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4D · Last edited by 4D on Wed 17 Jun 2009 13:49 pm; edited 1 time in total

I have embarked on building the Revell Saturn V. I bought the 1/96 Saturn V and the 1/96 Lunar Module, Command and Service Module kit. I am building it as close as possible to Apollo 11 with Lunar Module Eagle and Command Module Columbia. There are a lot of restrictions with the scale and even after pouring over thousands of images on the web not all the details are visible or colours discernable. Below is the escape cover for the command module fashioned from the CM in the kit.

And with the escape tower fixed...

Now compared with the Command Module from the kit ready for the "in flight version...

The Service modules were block I which were used in trailblazing the final lunar flights whereas the Apollo 11 block II service module meant filing off the model detail and replacing it with new detail.

Here is the inflight version.

This is the one that will sit atop the Saturn V itself.

The Lunar Module required gold foil. Only the LM/CM kit contained foil not the Saturn V. After visiting craft shops and model shops I started hunting down chocolate bars and found Neslte Heaven Belgian chocolate has simple gold foil that matches almost perfectly Revell’s gold paint (94). Below is the descent stage.

The biggest problem with the LM is that of the “plume deflectors”. These are covers that direct the engine exhaust form the lower attitude jets from damaging the ship and they are not included in this model. I have included these cut from plastic straws but they are fixed in one place only.

The LM ascent stage...

And finally ascent and descent stages together. The lunar module on the left is going into the Saturn V.

I have not been very successful with silver panel lines so any suggestions are welcome.

Finally some shots of the flight configurations. I will post the finished Saturn V and the components in the non-airfix picture gallery when it’s all complete. Thanks for looking.

Extracted from stage 3 of the Saturn V

On the way to the moon

Recovered from the moon and on the way home...

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Regards 4D

jhl1908 · Posted: Mon 04 May 2009 18:02 pm Post subject:

Excellent work, 4D.

You have a great eye for details.
Keep up the good work.

All the best form Jesper.
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BAGGY · Posted: Mon 04 May 2009 21:05 pm Post subject:

WOW!!!
Cant wait to see the next installment of pics!!

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feanor · Posted: Mon 04 May 2009 21:13 pm Post subject:

Ayup 4D...

Welcome to ATF...

Stunning stuff. I need to go read about the Apollo Missions and suss it all out...

Excellent stuff !
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Ratch · Posted: Tue 05 May 2009 00:31 am Post subject:

Superb work Neil Clapping

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Steven Pietrobon · Posted: Tue 05 May 2009 07:37 am Post subject:

Great work! The LM ascent stage is not the same as LM-5 and needs modification. I did this to my tiny LM from the Airfix 1/144 Saturn V!

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feanor · Posted: Tue 05 May 2009 08:05 am Post subject:

Ayup Stephen...

Excellent intricate work.

This thread's very educational too (for me) as i haven't seen too many, if at all, pictures of what was inside the Cracker...

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dancho · Posted: Tue 05 May 2009 14:02 pm Post subject:

After reading "How Apollo Flew to the Moon" I'm very interested in this. I ALMOST bought the kit myself. Superb job on it!
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4D · Posted: Tue 05 May 2009 18:17 pm Post subject:

Allan31 · Posted: Tue 05 May 2009 20:17 pm Post subject:

Bravo 4D,
I like your build so far of the Satern V, looking great.
PLease look in "On the Workbench", "Demo-Builds" for a "How-to" of the panel lines on the Orion.
If your doing flat aluminum then pencil over dull-coat should work fine for you. If you need polished aluminum, then I see no way around foil over rescribe with black in scribe lines.
HTH,
Allan

And you can use pencil in recessed panel lines also although on the Orion that wasn't possable.
Good luck

4D · Last edited by 4D on Mon 11 May 2009 21:53 pm; edited 2 times in total

feanor · Posted: Mon 11 May 2009 07:00 am Post subject:

Ayup 4D...

Very nice work.

I have to build a pull-handle for my Mig in strip about that size, and you've given me a handle on how to build it... Cheers.

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4D

I have made some final modifications to the ascent stage of the Lunar module. These consist of the docking target and two VHF antennas. At this scale they are very fiddly but I think the overall affect is much closer to the real thing.

Unfortunately the docking target sits on a slightly inclined plane on the model as the real surface is flat. Also there is a little more beyond the “cross” of the VHF antennas (or is it antennae?) but the surface area for gluing anything else on is so small I doubt it would last very long.

The last mod I can probably make is the egress platform which only approximates the original.
Thanks for looking.
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4D

Final additions to the LM Model are an aerial at the back of the ascent stage. This is folded down on the version within the Saturn V but extended with the landed version. The inclusion of Neil Armstrong on the moon finishes the landed version. I still haven’t decided whether to change the egress platform, but I want to move onto the rest of the rocket now.

The next few shots approximate the sun's direction when the Eagle was on the moon. It's a pity the moons surface wasn't a little larger.

And finally the finished Revell Model...

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Steven Pietrobon · Posted: Tue 26 May 2009 05:03 am Post subject:

Great job!
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jhl1908 · Posted: Tue 26 May 2009 10:30 am Post subject:

Great job, 4D

- Jesper
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4D · Last edited by 4D on Wed 17 Jun 2009 18:10 pm; edited 1 time in total

I’ve not done an awful lot more lately but here is the next instalment of the Saturn V. This is the first stage known as S-IC. The F-1 engines in the kit have a hollow where the fuel manifold sweeps around the nozzle. It looks fine from the outside but looking into the engine it is obviously wrong (see the two halves in the top left). Removing flashing from the inside, thin plasticard shapes are cut to cover the hollow and trimmed to fit around the fixings.

The plasticard is painted polished aluminium and the nozzle extensions (below the manifold) are painted aluminium.

A black wash is added to the nozzle extension interior which gives a more lifelike finish. These are too clean really as the engines were tested several times before the rocket was rolled out and launched.

The outside of the F1 is painted but I changed the aluminium top to steel when compared to images of the actual engine.

Finished set of 5 engines with the inlets and fuel pipes added, again clean but this is the colour of the engines from the factory. Loads of detail is missing here with lots of pipes and intricate workings. The actual engines were covered in insulating foam prior to liftoff. A set of these are available from http://www.realspacemodels.com/html/96f1pg.htm, but I wanted to show off some of the detail.

The bottom plates of S-IC need some alteration from the kit which is of earlier models than the Apollo 11 Saturn V. Eight extra pieces are removed from the circumference and 3 square sections need to be replaced with flat riveted plates. Plasticard plates are cut and the edges have rivets created with a pin and the recess is packed with plasticard offcuts.

Finally the edge slots left by the removal of unwanted boxes is filled with strips of plastic and trimmed flush.

Engine supports are painted and fixed and the engines added to the bottom plate.

Some more detail painting needs adding to the plate and the silver strips need tidying up, these were roughed out to see if they looked right.

More to follow.
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dancho · Posted: Tue 16 Jun 2009 20:57 pm Post subject:

That's looks as cool as the best episodes of Star Trek (which were filmed in space, of course).
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The Cosh · Black Star Joined: 05 May 2009 Posts: 42

Excellent stuff. Really love the work you've put into this stuff. You obviously know the source inside out, so I hope you don't think it's rude of me to stick up this image taken at the Johnson Space Center last year to give people an idea of the scale of these boosters. Happy to remove it if it's inappropriate.

Steven Pietrobon · Posted: Wed 17 Jun 2009 07:44 am Post subject:

Note that the F-1 engines were covered in a sliver covered mat for launch. You can see this in the close up of the engines during launch.
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