Dr Z Saturn 1B, Stingray, and Point

[mjennings]

I haven't been able to get the camera and the computer to play nice with each other lately, so I don't know if this thread will get pictures.

I started the Dr Zooch Saturn 1B in July while finishing up another project, which is escaping me at the moment. Currently I have most of the pre painting done minus the final coat, that would be done except I tried to work to fast the last nice paint day in the fall and got runs so I had to sand it all off. I'm building the kit stock with the exception of the escape tower. I could not get it straight enough per the good doctors method so I went the Fliskits route. The kit works out to a rough 1:150 scale, and in rockets of the world the Apollo pad abort drawing is you guessed it 1:150, so I have a template and am building it out of 0.047 and 0.025 styrene and so far it's coming out well. I don't know how Jim did his at 1/2 the size of this one! Guess I'll find out when I build his kit.

Stingray was a good build she is ready to go minus paint. Tried papering the fins, faster and less smelly than the sealing and sanding method but I'm waiting on the finished product to determine how frequently this technique gets used.

Final bird was Semroc's The Point. cool little kit was fun to build other than I broke the top 1 of the nose cone off while moving it. The vice the painting stick was secured in wasn't so secure and well a nose job resulted. Some CA and squadron putty cleaned things up pretty well though.

 

[mjennings]

Well I picked up a memory card reader over the weekend and now can show pictures.

We'll start with the Point that had an unexpected nose job.

 

[mjennings]

the Stingray will have to wait till spring for paint.

I deviated slightly from the build as my tooth pic for the guns was warped so I built them up from styrene. Also mounted the launch lug slightly differently and did some paper wraps so it looks like a big cannon.

 

[mjennings]

And now for the LES.

I tried it the Dr. Zooch way and I was unable to archive the zen of straightness by the procedures outlined. And there was no way I was going to wimp out and use the paper shroud. It came out pretty well my inward struts that hold the ring were a little deep on three sides so the ring didn't fit the best and the 4th side is pretty shallow, but I like it. Now to get it all assembled to the CM.

 

[mjennings]

2 more pics

 

[Dr.Zooch]

WOW!!!!! :eyepop:That is a terrific looking tower!!! If I put that sort of work requirement into a kit the customers would run me otta town on a rail, however.

Super job!!!:clap:

 

[mjennings]

Thanks Dr. Zooch! At this scale it really wasn't to bad, I did everything square cuts, dipped both ends in plastic cement and held the tweezers in place until it set up enough to let go. The template from Rockets of the World made all the difference though. If I do it again I'll definitely do miter cuts

 

[jflis]

Incredible work all around! Very nice!

 

[mjennings]

Thanks Jim! I should get the nozzles on the LES shortly, and then mount it all to the CM, and get some more photos up. If any one is scared of the Flis 1:282 LES structure, I recommend doing it at a bigger 1:150 as practice. I now have an idea of what I'm getting into when I attack the Flis 1:282 Saturn 1B. The LES was very rewarding to assembly and not as frightening as I thought.

 

[mjennings]

So finally getting around to posting the LES integration photos

First off is the clever rig I used to become one with the zen of straightness as the good doctor puts it in the instructions. I couldn't hold the LES straight with out a guide, so I popped the CM assembly onto my fin marking guide, and then placed the S-IV tube on the guide this gave me a reference circle to judge straightness. I put a little CA on each of the 4 LES legs and using a tweezers slowly lowered the LES onto the CM, using a standard Mark I eyeball alignment checker. I pretty happy with how it came out.

For the nozzles on the LES I originally wanted something conical but it didn't work out as cleanly as I would have liked, and at this scale it's not supper important either so I used some straight sections of 0.100" styrene, angled cut to get the effect (cause that is what ant scale is all about the effect not accuracy )

and then some nice overview shots.

 

[Peartree]

...and at this scale it's not supper important either so I used some straight sections of 0.100" styrene, angled cut to get the effect (cause that is what ant scale is all about the effect not accuracy )

and then some nice overview shots.

Supper is always important at any scale.

 

[mjennings]

Supper is always important at any scale.

that all depends if you are upscaling or downscaling your waist line. :blush:

Any way I got the fuel tanks installed, S-IV tube and the thrust structure wrap installed. Those that are familiar with the kit can tell I'm sort of hop skipping my way through. but it is a fun kit, I've really enjoyed this build.

I'm going for the AS-204 / Apollo I roll pattern, however all I can find are AS-204 with the semi monocoque noes cone, post fire, or photos of the burnt capsule. Does anyone know of any sources?

 

[mjennings]

So I'm the worlds slowest builder!

Not really just a very full plate lately.

But the annoyance of the build is, I prepainted all the fins, I triple checked them against the roll pattern. And then batted 87.5%. Which one did I hose up you ask, the one that is all black on one side and all white on the reverse. At least it wasn't the one where the high black meats the low black on the roll pattern that one was a pain to mask. No I'm debating if it's worth it to drag out the airbrush stuff just to redo one fin or if I should hand paint it.

 

[Dr.Zooch]

So I'm the worlds slowest builder!
No I'm debating if it's worth it to drag out the airbrush stuff just to redo one fin or if I should hand paint it.

My advice is buy a whole new kit and start over... in fact, buy two or three just to be on the safe side

 

[mjennings]

If I do that it'll take 3 times as long to build!!!!

I got the fin half fixed, gotta paint the black then it is just a matter of final detailing.

I'd be done faster if I wasn't chasing your six legged minions out of my workroom! At least they are plain black ants and not those commie red ants

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

The Semroc Point makes a nice roar on boost. That nose cone is a bit fragile though.

 

[mjennings]

yeah I found that out already. hopefully I'll get her in the air soon. I got all 8 fins on the Saturn 1B, now it's just a matter of finishing the engines and final detailing! Maybe I'll have it done before Father's Day I think that is when I started it a year ago!

 

[mjennings]

well I got the Point and Stingray in the Air at the SoJARS launch on the 12th, both flew really well. Stingray had a pretty high roll rate. I think that is from the guns. The Point's nose re-broke, and a wing tip fin popped off the stingray. both have been repaired and I should get photo's up soon.