Spacemonkey 1/24 Scale build

[Klatuso]

I have been building a SpaceMonkey V2 for the past two months. Most of the time spent ordering totally new adhesives and tools (Tamiya razor saw imported from freaking Japan! Thanks Amazon for taking over a month to ship). Yea, that's a new addition to my vocabulary: T A M I Y A. Regardless, I have been enjoying building this conversion kit a great deal. Since the Japanese company Tamiya dominates the plastic modelling scene I have been studying the Japanese Zen of crafting. It's a combination of your most complicated rocket build combined with a Zen tea ceremony. I am transformed. "Tamiya" is apparently a word one needs to learn when building plastic models. Tamiya tools, Tamiya adhesives, Tamiya paints...Oh My! And all VERY expensive. My hope is that you get what you pay for.

The conversion components were purchased from Apogee and all went together seamlessly. They really studied this plastic model and all the components were perfect. Full disclosure; I love Apogee.

Constructing a plastic model is different from cardboard and balsa wood. Epoxies are different and posed a bit of a challenge, although an accomplished modeler need not worry. I broke the warhead off once. Fins mysteriously dropped off and I have no idea if they are finally bonded strong enough to withstand actual flight. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I had a heck of a time trimming the Tamiya putty fillets on the fin joints and did a poor job. I was high on lacquer fumes at the time. The fins fell off several times using plastic epoxy and one fin in particular I am very worried about.

Right now the model is built and primed. Now I am pondering a painting scheme. I am undecided between the White Sands Missile range version because I like the many decals (which I purchased special Micro Sol and Micro Set to do it right), or the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton camo version. For the camo version I would have to paint by brush with acrylic because spray painting would be a bridge too far for me.

I'll post pics if there is interest. All in all, this is a highly detailed kit and the Apogee conversion fits perfectly.

 

[Brent]

I have been building a SpaceMonkey V2 for the past two months. Most of the time spent ordering totally new adhesives and tools (Tamiya razor saw imported from freaking Japan! Thanks Amazon for taking over a month to ship). Yea, that's a new addition to my vocabulary: T A M I Y A. Regardless, I have been enjoying building this conversion kit a great deal. Since the Japanese company Tamiya dominates the plastic modelling scene I have been studying the Japanese Zen of crafting. It's a combination of your most complicated rocket build combined with a Zen tea ceremony. I am transformed. "Tamiya" is apparently a word one needs to learn when building plastic models. Tamiya tools, Tamiya adhesives, Tamiya paints...Oh My! And all VERY expensive. My hope is that you get what you pay for.

The conversion components were purchased from Apogee and all went together seamlessly. They really studied this plastic model and all the components were perfect. Full disclosure; I love Apogee.

Constructing a plastic model is different from cardboard and balsa wood. Epoxies are different and posed a bit of a challenge, although an accomplished modeler need not worry. I broke the warhead off once. Fins mysteriously dropped off and I have no idea if they are finally bonded strong enough to withstand actual flight. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I had a heck of a time trimming the Tamiya putty fillets on the fin joints and did a poor job. I was high on lacquer fumes at the time. The fins fell off several times using plastic epoxy and one fin in particular I am very worried about.

Right now the model is built and primed. Now I am pondering a painting scheme. I am undecided between the White Sands Missile range version because I like the many decals (which I purchased special Micro Sol and Micro Set to do it right), or the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton camo version. For the camo version I would have to paint by brush with acrylic because spray painting would be a bridge too far for me.

I'll post pics if there is interest. All in all, this is a highly detailed kit and the Apogee conversion fits perfectly.

I built one when they first come out. Didn't really find it that difficult. I already had a razor saw. You can get them at Hobby Lobby. I used CA for most of the build. I have flown it a few times on composite E morors. Balanced it is on the heavy side for D motores but doable. It never suffered any damage. Never got around to putting on the decals though. I believe the kit started as a project for the World Space Modeling competition.

 

[Klatuso]

Yea. I didn't wait for the Tamiya razor saw. I cut the ends of the blow molded main tube with a sharp Wusthof fillet knife. Otherwise all went well. If my local rocketry club holds PMC competition I will submit it even though the conversion was pretty much a gift from Apogee.

 

[James Duffy]

For the camo version I would have to paint by brush with acrylic because spray painting would be a bridge too far for me.

A few of these kits have crossed my workbench over the last several years, and they are indeed fun to build. The camo version can be completed successfully with spray cans, and simply takes a bit of planning to do successfully. First, consult Peter Alway's outstanding drawing of the operational "splinter" camo paint scheme. (I once read that the crew who restored the NMUSAF V-2 used Peter's drawing as a guide for painting this exhibit.)



Note that there are two white bands, located high and low. Spray these first using Tamiya TS-7 Racing White, then mask the areas you wish to remain this color. The model can then be sprayed with an all-over coat of TS-46 Light Sand.

At this point it is simply a matter of carefully masking and spraying the green areas one at a time using Tamiya TS-28 Olive Drab. With a bit of patience the results can be quite striking!



James

 

[James Duffy]

I believe the kit started as a project for the World Space Modeling competition.

Absolutely true. Models based on this kit were flown in the World Championships from 2010 through 2014 by Jim Filler, Matt Steele, Tony Reynolds, and myself.

James