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

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Yep, that's correct!

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Hello everybody,

and therewith on to the Final Countdown!

As one can see again in the following image, the substructure of the platform in the Paper kit is designed as a kind of plug-in connection, which gives the thin paper a certain stability which I've denied myself because Styrene (0,2 mm) is stiff enough and slitting the small parts would be difficult.

Likewise, the Cladding (Part 7) should be slotted and the Platform supports (Parts 4/6) should be inserted into these slots and glued, which appeared for me unnecessarily complicated.


Source: Micro Artwork, Mischa Klement (cyana)

That's why I've modified the supports and cut out the contour of the curve so that I could glue it directly onto the cladding.

With the 7 Mini disks (Ø 0,6 mm x 0,2 mm) I want to try to indicate the screws on the small side claddings.



After the 4 small plates for the motor feet were glued to the platform plate, this had to be fixed again accordingly for the secure gluing of the supports,



with which the platform was completed.



Then the platform could be glued to the case cladding.



And then came the exciting moment of trying on the Propel motor on the platform, whose drive shaft, to my surprise, fitted perfectly into the socket of the dome-shaped attachment.



On this image one can also nicely see the 3 screws on the base of the small cladding.



And if I now calmly make me realize the size of this imposing couple once again next to the Euro Cent,



then a small feeling of satisfaction and also proud of the result of my work creeps over me.

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Hello friends,

but in my euphoria I have now yet overlooked one assembly, namely this Fan unit (Parts 21-25), which looks formidable, but of course it shouldn't be missing.


Source: Micro Artwork, Mischa Klement (cyana)


Source: NASA

And these are the parts required,


Source: Micro Artwork, Mischa Klement (cyana)
whereby the Part 23 looks a bit bizarre indeed, so that I have to figure out how I can best scratch it.

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Hello everybody,

in the meantime I have started building the Fan unit (Parts 21-25), for which, as I said, at first I had a lot of respect, because the whole assembly is quite small and has an idiosyncratic and complicated shape, which is why I pondered for a long time about a workable solution that is still feasible, especially on my small scale (1/160).

First I've started with the simpler-looking front box (Part 21) and tried to fold it in the classic way out of paper and glue it (left in the image), but quickly noticed that the tiny angled corners would let hardly be glued cleanly, which is why I discarded this variant.



Then I glued the part onto Styrene (0,15 mm) and punched it out.





But this Paper/Styrene variant has also proven to be too complicated and unsuitable, since exact edges were even more difficult to fold, and the glued-on paper began to tear and peel off, wherefore I haven't even used the prepared angles for the corners.



But famously there isn't just one way of doing it, and that's why I have omitted the sloping corners in the 3rd variant. As already with the Gear case I've then again pierced the corner points of the paper template on Styrene (0,15 mm), traced with a pencil and then carefully punched out the part.



Then I carefully folded the main edges and glued in small triangular profiles to support the gluing of the sloping side walls, what has proven itself again.



Then the two angle strips could be glued into the front corners with sufficient overhang for handling, for which purpose the box was fixed again with super magnets.





For gluing the other angle I had to change the clamping accordingly.



Finally, the protruding parts of the angles were carefully cut off with the razor blade and the edges smoothed.



last but not least, I also still glued the inlet grid to the underside, for a better look.



Now only the narrow edge strip around the grid is missing (Part 22, red arrows),


Source: Micro Artwork, Mischa Klement (cyana)

which I will glue later, when this box is connected to the tricky Part 23, which is next in line, because it would only interfere during the final assembly.


Source: Micro Artwork, Mischa Klement (cyana)

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And for this idiosyncratically shaped part, which in addition to the lower rounding (Ø 4 mm) in the upper area is also still twofoldly slanted, I now have to come up with a special solution, because I consider making of the part provided in the paper kit to be hopeless due to its small size.

But at least I already have an idea how I can scratch that thing.

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Hello everybody,

I can tell you, this measly Part 23 of the fan unit really has it all.

To get the required thickness (2,4 mm) of the rounded part, I first transferred the outline on a Styrene strip (1,4 x 5 mm) and filed it to the final shape, which was quite tedious.



The second disk I transferred to a strip (1,0 x 5 mm), which was shortened by the upper side slant, because there I've planned a triangular profile for the slant to the rear.



After both disks had been glued and reworked, the triangular profile was glued on with a little overhang, which I then carefully wanted to punch off, but this failed because the part came loose.



So I shortened this piece accordingly, but due to its triangular shape it could no longer be gripped with the tweezers for the gluing, which I've managed to do with a tape strip.



After the slant has been carefully sanded,



I was able to turn to the assembly of the front box, which has now also received the lower frame.



After I had marked the position of the box on the front of the rounded part,



the box could finally be glued, which was half the battle! The problem with gluing such small parts is always a stable fixation of the parts, without which it would not work.



Now the only thing missing was the connection of the fan with the gear case, for which there is a small Platform (Part 25) on which a small Cylinder (Part 24, Ø 1,5 mm) is sitting, which is only connected to the fan, but not to the housing,



what I only recognized with the aid of the ingenious Truck 3D PDF. This area is no longer visible after assembly, but it doesn't matter, that's how it should be.


Source: MicroArtwork, Mischa Klement (cyana)

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After trying on the fan,



the cylinder could then be glued to the back,





followed by another try-on.



Then the small platform was glued onto the cylinder,



after which the entire fan unit was glued to the housing,





with which the gear case was complete.



After a successful last try-on, I then glued the Propel motor to its housing platform, with which the work is finally done, whose result completely satisfied me.





With a little distance one can hardly guess the effort and sweat that this small assembly has costed ...



BTW, my friend Joe (crackerjazz) has also found time again to continue with modeling of the Gear case and has posted another image of his 3D Model which shows that he's on a good track.


Source: ARC Forums (crackerjazz)

And so it can go on.

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Hello everybody,

my friend Joe (crackerjazz) was very hardworking and has now completed the 3D Modeling of the Gear case, which I'd like to present here in some images.


Sources: ARC Forums (crackerjazz)







Without exaggeration, his model has become absolutely perfect, which is largely due to the fact that he, like me, with the Truck 3D PDF and the Outlines PDFs by the ingenious LUT designer Mischa Klement (MicroArtwork) were able to fall back on perfect reference material, which was an invaluable advantage.

Now we have to see which details we may have to modify so that Shapeways can also print the model.

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Hello everybody,

here are some more images of my friend Joe from trying on the 3D models of the Gear case and the Propel motor.


Sources: ARC Forums (crackerjazz)









And as one can see, both assemblies fit together perfectly.





How could it also be otherwise, after all, Mischa Klement, the creator of the ingenious Crawler Paper Kit (1/96) has worked on his project approx. 10 years, which would once again prove that everything takes time, true to the saying: Good things come to those who wait!

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Hello everybody,

in keeping with the last images of his 3D models, here is an interesting note from my ARC friend Joe, who said that this somehow reminds him of an AT-AT.

Since I'm not a direct Star Wars Fan as an older semester, I first had to find out who/what was meant by that, but which my son was able to explain to me quickly.

This is The All Terrain Armored Transporter, which many of you are likely to know ...


Source: starwars.com

And I have to say, as far as the top part is concerned, the thing actually bears some resemblance to that Crawler Gear Case ...

After that I've immediately returned the favor and thanked him with this image for his great work so far,



which caused a sensation in the ARC Forums.