First Ever Official RPF Group Build - IT HAS BEGUN...

Gigatron

I like the idea of the flat on the nose and leading edges, but don't forget the leading edge of the vertical stabilizer and elevators. Just try not to make the flat in a uniform pattern along the leading edge. Airflow would probably drag those particles along the depth of the wing, so a little of a streaking effect, would look pretty damn cool.

I really wonder what caused that streaking on the port wing. It almost looks like a cordite burn, but the X-1 doesn't have any guns. Maybe it's from the mothership, like an exhaust stain.


The X-1E looks like a much more fun bird to build, mostly because it lacks the greenhouse canopy, which is no fun to mask. This canopy looks more like the one found on the X-15.

-Fred

PHArchivist

I've wondered that too.

Its consistent in that you see it in every print of that image, but inconsistent in that in each print of that same image, its starkness varies.

In some shots the streak is lighter; in others its darker.

Gigatron

I'd chalk that up to the development process. I'm guessing that depending on how long a photo was bathed in the developing chemicals, it created differences in the contrast aspect. Maybe the longer it sat in the bath, the starker the contrast became.

If you have multiple images, what I would do, is compare the starkness of the stain, to the relative starkness of another area, like the black square on the fuselage or maybe the seperation between the wings and aelerons.

If you can say "ok, in this photo, I know this square is supposed to be black, and the stain is X shades lighter.". "Now, in this photo, the square is supposed to be black, but it is X shades lighter than in the previous photo. Is the stain relatively lighter, in comparison?".

-Fred

PHArchivist

Finishered off today, sans weathering...

She's a beaut! Looks just like the current rendition in the "Smith".

Gigatron

Looking forward to some pics, Rob .

So, are you going to suspend it from the ceiling, like the one at the Smith ?

-Fred

samster27

Hi, I have just joined the forum and after many weeks of LURKING, would like to throw my hat into the ring and have a bash at building the 1/32nd Special Hobby X-15A2 if thats OK with you guys.

Gigatron

Have at it, sam. Just be sure to post plenty of pictures .

-Fred

samster27

OK so I bought the kit and the Hypersonic book as reference, have started too, but the missus has fallen down stairs fracturing her wrist and shoulder so it looks as though I will not be building for the competition as will have to do everything until xmas and will have little time to do this justice. Apologies all round.

Will post though when I can build it in the new year. Good luck to all entrants.

Gigatron

Hey Sam,

Sorry to hear about your wife.

As far as the build is concerned, no worries, this isn't a competition, just a bunch of modelers with a common interest . So, when you get to it, you get to it - we'll still be here .

-Fred

Galane

Very nice models, all of you! One thing for LEM models, in the Apollo 13 movie and/or HBO's From the Earth to the Moon series, they used the wrappers from Rolo candy for the gold Mylar insulating film on the models.

LRL

I'm always happy to participate, is there an unloved model everyone is avoiding. Do we just photograph the model or do they get together at some stage, I'm sure the details are in one of these posts, just haven't found it yet.

LRL

Just reread the dates, seems like the rocket left without me..............sigh

Gigatron

Don't worry LRL, the rocket is in geo-stationary orbit, so feel free to join in.

As for what to build, any ship/vehicle/prototype that was/is part of the NACA/NASA program, is fine. And based on the participation level in this thread, most ships seem to be unloved, with the exception of the X-15 and X-1.

So, find a "real world" space craft (or vehicle involved in the space program) and build. Just post pictures along the way and of when it's complete .

Happy building.

-Fred

LRL

Yay! Ok.

xliny

will a 1/1 scale mercury capsule (boiler plate) count ?

Gigatron

Sure, why not. As long as we can get people to build

-Fred

jedimaster

Ok , so back into the real space for a bit while I wait for some BIG model parts to come in. I'm working on my real space display wall. So I have the 1/72 Apollo 11 . Can't really call it a build as it was ready built. But it inspired me to go balls out to get the display finished. So I'm building the 1/72 mercury redstone, the 1/12? Liberty bell as well as 4 shuttles.... Discovery, Atlantis, endeavor and a challenger with boosters all 1/72. Also have the 1/96 Saturn v with the card model LUT and tractor. This will be Apollo 13. Together with TIME , LIFE and National Geographic original magazines from Gemeni to today relating the space missions and my NASA Medals and flight wings. So starting next week, it's real space modeling till it's all done.

Simon.

Gigatron

Looking forward to the builds, Simon .

I'd love to see the build progress of the cardstock LUT. I have the launchpad for my shuttle, but it's still sitting in my closet, patiently waiting for me to get the nerve to start it . It's just so damn daunting.

-Fred

jedimaster

Yeah I hear ya man. I probably should have started with that one. Whe whole LUT and tractor are going to take forever me thinks. For this reason I'm starting on this first and I will build the others in between. I think if I just sat there cutting and folding card on this scale it would drive me nuts. Funny though. Just after I bought mine for the 1/96. He released the same for the new Dragon 1/72. Wish I had just waited for that one but hey... Who knew?

micdavis

In case they missed them.

Mercury Blueprints

modelar7

It will take awhile. Good Luck

Dan

micdavis

Glenn went up on an Atlas not a Redstone, that's how he made orbit. The Redstone couldn't do orbit. Just a hop and pop.