Rocket themed chess set

[CzTeacherMan]

So I have two passions in my life... Chess and rockets. I finally make a chess themed rocket (below).
Now I need a rocket themed chess set. I'm pretty sure I could make one on a 3D printer, but first I'll need the design.
I'm thinking of a set where each chess piece is represented by a different rocket, and this could go two ways: 1) six different rockets, one for each piece and then paint them two colors, or 2) have 12 rocket designs, six from one genre and six from another (could be nations, time periods, military v space, etc).

So... Help! What rocket designs would you use to create a rocket chess set?
Pawn
Knight
Bishop
Rook
Queen
King

 

[MClark]

I suggest one side US and the other Soviet.
Kings would be Saturn V and N-1

 

[MALBAR 70]

King=Saturn V
Queen=Mercury Redstone
Knight=Little Joe II
Bishop=LTV Scout or Nike Smoke
Rook=Space Shuttle (full stack)
Pawn=V2/WAC Bumper

 

[CzTeacherMan]

I suggest one side US and the other Soviet.
Kings would be Saturn V and N-1

That's kind of what I was thinking, but I don't know enough about rocket history to come up with a full set.

King=Saturn V
Queen=Mercury Redstone
Knight=Little Joe II
Bishop=LTV Scout or Nike Smoke
Rook=Space Shuttle (full stack)
Pawn=V2/WAC Bumper

Definitely a good list... Not so sure on the pawns though. I like the Saturn V, Mercury combo though, that would be awesome.

 

[mpitfield]

LMs for pawns. If not concerned with scale and you want to add other counties you can't ignore the Soyuz contribution.

 

[ksaves2]

No, Saturn 1B for Queenie. That pairing above is like having Andre' the Giant married to a Munchkin!! Kurt

 

[Mr Rocket]

King=Saturn V
Queen=Mercury Redstone
Knight=Little Joe II
Bishop=LTV Scout or Nike Smoke
Rook=Space Shuttle (full stack)
Pawn=V2/WAC Bumper

I like it,but my order would be

King=Saturn V
Queen=Saturn 1B
Knight=Space Shuttle (full stack)
Bishop=Mercury Redstone
Rook=Little Joe II
Pawn=V2/WAC Bumper

I really like the Space Shuttle as the Knight since the shuttle rode on the booster, and the knight rode on the horse.

 

[CzTeacherMan]

I like it,but my order would be

King=Saturn V
Queen=Saturn 1B
Knight=Space Shuttle (full stack)
Bishop=Mercury Redstone
Rook=Little Joe II
Pawn=V2/WAC Bumper

I really like the Space Shuttle as the Knight since the shuttle rode on the booster, and the knight rode on the horse.

That's a good point... And keep in mind that King is tallest down to pawns, so height goes: King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, rook, pawn.

 

[jd2cylman]

I like it,but my order would be

King=Saturn V
Queen=Saturn 1B
Knight=Space Shuttle (full stack)
Bishop=Mercury Redstone
Rook=Little Joe II
Pawn=V2/WAC Bumper

I really like the Space Shuttle as the Knight since the shuttle rode on the booster, and the knight rode on the horse.

I agree with most of this, except add the Mercury Atlas as bishop, then Mercury Redstone as rook, Little Joe for pawns (black), and Little Joe II pawns (white).
If you only do US as white and use Soviet as black, there are a lot of Vostock and Soyuz variants and since the Russians also got V2's use those for black pawns.

 

[Bat-mite]

Buy a bunch of MicroMaxx rockets and there you go!

 

[cerving]

I agree with most of this, except add the Mercury Atlas as bishop, then Mercury Redstone as rook, Little Joe for pawns (black), and Little Joe II pawns (white).
If you only do US as white and use Soviet as black, there are a lot of Vostock and Soyuz variants and since the Russians also got V2's use those for black pawns.

Make the Soviets red instead of black...

 

[jd2cylman]

Make the Soviets red instead of black...

Oooh, great idea comrade... :wink:

 

[Tonimus]

Soviet side:

King: N1
Queen: Proton
Bishop: Soyuz
Knight: Vostok
Rook: Sputnik
Pawn: R-16

 

[Nytrunner]

Throw the Voshkod in there so you can have anywhere?