Well guys,

We finally had a day for painting: high around 70, no wind, lots of sunshine.

After filling the seams with wood filler, I primed the new shroud and BT-58 section. If you look carefully, you can see I was able to salvage the original metal wire for rigging the parachute. I also sanded bevel ends to the launch lug in an attempt to get it to look less like a launch lug and more like a conduit or other 3-D piece. I've also sanded off the original decals on the S-IVb body. My plan is to go ahead and refinish the S-IVb and shroud while I (slowly) build up new fins out of sheet plastic and then join the booster and the upper stage after they've been painted.

I received my new decals from Sandman and they look awesome.

I'm going to use my Sirius/Moldin' one-piece capsule/LES unless something else turns up, mostly becuase this is going to be a flyer.

When I get a little farther along, I'll post pictures of the new fin build-up.

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__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

The work on the Sat V and the Vostok components both look great Mark!

__________________
I plan ahead that way I don't have to do anything right now.

Oh by the way, I'm not here just for the "olde" rocket discussions.

OK Guys,

I haven't abandon the project. After much thought, I decided to build up new fins out of .015 sheet styrene. Due to my own clumsiness, the two remaining fins were tramatically removed which allowed me to trace them. The picture shows ten of the twelve fin sides laid out on the plastic; a few passes with the x-acto knife and badda-bing, fin sides.

Also note I got a single coat of white primer on the S-IVb before the snow started.

I'll finish the fins this week.

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__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

I'm glad you didn't stop. Since you started this project which I've been following. I just ordered some of the components I needed to start work on my restortation. Keep up the good work and thanks for some of the ideas.

Questor

Just a quick update:

The picture shows all six replacement fins; they are build up out of .015 styrene, the tips of the fins are a stack of scrap strips of the styrene. The next step is to glue on the other side of the fin using lots of clothespins. This fin replacement has turned out alot easier than I thought, it's just very repetitive to cut out pieces for six fins.

Hopefully, by next weekend, I'll have the fins on the rocket . . . .

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__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

Wow!

Its been four months since that last post. I finally finished the Russian spacecraft, so back to the S-1b.

As I noted above, the two remaining original fins were tramatically removed as a result of my own clumsiness. On the plus side, with them off the rocket, I was able to refine the shape of my replacements; on the minus side, I realized that the best way to proceed was to replace all of the fins, so I made four more sides and two fins worth of internal parts.

In the picture you see the S-Ib on the stand. If you look closely you can see how beat-up the section where the fins were has become. My plan is to glue the new fins on and use my old pal Bondo to smooth the area over.

Leaning on the stand you see the original fins. On the top left of the cutting matt are the first two complete fins. The next two are clamped with clothespins and the remaining four are at the bottom of the matt awaiting assembly.

What you can't see is the S-IVb stage which has had its launch lug moved to the correct location and has been smoothed, reprimed and painted white using new Rustoleum Gloss White. The contrast with the badly yellowed paint on the S-1b stage is stark.

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__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

OK Guys,

We have the light at the end of the tunnel! All eight brand new fins glued on along with the new lower lug. Now it's time for a little Bondo to patch the wrap where the original fins were tramatically removed and maybe some smoothing to the scalloped section between the tanks.

Now that I've done them, I have to say the making the fins out of thin plastic worked very well. But rather than piece them together as I did, I suggest that a single piece be cut and folded that includes the sides, tip and root edges which are then assembled by folding over a metal ruler and glued with liquid cement. They weight marginally more than the original vacuform fins, but not by much.

Also compare the badly yellowed paint on the lower section and the bright gloss of the Rust-o-leum on the upper. I decided to build SA-210, the Last Saturn, so the whole lower section will be gloss white without the black tanks. I already have the decals from Sandman.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

She's lookin' GREAT! I LOVE to see rebuilds!

Joe

It's coming along great MarkB! Very nice!

__________________
I plan ahead that way I don't have to do anything right now.

Oh by the way, I'm not here just for the "olde" rocket discussions.

Verrrry nice! I love rebuilds, the challenge to salvage an old rocket is very satisfying to me. I don't know how I missed this thread until today, but I have a build thread on cloning this model here. We covered the Semroc tube sizes and travails of the LES tower there.

__________________
David Stribling
NAR 18402 SR
But it is rocket science!
Get yer Barrowmans here