Estes 1/100 Saturn V build video series

[James Duffy]

Several weeks ago a pre-production copy of the new 1/100 Saturn V from Estes (#1967) was entrusted to me, and I promised to do a build video. As it will be a whopper of a project I've decided to break this up into a series of individual video segments, each highlighting a different bit of the assembly and finishing process. Here's the first video in the series, which covers the history of the Estes and Centuri Saturn V kits over the decades, and also provides a peek of the kit components and an overview of the planned build.



This is the first time I've done a build video in 4K resolution, so be sure to use the full screen mode on your device! Additional videos should follow every few days to as long as a week, depending on the complexity of that particular step.

Enjoy!

James

 

[James Duffy]

Part 2 of the Saturn V build series is live:

 

[James Duffy]

Episode 3 of the Saturn V build series is live! Anybody else start construction yet?

 

[bad_idea]

I watch these videos partly as inspiration if I ever get off my duff and start trying to finish rockets properly, and partly for the wristwatch spotting.

Great construction video as always, sir!

 

[Cape Byron]

Just watched the first. Excellent as always. Liked the model history a lot.

 

[Dad of Sapling]

Thank you for the build series. I appreciate all of the tips and tricks. This will be the most complicated build I have attempted and from what I've seen so far I have the skills. Now I just need to wait for my birthday to roll around in Oct to get mine. I love having a wife who takes hints, and leaving several print outs laying around the house probably didn't hurt.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Thank you for the build series. I appreciate all of the tips and tricks. This will be the most complicated build I have attempted and from what I've seen so far I have the skills. Now I just need to wait for my birthday to roll around in Oct to get mine. I love having a wife who takes hints, and leaving several print outs laying around the house probably didn't hurt.

Not to hijack, but good on your wife! My beloved, bless her heart - one Christmas, my kids went together to buy me the Famemaster "4D" Saturn V static model (1:100). My wife couldn't understand why I'd want a huge plastic model like that. But then she outdid herself (mind you, she is an excellent housekeeper and decorator). She asked me where I was going to put it. "In my office", I replied. And the kids almost split themselves laughing when she said, "But I didn't want anything else in your office!" as straight faced as could be. "Mom! Did you hear what you just said?!?!"

A Saturn V would be a BOAL for me - build of a lifetime... so I'll watch the master here when I get a chance. I kick it around in my head a lot - now mind you, if I ever even get this one built it'll be a new red-letter day on the calendar - but I do, and I wonder how much I could learn about the electronics aspects, what scale, could I do a 5-5-1, what other features, on and on I muse. I guess we'll see.

 

[James Duffy]

Part 4 of the Saturn V build series is now live:



I build and finish the F-1 static display nozzles in this installment, going far beyond what reasonable people would have done. (I never claimed to be reasonable.)

 

[James Duffy]

Part 5 of the Saturn V video series is up:



This installment covers perhaps the most challenging bit of the project, the installation of the corrugated styrene detail wraps on the lower airframe. It is also a whopper, clocking in at over 34 minutes!

 

[Cape Byron]

Part 5 of the Saturn V video series is up:



This installment covers perhaps the most challenging bit of the project, the installation of the corrugated styrene detail wraps on the lower airframe. It is also a whopper, clocking in at over 34 minutes!

A great video with lots of tips. Hopefully less Saturn V kits hidden in the wardrobe after this.

 

[James Duffy]

Hopefully less Saturn V kits hidden in the wardrobe after this.

Boom! There's why I do these videos. We all know that thousands of these high-end kits have been sold over the decades, but how many of them have we actually seen fly? Our club, the Austin Area Rocketry Group, has been in existence for over a quarter century and hosted hundreds of launches, but how many Saturn V models have I seen show up and fly during that period? A grand total of two, sadly.

A complex project is just a bunch of little projects strung in a row. Start building and painting, everybody!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Austin Area Rocketry Group?!?! AARG!!!

 

[bad_idea]

Austin Area Rocketry Group?!?! AARG!!!

Yes, I once asked Gloria Jarvis if AARG was pronounce as "grab your throat" or "grab your saber" (which would have been appropriate on ITLAPD yesterday). She told me it was a little of both.

 

[Art Upton]

Boom! There's why I do these videos. We all know that thousands of these high-end kits have been sold over the decades, but how many of them have we actually seen fly? Our club, the Austin Area Rocketry Group, has been in existence for over a quarter century and hosted hundreds of launches, but how many Saturn V models have I seen show up and fly during that period? A grand total of two, sadly.

A complex project is just a bunch of little projects strung in a row. Start building and painting, everybody!

Are there a larger number of Saturn 1Bs you have seen flown at the club?
What about LJIIs ?

 

[James Duffy]

Are there a larger number of Saturn 1Bs you have seen flown at the club?
What about LJIIs ?

One Saturn 1B (mine, a Semroc version), and two Little Joe II models (one mine, one a guest).

It really seems that people like to purchase these kits, then never build them. 'Tis a pity. The LJII, in particular, is a fairly simple kit to build and finish.

BTW, Part 6 of this series will be released midday tomorrow (Sunday).

 

[Alan15578]

Are there a larger number of Saturn 1Bs you have seen flown at the club?
What about LJIIs ?

Another good question.

James, thanks for your efforts. I have only viewed part 5. That seems like a large amount of trim work and #11 blades for a kit. Still, I'll probably try to order new wraps when I build another Saturn V. I have built two of the original Estes K kits. The first one as soon as it came out and before my building skills had matured. I retired it with a D12-7 when it was in need of its third paint job. The second was very nicely built with a 5 motor cluster. I took it to Chicago for a launch and had it carefully nestled between the back seat and a very heavy immovable tool box. It was crushed in a minor car accident. They are great for local launches and usually get photographed and selected for printing in the local newspaper. The Saturn V is too big for my casual flying, and I prefer the smaller Saturn 1B. My Saturn 1B is still in good flying and display condition. It has flow with D12, C5, and E20 motors, sometimes in competition.

I did a quick Saturn inventory check, Not counting the plastic model kits, I have one each Centuri Saturn V and 1B, and two Estes Saturn V kits. I had a third Estes kit that I would have built for the 50th anniversary, but I gave it my nephew to build with his son. They botched the motor mount and never completed it. I thought I had one more Estes 1B kit, but I did not locate it. I guess I need to build another V and buy another 1B reserve kit. I don't know when, but My next V build will be 5 motor with true scale fins, much like my last K kit build.

 

[James Duffy]

Part 6 of the build series is now live:



Yep, I go through a bunch of #11 blades on a project. I make no apologies for this. <G>

 

[bad_idea]

Great series, James. Thank you for putting so much time into your tutorials. Maybe someday you'll inspire me to paint some rockets.

(Well, I do paint them if they survive long enough, but usually just in orange and black.)

 

[Dad of Sapling]

Maybe a noob question but, is there a difference between Tamia thin plastic cement and Plastruc plastic weld? I want to make sure I'm using the right stuff.

 

[James Duffy]

Maybe a noob question but, is there a difference between Tamia thin plastic cement and Plastruc plastic weld? I want to make sure I'm using the right stuff.

It's been a few years since I've used the stuff, but I seem to recall that the Plastruct Plastic Weld is a bit hotter than the Tamiya Extra Thin. In other words, the Plastruct is a more aggressive solvent. I always used the Plastic Weld to make my Mercury escape towers as it worked wonders forging all of the little bits of styrene together into a monolithic structure.

For general construction you probably won't see any difference. On thin vacuform plastic the Plastruct product would be a bad idea.

 

[James Duffy]

Part 7 of the Estes 1/100 Saturn V build series is now live:



This installment covers the cutting, trimming, fitting, and installation of the fins and fin fairings, perhaps the toughest part of the build.

 

[Cape Byron]

Just watched the ‘Fairings and Fins’ episode.

The tips you gave in this episode actually make me want this kit. Really want it.

Badly.

Wonder when the Oz shipment will arrive?

 

[Sterk03]

Great series on the Saturn V. My favorite rocket. I have 2 Saturn V models I fly, one in a box probably never build and 2 Saturn 1B I fly. My latest is a Saturn V Skylab and trying to fly. Right now I’m o for 3. If you know the secret pass it on. I have added nose weight, motor size, and increased the fins and still doing donuts. I wish I had the building patience you have. Thanks again for your time and teaching us how it’s done.
Sterk03

 

[Saluki]

I have learned much from watching these, best build videos on building the Saturn V.
I would love to see you do a series of videos on all ESTES scale models.
Thanks for the ones you have done. I will keep my eye out for more.
Super great job.

 

[James Duffy]

Part 8 of the Saturn V build series has been posted:



This episode covers the trimming, fitting, and installation of the cable raceway details.

 

[NTP2]

Wonder when the Oz shipment will arrive?

2056

 

[Cape Byron]

2056

Cool. Sooner than expected.

 

[James Duffy]

Part 9 of the Saturn V build series is now live, covering assembly and painting of the Launch Escape System, Command and Service Modules, and the Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter.

 

[Dad of Sapling]

It doesn't get said enough but thank you for doing this. I know it's a lot of work to put together a quality video series. Mine arrived yesterday and now I at least need to get the first prime done before the cold Minnesota winter sets in.

 

[Alan15578]

More great videos. I have caught up with all the episodes, as well as your Saturn 1B video.

My last Saturn build was the Estes 1B about 40 years ago. I am not sure what paint I used, but the white has yellowed some. Is your preferred Tamiya white paint more resistant to yellowing over time?

I noticed that you used two different spray adhesives for the plastic wraps. When I built my 1B model I was apprehensive about getting the placement just right and the permanence of the adhesive. I just positioned the wraps and glued the edges with Hot Stuff. I was encouraged to see how well things went when I saw you apply the wraps with 77. Then I was horrified to see you lift the edge of the wrap and work in some CA. I would have likely bonded the CA applicator under the wrap. But then, I don't use medium CA. I liked the attention you gave to finishing the seam. When I built my model I just applied Hobbypoxy Stuff, and filed in matching corrugations
with micro files.

I hope I am not too late to ask this, but I would like to see some weight measurement or estimates from your build. I would like to know the weight of the filler primer, and the weight of the paint finish. I also want the complete ready to fly mass and CG.

Are the injected molded fins true scale size? I know various Saturn V kit editions used oversized fins instead of the clear plastic glove fins over scale size fins. My Saturn V build will use 5 motors firing through the Plastic nozzles in the aft location. This will move the CG aft but I will add nose weight and the clear plastic fins to retain the Estes design stability margins. I do not remember where the CG was on the original K kit, but knowing the launch weight and CG from the newest kit will help me work things out. While many rocketeers use 5 C motors, I like the D12 (and possibly the E12) and four 13 mm motors. Gluing BT-5 to the inside of the BT-101 provides perfect scale location. The joy of kits is that everyone can build it their way.