Tintin Destination Moon rocket?

[wscarvie]

Hi all,

While looking for decor for my son's bedroom, I discovered a Tintin book I'd never seen before: Destination Moon. The book features a very retro rocket in red-and-white paint scheme with pods on the end of each of its three fins.

Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1405208155/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

So, decorating his room with this book is one thing...building a model of this rocket is an even better idea, of course.

Now, I'm nearly CERTAIN I've seen a model of this rocket before. It might have been in JimZ's archive of plans. Or it might have been a paper model on-line. Or perhaps I saw a photo of someone's model in Sport Rocketry. Dunno, so I'm hoping one of you can help me out.

Ever seen plans for a model rocket, or a commercially available kit, that looks like this one? Of course, I can paint to match, so I'm looking for the right form.

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Ask and ye shall receive

https://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/kits/pml_little_lunar_express.html

 

[SecretSquirrel]

These are available

https://www.bloomsburystore.com/proddetail.php?prod=tintinrocket

https://cgi.ebay.com/TINTIN-Space-M...QitemZ6052824470QQcategoryZ1194QQcmdZViewItem

 

[sylvie369]

There's a really nice model here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdawg/17846476/in/set-423250/

at the Centre Belge de la Bande Desinee in Brussels. I visited last year - it's marvelous.

 

[f16fan12]

I love the Tintin books!
You know, that rocket kinda reminds me of the V2. The time period would fit, no?

 

[wscarvie]

Hi again,

Guess I should have been more specific

I'm looking for a flying model rocket, that flies on low power. Or, a paper or plastic model that can be converted to low power. I'd love to try that high power PML kit, but I'm looking for something that I can both fly, and display on my son's dresser top. There's just not enough room in the bedroom for that high powered beast

Thanks to everyone who's posted so far. Man, that was some rapid response time.

And yes, f16fan12, that rocket looks a LOT like a V2, with some tweaking to the fins. I might just go that route if nobody knows of an existing kit.

Thanks!

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Look for an Estes Silver Comet

Here is a review which is a kitbash, however you could make some custom fins and work outward.

https://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/mods/est_silver_comet_2.html

 

[wscarvie]

Thanks Al,

That's close. I'd have to rework the fins, of course, but it's possible. Might go with a V2 as the basis if I scratchbuild this project, though, as the body shape is closer.

Will

 

[Stefan_Jones]

Jack Hagerty's Spaceship Handbook has scaled drawings of the big moon rocket, as well as the little unmanned experimental one.

I'm making a "semi scale" version of the unmanned ship for a Belgian friend's son. (I got him the Tin Tin book a few years back.)

It uses a BMS cone and boat tail, the set meant for BT-60 V-2 clones.

I've attached a photo of it while it was still "in primer."

It hasn't advanced much since then. Right now it is glossy white. I am really intimidated by the next step, painting red and white checkerboards! Do I mask and spray on red, or spray it all in red and then put on white trim monokote squares?

Either will be complicated by a bit of bad planning. One of the launch lugs will be in a red square, the other white. D'oh! That will make masking and/or trim monokote application really nasty.

 

[Balltip]

There is one beautiful and fun video showing (amongst many other things) a larger Tintin moon rocket lifting off. You find that video on Aerotechs home page, go to theatre page (scroll down a bit and look to the right on the home page, you'll see the link), choose Rocket Launch Movies, and play the ALRS-2 Rocket Launch.

The Tintin rocket appears about 3-4 minutes into that video (you will need a player capable of playing Quick time) and a whole bunch of other really nice rockets as well.

Oh, I know this don't give you much more to work with, but it really is a beautiful scale model, and it looks pretty much exactly as Hergé painted Tintins rocket!

Per

 

[spacecadet]

Mike 8-{> flies one here. I'm sure he'll tell you about it.

 

[spacecadet]

Here's a picture. https://www.bobarnott.com/rocketry/reports/ears/mar-03/index.shtml

 

[Rocket Al]

Fatcat Rockets (now OOP) did two versions of this rocket. The K1 and the Mega K1. Saw the Mega K1 fly at a few ROC launches at Lucerne a few years back. I have a copy of the Fatcat Catalogue that can be scanned. Don't know if that would help at all, as there's not much there besides a description and a small picture.


Al

 

[lessgravity]

I love these retro rockets. If you come across anymore let me know so I can add it to my retro and inspiration page on my blog.
I'm working on several retro builds myself currently and have found that 50s and 60s childrens books are one of the best sources for inspiration.

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by wscarvie
I'm looking for a flying model rocket, that flies on low power. Or, a paper or plastic model that can be converted to low power. I'd love to try that high power PML kit, but I'm looking for something that I can both fly, and display on my son's dresser top. There's just not enough room in the bedroom for that high powered beast

Here you go:
https://web.netrevolution.com/mmmodel/xflr7-A.htm

 

[wscarvie]

Woo hoo!

That's the ticket. Mike wrote me an email with a link to this rocket too. Thanks to both of you!

 

[mike_bar]

Originally posted by wscarvie
While looking for decor for my son's bedroom, I discovered a Tintin book I'd never seen before: Destination Moon. The book features a very retro rocket in red-and-white paint scheme with pods on the end of each of its three fins. [Snip]

There is a detailed card (paper) model of the tintin rocket here:

https://www.smartgroups.com/vault/pmcache04/Models/Jayo

but you need to be a member of the group, to access and download the file.

 

[BobH48]

I'm surprised that no one mentioned the model available from Model Minutes

It's a card model that is already designed as a flying rocket

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by BobH48
I'm surprised that no one mentioned the model available from Model Minutes

That would be the model I posted the link to.

 

[BobH48]

Originally posted by hokkyokusei
That would be the model I posted the link to.

How did I miss that?

oops

 

[kyflyin]

You can get to FatCats old rocket website in a round-about way...
https://www.fatcatrockets.com/rocket kits.htm

here is the page on the K1
https://www.fatcatrockets.com/k-1 full.htm

notice the parts layout
https://www.fatcatrockets.com/k-1 views.htm

Finally, EMRR did a review of it..
https://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/oop/fc_k-1.html

Hope this gives a little help

Mark