Space Tug (circa 1970)

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 22, 2018

• #1

Attempting a scratch-built "space tug". Loved seeing these illustrations from NASA in the 1970's — I couldn't wait until the 80's when they would be everywhere in orbit, on the moon, etc.



- - - Updated - - -

First, knocked out a couple of prototypes from foam, etc. to sort of evolve the design and scale.



- - - Updated - - -

By the third prototype, I've got the dimensions and proportions pretty close — figuring out the robotic arms....

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 22, 2018

• #2

With prototype #3 styrene is replacing some of the card-stock used — greebles appearing. There are a few things I dislike about prototype #3 though so I'll probably wrap it up soon and move on to prototype #4 where acrylic parts will replace the foam.

 

skiffy

Sr Member

• Sep 22, 2018

• #3

Nice work. I've loved these ever since I saw one in this card set back in 1971: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQHTVWTIsOw

Looking forward to updates!

 

Britcinescribe

Well-Known Member

• Sep 22, 2018

• #4

Oh, god. These were wonderful. I used to pore over these illustrations as a kid when they were new and draw them. Doesn’t matter if it was a Robert MCall NASA painting or a Brooke Bond PG tips “Race For Space” collectible card. I’ve often wanted to build these. Good job!

 

Britcinescribe

Well-Known Member

• Sep 22, 2018

• #5

And more!

There’s one painting of the tug which is frustrating me. It’s of it sitting on the lunar surface, with that wonderful slit window lit up red. Maybe in one of the McCall art books.

 

Last edited: Sep 23, 2018

skiffy

Sr Member

• Sep 23, 2018

• #6

Britcinescribe said:

And more!

There’s one painting of the tug which is frustrating me. It’s of it sitting on the lunar surface, with that wonderful slit window lit up red. Maybe in one of the McCall art books.

Click to expand...

I can't find that but I know the one you mean. Bob was such an inspration. Nicole Stott told me that Bob designed their crew patch for STS-133 which was one of his very last jobs before he passed away.

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 23, 2018

• #7

What sparked my imagination back in 1970:



I believe the book I found this in explained that this chart took us up to the 1990's.

So sad.....

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #8

I'm using drawing software to sketch parts of the space tug.

I print them out on the laser printer (yes, on paper) and then Super-77 (spray adhesive) these paper templates onto foam, styrene, balsa or whatever.

(Below is an attempt to create a robotic arm for the space tug prototype out of balsa.)






I hand-cut these and put them on the model. If I don't like the look or fit, I can edit the digital file, and repeat the process.



Some parts are complicated to cut out but the drawing software sure makes laying out the geometry easier....

 

SofaKing01

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Sep 24, 2018

• #9

Fantastic! You need a laser cutter!

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #10

SofaKing01 said:

Fantastic! You need a laser cutter!

Click to expand...

I had one — took up too much space in the garage.

I'm trying sculpteo.com. (Unless anyone has a better suggestion.)

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #11

As noted above, once you have a digital file, you can go to a laser cutter as easily as a laser printer.

Part created on computer:



Part uploaded to be laser cut:



Piece arrived:

 

joberg

Legendary Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #12

Interesting projectthumbsup Those space-ships remind me of "2001 A Space Odyssey" hardware. Eager to see the next update!

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 26, 2018

• #13

While I wait for laser parts to arrive, I have started to work on a figure for the space tug.

I decided on 1:35 scale. It seemed to be pretty close to what I was mocking up with the foam. No luck finding a 1:35 scale astronaut.

Somehow a 1:35 scale South Korean tank crew showed up on eBay that looked like something I could work with.



One guy is standing to look out of the tank, I believe. With the right paint scheme (i.e. not camo), maybe I can make this guy flying the space tug. The head garment even reminds me of the "snoopy-style" head garment worn by Apollo crews.

Color-scheme-wise, for the figure's main outfit, I haven't decided wether to go "Mercury-astronaut-silver", "Apollo-white", "Shuttle-orange" or "Air-Force/MOL-blue".

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 26, 2018

• #14

I don't know — torn between 1:35 scale (left figure) and "O-Scale" (1:48 scale, figure on right).

1:35 figure is cooler so I may have to go that route.

 

K

Kingmob

Well-Known Member

• Sep 26, 2018

• #15

I'd vote for the 1/35 and orange or blue for the more working stiff look.

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 27, 2018

• #16

Going to 1/35 scale. I'm afraid I may need to scale up the space tug though.

There is no "scale" for the space tug to speak of since there are no measured drawings I am aware of. Nonetheless, as an exercise, I looked up the diameter of the Apollo service module, imaging that perhaps NASA would go with a size they already have adapters, etc. for. At 1:35 scale I would want to make the space tug body 4.38" in diameter. That is just 0.38" larger than the current prototype....

Okay, to heck with it, going to scale up the model and re-order the laser cut parts at the larger scale.

A. B. I.
Always be iterating.

And wouldn't you know it, the laser parts from sculpteo.com just showed up today. Oh well, this will be the improperly-scaled prototype #4.

Below test-fitting the pieces + trying to squeeze as many parts as I can into a small area:

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 27, 2018

• #17

Starting the bottom of the space tug.

To cut the four "pie shaped" panels, as I did for the foam prototypes before:
• print the pattern to a laser printer

• Super-77 the paper pattern to a sheet of thin styrene

• use a knife to cut out styrene



• remove paper pattern from cut part (lighter fluid works well for this)

• clean-up/tweak edges of styrene with sand paper

I used a dowel to roll the cut piece of styrene on to get the right curvature I wanted:



Combining this hand-cut styrene piece with two of the laser-cut acrylics pieces gives my one of the completed pie wedges:




To position the wedge pieces correctly around the bottom of the space tug, I created a guide and printed it to size (two wedges completed and glued in place here):



The bottom of the space tug with all four wedges completed:

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 28, 2018

• #18

Gluing the two laser-cut acrylic top pieces to one another:



Checking again the relative scale with the figure. It might work (very little headroom for this guy):



Next, considering greeblies to populate the bottom....

 

JCalhoun

Active Member

• Sep 28, 2018

• #19

So I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just exploring this model-making thing. I've put together kits, decades ago, and made a few prototypes out of whatever. This is a push to try and make something half-way presentable. And I'm enjoying the learning (and occasional screwing up).

Decided to greeble up the bottom of the space tug but I'm not sure how. I have precious few "greeblies" since I am not a seasoned model-maker. I got some cheap tank kits on eBay though and have been picking through them.

I want pipes on the bottom — pressurized pipes that might go to a radiator of sorts, or move fuel or oxidizer around. Saw a YouTube video where a guy bends styrene tubing with a candle. So:



Found out that this thin styrene stock needs very, very little heat to soften up. Too soft and you have a noodle and can't get a clean radius on your pipe bend. The cutting mat, BTW, makes for a nice way to lay out 90 degree bends. I just hold the soft styrene piece along mat lines until it cools.

Playing around with greeblies on the bottom of the space tug.... Nothing glued down here, just moving stuff around, considering....



This isn't the Star Wars escape pod — probably not going to go crazy. I think I'm going to go with more subtle, understated greeblies on the space tug. I like the radiator idea ... and pipes. I have no radiator greeblie though so I may have to make something from scratch from these tiny styrene rods.

 

Britcinescribe

Well-Known Member

• Sep 29, 2018

• #20

I take every sprue I’ve ever used and just pull and pull it until I’ve got pipes of different sizes. Sprue and plasticard are the best for modelmaking!