Help With Rocket Engine Paper Models

**mercsim** · #1 10-25-2015, 11:19 PM

A friend, Mark Calhoun, from the Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum in PA needs some help.

They are a sponsor of the upcoming Young innovators fair (Young Innovators Fair | K12 SuperSTEM Interactive Event) are are setting up a display with their Apollo suit replica, Mercury capsule replica and some other cool stuff. Part of the display involves comparing the actual size of various rocket engines with outlines on the floor so people can stand on them. They are interested in displaying some scale rocket engines from Mercury, Gemini, and Saturn on a desktop so people can also see what they really looked like size wise to one another.

We talked about paper models and they thought it was brilliant. They could provide some information about paper modeling and where to get them from also.

Does anyone have the time to build 2 each of just the motors (Atlas, Titan, and F-1) for a good cause? They don't need to be real detailed, just in the same scale and it doesn't matter what it is.

I have seen various F-1's and the Atlas and Gemini ones on rocket models. They might all be at Leslies but I haven't looked lately. It might take a bit of simple math to print them out in the same scale.

I'll check back here and Mark can be reached thru the email on their website. I know they would appreciate any help they could get and they will gladly credit the builder if wanted

Scott Todd

**Vermin_King** · #2 10-26-2015, 07:56 AM

I don't do many real space models, but this is really an outstanding idea. Hopefully people will step up to the plate and help them hit a homerun

**Dabeer** · #3 10-26-2015, 10:54 AM

I took a look at my collection, and while there's a very nice model of the F1 at 1:48 that I'd be willing to build, I don't have any good stand-alone models of the Titan II or Atlas LV-3B engines. Ton's Gemini model comes close, but the Atlas engines appear to be at least mostly internal to the rocket, and so nothing I have has more than the bottom of the bell.

**dhanners** · #4 10-26-2015, 11:20 AM

It is a great cause, and not to sound like a Negative Nelly but unless you've got some great technical drawings or detailed photos, the Titan II's business end is a plumbing nightmare.

I took a stab at it years ago....

**Dabeer** · #5 10-26-2015, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhanners

It is a great cause, and not to sound like a Negative Nelly but unless you've got some great technical drawings or detailed photos, the Titan II's business end is a plumbing nightmare.

I took a stab at it years ago....

Hopefully he's only looking for the engine part, i.e. bell and compression chamber, not the rest of the structure? Or is the rest considered part of the engine, like turbines and preheaters, etc?

**mercsim** · #6 10-26-2015, 06:08 PM

Dabeer is right. To the public, the engine is the bell. Even a basic powerhead and plumbing would be fine. The point of the exhibit is to illustrate the size differences. He asked for two of each as they will probably get handled and he wants a spare in case one needs repair.

**Dabeer** · #7 10-26-2015, 07:17 PM

If one were to build these engines, how would they get them to you or Mr. Calhoun?

**mercsim** · #8 10-27-2015, 09:49 AM

I think just boxing them up with some tissue around them and mailing them would be fine. I can give you his contact info if its not on the website. He is a very nice guy and easy to talk to. He is super enthusiastic about all things space.

Again, I'm sure they would give you credit as the builder if you want it and if the models survive, they would probably return them if you want them back.

Knowing Mark, You would be considered a Super Hero as far as their Museum is concerned

**mercsim** · #9 10-27-2015, 09:54 AM

I think the photo Dhanners posted above is more than detailed enough.

**SCEtoAUX** · #10 10-27-2015, 10:25 AM

Is this the address:
Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
100 Station Ave, Oaks, PA 19456

I lived in Oaks, PA on Egypt Road not too far from that geographic location back in 1969-1970. Station Avenue was just a railroad track and the area where the Expo Center and that shopping complex was open fields and woods. We used to walk along the tracks to get to the rail bridge across the Schuykill River just because it was something to do.