Space Shuttle Discovery YG Publisher No.130 in 1:33

[N96HBK]

Wow, the sheer size of this project is mind-boggling, incredible progress and clean work! Really excited to see what this mammoth model looks like completed.

[Rambler]

This. Is. Awesome. This is also what I like about paper modeling...the ability to make huge models that would be prohibitively expensive in any other medium. Great work on the model so far, and looking forward to seeing more of the build!

[Algebraist]

What a beast of a model you are making. Really enjoying this thread and looking forward to watching you put this all together A. Pirling (also enjoyed the "prequel" unboxing thread). Very interesting hearing about how you are having to work things out and also adapt the original model. Thanks for taking the time to share.

Regards

Kevin

[A. Pirling]

For the shuttle alone there are already four pages with many sketches.
There are a lot of parts to build.
The whole thing is still a bit confusing for me.

First I will probably need a while,
to assign the many, often tiny laser cut parts to the components
and then to find a point where I can start building.

The two pictures are made by assembling three pictures each
each. Hence the crooked transitions.

[A. Pirling]

What should I start building the shuttle with?

I chose the engines.
Three of them are to be built.
Each engine - at least the parts, which are available from the build sheet -
consists of an outer and an inner skin.

Around the outer skin are many rings of 2 mm thick laser cut parts.

Here, too, the strong traces of powder from the laser cut are very
noticeable. Don't you dare not clean your hands thoroughly.
Otherwise, the components will soon be marred by stupid stains.

[A. Pirling]

I put the glued parts E01, E02 and E03 on the large opening and - starting with the largest ring - h
on the large opening and - starting with the largest ring - h - pushed one ring after the other from the small opening over the whole and fixed it with glue.
Only then was this structure pushed into the prefabricated components E06, E06a, E06b, E05 and E04. The "lines" 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be attached later.

[dhanners]

Excellent job of modeling, and this thing will be huge. I'm enjoying watching your progress.

I do have to wonder, though, about some of the manufacturer's color choices. For example, they seem to have reversed the colors on the RS-25s (formerly known as the Space Shuttle Main Engines, or SSMEs). The expansion nozzle should be a dark metallic color, while the eight longitudinal "hatbands," as they are sometimes called, should be a lighter metallic color.

This isn't a criticism of your skills, mind you, but rather a questioning of the manufacturer's color choices.

[A. Pirling]

After the engines I started with the canopy.

First I looked for all the laser cut parts needed for it.
Later, after the rough framework of the canopy was glued together,
I had to find out that in the canopy wall 000 the openings for the parts
for the parts 008R and 008L had not been lasered.
Since this discovery came a little too late to cut the holes,
I cut away the tenons on both parts.
After that, I first installed the interior of the cockpit with its pilot seats and the walls
were installed before the struts for that were attached.

[A. Pirling]

The many sketches help a lot to put everything in the right place.
Again, you should think about a sensible order,
so that e.g. the pilot seats, the joystick and the control pedals can still be installed.

One thing is quite remarkable from my point of view:
Compared to the huge boosters and the mighty ET
the parts in the cabin are really tiny.
They brought me already quite to the borders of that,
what I could still work on with my "coarse" fingers.
And what is all this for?
These tiny parts can hardly be seen later through the glazed cabin windows.

[dhanners]

That's looking very nice!