Boyce Aerospace new 1/100 Saturn 1B is here!!!

New “Builders Kit” Release…
Saturn 1B 1/100th scale
Introductory Price $70.00 + $12.00 Shipping

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing, Boyce Aerospace Hobbies is launching our new Saturn 1B Builders Kit. This kit is a redesign of our original all plastic 1/100th Saturn 1B and now utilizes modeler-supplied BT-19 paper tubes for the first stage tanks.

The new Saturn 1B Kit includes 27 highly-detailed 3D-printed parts that pair with BT-19 paper tubes (supplied by the modeler) for a unique design that allows for easier, more precise painting. Plus, the Boyce Aerospace Hobbies Saturn 1B kit now includes decals for an even more professional finished model.

The new Saturn 1B kit measures 27 inches long with a fin span of 4.88 inches. Once assembled, this kit weighs 8 ounces without a motor.

Cool. Got a show model pic with the decals on?

Sorry I don’t. But there are some live pics of their Saturn 1s on their site. I have both and they are really good. I’ve already ordered my Saturn 1B to.

The usps messed up and caused a one day delay in delivery of my Saturn 1b, should have it tomorrow. [emoji6]

Finally got my Saturn 1B in today and here are two pics of some of the parts. Light sanding with 220 and 400 grit sand paper looks like all that's needed. They look very good from my eye.

Here is a very good youtube video on how to finish 3d printed parts recommended by Boyce Aerospace.

Here are some live pics of the Saturn 1s with all tubes cut.

I ordered my 1B about a week ago and hoping it ships soon. I plan to get the other two they have as well. The tower on that SA-7 looks very basic (honestly the whole capsule and tower does). I wonder if the Estes Saturn V one could replace it to give more detail to it.

Orderd mine already. I can say that Boyce has always made great kits( I have one of their old Huge Mercury kits and love, but their new 3D builders kits are super nice and don’t break the bank to get some very unified kits

Estes Apollo capsule set will fit just fine and they sell it for $6.49. I would use it for display and theirs for flight. I'm looking at painting my Boyce A. tower background flat black before gluing on the tower trusses which will be flat white, clearing away paint for a good glue bond of coarse. That will make the trusses standout more and give it more of a 3D look.

Here is the Estes link: https://estesrockets.com/product/033201-plastic-parts-set-saturn-v/

I'm going to paint the tower trusses background flat black before gluing on the trusses which will be painted flat white, that should give it more of a 3D look. Of coarse I will removed paint where needed for the gluing of the parts together. I would use the Boyce Capsule for flight and the Estes one for display. It will fit and it's only $6.49 for the whole Capsule set. Here is a link: https://estesrockets.com/product/033201-plastic-parts-set-saturn-v/

Flash said:

Here are some live pics of the Saturn 1s with all tubes cut.View attachment 385919View attachment 385920

Click to expand...

What are,the two different lower fin can from?
I see the one from Boyce but the other I don’t recognize.
The fin line up different on them wonder which is correct

EvryThngIsAOk said:

What are,the two different lower fin can from?
I see the one from Boyce but the other I don’t recognize.
The fin line up different on them wonder which is correct

Click to expand...

The one on the left is made to order by shapeways 3D printing. It has no built in fuel tank holders.

The Shapeways one is inaccurate, whereas the Boyce one is accurate

I'm going to use the Shapeways one for a near total scratch build 1/100 Saturn 1B. The other one of coarse is part of Boyce Aerospace new 1/100 Saturn 1B kit which I will build per instructions. You can get the .70" fuel tank tubes and any other tube needed to build either Saturn 1B from E-Rockets.

How sturdy/thick are the rest of the pieces that replace body tubes? I bought the 4” Redstone last year and the capsule fell 2 feet onto carpet and broke. I noticed the walls were very thin so they sent me a new thicker one (though it’s missing the little brim around the top where the “hat” is).

The shapeway item is very thin and light, the new stuff coming from Boyce is solid, Printed in bright white ABS, there new saturn 1B model stands 27" tall once assembled, be surprised if it breaks. But even at that, the Saturn 1 SA 5 weights around 5.8 oz and SA 7 5.9 oz finished depending on how you finish your kits which is surprisingly light. I think the 1B will be in the 7-8 oz range because it uses less paper products as compared to the Saturn 1's.

What decals come with the 1B? Are they just basic United States decals?

The decals come with Loc Precision recommended instructions. They are Vinyl. The fuel tanks some with with white background and United States red lettering, two of the letters is out of alignment but can be realigned since it's a two part decal. You also get USA for the 2nd Stage and that is it.

I'm going to use "The Moles" 1/100 Scale Saturn 1B pdf's from the other site to print mine out on label paper and align and stick to the tanks in place of painting. I will be able to almost do the whole Shapeways Saturn 1B that way since everything will be out of paper tubes and card stock besides the fin can. On the Boyce 1B, I'll have to paint everything else beside the 8 fuel tanks. I'm only going to use the USA decals from the kit.

Here is my tubing cutter that I used in cutting out the Saturn 1's SA5 and SA7 tubes. It's from North Coast Rockets.

Wonder if the wraps would fit the Boyce one

I am in the process of updating my wraps to be used with Boyce Saturn models.

Awesome. I got mine for a showcase event our club is hosting at a museum on July 20th. Still gotta finish rebuilding my 4” Redstone for it.

How far up does the upper tube (tank) holder go into the upper section? I feel like I'm missing a section of instructions because it goes right from installing the motor mount to the recovery, nothing in between.

When I test fitted mine, the upper fuel tank holder bulkhead goes into the second stage tube only about 3/4 of the way, the eight fuel tank rings stop it from going in to far, when assembled, the fuel tanks butt against the second stage tube, they don’t go inside it like on other Saturn 1b models which was a surprise to me also. See step 13 of the instructions which says “the first stage tank tubes are resting against the bottom of the second stage.”

The real 1B has the tank tubes slightly into the upper stage and I’m surprised Boyce didn’t notice that (all other kit makers did). If anything, the way they designed it will makes the tubes sit outside the upper stage which will look ridiculous

I haven't built mine yet, I hope the fuel tank tubes will at least line up with the 2nd stage tube, then it want be that noticeable. Of coarse the fuel tank tubes with the best cut edge will need to be on that end during construction.

Update: Just checked the fit with a BT-19 body tube and the tube is actually below the height of the 2nd Stage body tube which is great! With a good cut, it would be hard to tell that it isn't inside the tube.

Hi, I'm just back into rocketry after 10 years or so. I've built the Estes Saturn V, is this a similar build level ? (The 3d printed thing is new for me).
Thanks !

Printed kits are much easier to build. You don’t have to worry about installing the wraps or making paper transitions.

I find the need for uncommon tubing sizes to be a stickler. My regret is not learning of these kits sooner. I need to replace my lost Dr Zooch models.

Have any of you folks pictures of your finished product? I'd like to see what paint schemes you went with and how your finishes came out. I ordered mine last year and it's next in line... I'm 52 and I took it out of the box last night to play with it. Born in 68 so I can remember the Skylab launches and the 76 Apollo Soyuz, but not the race to the moon. I believe we are right at the beginning of the second space race.. Exciting times right now with SX, BO, ULA's Vulcan and the re-usability of the engines, etc. I'm even excited about Orbital's (now NG) Omega rolling out. Don't know if we'll see it though. Hard to imagine an expendable rocket could be price competitive in this new age. Maybe just used by our government with our tax dollars...

Anyone know why the SkyLab 1B's did not use black on the first stage? Don't know if it's the fuel or oxidizer cans... Seems naked without.