for its accuracy. In fact, every time Spacelab was flown it was different. There were full cargo bay versions and half cargo bay versions with pallets.

Every Shuttle mission was different so if you really want to be accurate you would need to research the particular flight you wanted to depict.

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11 hours ago, Eric Mc said:

The kit comes with a Spacelab module but I can't vouch for its accuracy. In fact, every time Spacelab was flown it was different. There were full cargo bay versions and half cargo bay versions with pallets.

Every Shuttle mission was different so if you really want to be accurate you would need to research the particular flight you wanted to depict.

Yep, that looks like the way to go.

11 hours ago, smyfe said:

Don't know if this is any help but they are paper models of all shuttles and payloads, not sure if you could scale up and make from scratch using the templates.

http://axmpaperspacescalemodels.com/?page_id=10

hope its of some help

 

Mick

It's an amazing help! Every single mission payload. I'm sure i could get one of those PDFs upscaled.

 

I'll keep you posted!

 

Alan

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  • 7 months later...

Here's a little update on the topic...

 

After poring over the offerings on the site mentioned above, I found a mission I wanted to recreate for a Shuttle model in 1/72. STS-120 was a delivery mission to the ISS of the Harmony Node 2 module.

182721main_harmony_iss_small.jpg

 

It was also unique in that it was the first time both Shuttle and ISS mission commanders were women. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/mission_overview.html

 

I chose this one for the significance of the event and also because the Node 2 module looked like something that was easily scratchbuilt. I quickly found this was not the case.

 

I downloaded the paper card model from the site above, but it was nowhere near the kind of detail resolution required in this scale. I thought about maybe using the paper components as a template to recreate out of aluminium litho plate, but it was too complex.

 

In the end, I took my birthday money and decided to go on Upwork and see if somebody could design a 3D model which I could print on Shapeways. I'd already found some good pre-designed stuff for the shuttle on Shapeways here and here , which others might find useful.

 

I eventually found a 3D artist in Manchester. It wasn't cheap (I paid over £200) but this guy was fast and very skilled, as well as being a great communicator. His charge for printing the design was about half what Shapeways wanted.

 

After about a week this arrived in the post:

a97cbb5f-1207-412b-b4c0-81a694e4d0fc.jpg

8d9d5880-90cf-4635-9188-ae94ffe00108.jpg

a6696c13-d74f-4075-917a-7e64262ab3cf.jpg

To say I was impressed was an understatement. The hatch and surface detail is incredible. That he managed to produce this from photos and make it a perfect fit for the kit was amazing.

 

If you've got a project that needs something unique and you don't mind putting your hand in your pocket, find a friendly 3D artist! It's made me very interested in learning how to design for myself.

 

Al

Edited by Alan P
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  • 8 months later...

Hi Alan

 

That Harmony module looks really nice. Do you have the chance to make a resin copy of it? Getting a small series produced would help compensate the high "prototype" costs.  I have a 1/72 Monogram orbitor that also needs payload. The Shapeways NI rendvous adapter looks also nice and is price wise still within the limits. STS-120 is a very cool mission...it was so far the first and only time that both space crafts, the shuttle and ISS, were commanded by women at the same time! I like that...it shows that there is no difference in the flying business between the two genders. Carry on ladies...:-)

I also have a 1/100 Tamiya in the works...as STS-114! For that one I am still looking for the ESP-2 module, the rest of the payload is already in the box.

 

cheers

Uwe

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