Giggles
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2011
- Messages
- 34
- Reaction score
- 2
Hi everyone,
I am teaching a class about space and thought it would be fun to have scale rockets to show the kids, from the Mercury Redstone to the Space Shuttle and the Saturn V. Trouble is, they don't make them all the same scale! Well, the modeling companies do, but not the rocket companies. (I can see why, given the vast differences in size, but still I think it is important to give kids an appropriate sense of scale in learning.)
So my thought is to purchase a space shuttle kit, since it would be the toughest one to clone, and then make the Redstone and Saturn to match.
I like the Estes Space Shuttle #1284, but it is out of production, not to mention my budget. The Dr. Zooch Space Shuttle and Saturn V are both "ant scale," but that would mean making the Redstone as a micro. Could be done, but not very impressive for the class. Plus, the Dr. Zooch Space Shuttle involves a lot of paper construction, which is a pain in the butt in my experience.
The Estes model looks cooler. But since it isn't popping up on eBay, I was considering purchasing a plastic 1/144 scale model and converting it to fly as a rocket. Then, I would scratch build the other two. (Am I in over my head here?)
So my question is: What would you do?
Does anyone have any experience with plastic model conversions and could point me in the right direction?
Has anyone scratch-built any of these models before?
I am primarily concerned with making all three models (and possibly others in the future) the same scale, but I want them to fly, not just sit there on a shelf and collect dust. I appreciate any suggestions you might have.
Enthusiastic newbie,
Giggles
I am teaching a class about space and thought it would be fun to have scale rockets to show the kids, from the Mercury Redstone to the Space Shuttle and the Saturn V. Trouble is, they don't make them all the same scale! Well, the modeling companies do, but not the rocket companies. (I can see why, given the vast differences in size, but still I think it is important to give kids an appropriate sense of scale in learning.)
So my thought is to purchase a space shuttle kit, since it would be the toughest one to clone, and then make the Redstone and Saturn to match.
I like the Estes Space Shuttle #1284, but it is out of production, not to mention my budget. The Dr. Zooch Space Shuttle and Saturn V are both "ant scale," but that would mean making the Redstone as a micro. Could be done, but not very impressive for the class. Plus, the Dr. Zooch Space Shuttle involves a lot of paper construction, which is a pain in the butt in my experience.
The Estes model looks cooler. But since it isn't popping up on eBay, I was considering purchasing a plastic 1/144 scale model and converting it to fly as a rocket. Then, I would scratch build the other two. (Am I in over my head here?)
So my question is: What would you do?
Does anyone have any experience with plastic model conversions and could point me in the right direction?
Has anyone scratch-built any of these models before?
I am primarily concerned with making all three models (and possibly others in the future) the same scale, but I want them to fly, not just sit there on a shelf and collect dust. I appreciate any suggestions you might have.
Enthusiastic newbie,
Giggles