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Dragon 1/72 Saturn V build (yes another one ;) )


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Hello Everyone !

 

Relatively new to this forum, and on the advice of Jörgen (user Bengalensis) i decided to start my own thread on the build of the Saturn V from Dragon. 

 

As everybody knows by now, the dragon kit is far from accurate, and it will take a lot of time to build it.

 

There are aftermarker parts for it, but then it will take a lot of money to build it. So i decided to build it out of the box, with a lot of scratch build parts. Of course it will be a compromise, because there are some parts that i cannot build, and since i am on a low(ish) budget, i am not going to buy parts from shapeways or resin parts, but only use the dragon parts (i hope that i can live up to my promise, but we’ll see !

 

(Correction, i did use the LVM batted F1 engines, because the dragon engines were too small, and the launch vehicle only used the batted engines)

 

i also bought the Culttvman decals, because they are much much better then the dragon ones, and also there are a lot of extra decals in this set...

 

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Also I started this kit back in 2015, and i have now nearly completed the first stage (S-IC) but i will post some pics from the past as well, to see the progress.....

 

Anyway, let’s get started !! (Hmmmmm i’m not the first one using that phrase 😜)

 

Tom

Edited by Tomas Bark
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Indeed, this “thing” should be on the shelf of doom, 😂

 

ok, first lets start with some old pics, when i wanted to use the Dragon engines...... i should give you an idea how to detail them more “if” you want to use these

 

i started to work on the “Thrust structure” and put a 1/72 Kübelwagen (from my V2 project” next to the F1 engine to an idea of it’s size

 

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I wanted to detail the engines a little more so i put on some piping detail

 

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Eventually i didn’t use the Dragon engines but decided to get the LVM batted engines, which will be shown in the next post

 

tom

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Good to see your build here too!

 

The decals are a good investment, I got the same set and they look very comprehensive. The same goes for the LVM F1-engines.

 

I think you can a long way with correcting and detailing the Dragon parts, although it takes a lot of work. And also the fairly expensive after market parts doesn't really cut down on the work load, as I have discovered...

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I see what you mean Jörgen !! Althought there are maybe a few aftermarket parts i will need, because they are to hard to make them for yourself.... We’ll see where this ends....

 

anyway, here some things i already did....

 

i am starting my build from the bottom up, so here the thrust structure

 

First i installed some of the LVM batted engines

 

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Also you can see i started painting... but that’s the way i work.. Some people build and then paint, i most of  the time build and paint at the same time.... of course the problem is that i later decide to do some detailing, and i have to paint all over again 😉

 

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I used Tamiya Nato black for the black parts because it’s a nicer shade of black (imho)

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I then decided that i wanted the “hold down posts” so i started with drawing them in autocad...

 

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Then somebody told me they were to big... so back to the drawing board... the red stringers have to be removed as well

 

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Luckily a fellow member send me this picture so i had some more accurate dimensions

 

 

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I made one from evergreen strip (before i got the correct dimensions) and later made the new (smaller one)

 

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Ofcourse they have to be half black, half white and it will be very difficult to paint them correctly after installing them, so i painted them while constructing

 

First construct half of it, then paint it black, then construct the other half......

 

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Then the “dirty part” , drilling the holes where they should go

 

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Until you get the exact hole where they fit

 

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As you see they fit... don’t worry if the holes are a little to wide, because a small strip is added to the sides

 

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Here the strips that will be put on

 

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And of course... this process has to be repeated 4 times for all sides......

 

Tom

Edited by Tomas Bark
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After that i of course had to make the umbilical panels.......

 

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And the other side (painted already)

 

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Also started working on the system tunnels.... obviously they are way too long

 

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So i cut out 2,5 cm

 

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And put on some evergreen strips for more detailing

 

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Put on the USA decals from Rick Sternbach on the RP-1 tank, and more strips on the system tunnel, also started to work on the fins.

 

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Tom

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So moving up to the intertank section..... of course the Access Door has to be there... , so i decided to scratchbuild one myself....

 

here the first items made from .4 mm evergreen sheets.... i based the dimensions on the stringers.

 

i tried to recreate the rivets with a point from a device to draw circles.... (can’t remember the english word.... 🤭)

 

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The door and umbilical panel installed on the intertank section..

 

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Painted and decals added

 

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Detail

 

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And i decided to order David Weeks 1/48 drawing set for the Saturn V..... guess i can’t do without them 😓

 

Tom

 

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Tom,

Not one but two Saturns. Fabulous.

I like the idea of using the Kubel. That really shows the size of this beast.

The English word you were searching for is, Compass. Of course it's the same name as the device that shows magnetic North. We really need some new words.

Cheers, Pete

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Time for an update.....

 

been busy with the fairings (underside) 

 

First i have been drawing it in autocad, and then glueing the parts together , made of 1mm evergreen rod

 

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A little dryfitting

 

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And then glueing the part into place

 

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Also i painted all the bolts on the heat shield....  a lot of work

 

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And the rest of the reinforcement rods in place

 

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Also some rivet detailing on the fins

 

I don’t want to overdo it, because the rivets would be to close to eachother

 

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That kind of finishes the S-IC thrust structure with all the decals in place

 

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Here a 360 view on youtube

 

 

Edited by Tomas Bark
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