Gemini Titan 1/35 build

[Charles_McG]

I've shown some pictures in my 1/35 Mercury Atlas thread, but I decided it's time to fork the threads.

I'll do some catch up later - but here's tonight's progress.



I think the 6" flexie turned out too small, though I do want a speedy descent - with just the capsule. I have carbon rod handy for an 8".

 

[Charles_McG]

Recap:

The Estes 2111 Mercury Atlas inspired me to start working on my own Rocket Garden. The 1/35 scale is tough to duplicate, but I've started winding my own paper body tubes for the 3.44" size.

Side by side, the early vision:



The Gemini capsule is a Sandman creation. I used the paper model from the Lower Hudson Valley Challenger Center (1/48 scaled to 1/35) as a guide.



I made a mistake and cut the windows square to the long axis, rather than sloped. I fixed it later with epoxy putty. Seen here during filling/sealing. You can see that I also filled in the adapter skirt detailed with cardstock covered balsa. The skirt is a cardstock transition from BT80 to T344 and is foam filled with an ounce of sinkers embedded (sims suggested the need for a little more nose weight)





Down at the other end, the motor mount is progressing. The high school's laser cutter makes centering rings easy - though the OD was a couple hundredths off - I made it up with cardstock. 3.5 degrees, coming up.

 

[Charles_McG]

Well, it turns out that spiral filling your home tubes requires more surface prep than I did. Sanding the wood filler fuzzied up the paper - which the primer made stand on end. Several sand and primer later, I'm almost ready to move on.

I did find that wood hardener on the paper -before- the sand and prime helps.

Tonight pictures show the capsule and adapter, pretty much wrapped up. I tried doing fine detail decals - but they don't show on the black. The United States is done on white decal paper with a printed black background. Blends in okay.

The band around the adapter is the stick from the flags they use to mark utility lines in the back yard, sanded into a half-round.

 

[Charles_McG]

While waiting for the primer to dry on the second stage, I was perusing various Gemini plans. I realized I was nearly cloning the Estes K-11 kit. So I'm going to use it for a few more details.

Like these by the motors.

 

[Charles_McG]

Here she is, dressed out and painted. Now I have to go backwards and retrofit fins on. And then put in recovery.

 

[aerostadt]

Looks really good!! Did you do something special for the capsule windows? It looks like one of the system tunnel lines are the launch lugs. I would think that retro-fitting the fins will be a challenge.

 

[Charles_McG]

The capsule windows are painted gold. Seemed niftier to make it look like reflected sunlight than a more realistic 'fogged with astronaut sweat'

Yes, the opposite side line is 1/4" ID tube, though to be honest, the friction from such a long line is higher than I like. I'll try 3/16" rod, and I may just put rail guides on.

Once I decided not to try a clear fincan, like the Estes KS21, I put in a little more surface detail on the bottom. I DID forget to put masking down at the planned fin locations before the first coat. Whoops.

 

[LithosphereRocketry]

That's a nice looking rocket, especially the LR-87ish motor mount... I don't suppose there are too many Aerozine/NTO model rocket motors, but other than that, I like it!

 

[NJRick]

beautiful job!!!

Here she is, dressed out and painted. Now I have to go backwards and retrofit fins on. And then put in recovery.

View attachment 322653
View attachment 322654
View attachment 322655

 

[Charles_McG]

1/100 scale trio.

 

[dhbarr]

1/100 scale trio.

View attachment 323136

That is a very pretty picture.

 

[Charles_McG]

Fins.

These gave me trouble. I glued the wrong edge down on -two- of them. Got epoxy on my nice clear fins.

 

[aerostadt]

In this picture I cannot see the defects, so things look pretty good. Working with clear plastic see-through fins has it's challenges no matter what the scale. Are these through-the-wall fins?

 

[Charles_McG]

It will look great from launch pad distance.

The fins are just surface mounted. I'm not planning on pushing this rocket hard.

 

[Charles_McG]

I got distracted by my Father's Day present.

 

[crossfire]

Charles very nice work. See you at the Bong.

 

[Charles_McG]

Here's the pad shot. Unfortunately, one of the two D12s didn't light. It turns out I botched the igniter insertion and ended up with a short ahead of the plug.

Only minor damage - she'll fly again.

 

[ewg1967]

1/100 scale trio.

View attachment 323136

Are these Dr Zooch kits?

 

[Charles_McG]

Are these Dr Zooch kits?

Nope. Scratch built. The Mercuries use a BT19 nosecone from eRockets. The Gemini uses a custom nosecone from Sandman/Gordon Agnello.

 

[Charles_McG]

More 1/100 scale

 

[aerostadt]

More 1/100 scale
View attachment 325785

So, a Redstone tank really was used in the Saturn 1B.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Just have the old German dudes bundle up some surplus Army Redstone missiles for the first stage. All the money went to the NAVY for Vanguard!

 

[Charles_McG]

Musk: clustering three boosters turns out to be hard.

von Braun: Ja! Ve stuck -nine- together. 50 years ago.

 

[Ez2cDave]

Charles very nice work. See you at the Bong.

I just had a Cheech & Chong "Up In Smoke" flashback . . . LOL !

Dave F.

 

[Raptor 2]

What was the final launch weight less the two D engines? Did you ever launch it a second time?
Nice work on the rocket. Looks great!

 

[Charles_McG]

What was the final launch weight less the two D engines? Did you ever launch it a second time?
Nice work on the rocket. Looks great!

I suppose 5 years isn't the record for thread necromancy.

I can get the weight tonight. I'm pretty sure I flew it for at least one good flight. I spent a lot of time making a piston system to push out a spring loaded rogallo style wing in front of the parachute - for the capsule to descend on. It always tangled during deployment :-(

 

[Raptor 2]

I suppose 5 years isn't the record for thread necromancy.

I can get the weight tonight. I'm pretty sure I flew it for at least one good flight. I spent a lot of time making a piston system to push out a spring loaded rogallo style wing in front of the parachute - for the capsule to descend on. It always tangled during deployment :-(

Society is built on knowledge from the past. I learn new things and get ideas from browsing in the bowels of the RF. Will have to look up what what a rogallo style wing is. Learned something new!

 

[Raptor 2]

Okay so that would have been a cool descent for the capsule if you got it to work.

 

[Charles_McG]

Okay so that would have been a cool descent for the capsule if you got it to work.

Dry weight is 590g.

I built a piston into what would be the Titan second stage. The piston tube has an upper stop, so after pushing off the nosecone, the body tube would pop off for chute deployment. The piston has a little cup to hold the stowed wing.