MEGA BUILD THREAD - The Mighty Saturns 1/100 Scale

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Taking a look at the last post on this thread, I realize I've forgotten to update it in a while!

With my Big Max, Gravity Rider, and Antar completed, SA-7 is my only partially completed rocket. I'm not able to post any pictures at the moment, but I'm planning a big push to finish SA-7 over the weekend. I'll make a post later tonight documenting what I've been up to since the last post...
 
I went to work on the upper stack of the SA-7 some time ago and examined the black pattern in an actual photo of SA-7, only to find the decal was inaccurate. The black ring at the bottom of the roll pattern encompassed the scalloped interstage, but importantly the black ring did not go above this pattern. I ended up cutting out the black ring segments from the decal, painting the interstage black, and applying each black rectangle individually to achieve the correct look. As best I could tell, the black rectangles were the correct height.

20220729_211302.jpg
 
Had a little issue today and didn't get as far as I would have liked. When installing the hydrogen lines with CA, this one kept wanting to lean back. Didn't seem like too much of a problem at the time so I just held it on for a while and it stayed. However, when I looked at it again a few minute later, the hydrogen line had pulled the decal off the body instead of just coming off the decal. After trying a few things I have resorted to a small coat of epoxy under the decal, and some epoxy on top covering the decal and the upper part of the hydrogen line while a piece of tape temporarily holds it down. I am going to leave it alone now and let that epoxy cure completely before touching it again.

20220730_154728.jpg
 
Last edited:
Ez2cDave said:
Did I miss something here ? Please take a look at the wording.

Dave F.
Click to expand...
@smstachwick is correct. That hydrogen line is glued on top of the black roll pattern decal. At first, it didn't want to stay bonded to the decal. After it bonded to the decal, it started pulling that corner of the decal off the rocket, so I had to epoxy the whole thing down.

Regardless, I did go ahead and reword it. Hopefully it's more clear now.
 
Last edited:
Antares JS said:
Had a little issue today and didn't get as far as I would have liked. When installing the hydrogen lines with CA, this one kept wanting to lean back. Didn't seem like too much of a problem at the time so I just held it on for a while and it stayed. However, when I looked at it again a few minute later, the hydrogen line had pulled the decal off the body instead of just coming off the decal. After trying a few things I have resorted to a small coat of epoxy under the decal, and some epoxy on top covering the decal and the upper part of the hydrogen line while a piece of tape temporarily holds it down. I am going to leave it alone now and let that epoxy cure completely before touching it again.

View attachment 530171
Click to expand...
The Epoxy will do it. Under the decal as well.
 
With the addition of the RCS thruster blocks, white paint on the raised strip on the transition, and the installation of the strip on the upper stack, the exterior of SA-7 is complete.

Parachutes will be added once the glue on the kevlar knots is dry, and then nose weight to bring the CG to the location proscribed by the instructions, and then SA-7 will be complete.

20220804_161354.jpg
 
Antares JS said:
With the addition of the RCS thruster blocks, white paint on the raised strip on the transition, and the installation of the strip on the upper stack, the exterior of SA-7 is complete.

Parachutes will be added once the glue on the kevlar knots is dry, and then nose weight to bring the CG to the location proscribed by the instructions, and then SA-7 will be complete.

View attachment 530905
Click to expand...
But it'll sure look better stacked!
 
For parachute installation, see the earlier post for SA-5's parachutes. The parachute situation in SA-7 is identical.

As for nose weight, to my surprise, none was required. I checked my measurement twice, and both times, the CG was slightly ahead of the point the instructions proscribed.

SA-7 is complete. Two down, six to go. AS-203 will be next, and will be started whenever I feel like it.

20220805_120316.jpg
 
Man, if I made something that nice there's no way I'd fly it... the Lucerne Valley playa would make quick work of the finish. I'm fine with rockets looking OK from a hundred feet away...
 
cerving said:
Man, if I made something that nice there's no way I'd fly it... the Lucerne Valley playa would make quick work of the finish. I'm fine with rockets looking OK from a hundred feet away...
Click to expand...
It's highly probable that the Saturns will be one-and-done. One flight to satisfy me, then they become shelf queens.
 
Antares JS said:
It's highly probable that the Saturns will be one-and-done. One flight to satisfy me, then they become shelf queens.
Click to expand...
Shelf Queen, that is a good saying. I don't blame you for one and done. I would do the same. The detail on this bird is outstanding. Well done John.
 
Antares JS said:
For parachute installation, see the earlier post for SA-5's parachutes. The parachute situation in SA-7 is identical.

As for nose weight, to my surprise, none was required. I checked my measurement twice, and both times, the CG was slightly ahead of the point the instructions proscribed.

SA-7 is complete. Two down, six to go. AS-203 will be next, and will be started whenever I feel like it.

View attachment 531054
Click to expand...
Great work. These are too nice to fly. Well....maybe once.
 
There’s a really nice review by John Langford about the BAH Saturn I SA-5 Builders Kit.
 
Antares JS said:
For parachute installation, see the earlier post for SA-5's parachutes. The parachute situation in SA-7 is identical.

As for nose weight, to my surprise, none was required. I checked my measurement twice, and both times, the CG was slightly ahead of the point the instructions proscribed.

SA-7 is complete. Two down, six to go. AS-203 will be next, and will be started whenever I feel like it.

View attachment 531054
Click to expand...
So, you're doing the Saturn builds, watching TV, watching the baby, doing the Lego Titanic build in another thread
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/build-thread-lego-titanic.171961/When do you sleep? :)
 
Dang... didn't work on any Saturns at all in 2023.

I'm going to just be honest here. I thought about starting on the next one (AS-203) a couple of times, then thought about masking and painting the roll pattern on a Saturn 1B fin can and my motivation evaporated.

Plus, 2023 was just more of a games year than a rocket year for me. I didn't build that many rockets at all in 2023, but did a lot of tabletop gaming with the family (Particularly Etherfields, Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood, ISS Vanguard, Return to Dark Tower, and Thunder Road: Vendetta) and played the new Legend of Zelda game (my feelings on the new Zelda were mixed).

I think 2024 is going to be a rocket year. AS-203 is hopefully coming next month (I'm away from home for work for the rest of January), along with my next major HPR project.
 

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