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The entire LUT's, was constructed in three major parts:
the Base unit, was a couple layers of 1/2" MOD-2 plywood deck with 1/8" tempered masonite skirt and ribbing. the railing pins were 3/32" steel rod with hardwood top railing (this later proved to be durable but a hastle while trying to connect clustered microclips).
Most of the electrical wiring and at pad 12volt 40amp relay were concealed below this deck. The support columns were sawn for an old broom handle, not to scale but they served well. The ducted Blast Exhaust channels were constructed of 22ga galvaneal and fitted into the deck opening with a folded flattend edging to prevent cuts for the metal edge. The central splitter was also a double layer of this material. Another creative licence action was to exhaust these duct through the sides of the crawler deck skirting rather then trying to model the trench. This entire module was painted flat grey.
The Tower section was built almost entirely from flat balsa sheetstock, with a matching section of the 1/2" Plywood decking cutout that allowed this section to be lifted off the base for transport. The Elevator core was used to house the Crane turing rod and access platfrom movement rods. These rods were old steel 3/16" launch rods which passed through the entire length of the tower into ball bearing races pressure fitted into the base and top level 1/2" thick "Level" blocks. Access platform arm push/pull cables were attached through slots in the elevator shaft and covered with concealing balsa covers. These were the biggest pains to construct and conseal. To allow the crane to rotate and also raise and lower at the same time custom cut metal contact rings were sawn from 22ga steel sheet, soldered to remote control cables also run thur the elevator duct. The rings were then glued to the top level decking under the third removable piece, the Crane. Fitting up all the stripped blasa to create the look of Beams and angles took a ton of time. All balsa construction attached with carpenters yellow glue. The completed tower structure less the decking board were painted flat red. Side piping to the individual levels was added after painting the tower red, half-round sanded simulated piping was prepainted white then glued in place. At the bottom underside of the tower structure was added the two motor (erector set) Grear box that controlled the speed of the turning crane and speed of the in/out movement of the access platform arms. This box also housed the wiring disconnect plugs for all three remote controlled operations and the single motor micro clips. A small seperate housing located just beside this gear box housed the DPDT 40amp power relay used to for cluster motor launches. This box was also fitted with a external cable drop and battery clips to move the battery to the Launcher side of the circuits. I allowed room under the deck for a Hobbico 7amp gel-Cell but never actually used this option, preferring a larger wet-cell battery beside/behide the launcher.
I carved the crane house from a block of blasa and custom fabricated a motor housing and gear box to raise and lower a heavy carpet thread and bobbin Wench. The hook was a hollowed out 3/8" dowel filled with solder and metal hook. Again, not to scale but it looked pretty nifty for the control panel. The Crane structure was fabricated from custom slit balsa sheeting. Painted flat yellow and red.
When I started this project I had only a photo postcard that my Grandmother sent me from Kennedy Space Flight Center on one of her vacation trips. This was enlarged by blowing it up in an opaque projector and tracing as closely as I could the outlines seen in the photo. NOT at all accurate other then the major dimensions. Which I got years after this model had been destroyed by vandels breaking into my storage unit. I still have the grey base and the crane but the tower was a total loss. Somewhere in all the paper and drawing tubes i've collected over the past 40+ years I believe I still have the original tracing paper drawings done in 1969.
This model took a little over 1000 man hours to construct and more the 170 bucks worth of balsa and other woods. I didn't keep track of the insidentals involved in the electric or the original power panel controls.
I have to say it was a REAL project, and I've wanted to replace it for some time now. but with materials that would allow the big thing to remain outside. It was truely a blast launching for the LUT's regardless of the model. I had my first D13-7 Cato in a Goblin flying for this same LUTS. It was still quite exciting. In the 4 or 5 years I had this Tower model in operation it was a very welcome addition to the launch range setup
Hope this is helpful.
