Energia/Buran

[dtomko]

This is taking a lot longer than I had expected, but recently I have been able to get some work on the Energia/Buran converted from the Estes Shuttle stack. Working with so many vacuum formed parts has been a challenge, and I'm spending a lot of time filling and sanding.
More construction pictures are here:

https://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dtomko1962/album?.dir=/Energia-Buran

Drew Tomko

 

[dtomko]

Here's a shot of the strap ons test fitted to the core. Still a bunch of details to be added.
DT

 

[Silverleaf]

This is one thread i'll be watching closely, simply because I've been considering a totally scratch-built Energia-Buran project.

Like your image archive, with some excellent details. The Strap-ons look very nice. 8)

Any chance you'll be doing an extended project write-up on this ?

I ask only because a project of this size and scope deserves a full treatise with step-by-step instructions.

Cheers

 

[Austin]

Drew,

OMG man, the detail so far is unbelievable!!! You are definitely up there in what I now call the "Detail Oriented" group...well done! Please keep us up to date on your progress and keep the pics coming.

Carl

 

[dtomko]

Thanks for the good words. Yes, I am keeping careful records to do an extended write up on this, and taking lots of photos along the way. I don't seem to be able to find enough time, except in bursts, so I'm trying to finish up the Energia soon.
The "strap-ons" add that extra kinky element, heh, heh.
DT

 

[eugenefl]

I had never known about the Energia/Buran until one day when I did some searches on the internet for the US Space Shuttle. Ever since I have been fascinated by their version of a reusable space vehicle. I am truly impressed with your seemingly successful attempt to reproduce it in model form. Great work! I love the detail you've put into it. So far this is one of my favorite scratch builds on this forum!

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Sweet! Very nice work! I love the detail. What size motor(s) will it fly on? Will there be motors in the boosters, and do the boosters separate?

 

[dtomko]

Thanks. I started this last year (there was an old thread but it's somewhere deep in the recesses of the forum now). I'm hoping to get the Energia done in a few weeks.
Ray, it will fly on an Estes D; I should be able to keep the weight well under 10 ounces. I may use plugged mini engines in two of the strap ons; they're pretty much in line with the engine mount in the core. They won't separate, although I was very tempted seeing your hardware! With all the vacuum formed parts I think it's a little fragile for anything fancy. If this works, I have an Estes styrofoam shuttle. A 3" core Energia is just about the right size for that . . .
DT

 

[dtomko]

Conduits added to all the strap ons.
DT

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Originally posted by dtomko
Conduits added to all the strap ons.
DT

Beautiful! Can't wait to see it finished. I love scale stuff, if I wasn't so heavily into camera payloads, I'd be doing scratchbuilt scale models.

 

[dtomko]

Here's a close up of one of the separation motors test fitted on a strap on. The motors are made of strip styrene with slices of styrene tube for the exhaust covers. I hope this arctic weather clears so I can head to the garage and start spraying primer.
DT

 

[dtomko]

Here's a closeup of the details on the core.
DT

 

[Silverleaf]

Killer detail there !

Keep the pics a coming, and I'll keep a drooling. 8)

By the way, I sent you a PM in regards to this project, please let me know if it went through - if not, I'll resend. Thanks for posting these pics, and for sharing your excellent project with us. 8)

Bravo !

 

[gladiator1332]

I think that is one of the most beautiful rockets I have ever seen. I was thinking about an Energia-Buran plastic model conversion, but I think I am going to have to try this out someday once you post the information on it. The Energia was a beautiful rocket.

 

[Stymye]

great job ,love the detailing...!!

I have stayed away from shuttles because of all the details needed...hats off to your excellent work!

 

[gladiator1332]

I love the "lost" Russian spacecraft. Not many people know that the Russians had a space shuttle too. One that had a more powerful booster, and had 2 shuttle arms! We only have 1 arm on our shuttle can you imagine having 2.

My dream project besides the Delta IV family, has always been the N-1, one of my favorite Russian rockets. I'll get around to doing it some day. I am happy to see someone is doing some scale rockets, which are my favorite kind of rockets. They are a real blast to build, especially when you do it arcuratley, knowing that your working on a shrunken version of an actual rocket.

 

[dtomko]

Here are the separation motors for the strap ons.
By the way, there's an excellent paper N-1 model on the Currell paper models site. It seems like an easy model to convert to flight. It's in 1/144 scale, but you could easily resize it to 1/100 to go along with the Estes Saturn V.
DT

 

[Silverleaf]

Ya know, if you keep posting these fabulous images, I'm going to run out of saliva.

Fantastic stuff Drew.

*drinks copious amounts of water in preperation of more images*

 

[vjp]

Dwight,

Do you know that Guillow's makes a styrofoam space shuttle glider, about 12" long? I have taken one and done some rough chopping with the intention of turning it into a Buran. I've also installed micro-RC gear, although the first flight wasn't very successful (way too much elevon differential - went into a snap roll and didn't recover until about 15 feet off the ground, but no permanent damage). I'm hopeful that I've got the control throw problem worked out, but now I'm waiting for warmer weather.

My RC conversion shuttle sinks at a frighteningly fast rate, but the unconverted one that I have glides beautifully, and has a great hang time.

Doug Pratt picked these up for the NARHAMS guys about a year and a half ago - I thing he's out now, but he might know where more could be had.

Here's a shot of it just out of the bag.

 

[dtomko]

vjp,
There was a thread somewhere a while ago about the Guillow's shuttle. I've got the larger Estes styrofoam shuttle and I started cutting that down for a Buran before I started this project. Working with the styrofoam isn't easy and I never figured out how to get the cut down areas smooth looking.
Drew

 

[vjp]

Originally posted by dtomko
vjp,
There was a thread somewhere a while ago about the Guillow's shuttle. I've got the larger Estes styrofoam shuttle and I started cutting that down for a Buran before I started this project. Working with the styrofoam isn't easy and I never figured out how to get the cut down areas smooth looking.
Drew

Drew -

I use wall scraper blades; picture attached. They're about 6 inches long, if you use a slicing, cutting motion, it will produce a very clean cut on styrofoam. The important thing is to use only a brand new, razor sharp blade.

This image shows the shuttle after slicing off the 'engines'.

 

[vjp]

Here's the shuttle after "dissecting" it using straight cuts laterally and across. After this, I glued everything back together with yellow glue, leaving the fuselage core out, and leaving the payload bay cover loose. The micro servos were later installed in the wings and the radio and battery go in the payload compartment. The payload bay cover is just held on with tape, nothing fancy.

I'll shoot some photos of it in it's current state later, and post here.

-Vince

 

[dtomko]

Here are the noses of the two inboard strap ons. I'm almost done with the strap ons; I'm going to leave most of the separation motors off until I prime them. It needs to be a bit warmer in my garage before I can do that. Next up is more work on the core, the attachment points for Buran and the strap ons.
DT

 

[Silverleaf]

Drew,

You are killing me here. 8)

Fantastic stuff - now I'm getting antsy waiting for my 4 kits to come from Russia so I can start work on my Energia- Buran model. *sniff*

Model of the year candidate here folks...8)

 

[dtomko]

Silverleaf,
Thank you! You're too kind. Actually this thing has really taken over my life!
Are you waiting for the Start 1/288 models? I have the Energia/Buran mostly completed; it needs work, but looks good in the end.
Speaking of that, here:
https://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/models/vault/Buran/index.html
there are excellent color drawings of Buran. They are large, and as an experiment I reduced a few to the size of the Start Buran. The Start model is well proportioned, except for the nose being a bit too stubby.
Attached is the bottom. I think it would be pretty easy to print on decal paper. Anyone ever tried something like this?
DT

 

[dtomko]

Here's the top of the Start Buran (the wingspan is 3.25"). I think the wings at least could work as decals. I'd like to try this with the Estes shuttle, but the proportions are all off. I have Photoshop Elements, so it might be possible to stretch the image, but that would put the flag and CCCP out of whack.
DT

 

[dtomko]

Here's the bottom of the Estes shuttle with a drawing sized to the same length. Even though I cut down the wings a bit, they are still too wide. That made my decision not to go all out for true scale; I would have to start completely from scratch with the orbiter. Also, my model's Energia core is slightly too large in diameter, and the strap ons are slightly too small. Again, I wanted to use the Estes parts as much as possible.
DT

 

[Silverleaf]

1)

Are you waiting for the Start 1/288 models?

Sure am, through Rus-sel, I bought a 4 kit combo which includes:

Russian Scale 1:288 Spacecraft ENERGIA - M plastic model kit. The Energia - M system is the 1990 Soviet Space programme version of the multi-purpose Energia space vehicle.

Russian Scale 1:288 Spacecraft Energia - GTC model kit. The Energia - GTC system is one of the versions of the multi-purpose Energia space vehicle.

Russian Scale 1:288 Spacecraft Energy-Buran model kit. New! Made in Russia. The Energia- Buran system is one of the two versions of the multi-purpose Energia space vehicle.

Russian Scale 1:288 Spacecraft ENERGIA - POLUS plastic model kit. The Energia - Polus system is the 1987 Soviet Space programme version of the multi-purpose Energia space vehicle.

All for 24 bucks - and 12 for S&H

https://www.rus-sell.com/item629.html

Once I recieve them, I plan on doing a review of the kits, and if their good, will order the other 3 kits to round out the Start set. I'm a sucker for Russian models, and have about 10 pins/patches and some documents from the Russian Space program.

2)

I have the Energia/Buran mostly completed; it needs work, but looks good in the end.

So overall you like the model then ? How was the flash on it ? Oh, and how about the decals ? are they workable ?

Your images are excellent Drew, I mean really looking great. I check this thread every day, in hopes you'll post more pics of your work.

3) In regards to the images for a possible decal base, if you'd like, send them to me and I can see what I can do in Paint Shop Pro and a couple other programs I use.

If your interested, let me know what dimension size you need, both horizonatally and vertically, and I'll see what I can do to clean them up/or reduce/alter to the proper size. the addy is:

[email protected]

4) As to the Ninfinger link, I've got all of those and agree they are some of the best 3d drawings available - outside of the 3 CD set which will be joining my archive in the next few months care of the Buran.ru website. As well, on one of the Buran.ru pages is some huge drawings of the same views that are at the Ninfinger link.

You've a huge fan here..

Cheers,

 

[dtomko]

Thanks again, Silverleaf.
I have the Energia/Buran and Proton/Zond. The flash is pretty manageable and fit is pretty good. You will find the Energia needs the most work; I sanded down the bands near the top and added stretched sprue conduits. Also the parachute packs at the tops of the strap ons don't go up high enough. I added putty to fill them out. It's a tiny model but the stand is an excellent depiction of the real launch pad base. The decals don't look great, but I have an early version of the kit. With sandpaper and putty it can look quite nice.
DT

 

[Silverleaf]

Anytime Drew..and thank you for the info on your buran kit. though I'm sure there will be work to do on them, I'm so stoked right now. lol

Cheers,