Space Shuttle Launch Complex 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

Hello everybody,

with the assembly of the T profiles it wanted initially not work so well, because their positioning was pretty stressful already during the fitting between the H profile and the screws ring, let alone only when gluing.

That’s why I first times tried the fit with an Evergreen H beam, especially because the belt protruded outwards even something over the screws circle,

which is why I initially left something overhang in order to remeasure everything again.

Since the subsequent experiments with the scratched T beams were not very successful, I simply have rearranged the mounting and built the profile directly at the tube and firstly have glued the webs.

Subsequently I glued the flanges on the webs that have been fixed with tape and then had been aligned.

And so the mounting went really better.

And so the Rainbird B-1 would actually finished,

and looks pretty nice,

especially when one compares it with the paper bird from Maier’s Paper kit.

However, a tiny detail is lacking, because all Rainbirds have these two transport rings on the hood between the H beams that I wanted to try at least once.

Source: NASA

The diameter should be about 0,7 mm, for which I have cut off these tiny rings from my thinnest insulating tube. Okay, I hear almost your outcry …

And these crumbs actually still could be glued under the magnifier.

So, it is now well enough of this crazy stuff. Here is an image of the little bird on the MLP, which was so long not to see.

Have a nice evening.

Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in styrene (without losing one’s mind) – breathtaking & meticulous work Manfred, bravo. Now for a (very high-) pressure test eh?

Thanks my friend for looking in on me again,

keep staying tuned and let’s have fun together.

Hello everybody,

well, the first little hummingbird pleases me very well, and something like this I have imagined the bird at first even without at that time already to have guessed that it actually might succeed so.

But for this prototype, consisting of about 60 parts, I have also again invested some time, effort and nerves until he finally was born.

But since the procedure now is clear, the remaining flock of birds should no longer become quite so stressful, although the two central birdies already more likely should be a bit more complicated, especially the bird between the SRB holes, which has this conical central part as well as these tricky inspection ports on the front and back.

Source: NASA

That’s why this small series will not become boring …

And now it’s about time for the remaining five hoods that should get their H beams and lifting rings.

For tricky gluing the profile webs on the upper belts I’ve been thinking this new support, for which I have used these two magnets. They are not as strong as the small Neodym magnets which almost the tweezers wrench out of hand when handling next to them.

And with these weaker magnets one can align the clamped webs on the belt very precisely centrally and then glue on both sides with MEK. But because of the creeping behaviour of the MEK along the contact zone one must pay attention to that one not too close comes with the MEK brush to the magnets because the Styrene otherwise remains sticking to it, what surprised me initially.

Therefore one can always glue only a small area, approximately half the length, and must turn the profile and then glue the end, after having readjusted the central position if necessary. So all in all still enough tricky fiddling, but it works well.

Now follows with the gluing of these T profiles on the bottom belt the more difficult part of the exercise. And right next to it are already waiting the tiny lifting rings.

And for this fiddling I have used small Ferrite magnets. While the first profile can still relatively easy be fixed between two stops, aligned and glued,

for the second profile one needs a bit more feeling and patience, in order to position it centrally as well as vertically.

But even that has finally worked out,

and also the gluing of the small lifting rings with CA,

and so again a small step was taken.

In the next round it goes back to the tricky “cartridge belts”.

Good morning folks.

Caution! Now it will be shot sharply! The ammunition is ready for the next “cartridge belts”. Fire at will!

And thus again the same procedure, as usual, first the insertion of the 0,5 mm rods into the templates, and then gluing the inner strips (0,25 mm x 0,75 mm) with MEK.

Thereafter, the rods can be cut in the middle,

and then be shortened on both sides along the strip to 0,75 mm overhang.

And these are the double sided screws-rings for the Rainbird B-2,

which is almost identical to the Rainbird B-1.

Source: NASA

Then for all already in advance a big weekend.

I suppose though that once you have done one, the remainder are a bit easier as you already know the process …its just the complexity of it all … looks great.

Thanks John,

yes, of course, practice makes perfect, especially when you have a patented solution that you “just” need to reproduce. Still, the fiddling is always the same.

Hello guys,

quick still an encore before I come out of practice.

Now the cartridge belts for Rainbirds B-3 and B-4 are to scratch, which are standing on the Blast Deck.

Source: NASA

These Birds unlike the three next to the SRB Holes have only one double flange with screws above, but at the foot only one flange with screws, how can be seen here again.

Source: flickr.com (Andrew Scheer)

The procedure for the double screw rings was the same as for the first two Birds.

This time for the single lower flanges Evergreen strips (0,25 mm x 0,5 mm) were glued,

and then the outer ends were shortened to the screw length (0,75 mm).

Subsequently, the inner rods were cut directly behind the strips, and that’s about it already.

And here from left to right, the finished “cartridge belt” pairs for the Birds B-2, B-3 and B-4.

And because the small series production is running stably in the ammunition factory, tomorrow follow the ‘cratridge belts’ for the two thicker Birds A-1 and A-2, which become a little bit longer due to the larger tube diameter, at the bottom Ø 8,0 mm and at the top Ø 6,3mm.

Hello everybody,

the nightmare with the “cartridge belts” unfortunately is not over yet, but now the belts for the two central Rainbirds A-1 and A-2 are prepared and so this tricky and stressful chapter finally completed.

This are the screws rings on the upper tubes with Ø 6,3 mm, all fine fixed by magnets and with the support strips (0,25 mm x 0,75 mm) placed for the MEK gluing.

Here the strips are already glued and the grid can be further processed.

After removing of the templates the overhang can be reduced on both sides to 0,75 mm.

Left are the top two belts for the Birds A-1 and A-2, and on the right for comparison for the leaner Birds B-3 and B-4.

And this become the two lower belts on the thicker tubes with Ø 8,0 mm for the Birds A-1 and A-2.

Here they are now cropped step by step,

for the lower ring with overhang (0,75 mm) on one side,

and for the top ring on both sides.

These are the two bottom screws belts for the Birds A-2 (left) and A-1 (right)

and here the two pairs for the Bird A-1 (left) and A-2 (right).

And so it is finally done.

These are from left to right all the “cartridge belts” pairs for the remaining five Birds B-2, B-3 and B-4, as well as A-1 and A-2.

And when they are now lying there, the laborious sweaty detail work can be imagined only hardly.

Therefore I am glad that this ordeal is now over and the mounting can follow.

Hello everybody,

after the weekend it will now go on with the Rainbirds. Because I did not immediately want to continue with the “Cartridge belts” and have needed some change, I have intensively considered the central Rain Bird A-1 with the four cute flange tubes and thought how I could possibly scratch it.

On most images one can see only revision openings on the flange tubes, which are closed with 12 screws,

Source: NASA

but in a photo stream of Andrew Scheer I have found a photo in the opened state.

Source: flickr.com (Andrew Scheer)

A somewhat bold idea I have had already. But in order to test this, one needs the dimensions of the parts, which are the flange tube with the covers and bolts and a corresponding 1:1 sketch.

The size of the flange and cover can be relatively easily determined from frontal shots like this, by using the diameter of the lower tube with Ø 7,9 mm as reference, which would be approx. 3,5 mm. For that I can use my Punch & Die Set again.

This results in a diameter of the bolt circle of Ø 2,9 mm and for screws Ø 0,4mm, which already shows how tiny these parts would be again.

Source: NASA

Somewhat more difficult it is with appropriate images, where one can see the lateral structure of these flange tubes undistorted for determination of the dimensions. Since most photos, such as the first image above, show the Rainbird more or less from oblique perspectives, these photos can not be used unfortunately. But in a NASA streetview panorama I have found a usable lateral view and so I was able to determine the length of the flange tube as well as the thickness of the flange and cover, and the gap between them, inclusive the screw length.

Source: NASA

So I have drawn this sketch (1:1), where the bird A-1 already looks a lot smaller than on the pictures.

And now to the flange with cover and 12 screws and my conception for scratch-building these parts.

First, I have drawn the layout of the bolts on the flange cover something enlarged, and then this graphic was reduced to Ø 3,5 mm, in which for further procedure actually only the bolt circle (Ø 2,9 mm) is important. From this bolt circle I wanted to create me a transparent mask for transmitting the positions of the 12 screws onto the cover (Ø 3,5 mm x 0,2 mm) as well the flange (Ø 3,5 mm x 0,5 mm), in order to drill them out, but the procedure somehow appears to be adventurous, right? And into the holes of the discs I then wanted to glue the bolts (Ø 0,4 mm) with a little overhang, insofar as to my idea or theory.

And as I said, so done. The paper template of the bolt circle (Ø 2,9 mm), I have carefully pierced with a needle on a transparent film and then drilled with a drill (Ø 0,35 mm), which was not easy and less funny and sometimes went wrong.

Far more difficult was drilling of the cover with applied template that can easily slip,

which may lead quickly to excentric bolt circles or waste.

But this cover here is quite well succeeded already.

And here I have threaded two small rods Ø 0,3 mm, which unfortunately are somewhat too thin. But there are no rods with Ø 0,4 mm, and for Ø 0,5 mm will probably not be enough space on the 2,9 mm bolt circle.

Maybe there are other options too, but for today it should be enough.

Always superb attention to detail and real dedication to making it look like the real deal.

Thanks John,

with other words: Curse or blessing, that’s here the question.

Hi friends,

so I still have fiddled a bit more.

To illustrate the dimensions of the individual parts of the flange tube here is my assessment as far as one can still realize it. As the reference measure I’ve used the diameter of the upper tube Ø 6,3 mm.

Source: NASA

Here I have further tried this tricky variant, have transferred the bolt circle (Ø 2,9 mm) in the same manner onto the flange (Ø 3,5 mm x 0,5 mm) and subsequently drilled out, but that was pretty difficult to do without slipping away.

And then I threaded rods with Ø 0,3 mm as screws dummies into the holes of both discs, but as I said, which are unfortunately a bit too thin.

Anyway, this procedure is feasible, but is all in all a very elaborate method.

That’s why I tried yet another variant with stamped discs, for which I have used the smallest punch (Ø 0,6 mm) of my Punch & Die Set.

Here one can see the flange (0,5 mm) with the cover (0,2 mm), both Ø 3,5 mm, in between I have placed a slightly smaller disk (0,1 mm) for the gap. Thus, the flange with cover incl. gap has a total thickness of 0,8 mm, which fits well.

Then I started to glue these small discs with MEK,

but quickly noticed that the distances on the bolt circle are not sufficient, what was to be feared. With smaller discs of Ø 0,3 to 0,4 mm but this variant would be feasible too, but I would have to cut tiny discs from corresponding rods.

Czech Master’s Kits (CMK) offers some great kits with small rivets and even hexagonal screw heads with drill template and drill, but unfortunately only down to minimal Ø 0,8 mm.

But through my Punch & Die Set I had yet another idea. Why I should not try to reverse the principle and not to glue the screw heads, but to press them with a thin stamp into the Styrene sheet but without to pierce it, so similar to the rivet wheels of aircraft modelers?

And so I have tested it on a sheet (0,2 mm), for which I have clamped a drill with Ø 0,4 mm reversed and then gently pressed with its backside into the Styrene. And the result has pleasantly surprised me, as one can see here, because it looks pretty well and usable.

And this technique, I then tried on a cover (Ø 3,5 mm), without exactly mark the positions, only drawn by eye.

This here is the underside with the imprints,

and here the top side with the screw heads.

And this result might please already, right?

But since the flange-disc (0,5 mm) unfortunately is too thick for this technique, I must still find any other solution therefore.

Hello friends,

and this variant I’ve tried, and the result, I will show you shortly.

Here’s another stamped cover,

and here already the finished composite flange with cover.

Now only missing the flange tubes (Ø 1,8 mm), which I have stamped from Styrene (1 mm) .

And so the first of four flanges with cover and 24 screws is completed.

And here is a first test on the Knitting needle, that will be used for the lower tube and the conical midsection.

I think it’s okay so far.

Hello everybody,

so strictly speaking, I move with the screws on the flange/cover close to the limit of what is meaningfully feasible, especially since they are hardly visible to the naked eye from some distance. But even the smallest edges produce a visible shadow casting. And since I have started this crazy thing with the screws, I will finish it too.

Sometimes I have indeed even myself problems to identify which discs have the stamped screws already, and which not, and therefore I always need my headset magnifier for this work.

This concerns, for example, in particular the screw heights that should be only about 0,1 mm (cover) or 0,2 mm (flange), what can be quickly exceeded during stamping. But meantime I have a very good feeling in the hands, and if necessary, the height of the protrusions can be even aligned a bit in the sliding caliper.

A few small changes I’ve made. So the flange-tubes now are built by gluing together two discs with Ø 1,0 and 0,5 mm, each 0,5 mm thickness, which is a bit closer to the real thing. And the rear bolts of the flange I have stamped now on discs (Ø 3,5 mm) with 0,25 mm thickness, because the thinner discs (0,2 mm) are slightly bulged at the edges by stamping.

Therefore, I have gently bent back the stamped discs over an opening of the punch set in order to compensate the edge bulge, as best as possible.

Then I have glued the flange-tubes on the stamped flange,

then I have glued the flange-tubes on the stamped flange, and then a 0,2 mm thick disc (Ø 3,5 mm) on the front in order to get the required thickness.

Then the distance discs for the gap were glued to the flanges and then finally the stamped covers in front of them.

And now the four tiny flange tubes with a total of 96 screws are finally completed.

And therefore I can now actually soon carry on with the construction of Rainbird A-1, to which they belong.

This detail is just staggering… It keeps getting better and more complex each time …

Thanks John,

the next steps of assembly will be exciting, stay tuned.

Hello everybody,

so, now I want to start with the nice Rainbird A-1.

And these are the most important parts of this that I have already prepared. This is the knitting needle for the lower tube (Ø 7,9 mm) with the conical midsection and the upper tube (Ø 6,3 mm), the completed flange covers, the two screw belts, as well as the recently completed flange-tubes.

First, I’ve cut out the opening in the top tube, which was this time a little easier because it extends across the half tube.

After that I marked out the length of the conical part of the knitting needle and tried to trim it onto the inner diameter of the upper tube (Ø 5,9 mm) by using a cordless screwdriver, because a small turning machine I have unfortunately not (yet). But with the cutter-chisels as turning tool did not work, because it is too weak and too resilient.

So only the rasp has worked well, a somewhat rustic technique, but quite successfully.

Consequently some of rework was necessary, but ultimately I reached the required diameter,

and so I could test the tube.

Now the reference length was marked at the rear end and then was made the slope (8°) for the cover,

and the same procedure again for the rear Rain Bird A-2, so that it is also well worthwhile. Finally, both parts were still glued together.

And then should follow the screw belt in proven manner, I had initially pinned to the back side with CA and wanted to glue it roundly. But then I suddenly was rather surprised when I wanted to put the belt around the tube.

So I had actually used the longer belt for the larger diameter of the lower tube. Good thing I had not even further glued because the thin retaining strip would not have survived peeling. But the first millimeter could still be replaced without prejudice.

And then the same procedure with the proper belt,

which fit almost perfectly, except the last bolt, which no longer had enough space.

So the last bolt had to be removed once again in order to make slightly up space in the gap.

And with this result I could be satisfied again.

So, now can also follow the lower screws-belt.

Wow, amazing work Manfred.

At this size, I am sure I would have problems getting those wholes to line up properly in the circular pattern without feeling the any side effects for several days.

Thanks Mike for your nice words,

fortunately, I know meanwhile when to take a break, so I can continue to look straight ahead.