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

[rgmarine]

Manfred, this thread will become the "bible" for future builders.

[spacerunner]

Originally Posted by elliott

Looks like substantial progress here! All your hard work is beginning to pay dividends Manfred. Excellent job!

Thanks elliott,
that's all relative, always again small steps forward on the long road, but nevertheless I'm satisfied.

For many guys maybe it goes too slow, but I must invent all the parts myself from images, and this costs a lot of fracking time.

[spacerunner]

Originally Posted by rgmarine

Manfred, this thread will become the "bible" for future builders.

Thanks rgmarine for your nice compliment,

maybe you're right, but I like to share my experience with everyone else and therefore I document everything in such detail. And so I could inspire some friends to try it for themselves.

[spacerunner]

Hello everyone,

fast nor a quick update, the lower support plate was once more modified slightly and now stands vertically,



and then it was glued above the outlet opening.



And then came still the upper support.





That's it for today.

[spacerunner]

Hello everybody,

but first times still an addendum to the current state of the first two 18'' outlets with the support plates.



And for the flattening of the outlet openings on the two other outlets I have my method still slightly modified.

The opening can in fact even be better formed when one first uses a balsa rod which is flattened out gradually during heating,





after which I've used one of the new opening adapted core.



And this gives a nearly perfectly shaped opening.



Because of the different running lower curvature of these two outlets I had to remodel my Balsa clamp jig laterally reversed for adapting the lower support plates.







Thanks for watching.

[spacerunner]

Hi folks,
here is still a question to the expert round, what do you think wherefore these screwings are good for, which are located at all outlets (6'' - 9'' - 12'' - 18'') of the SSWS?


Source: NASA
Of which there are a total of 18 pieces, if I've counted correctly.


Source: NASA
Are these possibly vent openings or inspection ports?

[luke strawwalker]

That'd be my guess, exactly. Possibly vent ports to break the vacuum in the pipes for draining them down, or to insert inspection cameras or equipment for various purposes.

Later! OL J R

[Deriachai]

Given size I would say vents.

[DanBKing]

As these are all located at the highest points of the pipes, I would say they are air-bleed vents, similar to what you get on heating radiators in your house. Removes the air in the system for constant pressure.

[PhantomCruiser]

I would agree, they look like a place for a high point vent, but it's plugged. Perhaps a place to put a test gauge to check system pressure?